Ofcr. Bright lights

[JB400]

Dear County Officer Bright Lights,

 Just wanted to say I don't appreciate you filling my rearview mirrors with your bright lights for approx. 10 miles tonight.  How do I know you are a county officer?  Well, I seen you had someone pulled over on the overpass that I entered the interstate on, and also turned around after leaving the county at the first opportunity.  I also recognized the headlights and taillights of your car as a new Ford Interceptor.  Only the county PD and the Highway Patrol drives a new Ford Interceptor, but a quick call to the Highway Patrol to file a complaint, did it confirm that it wasn't them.

 How do I know you were after me?  I was doing 60 mph in a 70 mph zone.  Usually, I just get passed, unless it's some moron from another state that decides to tail gate me for a mile while playing on their cellphones, GPS's, or other activities involving a screen, before they go ahead and pass, and then get off at the next intersection.  You, on the other hand, tailgated me for a while (filling my rearview mirror with your lights while running my plate probably), pulled over into the passing lane and sat in my blind spot for while (filling my driver side mirror with your lights), pulled back over and tail gated me some more, pulled back into my blind spot and sat there a little while longer, dropped back a couple hundred feet and flipped your brights on, only to flip them off a minute or two later before pulling into the right hand lane and accelerating until you were tail gating me again.  You must not have liked staying behind me, because you later pulled into the passing lane again and pulled into my blind spot again.  Luckily, you didn't get to stay there long.  The county line came up, and you had to turn around.  Lets not forget that you had 2 opportunities to pull off the interstate before the county line, in which you took neither one of them.

 Why am I complaining?  You're just doing your job.

 #1:  I don't like being tailgated by someone I don't know, especially at night.

 #2: I don't like anyone sitting in my blind spot at any time, day or night.

 #3:  I don't like anyone filling my mirrors with their bright lights.  It's distracting and it obscures my vision.  Yes, I know that's exactly why you done it, to make me hit the rumble strip on the right side or cross the center stripe in the middle.  That'd give you an excuse to pull me over and fill out another entry in your ticket book.  But, I hope you realize that I could have:
a: hit a stranded car

b:hit a pedestrian that was walking along the roadside because of said stranded car

c:  hit a deer, possum, or defenseless armadillo

d:  hit a truckers' shredded tire (also known as a gator) that could have wiped out both of our cars

all of this because you filled my mirrors with your lights.  Thank God, your lucky stars, or whatever your belief that I'm a good enough driver to keep my car straight and under control and that any of these scenarios didn't happen.

Just to let you know, I'm filing my complaint in the morning, and I hope the sheriff will point these things out to you.

                                                   Have a good night and try to be a more respectful motorist,

                                                                                                  JB

[b5blue]

Were you in your Charger? If so they were "checking you out". I've had quite a few freaky moments where some do stupid/weird stuff.(Including getting pulled over to "talk" about my car.)   I'd have pulled over or slowed way down? This sucks.

[Ghoste]

I've been "told" that some officers will tailgate at night or keep the brights on you to see if you can be goaded into speeding or some other stupid behaviour.  A lot of respect for the men in blue but they aren't all angels and some are a little, ahem, zealous.

[Patronus]

That's when you go even slower

[Ghoste]

 

[wingcar]

I've been "told" that some officers will tailgate at night or keep the brights on you to see if you can be goaded into speeding or some other stupid behaviour.  A lot of respect for the men in blue but they aren't all angels and some are a little, ahem, zealous.

A couple years ago I was traveling down I-40 in the right lane, just cruising at the speed limit in my Motorhome when I saw a pair of headlights approaching at a high rate of speed...in the left lane.  I noticed as they started to pass me that the second car was right on the rear bumper (within a couple of feet at best) of the first car.  As they passed I was shocked to see that the second car was a DPS patrol car (clearly marked and with the light bar).  The DPS car didn't have his emergency lights on, just high beam headlights.  Both were doing in the neighborhood of 90 plus, and I am sure the first guy was thinking he had himself a race.  Well he did until the lights came on finally miles down the road, and he was pulled over.   The DPS office was very unsafe in how he handled this speeder.  I would love to see the report..."I followed the speeding car for ten miles while riding his bumper to read the plate......"  

[JB400]

No, I wasn't in the Charger.  I was in a black,  2 dr. sport compact, and ideal target vehicle. 

