I was lit up some years ago by a County Sheriff. I pulled over immediately in the upper half of a loong uphill grade on a narrow county road.

Officer came to the window, gave me shit for stopping where I did and directed me to a side road at the top of the hill. He was irritated with me. I pulled up and parked, he came to the window asked me why I was speeding out of town, I said I forgot all about my speed. I thanked him for his service and I was on my way. No ticket. Wife rolled her eyes.

in this type of situation the Safest thing to do is to slow gradually and come to a complete stop right smack in hte MIDDLE of the traffic lane. Yeah, block every single vehicle behind the police car so they cannot proceed. When the officer gets to your window state that you would prefer to proceed to a safer area with enough room for both vehicles to stop without any hazard from traffic but if that is a problem you will remain just where you are. If the officer tell you to pull over as far as possible you should reply that in your opinion that would place the officer in more risk of harm than if the traffic behind you were forced to remain at a complete stop. Note, be extra polite during this exchange because most courts will ask about your behavior.

As for the court date, take your pictures and your notarized traffic record with you to court. By pointing out your concern for the officers safety with those pictures that officer just might get a bit of educating from the bench. End result of that may be a dismissal of all charges.

I've been in LE for 20 years and to me it sounds like the cops over reacted and are being dicks.

Now, when I hit the lights on my cruiser, I do so in an area that I deem safe. I'm not going to stop you in an area that will be a danger to me or you.

If you slowed down and put your hazard lights on, that let's me know.....you know I'm there and wanting to do a traffic stop. The law says a driver can do those things and drive to an area they feel safe. Your lawyer will argue this point.

The other option is to do what some others have said....pull over as much as you can and let the officer worry about things. But, the law I mentioned is still valid.

And the search sounds over the top. He better have PC for the search, not just his claim you were fleeing.

These are the defenses that can be brought up under PA law for not immediately stopping.

(c) Defenses.--

(1) It is a defense to a prosecution under this section that the pursuing police officer's vehicle was not clearly identifiable by its markings or, if unmarked, was not occupied by a police officer who was in uniform and displaying a badge or other sign of authority.

(2) It is a defense to prosecution under this section if the defendant can show by a preponderance of the evidence that the failure to stop immediately for a police officer's vehicle was based upon a good faith concern for personal safety. In determining whether the defendant has met this burden, the court may consider the following factors:

(i) The time and location of the event.

(ii) The type of police vehicle used by the police officer.

(iii) The defendant's conduct while being followed by the police officer.

(iv) Whether the defendant stopped at the first available reasonably lighted or populated area.

Driving the way you did is not fleeing.

quote:

Originally posted by ArtieS:
You made a mistake. Cop was a badge-heavy shitbag.

I read three pages in, I'm gonna stop unless I see a Michael Jackson GIF.

You summed it up in eight words. End of conversation.

quote:

Originally posted by Scooter123:
in this type of situation the Safest thing to do is to slow gradually and come to a complete stop right smack in hte MIDDLE of the traffic lane. Yeah, block every single vehicle behind the police car so they cannot proceed. When the officer gets to your window state that you would prefer to proceed to a safer area with enough room for both vehicles to stop without any hazard from traffic but if that is a problem you will remain just where you are. If the officer tell you to pull over as far as possible you should reply that in your opinion that would place the officer in more risk of harm than if the traffic behind you were forced to remain at a complete stop. Note, be extra polite during this exchange because most courts will ask about your behavior.

As for the court date, take your pictures and your notarized traffic record with you to court. By pointing out your concern for the officers safety with those pictures that officer just might get a bit of educating from the bench. End result of that may be a dismissal of all charges.

Let us know how it works once you’ve tried it first.

It seems to me the officer was either dumb or a royal prick. I've experienced both. I don't get pulled often, but when I do, I try less and less to find a safe space for the officer, just for this reason, because not all officers are wary of standing 18 inches next to an 18 wheelers whizzing by at 70 mph. If they want me to pull over in a bad space it's on them, if they get flattend or cut in half by a corolla or a Mac, that is just Darwin doing his job. You can't assume every officer is safe and reasonable, some are stupid, some are PhDs, some are daredevils, some are actual criminals, just like the rest of society. Do what they say, work it out in court afterwards, and if they're on Darwin's check off list, they'll never know either way dead or alive. I hate stupid or emotionally immature police officers. Hire bad people get bad results. Hire good people get good results. It's not that hard.

quote:

Originally posted by wrightd:
It seems to me the officer was either dumb or a royal prick. I've experienced both. I don't get pulled often, but when I do, I try less and less to find a safe space for the officer, just for this reason, because not all officers are wary of standing 18 inches next to an 18 wheelers whizzing by at 70 mph. If they want me to pull over in a bad space it's on them, if they get flattend or cut in half by a corolla or a Mac, that is just Darwin doing his job. You can't assume every officer is safe and reasonable, some are stupid, some are PhDs, some are daredevils, some are actual criminals, just like the rest of society. Do what they say, work it out in court afterwards, and if they're on Darwin's check off list, they'll never know either way dead or alive. I hate stupid or emotionally immature police officers. Hire bad people get bad results. Hire good people get good results. It's not that hard.

