Conversation with a cop last night...

[thepuya]

I was making a right turn on to a major street last night around midnight. There was little to no traffic, I made the turn and next thing I know there is a cop right behind me!

He follows me a bit then pulls to my side and flashes his light in my car and asks me to roll down my window.

He says: "was there a reason you turned so fast?"

I said: "Sir, with all due respect, this car is a twin turbo, sometimes it goes faster than I expect... I didn't mean to go so fast."

He flashes his light along the car and looks at the badge then says: "OK, ease up on the gas, the roads are slick, be safe!"

AWESOME!!!

[Mr. ///M3 RD]

What a nice cop !

Friend of mine (female) was speeding then a cop jumped out from behind the tree and stopped her.

She rolled down the window...

Cop "I've been waiting for you all day!"

She "Officer, I hurried as fast as I could"

Officer

when he stopped laughing he let her go with a warning ... also a nice cop

[teagueAMX]

Originally Posted by thepuya

I was making a right turn on to a major street last night around midnight. There was little to no traffic, I made the turn and next thing I know there is a cop right behind me!

He follows me a bit then pulls to my side and flashes his light in my car and asks me to roll down my window.

He says: "was there a reason you turned so fast?"

I said: "Sir, with all due respect, this car is a twin turbo, sometimes it goes faster than I expect... I didn't mean to go so fast."

He flashes his light along the car and looks at the badge then says: "OK, ease up on the gas, the roads are slick, be safe!"

AWESOME!!!

+1

Very nice cop. A credit to their species.

[MikeChrista]

Not sure i understand why you should be stopped for turning 'too fast' were you exceeding the speed limit?

[Memphis1]

If you come to an intersection you're supposed to come to a complete stop, from the sounds of it, he just rolled thru.

[MikeChrista]

Memphis - Over here the cops don't have time for such minor things!

[teagueAMX]

In the US, tickets are issued as a source of revenue. I was totally amazed the cop would let him off as I haven't seen that behavior since the mid to late 70's. It's a big deal for cops to meet their ticket quota, so letting people off hurts their numbers.

A friend is a motorcycle California Highway Patrol sergeant and he divulged that every month he does a staff review for the number and types of tickets issued. If their numbers are too low they receive a disciplinary.

Based on first hand experience no violation technicality is too trivial that they have time to issue during their busy day, including failure to make a full stop, failure to stop before the line, etc. In addition to the CHP, the city police and county sheriffs issue traffic violations.

[thepuya]

Originally Posted by Memphis1

If you come to an intersection you're supposed to come to a complete stop, from the sounds of it, he just rolled thru.

Actually, I didn't roll through. There was a green light and I just took the turn a little too fast. I didn't break the speed limit. Talking to some friends who are cops, they said the guy really just wanted to get a feel for me... he had a reasonable suspicion that I may be up to no good... but I checked out clean so there was nothing for him to write me up for. Or at most, he might have been able to give me a ticket for exhibition of speed.

[ChuckB]

Originally Posted by MikeChrista

Memphis - Over here the cops don't have time for such minor things!

Nor do they have time time for this kind of "School Crossing Guard" behavior on this side of the Channel either.

[teagueAMX]

Originally Posted by MikeChrista

Memphis - Over here the cops don't have time for such minor things!

Originally Posted by ChuckB

Nor do they have time time for this kind of "School Crossing Guard" behavior on this side of the Channel either.

Sorry guys but I don't buy it.

[mrboon]

Awesome story

[MikeChrista]

TeagueAMX - Do you mean you do not believe us? If so seems a strange statement to make given our likely knowledge!

[teagueAMX]

Originally Posted by MikeChrista

TeagueAMX - Do you mean you do not believe us? If so seems a strange statement to make given our likely knowledge!

I mean that cops around the world are all the same. Some are good, some are bad.

[ChuckB]

Originally Posted by teagueAMX

I mean that cops around the world are all the same. Some are good, some are bad.