No, you don't want to slow down when an officer is tail gating, especially on the interstate.  First, there's the minimum speed limit of 40.  Also, it's an aggressive maneuver that could be classified as road rage.  Either one will set off the bubblegum machine.  It's best to just keep going at whatever speed you're currently going and drive in a manner that would make your driving instructor proud.  Keep the officer the one at fault.

[el dub]

Its against the law to tailgate, even for police. You rear end someone and it is your fault. Lock em up. He cant prove what you saw in front of you, or thought you saw.

[Ghoste]

They don't have to.

[RECHRGD]

When I was young and dumb the same thing happened to me on the Harbor freeway in So. cal..  It was late at night and a car started tailgating me right at the speed limit.  I moved over one lane, but so did the tailgater.  After a couple of miles I got pissed and hit the gas.  It stayed on my tail until turning on the red lights a 80mph.  He wrote me a nice fat ticket.  I fought it in court, but lost, of course.  That was in the '60's....

[el dub]

They don't have to.

They do if you fight it in court. And chances are good that they won't show up.

[Ghoste]

Not around here, they get paid overtime to go and the judge will come right out and tell you that in the absence of other credible witnesses all cases of your word against the officer's will side with the officer.

[el dub]

I know what your saying ghoste, but I live in the dreaded state of California which I enjoy. And they have laws to protect the citizen also. The cop has a camera in his car which you can submit as evidence, which will show the officer tailgating, which is illegal to do.

[Indygenerallee]

I don't stand for people tailgating me at night, I would have brake checked the shit out of him and then if hit you come crawling out of the car with some "serious" neck injuries "DAMMIT I ALMOST HIT THAT DEER!!"

[tan top]

I don't stand for people tailgating me at night, I would have brake checked the shit out of him and then if hit you come crawling out of the car with some "serious" neck injuries "DAMMIT I ALMOST HIT THAT DEER!!"

yeah tailgating drives me nuts too , especially if they are doing it in bad weather or &  in the dark ,  

[Ghoste]

What bothers me more is if you slow way down and they won't pass.  If you're too scared to pass then you're too scared to do the speed limit so just stay home.

[Mytur Binsdirti]

I have no problem with police doing their job, but when they try to intimidate you is when "ordinary" people get aggravated.


Here's a good one...............

http://wtvr.com/2014/06/29/trucker-pulls-over-cop/

[el dub]

What bothers me more is if you slow way down and they won't pass.  If you're too scared to pass then you're too scared to do the speed limit so just stay home.

true

[Mike DC]

  
     
Just put an end to police departments being able to make any money by writing tickets.  That would do more than anything else.  

[JB400]

That'd probably put an end to quite a bit of their shenanigans.  They wouldn't spend quite so much time like this officer to try and push an honest person into making a mistake, and would have to wait until a real trouble maker makes an appearance.

[polywideblock]

maybe it was a REALLY slow(quiet ) night   

[JB400]

If that was the case, then they should be eternally grateful for a quiet night.  They done their job: serve and protect.  They didn't have to put themselves or anyone else in a dangerous situation or have to clean up the remains of someone off the side of the highway or elsewhere.

There are much better ways to spend a quiet night instead of stirring up a little trouble.

[4cruzin]

Just happened here in Michigan in my small town, guy was tailgating and come to red light, guy in the car that was being tailgated, jumped out of the car to confront the tailgater and he shot him dead in front of his wife. 

Just leave me alone and let me get where I'm going safely and in peace!   Road rage is something I don't need . . .

[TUFCAT]

Just happened here in Michigan in my small town, guy was tailgating and come to red light, guy in the car that was being tailgated, jumped out of the car to confront the tailgater and he shot him dead in front of his wife. 

Just leave me alone and let me get where I'm going safely and in peace!   Road rage is something I don't need . . .

I saw that on the news....man, that sucks.

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/man-charged-with-murder-in-deadly-road-rage-shooting-in-genoa-township/27880850

[John L]

Just happened here in Michigan in my small town, guy was tailgating and come to red light, guy in the car that was being tailgated, jumped out of the car to confront the tailgater and he shot him dead in front of his wife. 

Just leave me alone and let me get where I'm going safely and in peace!   Road rage is something I don't need . . .

I know where you live, the same small town as I do. Small world but this case will be interesting. Can't help but think many details are going to come out on this one.

John