What was I thinking?

[Ytmsn]

Tusc I'm a big supporter of LEOs, but in any field you'll have a few bad apples.

Driller I can relate! Okay, time for my rant.
A few weeks ago I'm driving down the road, minding my own business, when I come up on a long string of cars in the left lane. The speed limit was 70 and there was an idiot at the head of the line going 65. Between semis and slow cars on the right I work my way up. I'm finally 3 cars back and in the right lane I hammer down to get around when I realize its a police vehicle. I'm kinda committed by now and decide to back out a notch or two, but I'm GOING around him. Then I see its a deputy sheriff, from Comanche County. That's in SW Oklahoma. We're in NE Oklahoma, just west of Tulsa in Tulsa County!

The speed limit is 70 and I go by this guy at 75. He immediately gasses it and pulls up beside me. I mean like , I could have rolled the window down and knocked on his glass. He was over in my lane a bit, and I just figured that was a mistake he made by being over... enthusiastic. I backed off the gas just a little confused.

I could barely see him because he had a dark limo tint (also illegal) on his side window, but it looked like he was shaking his microphone at me? WTF? I actually said that while shrugging and hiding my hand up. That REALLY set him off.

He whipped in behind me. I figured he was going to hit his lights and pull me over, but nooo. He stayed on my rear, so close I couldn't see his grill from my tailgate. And he stayed there until we hit a construction zone where the speed limit dropped to 55 and I hit the brakes. I'm sure he didn't like that much either, but he backed off some. We're coming out onto the east side Tulsa now and I'm about to get on I 44, and he's been right there pacing me this whole time. The speed limit on the turnpike goes to 75 and I nail it on the entrance ramp. He paces me. Like, RIGHT behind me.

We go a loooong ways and this goofball is still right there. I've finally had enough and dial star 55 for the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

I tell them I want to report a road rage incident., and that I'm being paced by the guy right now, as he is about three or four feet off the back of my truck in a white Tahoe. I give them my name, tag number, location by the mile marker, and a description of the violating vehicle. She asks if there are any identifying marks on the vehicle, I said as a matter of fact there are. It has Comanche County deputy sheriff on the side. She like "WHAT?" I told her that I am a big supporter of The Thin Blue Line, but this particular incident has gone too far. I told her the entire story of what had happened. I told her this kid was probably/a cleet certified high school graduate that had managed to get on with the sheriff's department,and thinks he's Matt Dillon with a badge and a gun, and I've pissed him off. I also told her that if he did decide to pull me over I wasn't going to stop! I told her I would stop for an OHP unit but not this guy. I also told her i had video of the entire thing. She told me she was going to radio her units and let them know our location and what he was doing, and then she was going to call the Comanche County Sheriff's Office. And tell them I have a video...

We come up on an exit and all the sudden this guy dives off of the turnpike, and I never see him again.

Ah, life on the road for a traveling salesman...

[AsLan7]

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Man Ytmsn, you got some big stones brutha!

[Bfun220]

Tusc I'm a big supporter of LEOs, but in any field you'll have a few bad apples.


I also told her i had video of the entire thing. She told me she was going to radio her units and let them know our location and what he was doing, and then she was going to call the Comanche County Sheriff's Office. And tell them I have a video...

Its amazing how when you have video things seem to change.

[Big Block Power]

That's awesome.

[cmattj]

I'll ride shotgun with you anytime!!!

[Big Block Power]

I'll ride shotgun with you anytime!!!

Careful he carries one all the time

[SWAGNATIONS]

Always wondered how normal people get cross threaded with police and the situation escalates.
Driving home on Thursday down I-10, I it’s been a long day and I’m tired. I drive this route about twice a week, set my cruise at 5 miles over the limit (80 mph), and I’m still being passed by about as many drivers as I’m passing. I try not to drive aggressively, but I have a pet peeve about people driving slow in the left lane.

I’m cruising along and all by itself, with no other traffic around, there’s a SUV driving exactly the speed limit in the left lane. Giving him plenty of space I move into the right lane. I can see it is a police car, but it is a Sheriff from Colorado County, not a Texas DPS trooper. I have two options, slow down to 75 and follow, or continue on by on the right. Without taking it off cruise I go by him on the right. He immediately pulls even with me, then falls behind, then the lights come on.

I stop immediately. I won’t bore you with the details. Likely we were both tired. He starts in about my showing him disrespect, I start in about him driving in the fast lane at or under the speed limit. At the end of the day, after about a 15 min. discussion, I apologize for passing him and that it wasn’t meant to disrespect him and I go home without a ticket. I was in the wrong no question.

After driving about 5 miles it hits me how lucky I was. This is the way that kinda thing happens. Starts as a small thing then blows up.

I know this is an old topic, but here’s my two cents. Always, and I mean always just nod and play along with whatever the cop has to say (easier said than done). Afterwards, file a complaint with the department stating facts only and no emotions. Their cars usually have cameras and it may not be such a bad idea to get a cheap forward and reverse camera recording system that sticks to your windshield so you can record incidents like this. They typically auto-erase over old video when they fill up, so the only time you need to worry about taking the SD card out is when an incident occurs.