Very true, as police are just people who come in all shapes, sizes and attitudes. However in Germany the Police are set up differently. Police are run by the States. There are no Federal, State, County or City police, only "Police". This is not counting the special groups, like the BSG9, who are under the State Department. This a left over from the last time a Federal Law Enforcement group got out of control and started a war. So every cop car in the country looks the same, and while there are unmarked cars, they are not numerous. The focus of the police over here is not on traffic enforcement, but law enforcement. Traffic enforcement is primarily based upon both fixed and mobile camera units, which are not kept a secret, TomTom offers, with the concurrence of the police, daily POI updates of all fix cameras, and the TomTom "live" updates (over the air on the TomTom XL devices) provides mobile camera updates usually within 30 minutes, and the local radio stations cover all mobile cameras every 30 minutes during the news. On the stretch of the A6 I use to/from work every day, the mobile cameras are only set up about once every 3-4 months, and then only for about 2 hours before they remove it. But there are a lot of fixed cameras in place and none of them are unknown, so the negate the need for Police to worry about traffic crap, and with the "unlimited" sections of the Autobahn, and the Hockenheimring 5 minutes from my house, and the Nurnburgring about 1 hour away there is no need to get stupid on the road. What I think gives many folks their impression of German drivers is that to get a drivers license you must attend a professional driving school with 50 hours of theory and another 50 hours of practice on the road, before you can take the test, you can't be taught by your Dad, and it costs in the range of $2,500 - $3,000 to complete the training. If you are under 21 and have an accident (even a fender bender) you license is pulled until you are 21, and then you start the entire grainy process again at you own expense, so every driver on the road has paid with both time and money for the privilege to get on the road (it is not a right), and they ALL drive to the same set of rules, and will not tolerate anyone who does not drive by the same rules, to the point of a collision if they are "in the right". This caused me and many of the folks over here a great deal of frustration as if the speed is posted for 50 km, then, by God, you better not do 49 km or you will get run over. Another big point is the concept of the Priority road, which is not based upon road size, direction or speed of travel, and the core rule that the person on the Right has absolute priority of all other traffic if there are no conflicting road signs. Takes a bit to get used to, but I am starting to ramble - but most folks run on the Autobahn about 20 over, but they ALL do it, and they all slow down for Speed Cameras, and they all drive based upon the same rules, having all gone through the same training and expense so there is no need for the cops to spend a lot of efforts on traffic enforcement.

Writing this on an iPod, so I can't go back and review it, but just wanted to share this bit of German culture, might help those of you planning an ED.

[Mr. ///M3 RD]

ChuckB,

Thanks for sharing and your efforts to type all that on an iPot

I now know it's a good thing that I always try to follow the leader and get the heck out of the way (hiding mostly between 2 trucks) in my rented VW Golf when I visit Germany. Fastest I ever went with the VW was around 190 (overtaking trucks ... when the truck behind me started to push me literally out of the way on the Autobahn

Over here in Canada folks seam to follow the same rule going 20 KM above the speed limit The police leaves us alone since they cannot stop all of us

I've noted a few of the unmarked police cars parked (the hand held stop on the passenger seat gave them away quite easily). In Germany I am sure the police takes a Beer and Bratwust break opposed to a coffee and donut break

PS for teagueAMX, I agree some are good some are bad it seams to me some do think the uniform gives them special powers.

[teagueAMX]

That was quite a post for an iPod. I use a Blackberry keyboard and thought I was pretty good, but I’m no match for you buddy.

First I’d like to say you’re a very fortunate guy to be within short driving distances of two great race tracks. Secondly, one of my goals is to drive your Autobahn and the Nurburgring (if it still exists as we know it today). But about the Autobahn, it’s a great network with an interesting history, early development and current uses.

I appreciate your explanation, and have to say our system is inferior in some respects. Probably the biggest problem I have is with a lack of enforcement. We too have laws that require slower driver to stay out of the center-most lane but I have yet to see it enforced. On the other hand, there’s no shortage of drivers that feel morally obligated to slow traffic to speeds they agree with.

Cheers

Very true, as police are just people who come in all shapes, sizes and attitudes. However in Germany the Police are set up differently. Police are run by the States. There are no Federal, State, County or City police, only "Police". This is not counting the special groups, like the BSG9, who are under the State Department. This a left over from the last time a Federal Law Enforcement group got out of control and started a war.

So every cop car in the country looks the same, and while there are unmarked cars, they are not numerous. The focus of the police over here is not on traffic enforcement, but law enforcement. Traffic enforcement is primarily based upon both fixed and mobile camera units, which are not kept a secret, TomTom offers, with the concurrence of the police, daily POI updates of all fix cameras, and the TomTom "live" updates (over the air on the TomTom XL devices) provides mobile camera updates usually within 30 minutes, and the local radio stations cover all mobile cameras every 30 minutes during the news. On the stretch of the A6 I use to/from work every day, the mobile cameras are only set up about once every 3-4 months, and then only for about 2 hours before they remove it. But there are a lot of fixed cameras in place and none of them are unknown, so the negate the need for Police to worry about traffic crap, and with the "unlimited" sections of the Autobahn, and the Hockenheimring 5 minutes from my house, and the Nurnburgring about 1 hour away there is no need to get stupid on the road.

