Are cops allowed to be on the side of the road with no lights on at night?

Question

I got a ticket in Athens, GA coming home from work, the cops was at the bottom of a hill and at 10:45pm at night with no lights on! Isn't that illegal for them to be at the bottom of the hill and especially with no lights at night? I thought it was state law that anytime a car is occupied at night along a hwy or street, there should be parking or marking lights on, or hazards. I am just building my case to fight the speed trap!

Answer 1

That may be considered entrapment in some areas, but that doesn't matter. There are a number of excuses a cop can give. The most popular is to say he was simply filling out paperwork when he noticed a speeding car go by. If he witnesses a crime, he must respond. "Your honor, I wasn't monitoring traffic, I was filling out a report when I saw a car go by at a high rate of speed, I had to react."

I'm a cop and I hate that crap too, I'm with you. But the simple fact is, you're hit.

Answer 2

You thought wrong. There's no law that requires police officers in a patrol car to have their lights on when parked and running RADAR. Further, the police car being in clear sight at the bottom of a hill is not a "speed trap." A police car sitting behind a billboard and out of plain view is a "speed trap."

It's also not "entrapment." Here's the definition:

en·trap (n-trp) KEY

TRANSITIVE VERB:
en·trapped , en·trap·ping , en·traps
To catch in or as if in a trap.

To lure into danger, difficulty, or a compromising situation. See Synonyms at catch.
To lure into performing a previously or otherwise uncontemplated illegal act.

OTHER FORMS:
en·trapment (Noun)

You got caught speeding. If you hadn't been speeding you wouldn't have gotten caught. You don't have a leg to stand on, so quit whining and pay the ticket.

Answer 3

Go pay your ticket. As for everyone and their mother who thinks entrapment is the police sitting around without lights on that is not the case. Entrapment is.... when a police officer makes you commit a crime so they can arrest you. Example if an undercover officer drives up in a sports car and tries to get you to drag race him and then arrests you that is entrapment. An officer sitting behind something without the lights on so you can't see him is not entrapment. The officer in no way made you speed. You were speeding and the officer did what they are paid to do... protect society.

Answer 4

Got bad news for you pal -- I used to live in Georgia and in the state known for its peaches the police are allowed to hide just about anywhere and do just about anything (including sitting on the side of the road with no lights on) for traffic enforcement. Your best bet is to go to court and tell the judge that you didn't realize you were going that fast, but you take full responsibility for your actions and just ask for leniency. Judges are much more likely to cut you a break if you are respectful and take your lumps. If you start griping about a cop in a car with no lights on or you come across as a smart@$$ or someone with an axe to grind you'll get HAMMERED.

Answer 5

Every where I have lived and been if a cop is out at night they have to have there parking lights on. Though kinda hard to provide that in a court. I would check to see if anyone from work traveling app. the same time as you could be a witness to say they seen the cop car with no lights on. That would help. Sorry you got busted. I would add that you got stopped at the bottom of the hill. Sometimes the judge will throw out the ticket but remember to be nice about it. You get further with honey than you do with vinegar.

Answer 6

They can do whatever they want,including hiding at the end of a deserted road behind the one signboard that was big enuff to hide two cruisers......at least in Rhode Island!! I got a 75 dollar speeding ticket to prove it!!Guess cops suck no matter what state you're in,until you need them of course.....Good luck with your case.You ought to try doing a search for the actual laws regarding that though on a Govt.website for Georgia-it is public information that you should be able to access.

Answer 7

The cop may have violated department policy, but that won't get you out of a ticket. I also doubt that he violated policy. Even so, it doesn't help you.

It sounds as though you wish to make an "entrapment" defense.

Entrapment is when a law enforcement officer entices you to do something that you would not normally do or where not intentionally looking to do. Here, your argument would be that the police officer enticed you into speeding by not being plainly visible. Obviously, that ain't gonna work.

But good luck anyway.

Answer 8

They got you, so pay up. If they were parked in a way (and I doubt it) where they were a hazard to oncoming traffic, then they are in the wrong, but for the most part they are doing traffic enforcement, and any ways possible to enforce the traffic laws, they will utilize. But they do not have to give you a warning they are in the area, and if you were doing the limit, your question would not be posted???

Answer 9

nope, a cop can hide behind a tree with rador and get you!

They ticket more heavily the 1st,-5th of month and 13th-17th and the 27-31st of the month.

they have to make their quotas.

It's legal in my state for them to sit in a blind spot and catch you doing something wrong.

YOU don't have a case against the cop!
if you were in the wrong.

he has nothing to lose. So he will win.
The law is always in the right.
Bummer huh?

I tried to fight a ticket, and the only way to win, is if the cop doesn't show up.

Just pay the ticket, and suck it up, and live and learn this life lesson!!

Sorry!! I feel for you! been there, done that, paid the price.
live and learn!

Answer 10

Yes they are allowed to do it. You'd better look closely at the loopholes of the law prior to fighting this. Your best bet would be to see the history of amount of tickets written in that area. However, there's nothing wrong with speed traps. It's called state revenue!!