Yelling at a cop this morning...

blktoptrvl · #1 03-18-2010, 08:55 PM

I was in the right of two left turning lanes (car A).

Light turns green.

I proceed to make my turn.

Before I can complete the turn, I have to wait because car (D) goes across the middle lane into the left lane. He is followed by car C who blows through the yield sign and also jumps into the left lane.

After they clear out of my way, I proceed down the middle lane which is clear of all cars (all of the cars getting onto the ramp from the left and right turn lanes are jumping into the left ramp lane.)

And of course, some of the people who jumped into the left are now blowing their horns at me because they are pissed that I am going to be in front of them. As usual, I ignore them.

Suddenly car C (undercover cop) comes flying up behind me with his lights on, so I pull over onto the shoulder at position (B)

The cop stops on the road in the middle lane and starts yelling at me (“you can’t do that!!!) Me, still pissed that he blew the yield and cut me off yells back “Yes I can,” and I just stare at him.

He decided to continue down the ramp to merge onto the highway. I jump right on his tail and follow him onto the highway.

In a few more feet, I catch up with him because traffic ahead is stopped. So, I roll down my window and look at him again. He says “You can’t do that, you broke the law, you jumped ahead of 4 or 5 cars when you are required to merge.” So, I yell back, “are you nuts, I was in my lane which was clear, and they were in their lane stopped. There was nothing illegal about anything I did.”

Then traffic ahead clears, he shakes his head at me, and drives on.

I was pissed for quite a while and thought about calling his command.

OK somebody tell me why the cop had a bug up his butt this morning? What is it he thinks I did wrong?

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E61Silver · #2 03-18-2010, 09:04 PM

I never fight with a cop, right or wrong, lucky he did not write you for something.

blktoptrvl · #3 03-18-2010, 09:13 PM

I don't worry too much about such things. If I thought I was wrong, I would say so and take my ticket, but I'm not going to be quiet when he is wrong just because he is a cop. (I think as I am getting older, I am less inclined to put up with BS)

But I do know what you mean. I have thought many times about installing a recorder in my car, so I can challenge a cop in court if I have to.

E61Silver · #4 03-18-2010, 09:44 PM

I just try to make money and enjoy life.

I don't want to end up in court over BS, I would rather spend my free time on my bike, boat or car.

CarsRmyVICE · #5 03-18-2010, 10:35 PM

COPS ARE CAREER SNITCHES... but no use arguing with fools, people from a distance cant tell who is who.

Yii · #6 03-18-2010, 10:37 PM

man.. how did u just get a cop to yell at you? if some cop pulls me over i am getting a ticket guaranteed. But yeah just cause there cops doesn't mean you let them roll over you. Stick up for what you believe is right(Maintaining a level head) and not let a police officer tell you what to do just because he is somewhat of a higher authority.

statdoc · #7 03-18-2010, 10:56 PM

Some people look for trouble. Some let it go past.

AzNMpower32 · #8 03-18-2010, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by statdoc

Some people look for trouble. Some let it go past.

+1. You have no idea how much trouble that would land you in Virginia. The rule? Police can do anything and drive however they want. In this state, they can blow by stopped traffic on the narrow shoulder at 70mph. They can drive perpendicular to the interstate, across 3 lanes of traffic and you have to slam your brakes for them. They can pull someone over right after a blind corner, so everyone else has to swerve.

Heck, they shot someone 22 times in my county and got away with it.

JCL · #9 03-18-2010, 11:57 PM

Traffic will flow far more efficiently if drivers use both lanes up until the merge sign, and that is why they built two left turn lanes. That said, it appears obvious that traffic had already merged into a single line (even the two cars from the opposite direction, including the police car, got in line instead of blowing down the curb lane) and when you passed them all on the inside, it was cheeky. It may not have been illegal, but it sure didn't make you look good, it looked like you were taking advantage.

The proper thing to do would have been to pull up alongside the car that merged last (the one that turned out to be the police car), match his speed, and put your left turn signal on to take your place in the queue. Of course, few drivers have the courtesy to do that, and the ones behind you probably would have blown by you on the shoulder.

As for yelling at him, that is a losing game. They put up with enough crap all day long, I won't yell at a police officer even if he is wrong. You can stand up and state your position without losing it.

Quicksilver · #10 03-19-2010, 12:36 AM

Interesting situation. My question would be why is there one lane with
no one in it? Does that lane end further down the road and merge
to the left to get on the highway or does it go somewhere else?

Either way the engineering group who designed that ramp made
2 lanes so that it could be occupied by vehicles making the left turn
into that lane. Depending on where that lane is headed after the turn
is made the decision on the part of the person occupying the middle
lane has the right to decide to merge safely into the left lane at any
point the merge can safely be done.

In fact it is recommended that the driver make the merge further
down the middle lane so as to not slow down traffic behind the driver.

It is the responsibility of other drivers to be courteous and not
get angry when other drivers legally use other lanes in order not
to get in a line that will clearly obstruct traffic as the diagram clearly
shows would have occurred.

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