• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Brake checking a cop

Page 4 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
hmmm...

i just drove about 150~ miles.... probably 100 of them in the leftmost lane.

here the only lanes reserved for anything are the HOV lanes. everything else is fair game for everyone but the big trucks.

I have seen a trucker run somebody like you off the road once. It was great.
 
I know how the law works, but real life tends to work differently.

I have been ticketed for 'driving unsafe for conditions' without breaking the speed limit simply because the cop needed a reason for why he pulled me over. (The real reason was it was 2am, they had just busted a house party of teenagers and thought I was one of them, I was doing 25 in a 25 in a light snow).

That's the only restriction to my post: ones that allow a cop's judgment can be problematic, because it just so happens that some cops are pricks to the extreme.

After checking things out, that should have been a warning at the most. And the warning would have served simply as a "cover the bases, check the block" approach to get the cop out of there after realizing nothing actually needed to be addressed.

Also, some cops do strongly believe people shouldn't even drive the speed limit if conditions are bad.
 
I just go +10-15mph and hang out in the left lane .. if someone comes behind me, I just move over, easy! now if it is pretty empty, I sit in the middle/right lane.
 
I do it often*.

The * is to denote that there's a reason - generally speaking the right lane is usually in far worse condition than the left lane. Mind you, I haven't lived in New York for about 4 years now, but winter sucks, and spring is actually even worse. Winters generally tear up the roads in NY, which is why there's actually only two seasons up there - Winter and Construction Season.

Thing is, just about any state I've driven in has similar issues - the difference being the farther south you go, the less often the roads are resurfaced. That means a lot of times pretty significant ruts in the road simply from travel, all the way to huge potholes. At best, they fill the potholes every year, but the surface is still horrible to drive on until they do a full resurface. The left lane is usually in far better condition.

Another thing is the pitch - down south with the generally heavier rain, the pitch of the right lane is far steeper than that of the left lane to facilitate water runoff. At these points I prefer to be in the left lane because I of a combination of the above - the water runs off to the right lane and usually pools in the ruts that have been left making controlling a vehicle in those lanes a far greater challenge, even at low speeds.

The main difference with me - I will move over if I know I'm not travelling at speed and it's safe to do so. I don't do it to be an asshole... I do it for my own safety.

Will you move over if traffic is approaching from behind at a higher rate of speed compared to you, regardless of lane condition, if the lane(s) to the right are open?

If there is completely wipe-open area to the right, there really is no reason to be in the left. Granted, for personal comfort, I understand avoiding things - so I would argue it's okay until you see what I described above: traffic approaching from the rear.
If that traffic is forced to pass on the right just to get around you, you are wrong.
 
That cop was following waaaay too close, given the road conditions.

But at least he busted the jerk for hogging the passing lane. 🙂

They do that on purpose. If you see a cop 2 ft. off your ass, you're about to get busted. He was probably getting his license plate down for checking because he was driving in the passing lane.
 
Will you move over if traffic is approaching from behind at a higher rate of speed compared to you, regardless of lane condition, if the lane(s) to the right are open?

If there is completely wipe-open area to the right, there really is no reason to be in the left. Granted, for personal comfort, I understand avoiding things - so I would argue it's okay until you see what I described above: traffic approaching from the rear.
If that traffic is forced to pass on the right just to get around you, you are wrong.

I already answered that - assuming the road conditions aren't hazardous, yes, I will. If they are manageable yet I need to slow down to do so - yes, I will.

If the road conditions are dangerous and moving over would potentially cause issues - I won't. I avoid standing water on roads at most all costs, given I know what it can do.
 
I just go +10-15mph and hang out in the left lane .. if someone comes behind me, I just move over, easy! now if it is pretty empty, I sit in the middle/right lane.

Same. I've been in the left lane for long periods of time, but that's only because there is plenty of traffic in the right lane(s) and I am at a speed that would be considered passing for each and every one. No sense moving from right to left to right to left to right to left every 5 seconds.

I do move over immediately to a right lane the moment there is a decent stretch of open road ahead of me, or other cars in the right lane appear to be moving about the speed I am. I've had plenty of times when right-lane traffic was moving 20+ over the limit, as no slow-goers were impeding such and we all understood the proper approach to multi-lane driving.
Even if I am passing a ton of people, I will also move over if I notice traffic approaching at a significantly faster speed than that of mine.

I never travel in the left lane if the right lane is wide open.
 
That's the only restriction to my post: ones that allow a cop's judgment can be problematic, because it just so happens that some cops are pricks to the extreme.

After checking things out, that should have been a warning at the most. And the warning would have served simply as a "cover the bases, check the block" approach to get the cop out of there after realizing nothing actually needed to be addressed.

Also, some cops do strongly believe people shouldn't even drive the speed limit if conditions are bad.

He was convinced I was at the house party. It was one of those moments I remember with exact detail even though it's been over 10 years. Nothing like getting your car searched at 2am, doing a sobriety test, taking a breathalyzer, and being strong armed by 2 cops to just confess before things get really bad for you when the find out the 'truth'.

