Cop in middle of road for speed trap?

Joined
Nov 24, 2003
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Middle of Iowa
That can't be legal...but I have seen it twice this week already. On my commute to work.

Going down this hill, with 2 lanes in each direction and a center turn lane, out in the country (just outside the city) the cop has been sitting in the middle turn lane facing uphill getting folks on their way to work going down this hill. In the pic, it doesn't look like much of a hill, but if you just coast you will crest 50 pretty easily. You have to ride your brakes to keep it under 40 (speed limit 35). I had no idea cops could sit in the MIDDLE OF THE ROAD to run a speed trap. The speed limit jumps to 45 at the bottom of the hill as well...
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Sitting in a turn lane like that? seems kinda dangerous, but maybe not.

Seems illegal though... cops can exceed the speed limit as they have exception to do so (which is spelled out I'm sure in law) (and perhaps overruled in certain jurisdictions, no high speed chases allowed in some areas for example). But sitting in a turn lane is a lane obstruction, no? Wouldn't they only be allowed to "park" there if they had their lights on? Otherwise they are only allowed to be in the turning lane for as long as it takes to make their turn, like anyone else.

Maybe it is legit. Reminds of stories of them parking on overpasses over the highway, with chase cars a mile up the road. Running radar from the overpass, dispatching who to chase. Good idea to keep an eye out for any parked van on an overpass. Haven't seen it for a while though.
 
Sitting in a turn lane like that? seems kinda dangerous, but maybe not.

Seems illegal though... cops can exceed the speed limit as they have exception to do so (which is spelled out I'm sure in law) (and perhaps overruled in certain jurisdictions, no high speed chases allowed in some areas for example). But sitting in a turn lane is a lane obstruction, no? Wouldn't they only be allowed to "park" there if they had their lights on? Otherwise they are only allowed to be in the turning lane for as long as it takes to make their turn, like anyone else.

Maybe it is legit. Reminds of stories of them parking on overpasses over the highway, with chase cars a mile up the road. Running radar from the overpass, dispatching who to chase. Good idea to keep an eye out for any parked van on an overpass. Haven't seen it for a while though.

I see the overpass thing at least once a month around here...especially on I35.

The cop in the turn lane had no lights, no nothing...just sitting with radar in hand pointed uphill.
 
Meh. It's not a big deal IMO. I see it all the time on state roads where there are very few turns available. Remember they're just as likely to be a in place where there are reports of speeding.
 
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Years ago I got caught in a similar scenario, one cop was sitting at the bottom of a hill running radar in an unmarked car - it was like a Grand Am or something really unassuming. They were radioing ahead to cops standing in the middle of the road around a curve pointing at cars to pull over to be ticketed. I have to ask, if this was such a dangerous situation why were they standing in the middle of the road around a blind curve?
 
I have quite a few very long steep hills near me and cops sit at the bottom as people easily coast to 45-50mph at the bottom in a 35mph. I automatically shift into 3rd gear in Tundra and that maintains 35mph with a few brake taps. There are a few more long hills around and I engine brake on all of them.
 
Years ago I got caught in a similar scenario, one cop was sitting at the bottom of a hill running radar in an unmarked car - it was like a Grand Am or something really unassuming. They were radioing ahead to cops standing in the middle of the road around a curve pointing at cars to pull over to be ticketed. I have to ask, if this was such a dangerous situation why were they standing in the middle of the road around a blind curve?

No, this guy was working alone in his patrol exploder...
 
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