Yesterday, around midnight, in Somerville, I was about to cross an intersection on a green light. A cop car came from no where along the cross street, turned on its siren briefly just to get past the intersection. I braked as hard as I could, ABS came on, and I had to be two feet from crashing into it.
Today, I was second in line at a red light in Brighton and a cop car stopped behind me. It turned on its siren, so the car in front of me and I drove out into the intersection to let the cop through. The car in front of me was pretty close to being T-boned by a car from the cross-street.
In both cases, the cop car turned off its siren right after the intersection. I know this is just the way cops are these days, but is there really nothing we law-abiding taxpayers can do about their reckless behavior?
2007-09-30 15:52:41 · 8 answers · asked by xmooth 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
To the cop officers responding to the question:
I have great respect for cops, but in the two incidents I have been over the last two days, someone was very close to being in a road accident. I would like to think that when cops are put into "dispatch mode", their common sense is not overridden. Also, turning as you are about to run through the red light does not usually give vehicles in the cross street enough time to react.
In response to the so-called philosophical question from Frenchghost. As a matter of fact, I would rather have my beloved ones be harmed than cause a road accident that would injure many more innocent civilians. You need to avoid using rhetorics in your argument - they won't work on anyone rational.
2007-09-30 17:16:55 · update #1
If this is becoming common, note the car number and time whenever this happens. You'd be best to take this up with city officals like the mayor in a small town or a city councilman in bigger cities (like with large populations, where the mayor may be too busy to care)
2007-09-30 15:59:00 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
There are several reasons why a cop may do what you described, and yes, maybe they were not on a call. But you do not know that...and you cannot base your assumption on the fact that the lights and siren were turned off immediately after passing the intersection. I respond to most crimes in progress with lights and sirens turned on ONLY when needed (at intersections). I understand near accidents are scary and should not happen, but understand people do some dumb things when cops are behind them. Your best bet is to pull to the right and stop. And again, the mentality of most cops in Boston is to be extra careful because an accident while doing 60mph in and out of traffic is not something any cop wants...especially if they weren't responding to a high priority call.
2007-09-30 17:49:46 · answer #2 · answered by tiger9919 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I turn on my siren briefly and run reds when I need to to respond to a "hot call", but never have I, nor do expect to, endanger the public.
We need to stop and clear the intersection lane, by lane until we're across. Anything else is downright negligent. I do it about 3 times a night.
David, the first poster, has the best answer of all. Note vehicle number, intersection and time. Give the info to a councilman.
2007-09-30 18:24:05 · answer #3 · answered by California Street Cop 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Okay think about it. How do you know that they needed across the street fast then turned off the lights and siren to NOT let the bad guy know that they were coming to get them? Just because the lights and sirens went off after they crossed doesn't mean they weren't going somewhere that needed them to get there fast.
2007-09-30 16:55:31 · answer #4 · answered by Steven C 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I have a good friend who is a police officer and they do pull that kind of thing (put on lights) when they just want to get past you quickly when there is no real emergency..Fringe Benefits of the job? But you can't just assume that it was not a call they were on. I would just let it go, and chalk it up to> beware of cruisers who are usually in a hurry whatever the reason. Oh of course beware of the ones not moving and lurking in hidden places with radar guns too.. lol.
2007-09-30 16:41:50 · answer #5 · answered by Joanie 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Philisophical question here for you. And it might have been the case, might not have been for those 2 times, but here goes.
You're sleeping in your house, someone breaks in, you call the police. Would you rather the police obey all traffic laws while coming to help you and take a lot longer, possibly allowing the perpertrator to injure or kill you or those you love, or would you rather be protected by a police officer who did his best to help you as quickly as possible? If you say you'd rather he take his time you're lying, don't argue, you would be lying. When it's someone you love being hurt criminally you will want the police to get there as fast as possible. So how about not nitpicking and thanking a officer for doing their job.
2007-09-30 16:39:36 · answer #6 · answered by Frenchghost 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
HOW DO YOU KNOW? DID YOU FOLLOW THEM OR JUST GOING TO MAKE A PRESUPPOSED CONJECTURE? I HAVE DONE THIS AS I NEEDED TO GET THROUGH THE TRAFFIC AND WAS TOLD BY DISPATCHER NO SIRENS OR LIGHTS, BURGLARY IN PROGRESS, BURGLAR IN HOUSE--ADT ALARM HAS INTRUSION WITH INFRARED. TRUE STORY--AND I GOT A REPORT BY A CITIZEN LIKE YOU ABOUT ME AND MY CAR NUMBER--THANK GOD DISPATCHERS ARE TAPED. IF YOU FEEL AS YOU DO ALL CARS HAVE A NUMBER ON THEM AND A LIC PLATE OR TIME AND AREA OF INCIDENT? REPORT IT TO THE PRECINCT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
2007-09-30 16:31:00 · answer #7 · answered by ahsoasho2u2 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
camera phone?
2007-09-30 16:01:07 · answer #8 · answered by daddio 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