The truth was I was driving to my mom's house from my tech support job so I could spend the weekend out with them. They lived about about a hour and a half a way and I got off at 12:30. It was a gated community that had it's own police force and they are the kind of guys who had previously given me a ticket for doing 26 in a 25 (which I had fought and lost) so I was on my guard. They followed me past the check point up around the bend then pulled me over.

Top that off with the fact it was 2am and I wanted to go home probably lead me to be a bit more blunt with them then the probably though was 'respectful' as well.
 
Will you move over if traffic is approaching from behind at a higher rate of speed compared to you, regardless of lane condition, if the lane(s) to the right are open?

If there is completely wipe-open area to the right, there really is no reason to be in the left. Granted, for personal comfort, I understand avoiding things - so I would argue it's okay until you see what I described above: traffic approaching from the rear.
If that traffic is forced to pass on the right just to get around you, you are wrong.

It is OK to cruise the left lane in extenuating, but you should be doubly alert about your surroundings, particularly cars approaching from the rear. One of my favorite interstates "near" here is I 39, especially through Illinois. Light traffic, and although they drive aggressive in Illinois, it is usually with decent amounts of precision, and people usually get over. Only driven through Chicago once, and that was enough for me, worth the extra miles to go around to I39 when I drive to Wisconsin.
 
It has been my experience that traffic tickets work entirely differently than any other kind of law. The cop could write you a ticket for breathing with your mouth open, and just maybe if your lucky you will get the chance to pay court costs and try to prove that's not a crime. Traffic tickets mean guilty until a judge decides you have the chance to maybe be innocent.

That said, that guy deserved a ticket.

I've always wanted to see what would happen if I requested a trial by jury for speeding. It is allowed in my state and you would think if everyone did that it would bankrupt the state.

This is not true at all. Your claim you got a ticket for 1mph over is also very questionable. Here in Florida, up to 4mph the most they can give you is a warning.
 
It is OK to cruise the left lane in extenuating, but you should be doubly alert about your surroundings, particularly cars approaching from the rear. One of my favorite interstates "near" here is I 39, especially through Illinois. Light traffic, and although they drive aggressive in Illinois, it is usually with decent amounts of precision, and people usually get over. Only driven through Chicago once, and that was enough for me, worth the extra miles to go around to I39 when I drive to Wisconsin.

i like I 39. i take it down to see my dad in Marion IL and use it to get to rockford (if in a hurry).

The traffic is light and plenty of places to stop.
 
This is not true at all. Your claim you got a ticket for 1mph over is also very questionable. Here in Florida, up to 4mph the most they can give you is a warning.

He did say gated community with their own guards. That would imply they aren't officers of the law.
Community-type police and guards are often notorious for being self-righteous assholes that are sticklers for anything and everything related to rules and laws.
 
This is not true at all. Your claim you got a ticket for 1mph over is also very questionable. Here in Florida, up to 4mph the most they can give you is a warning.

Lake of the four seasons, crown point IN 1999 is there anyway to look it up? I can tell you that the strictly enforce 25 mph. I don't know a single person who has not gotten a ticket for 26-28mph in that community. It might not be so bad now that they no longer get a portion of the tickets fines to the HOA.
 
Last edited:
I do it often*.

The * is to denote that there's a reason - generally speaking the right lane is usually in far worse condition than the left lane. Mind you, I haven't lived in New York for about 4 years now, but winter sucks, and spring is actually even worse. Winters generally tear up the roads in NY, which is why there's actually only two seasons up there - Winter and Construction Season.

Thing is, just about any state I've driven in has similar issues - the difference being the farther south you go, the less often the roads are resurfaced. That means a lot of times pretty significant ruts in the road simply from travel, all the way to huge potholes. At best, they fill the potholes every year, but the surface is still horrible to drive on until they do a full resurface. The left lane is usually in far better condition.

Another thing is the pitch - down south with the generally heavier rain, the pitch of the right lane is far steeper than that of the left lane to facilitate water runoff. At these points I prefer to be in the left lane because I of a combination of the above - the water runs off to the right lane and usually pools in the ruts that have been left making controlling a vehicle in those lanes a far greater challenge, even at low speeds.

The main difference with me - I will move over if I know I'm not travelling at speed and it's safe to do so. I don't do it to be an asshole... I do it for my own safety.

Nice try to justify your bad behavior, but you are full of it. I drive just as much as most people do on this board in various states and can honestly say that you are absolutely full of crap in regards to trying to justify why you drive where you do because the angle of the pitch corresponds to the blah blah blah.

Any modern suspension and tire combination will negate any minor change in road conditions and if you feel that you are travelling too fast for conditions in the right lane, then slow down and have your driving skills checked.
 
