Cop in middle of road for speed trap?

[DriveHard]

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...

 

[rekit]

And sitting in the dark on the shoulder. Death wish.....

 

[jeepman3071]

At least you can see them. There is a state police explorer that is frequently parked in the local Ford dealership doing radar next to... you guessed it... a row of explorers...

 

[Escape08]

Go near the patrol unit about 5 - 10 yards away and take pictures and send it to county sheriff where the unit is dispatched

 

[supton]

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.

 

[DriveHard]

Go near the patrol unit about 5 - 10 yards away and take pictures and send it to county sheriff where the unit is dispatched

I thought about it...but like everybody else at 7am, I was headed to work.

 

[DriveHard]

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.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Plum Crazy.

 

[02SE]

Revenue generation is really important.

 

[I<3oil]

Should not really be legal. It's a turn lane.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

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.

 

[oil pan 4]

If you know cops, then the reason is self explainitory.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

We have one municipal officer that likes to do that. Right on a corner too. In the picture where the red circle is

 

[edyvw]

Classic douchebaggery.

 

[dishdude]

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?

 

[PWMDMD]

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.

 

[DriveHard]

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...

 

[DriveHard]

We have one municipal officer that likes to do that. Right on a corner too. In the picture where the red circle is
View attachment 245552

At least that is a hatched area...this is right in the middle of a legal turn lane...and just before a legal left. I should have put on my left blinker and pulled bumper to bumper in front of him.

 

[Hall]

Seems illegal though

The police are exempt from all laws. Just ask 'em.... Who will cite them in a situation like this ?

 

[KrisZ]

Road pirates can do many things to get that sought after booty. Break laws, violate constitutional rights, etc. It’s your tax dollars hard at work.