I had a traffic stop on one of my motorcycles. I was definitely speeding, and wasn't paying attention to my radar detector and got lasered. If I was paying attention never would have got me. I pull over immediately. Service road is small and has concrete embankment. I pulled over immediately, shut off bike, hands off the grips with visor flipped up. I ask if I can dismount and remove my helmet. Both officers had their hands on their pistols. smh. I slowly pull off helmet and pull out earplugs. Female officer says "I thought you were going to run". I'm like WTF I pulled over IMMEDIATELY you C! I didn't say that out loud but I was pissed. Oh btw, it was 102 degrees. I ask if we can pull somewhere safer as cars are just whizzing right by us. "NO!" she responds and asks me to get insurance, license, etc. I calmly state it's in my tail and I need to get it. Again they both have hands on their firearms. I get my information out then proceed to stand on the side of the road with cars whizzing right by me and my bike. Service road area is 1/2 the size of normal. I'm livid as I do not want to get struck and die. Then she finally comes back after 20 minutes of me frying in the heat in my suit. "Do you have a firearm on you?" She says that in a heated voice. At this point I'm just pissed but don't raise my voice. I tell her no, where could it be anyhow? I'm in a skin tight armored leather suit. There is no damn place for a pistol. She says I'm required to tell her and I have to educate her dumb ass that you no longer have to inform by TX law and if I was carrying my pistol I would have told her or ANY Officer out of courtesy and handed her my CHL. She was a C the entire time and I didn't appreciate, at all, either one of them with their hands on their firearms when I complied, to the got damn letter the entire stop. I got out of there a few minutes later with a ticket which I handed to a lawyer and got it dismissed. I got busted doing 5 mph over the speed limit by the way. Some days they are just in a pissed off mood. Maybe someone tried to run from her that week, but when a motorcyclist pulls over immediately, fully complies, do not have a firearm on them. Has valid DL/CHL/plate/inspection/tags, did everything required by law and was extremely courteous you don't have to be a shitbag. With big fat armored motorcycle gloves on you couldn't draw, shoot, or anything else. Must have been a rookie and scared shitless of doing her job and routine traffic stops. If I had been doing 100 mph or something I'd get it, officer's adrenaline going. I was doing 5 mph. GTFO here.

I did the same thing 27 years ago. Lights came on, I was on a state route hwy with no shoulder. I drove 1/2 mile to a street light off the hwy. Oh man that deputy was pissed off! After many insults about my driving (blah, blah, blah). I just wanted my speeding ticket and be on my way. The speed limit is 40mph, I was going with the flow. on my way home from work not paying attention to the speedometer. He said " no ticket, chalk this up to a good ass chewing."

quote:

Originally posted by GTO:
I did the same thing 27 years ago. Lights came on, I was on a state route hwy with no shoulder. I drove 1/2 mile to a street light off the hwy. Oh man that deputy was pissed off! After many insults about my driving (blah, blah, blah). I just wanted my speeding ticket and be on my way. The speed limit is 40mph, I was going with the flow. on my way home from work not paying attention to the speedometer. He said " no ticket, chalk this up to a good ass chewing."

There’s an unwritten rule that says you don’t write someone after chewing them out, or at least there was with us.

Op, I think you done right, & the cops involved were pricks.

Keep in mind the officer may know what lies ahead, while you may not. It's a tough spot to be in.

quote:

Originally posted by P210:
There’s an unwritten rule that says you don’t write someone after chewing them out, or at least there was with us.

Yeah, a female CA Trooper read me the riot act but was already writing a ticket, so I played SERE school and only answered direct questions while really paying zero attention and staring past her.

I think she was embarrassed because in her zeal to get me (clocked me head on while on a rural road), her coolie quick turn led to her overshooting badly, a large cloud of dust with her cruiser zig-zagging across the road until regaining control; all while I was slowly pulling over and waiting for her.

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
so I played SERE school and only answered direct questions while really paying zero attention and staring past her.

love it

------------------------------------------------------

Update in the original post.

***** Update - The official charges were fleeing and eluding an officer and running the red light. My attorney met with the prosecutor and they agreed to drop the fleeing and eluding charge and reduced the red light charge to a vehicle defect, which results in no points on my license. I suppose I probably could have had a pretty good case to fight all of this and have the whole thing expunged, but I just felt it was not worth the time or money. I accepted the vehicle defect ticket and the case is now closed. *****

I missed this thread the first time. I agree with others that said the cop was a dick. Lesson learned and shared. If it's not endangering you then stop asap wherever. Let the cop be in control (which is what it's all about for some of them, not most fortunately).

quote:

Originally posted by holdem:
Update in the original post.

***** Update - The official charges were fleeing and eluding an officer and running the red light. My attorney met with the prosecutor and they agreed to drop the fleeing and eluding charge and reduced the red light charge to a vehicle defect, which results in no points on my license. I suppose I probably could have had a pretty good case to fight all of this and have the whole thing expunged, but I just felt it was not worth the time or money. I accepted the vehicle defect ticket and the case is now closed. *****

sometimes you gotta play the game

successful conclusion on your part IMO

----------------------------------------

all's well that ends well.

quote:

Originally posted by Krazeehorse:
If it's not endangering you then stop asap wherever.

Yup, it's their job and life if they get hit by a passing car.

Glad its over for you, a couple hundred dollars well spent on the lawyer.

I may be wrong, but I feel like this type of thing doesn't happen as frequently 10-15 years ago. Police today must take much greater precautions with personal safety and become suspicious more quickly for good reason. I am disturbed at the idea LEO are compelled to wear body armor these days for the same reason. I'm not sure it excuses their behavior in this instance, bit it puts it in a context I can empathize with.

I would feel like this was a more satisfactory result if the LEO involved received some feedback from his supervisors about a better way to handle a situation like this.