Maybe 12 years back, I did a year of 100% passenger side approaches (unless physically blocked by something or on the inside shoulder where it didn't make sense). At the time I was probably making 150-175 stops per month so I probably saw 1,500-2,000 approaches in that year. You surprise a lot of people, see a lot of things you wouldn't see on the driver's side (lots of people hiding stuff), and you're away from traffic.

It had its downsides sometimes, and at the end of the year I went back to favoring driver side approaches except for highways, violations committed by passengers, furtive movements, and other things that drive me away from wanting to be at the driver's window.

It's a valuable tactic that should be in every cop's wheelhouse.

It's a terrible shame, really. That asphalt is stained now. Who's gonna pay for that??