What I think gives many folks their impression of German drivers is that to get a drivers license you must attend a professional driving school with 50 hours of theory and another 50 hours of practice on the road, before you can take the test, you can't be taught by your Dad, and it costs in the range of $2,500 - $3,000 to complete the training.

If you are under 21 and have an accident (even a fender bender) you license is pulled until you are 21, and then you start the entire grainy process again at you own expense, so every driver on the road has paid with both time and money for the privilege to get on the road (it is not a right), and they ALL drive to the same set of rules, and will not tolerate anyone who does not drive by the same rules, to the point of a collision if they are "in the right". This caused me and many of the folks over here a great deal of frustration as if the speed is posted for 50 km, then, by God, you better not do 49 km or you will get run over. Another big point is the concept of the Priority road, which is not based upon road size, direction or speed of travel, and the core rule that the person on the Right has absolute priority of all other traffic if there are no conflicting road signs. Takes a bit to get used to, but I am starting to ramble - but most folks run on the Autobahn about 20 over, but they ALL do it, and they all slow down for Speed Cameras, and they all drive based upon the same rules, having all gone through the same training and expense so there is no need for the cops to spend a lot of efforts on traffic enforcement.

Writing this on an iPod, so I can't go back and review it, but just wanted to share this bit of German culture, might help those of you planing an ED.

[BlueZ4AZ]

Originally Posted by MikeChrista

Not sure i understand why you should be stopped for turning 'too fast' were you exceeding the speed limit?

The cops can stop you for what they believe to be, "imprudent speeding", meaning you do not necessarily need to be going over the speed limit to be pulled over. They can ticket you as well.

Going too fast for the conditions is usually one of the main reasons you might get pulled over for imprudent speeding.

[Mr. ///M3 RD]

Originally Posted by BlueZ4AZ

The cops can stop you for what they believe to be, "imprudent speeding", meaning you do not necessarily need to be going over the speed limit to be pulled over. They can ticket you as well.

Going too fast for the conditions is usually one of the main reasons you might get pulled over for imprudent speeding.

You mean by a Bad Cop in this case one that has not yet meet his quota for the month ...

[Dr Stig 2]

Over here in Oz, I went to the police driving school on one the public days. The instructor was very candid about the direction the police were heading. He said that in the eighties there were only a few bad cops, but now there is less corruption, but the majority of cops who join (he thought over 75%) are there because they like domineering the members of the public. Thus making it more likely to be booked "because they can" instead of because you actually did anything illegal or dangerous.
Sad. Very sad.

[erichui]

Originally Posted by Rolf-Dieter

ChuckB,

Thanks for sharing and your efforts to type all that on an iPot

I now know it's a good thing that I always try to follow the leader and get the heck out of the way (hiding mostly between 2 trucks) in my rented VW Golf when I visit Germany. Fastest I ever went with the VW was around 190 (overtaking trucks ... when the truck behind me started to push me literally out of the way on the Autobahn

Over here in Canada folks seam to follow the same rule going 20 KM above the speed limit The police leaves us alone since they cannot stop all of us

I've noted a few of the unmarked police cars parked (the hand held stop on the passenger seat gave them away quite easily). In Germany I am sure the police takes a Beer and Bratwust break opposed to a coffee and donut break

PS for teagueAMX, I agree some are good some are bad it seams to me some do think the uniform gives them special powers.

I noticed that when I was driving in Canada last year.. here in Australia if you are doing 20km they will make you feel like you are the worst criminal in history.

[BlueZ4AZ]

Originally Posted by Rolf-Dieter

You mean by a Bad Cop in this case one that has not yet meet his quota for the month ...

I definitely would not put it past any cop to take advantage of the way any law is written and use it to to try to meet a quote.

[cdeslandes]

Originally Posted by Dr Stig 2

Over here in Oz, I went to the police driving school on one the public days. The instructor was very candid about the direction the police were heading. He said that in the eighties there were only a few bad cops, but now there is less corruption, but the majority of cops who join (he thought over 75%) are there because they like domineering the members of the public. Thus making it more likely to be booked "because they can" instead of because you actually did anything illegal or dangerous.
Sad. Very sad.

Mad Max Syndrome.