Cop Standing alongside car.

[Ned, NYNA11]

Guys,

Sometimes I wonder. Today I passed a cop standing 2 feet from a traffic lane giving a ticket to someone.

Why don't cops ever do business via the passenger window. It seems to me it would be much safer on that side of the stopped car.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

If the driver decides to take off on foot, it'd be a lot harder to catch them.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Ned, NYNA11

Guys,

Sometimes I wonder. Today I passed a cop standing 2 feet from a traffic lane giving a ticket to someone.

Why don't cops ever do business via the passenger window. It seems to me it would be much safer on that side of the stopped car.

They do, I got a ticket back in Jan, that cop approached from the pass's side.

[DavidI]

Originally Posted by Ned, NYNA11

Guys,

Sometimes I wonder. Today I passed a cop standing 2 feet from a traffic lane giving a ticket to someone.

Why don't cops ever do business via the passenger window. It seems to me it would be much safer on that side of the stopped car.

Different agencies employ different tactics. CHP approaches from the passenger side because they are concerned about passing traffic hitting them.

Most police agencies approach from the driver's side because they are concerned about the driver turning around in his seat and shooting the officer. It is difficult to twist and shoot from the driver's seat without the approaching officer noticing the movement. Also, you'll notice that the officer offsets his car slightly into traffic so passing traffic does not hit him.

[m21sniper]

A lot of thought is put into the proper technique for stealing the citizenry's money.

[pwd72s]

1975...

[Jims5543]

Few people understand the psychology of dealing with a highway traffic cop. Your normal speeder will panic and immediately pull over to the side when he sees the big red light behind him.... and then will start apologizing, begging for mercy.

This is wrong. It arouses contempt in the cops heart. The thing to do - when you're running along about a hundred or so and you suddenly find a red flashing CHP - tracker on your trail - what you want to do is accelerate. Never pull over with the first siren howl. Mash it down and make the bastard chase you at speeds up to 120 all the way to the next exit. He will follow. But he won't know what to make of your blinker-signal that says you're about to turn right.

This is to let him know you're looking for a proper place to pull off and talk.... to keep signaling and hope for an off-ramp, one of those uphill side-loops with the sign saying "Max Speed 25".. and the trick, at this point, is to suddenly leave the freeway and take him into the chute at no less than a hundred miles an hour.

He will lock his brakes about the same time you lock yours, but it will take him a moment to realize that he's about to make a 180 degree turn at this speed... but you will be ready for it, braced for the G's and the fast heel-toe work, and with any luck at all you will have come to a complete stop off the road at the top of the turn and be standing beside your automobile by the time he catches up.

He will not be reasonable at first.. but no matter. Let him calm down. He will want the first word. Let him have it. His brain will be in turmoil: he may begin jabbering, or even pull his gun. Let him unwind; keep smiling. The idea is to show him that you were always in total control of yourself and your vehicle - while he lost control of everything.

It also helps to have your police/press badge in your wallet when he calms down enough to ask for your license. I had of these - but I also had a can of Budweiser in my hand. Until that moment, I was unaware that I was holding it. I had felt totally on top of the situation...but when I looked down and saw that little red/silver evidence-bomb in my hand I knew I was facked.....

- Hunter S. Thompson - Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

[David]

That's why I always put two tires in the grass.

[Oh Haha]

One of the times I was pulled over by the MSP he came to the PS window and stuck his head right in. I wasn't surprised by this action as I had watched him approach in my mirrors but I thought it was a pretty reckless move.

After my court date, which I lost, I asked him why he did that. He told me," so I could smell any sign of drugs". I was kind of offended at first but then laughed about it. I replied that I could have had a gun and shot him point blank. He said that he was able to watch my hands and he would have had me exit the car if he had any thoughts of a gun or weapon.

I've also noticed that different agencys park the police vehicle in different ways during a traffic stop.

[stevej37]

Last summer I was driving in the right lane in heavy traffic on the e-way when the vehicles ahead of me started merging into the fast lane. Next thing I saw was a state trooper standing just off the edge of the lane talking with the driver of a pulled-over car. There was no room/time to get into the other lane...so I did the next best thing and straddled the lane divider and left the officer at least 6 feet of space. About five miles later, the trooper chased me down and pulled me over. After unloading on me about how dangerous his job was, he asked if I was the owner of the car and then went back to his car with no further questions.

[john70t]

Yesterday, I was driving downtown, and there was a bum lying in the middle of the street on the double yellow lines.
-I pulled over (into a no-parking zone) and made sure he was breathing.
-Some guys were walking right by, and I got them to call the police.
-Cop showed up, and parked right in the middle of the street. So did the fire truck.

I don't know about you're town, but around here a-hole drivers are a little more hesitant to use their vehicles as deadly assault weapons against pedestrians wearing a badge.

Either that, or there is an iota of what used to be called "respect". Remember that word?

[porsche4life]

I know the OHP positions the car strategically and then depending on traffic decides which side to approach. In low traffic the go to the drivers side and stand towards the front of your door so they can talk with you see all your actions and keep an eye on traffic. Their body is to where they block any chance of you opening the door without a fight. In high traffic they approach the drivers side and repeat. There have been many hours spent by a lot of smart people figuring out how to do this at as little risk to the trooper as possible

[MMARSH]

Because Im on a bike, if for some reason I have to stop a vehicle on a busy street I approach on the Passenger Side. I prefer to stop them in a parking lot or side street and then I approach on the drivers side.

Because most people are right handed, I think a person would have more movement if trying to shoot me on approach from the passenger side. But obviously regardless of the side, Hands being visible while approaching is the big thing.

[rattlsnak]

Originally Posted by masraum

They do, I got a ticket back in Jan, that cop approached from the pass's side.

Same here..

[m21sniper]

I park well into traffic when pulled over. If you want to steal my money you're going to have to take a risk to do so.

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by m21sniper

I park well into traffic when pulled over. If you want to steal my money you're going to have to take a risk to do so.

Me too. Why should I make this #%$&)@ life any easier when he is going out of the way to ruin my day.

Haha I once had a fist fight with a big nasty ole tow truck driver on the side of a busy road. The guy was so engrossed in the fight that he didn't notice every time a car would come close to us I'd whack him in the face again so he lept back into the path of the car. He got missed by millimeters a number of times.

[sammyg2]

I usually just drive reasonably. That way they don't have any reason to steal my money.

[DavidI]

Originally Posted by m21sniper

I park well into traffic when pulled over. If you want to steal my money you're going to have to take a risk to do so.

You are a funny guy Snipey. At least on the net you talk a bunch of junk. I guarantee you would not do that if you were pulled over. In the crazy chance that you did, I would bet you would have several additional violations added to your citation.

[Oh Haha]

I've never been pulled over for no reason. If I was stopped it was my own fault. I try to make the experience as pleasant for the PO as possible.

1. Get it over with ASAP so I can not be any more embarrassed on the side of the road.
2. Make it as safe for the PO as possible by doing what is expected and being respectful, even if I disagree with his opinion.(This part was not always my best attribute when I was younger.)
3. Most likely, the PO has a family that wants him/her to make it home and I would not want to be part of the equation if they didn't as I could not handle the guilt.

Could you, Snipe?

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by Oh Haha

1. Get it over with ASAP so I can not be any more embarrassed on the side of the road.

I once heard about a guy pulled over for speedding and he pulled his pants down and bent over the hood. I'm not sure what happened next.