[speeder]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

That certainly is the safest way to get through traffic on a bike, Mike. I believe they even teach that technique in the MSF classes. I would much, much rather be the passer than the passee when I'm on a bike. It absolutely allows us to "control the environment" around us when we do that.

So you guys don't have the white strobe in the center of the light bar? On the cars, of course, not the bikes. Unless it could be on top of your helmet or something... Anyway, all emergency vehicles up here have one. Cop cars, fire trucks, aid cars; anyone that would respond to an emergency. Our traffic lights have a sensor that picks up the strobe flash to quickly change the light to green for them. Great idea, really. Except that some one also decided that metro buses need them, but that's another story...

I can see where a cop would have cause to hit the strobe without running lights and sirens. They might still be in an awful hurry to get to a crime scene, and just don't want to announce their approach. But when they do it and pull into a Denny's a block later, with several other cars waiting for them... hard to believe they were responding and a call got cancelled.

Oh, and yes, I hate following a cop who is doing the speed limit on the freeway. Everyone is afraid to even match their speed, much less pass them. Talk about a great way to jug up already bad traffic. I'm sure you wish you could tell everyone around you to just get on with it and drive normally. Problem is, most folks are scared to death of traffic cops.

I pass cops when they are going slow all the time. On the street all the time and less frequently on the freeway. CHP cars seem to roll about 80 mph on the urban freeways, and as long as you are going slower, you're OK. I hate it when a busy street come to a near-halt because nobody dares pass a slow-moving patrol car. If the "body language" of the cop car says that he might be about to bust a U-turn to respond to something I will hold back, but most times they are just patrolling and expect traffic to move normally around them. Usually I am left wondering, "am I the only one out here w/ a valid DL and insurance who isn't afraid to drive by a freaking cop?!"