Would you stop when a police vehicle tried to pull you over for a traffic violation?

Question

If you were or are a lone woman at night on a rural unlit country road? My wife was in this situation and she continued to drive 8 miles further to an open gas station. The officer wrote on the citation N/D aka (no Deal) full penalty applied.

Answer 1

This is a tough question, as on the one hand, you need to obey the law, but on the other hand, it is a situation of high concern and we have heard tales of people doing this and being in trouble

Answer 2

I am amazed the officer tried to pull her over out there, many officers would have followed her to the gas station, then hit their lights at the gas station, an officer doesnt want to be doing a traffic stop on a deserted highway any more than you wanted to. I would say go talk to the DA, it wont get dropped, because, after all, she did break the law, but he/she should be willing to ignore the N/D and maybe drop the fine/points!
Good Luck, and Better Safe than Sorry!!

Answer 3

What you wife did seems reasonable under the circumstances. The prosecutor and judge should be willing to listen to her side of the story.

I have advised people for years that if they should find themselves in your wife's situation they should reduce speed when the officers red lights come on, turn on their emergency flashers and wave their right arm to signal to the officer that they are aware of his presence while they proceed at reduced speed to a well lighted location. If you have a cell phone, use it. The dispatcher can explain to the officer that you will stop as soon as you reach a safe area.

You may still get a ticket for the original violation, but if you get any static about not stopping, file a formal complaint.

Answer 4

It is a shame the officer did not appreciate your wife's situation. If she had a cell phone she might have called 911. They would confirm that it was an officer behind her and/or she could have explained that she intended to stop but only when she got to a well lighted public place.

Everybody has bad days and following someone for 8 miles on a back road would get any officer cranky. But still he/she should have understood.

I'd suggest that your wife go to court and explain the situation. If everything is as innocent as you say, I doubt she would pay anything. What was the original charge?

Answer 5

No, I wouldn't. Your wife did the right thing. It has been documented in the news (at least in California) about men acting as officers, flashing badges and wearing uniforms to sexually assault women. In all of the broadcasts i watched, they say if you have doubts about the person pulling you over to proceed, slowly, to a well lit area (a gas station, convenience store). However, you should give the officer a signal of acknowledgment so he knows that you are just trying to get to a safe location and not attempting to elude him.
Your wife should go to court and explain that she was concerned for her safety and merely went to a lighted, populated area. I am just glad she wasn't harmed.

Answer 6

One assumption you're making is that the police are required to make use of the flashing lighting fixtures furniture and sirens while traveling in emergency mode. i'm no longer attentive to a single state the place your assumption is actual. it particularly is totally very nearly such as you think of the police are dashing to be first in line at Dunkin Donuts. while you are able to nicely be oblivious to what is going on on your community, sturdy and good human beings choose help and contact 911. even nonetheless you do no longer think of it particularly is an emergency that's to them and the police could consistently race from emergency call to emergency call. using your word "above the regulation" is incorrect. Police at the instant are not above the regulation. in spite of the shown fact that, under some situations the police are "authorized" to velocity or dismiss site visitors administration alerts while they're chasing a suspected violator or enroute to an emergency call. on your state that's unlawful to cut back somebody with a knife and harm them. in spite of the shown fact that, scientific docs try this daily - they're authorized by ability of the regulation to accomplish risky innovations that often kill the affected person in an attempt to maintain lives. The police have specific preparation to permit them to consistently evaluate the might desire to velocity with tips provided by ability of dispatch. a sturdy dispatcher can now and returned be sure that a decision initially defined as an emergency is now no longer an emergency and permit the police to decelerate on the reaction. The specific preparation the police acquire enable them tocontinual properly even at extreme speeds. i will tell that this has particularly dissatisfied you. fairly of stressful approximately how the police serve your community - why do no longer you attempt and do some thing sensible as nicely. you may help at a homeless take care of or perhaps advance money for the persons in Japan or Haiti. you do no longer could be a police officer to serve your community - there are different techniques.

Answer 7

If you wife is so scared of being pulled over by a cop on a rural road at night, maybe she should refrain from driving on a rural road at night.

Answer 8

I dont know what state your in, but, in kentucky, i just took my concealed deadly weapons class and i was told that in a situation like that it is ok to drive to somewhere where it is open... such as the grocery store, walmart, etc... so, the judge shall understand when it comes into court. But yes, he could still cite her. My husband is a cop and I work for an Attorney. Just tell her to have a good explanation to the courts.
Hope this helps!

Answer 9

I would try to find a well lit area, or public place. If there is no place close, and you have a phone call 911 or a police station. Let them know where you are and what you are doing. Police deal with a lot of violent people that are not easily identifiable. It will help so much if they know what is going on.

Answer 10

One thing she could have done if she had a cell phone was to call the police department or 911 with her license plate number and let them know why she was continuing to drive.
I agree with above, go to court with research printed from the internet- a reliable website which talks about the dangers of people acting like police officers fraudulently.

Answer 11

I would not stop. I am a small woman, and in our area there have been reports of men posing as officers causing harm to lone female motorists. If the officer did not understand, take it to their superior, and if that doesn't work, go to the media. This is a fundamental right to feel safe in all situations, and just because someone "appears" to be an officer doesn't guarantee safety.