[AsLan7]

Always wondered how normal people get cross threaded with police and the situation escalates.
Driving home on Thursday down I-10, I it’s been a long day and I’m tired. I drive this route about twice a week, set my cruise at 5 miles over the limit (80 mph), and I’m still being passed by about as many drivers as I’m passing. I try not to drive aggressively, but I have a pet peeve about people driving slow in the left lane.

I’m cruising along and all by itself, with no other traffic around, there’s a SUV driving exactly the speed limit in the left lane. Giving him plenty of space I move into the right lane. I can see it is a police car, but it is a Sheriff from Colorado County, not a Texas DPS trooper. I have two options, slow down to 75 and follow, or continue on by on the right. Without taking it off cruise I go by him on the right. He immediately pulls even with me, then falls behind, then the lights come on.

I stop immediately. I won’t bore you with the details. Likely we were both tired. He starts in about my showing him disrespect, I start in about him driving in the fast lane at or under the speed limit. At the end of the day, after about a 15 min. discussion, I apologize for passing him and that it wasn’t meant to disrespect him and I go home without a ticket. I was in the wrong no question.

After driving about 5 miles it hits me how lucky I was. This is the way that kinda thing happens. Starts as a small thing then blows up.

I know this is an old topic, but here’s my two cents. Always, and I mean always just nod and play along with whatever the cop has to say (easier said than done). Afterwards, file a complaint with the department stating facts only and no emotions. Their cars usually have cameras and it may not be such a bad idea to get a cheap forward and reverse camera recording system that sticks to your windshield so you can record incidents like this. They typically auto-erase over old video when they fill up, so the only time you need to worry about taking the SD card out is when an incident occurs.

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Sounds like there may be a “what was I thinking” story behind this, swagnations?

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[Driller]

I was courteous to the officer, but I was a little dumbfounded.

I agree with your opinion Swag. That's exactly the tack which I usually take.

Drive the same route a lot. Last Thursday, same deal with a State Trooper except he was in the right lane and driving about 3 mph under the speed limit. Left my cruise on and passed him on the left. No problem, Saw about 4 other officers on the route. Left the cruise on a 81 (6 miles over) went right by them with out even a light flash.

I caught this County Sheriff guy on a bad day.

In Texas they are just not going to stop you at 5 mph over the limit. That's only an error of about 6% on their equipment. It won't hold up in court. IMO. Also, if they just wait a few minutes they can catch someone really speeding. I get passed frequently running 81 mph. Some of them have to be running close to 100 mph.

[AsLan7]

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In PA, I’ll set the Cruise Control at 6mph over.
PA State Police ‍♀️ (as a general pattern) will not pull you over for that while using laser/radar or vascar.

Talking to many of my buddies in the military who are also staties, said they do want to see you slow down though. Many times they will look for illuminating brake lights if you haven’t already slowed down. I tease them and say “that’s a power thing”.

[Ytmsn]

We finally have a left lane law that went into effect on Nov 1st. Now in Oklahoma if you hang out in the left lane and hold up traffic they can fine you $240.

It's gotten pretty bad with left lane drivers here so they put up signs last spring and warned everyone they would start writing tickets on Nov 1st. It drives me nuts when someone is running along next to someone in the right lane holding up a 1/4 mile of traffic behind them, especially when it goes on for 10 or 15 miles. Texas and Missouri are pretty bad as well.

It has gotten much better. There's still a few folks that are clueless but hopefully they'll get the message. Or a ticket..

[AsLan7]

We finally have a left lane law that went into effect on Nov 1st. Now in Oklahoma if you hang out in the left lane and hold up traffic they can fine you $240.

It's gotten pretty bad with left lane drivers here so they put up signs last spring and warned everyone they would start writing tickets on Nov 1st. It drives me nuts when someone is running along next to someone in the right lane holding up a 1/4 mile of traffic behind them, especially when it goes on for 10 or 15 miles. Texas and Missouri are pretty bad as well.

It has gotten much better. There's still a few folks that are clueless but hopefully they'll get the message. Or a ticket..

I know people who do it on purpose!

[Driller]

There is no doubt that them driving in the left lane is dangerous. Forcing folks to weave in and out of traffic while you cruise ideally along at the posted speed limit in the left lane is just dumb. I always think to myself, why can't this person see cars whizzing by on their right almost clipping their bumper to get back in lane? I just don't understand, it has to be a "screw you" to the rest of the world. I can't be bothered to turn on my turn signal and turn the wheel to the right to get out of the traffic flow... I'm special.

[Big Block Power]

I'm prefect, different and unique so I have nothing to add to this thread

[Ytmsn]

I know, right?

The mindset of "I'm driving the speed limit. I don't give a rat about the other 42 people lined up behind me. They shouldn't be in such a hurry" is just wrong.

This post is for YOU BB!