Policing in the dark

[Glenn]

I've mentioned this before in my various musings about driving up and down I-91.

Friday night, my wife and I went over to Hinsdale, NH...to visit the only store in the SoVT area that's open after 8PM. On the was there and back, we saw a cop car, sitting in the breakdown lane, all lights off..radaring. Now, I could see if the officer had pulled off the road...or been hidden somewhat...but sitting in the dark, with no lights on just seemed a bit dangerous...and probably moreso for the officer if they were to get hit.

Now for the irony. we all know Mass uses their electronic highway signs for PSA's when not giving you actual road information. The latest one tells us that if we need to pull over...put on our 4 way flashers...and other drivers should give room for cars in the breakdown lane. Yet, troopers....often hide in the breakdown lane...with their lights off....

 

[deadheadskier]

I think it's a bad idea for cops to use breakdown lanes for speed traps whether it's day or night, lights on or off.

I know if I were a cop, I'd be pulled as far off the road as I could be to avoid any potential collisions.

The cops with their lights off at night in the breakdown lanes are certainly the biggest candidates for the Darwin awards.

 

[ctenidae]

I'm pretty sure there are a set of rules regarding placement for radaring- as I recall, the car or officer has to be visible to some degree. One could likely argue that lights off on a dark road does not equal visible. If I recall correctly, the purpose of the rules was to ensure the speed traps were methods of enforcement and detterence, rather than sources of revenue- same argument used to repeal Virginia's ban on radar detectors.

 

[Glenn]

I'm pretty sure there are a set of rules regarding placement for radaring- as I recall, the car or officer has to be visible to some degree. One could likely argue that lights off on a dark road does not equal visible. If I recall correctly, the purpose of the rules was to ensure the speed traps were methods of enforcement and detterence, rather than sources of revenue- same argument used to repeal Virginia's ban on radar detectors.

I should do some digging and see if the rules/laws are posted anywhere.

 

[Geoff]

I'm pretty sure there are a set of rules regarding placement for radaring- as I recall, the car or officer has to be visible to some degree. One could likely argue that lights off on a dark road does not equal visible. If I recall correctly, the purpose of the rules was to ensure the speed traps were methods of enforcement and detterence, rather than sources of revenue- same argument used to repeal Virginia's ban on radar detectors.

Radar detectors are still illegal in Virginia.

I've never heard of a state that has law telling police where they can and can't have speed traps. People have beaten speeding tickets by challenging an inappropriately low speed limit or an abrupt lowering of speed limit without warning. A number of towns in Vermont had to change their signage and not drop from 50 mph to 35 mph with a single 35 MPH sign.

In my case, speed traps were effective. I had so many tickets on my license that I had to slow the F down and use the cruise control on secondary roads.

 

[roark]

Still haven't gone to that store.

One thing I really liked moving from CA to NH was that police here usually sat at 90 degress to the road with their headlights on at night, while in CA they hide in every way imagineable. So much for that I guess...

 

[Glenn]

Still haven't gone to that store.

It was my wife's birthday weekend.....I brought good shirts for dinner...shoes and even socks...but left my khaki's in CT. That store was a lifesaver.

 

[drjeff]

It was my wife's birthday weekend.....I brought good shirts for dinner...shoes and even socks...but left my khaki's in CT. That store was a lifesaver.

Yup, you would have been far too overdressed had we met up at the D-Bag instead of the VV on Saturday! :lol: Of course your wife, looking as stunning as ever, would have fit in anywhere!

 

[Glenn]

Yup, you would have been far too overdressed had we met up at the D-Bag instead of the VV on Saturday! :lol: Of course your wife, looking as stunning as ever, would have fit in anywhere!

I'm still trying to figure out what she sees in me. :-D

 

[bigbog]

Until the lousy drivers get taken off the road entirely....we're all lumped in together I'm afraid...