This is not true at all. Your claim you got a ticket for 1mph over is also very questionable. Here in Florida, up to 4mph the most they can give you is a warning.
You are such a tool to assume your experiences must apply to others. Oh, that's questionable because no cop has ever written a 1 mph over the limit ticket. There's a small town (in the middle of the DFW metro area) that will write anyone going 1 mph over all the time. Hell, if you told me you passed a cop going 1 mpg over and didn't get a ticket it would be very questionable.

Speaking of questionable, you saying cops -can't- write a ticket for up to 4 mph? Bullshit. While a cop may be nice enough to give a warning at that speed it's far from mandatory.

http://archive.flsenate.gov/statute...ng=&URL=0300-0399/0316/Sections/0316.183.html

edit: Actually, I think you are a tool for a lot of reasons, this is just an example.
 
Last edited:
You are such a tool to assume your experiences must apply to others. Oh, that's questionable because no cop has ever written a 1 mph over the limit ticket. There's a small town (in the middle of the DFW metro area) that will write anyone going 1 mph over all the time. Hell, if you told me you passed a cop going 1 mpg over and didn't get a ticket it would be very questionable.

Speaking of questionable, you saying cops -can't- write a ticket for up to 4 mph? Bullshit. While a cop may be nice enough to give a warning at that speed it's far from mandatory.

http://archive.flsenate.gov/statute...ng=&URL=0300-0399/0316/Sections/0316.183.html

edit: Actually, I think you are a tool for a lot of reasons, this is just an example.

yo bro. Breath a bit. My first comment was in regards that 'traffic law' has no reasoning. That is not true at all.


Also it's great you can google and reference a Florida code section, but it's obvious you lack any fucking understanding of what you are looking at.

In Florida, warnings can only be given up to 4mph over the limit.

Please calm down and think first, post second.
 
At night not to mention bad weather, you can hardly see the lines in the middle lane due to neglect from the town and the right most lane is too busy with merging and exits.

I think a lot of people use the guard rail on the left lane as a guide during bad visibility. However, this is no excuse to sit there planted if your headlights, vision, car is inadequate. Driving is not a right.
 
There was another thread where the cop blue-lighted a left lane retard over, then turned them off and drove on by normally. The people making the vid were applauding.
 
I did not figure that was a law, but just a suggestion. imo it does make sense to make it law though. Here it's illegal to drive in the turning lane, so that's a step forward. Yes, people used to do it all the time, and still do lol.
 
Nice try to justify your bad behavior, but you are full of it. I drive just as much as most people do on this board in various states and can honestly say that you are absolutely full of crap in regards to trying to justify why you drive where you do because the angle of the pitch corresponds to the blah blah blah.

Any modern suspension and tire combination will negate any minor change in road conditions and if you feel that you are travelling too fast for conditions in the right lane, then slow down and have your driving skills checked.

3/4" to 1.5" if standing water isn't a minor change in road conditions. I don't care what combination of car and tire you have - it's dangerous to any driver. I will go out of my way to avoid that.
 
I did not figure that was a law, but just a suggestion. imo it does make sense to make it law though. Here it's illegal to drive in the turning lane, so that's a step forward. Yes, people used to do it all the time, and still do lol.

The law makes sense once you understand that by blocking traffic flow causes gridlock which has people demanding more lanes.

90% of the reason we need more lanes, at least here, is because people want to feel entitled to move left more than they should.

Even our EXPRESS lanes have people entering them to purposely go 45-50mph. These are toll lanes whose tolls rise as traffic gets more backed up. Many that go slow in them do not have the required SUN PASS/HOV sticker to be in them.
 
3/4" to 1.5" if standing water isn't a minor change in road conditions. I don't care what combination of car and tire you have - it's dangerous to any driver. I will go out of my way to avoid that.

bro, if that 3/4" to 1.5" of standing water is more than a few feet across; you have gone off-road.

Poor excuse to stay in the left lane.
 
Nice try to justify your bad behavior, but you are full of it. I drive just as much as most people do on this board in various states and can honestly say that you are absolutely full of crap in regards to trying to justify why you drive where you do because the angle of the pitch corresponds to the blah blah blah.

Any modern suspension and tire combination will negate any minor change in road conditions and if you feel that you are travelling too fast for conditions in the right lane, then slow down and have your driving skills checked.

Your last sentence reeks of either ignorance or inexperience.
 
I don't get why people brake check. Now, I can understand why they don't like someone following them closely, because they consider it dangerous. However, by brake checking, you are considerably increasing the chance that an accident could occur. Brake checking also tends to irritate the people behind them, which may just increase the likelihood of road rage.

I do it often*.

We've lived in similar areas, and I don't think the roads around here are that bad.

Although, I grew up in rural Pennsylvania where we had plenty of dirt roads. I don't know if you've had the pleasure of driving on them as well, but dirt roads tend to be awful after a particularly nasty winter. Some of the nastiest potholes that I've found around here are pretty much minor compared to the ones I've seen on dirt roads.
 
Back
Top