question

[ip305]

if a officer is in persuit of another vehicle arent the supposed to turn on there lights when they begin chasing them. the reason im asking is cause i was driving down the street last night and a cop started tearing ass after my friend. well i was behind my friend and we were on a one lane road. the cop came hauling down on me and then at the last min turned on his lights and tried to pass me. well i kinda stopped thinking at that point and tried getting out of the way which ever way i could. i turned left ( yes i know supposed to yeild to the right) and the cop was forced to run off the road. well needless to say i got a ticket for failure to yield to emergency vehicle and also one for my inspection being out. what i want to know is shouldnt the cop have had his lights on sooner than that or not? and how serious is this ticket for failure to yield?

[firecop]

He didn't turn on his lights because he wasn't chasing them. He turned them on when he wanted you to get out of his way so that he could "chase" them down. It's not a pursuit until the the person that the officer is attempting to stop makes an attempt to evade the officer by increasing his speed or using evasive maneuvers and then only if the officer continues to try to stop them. Then it becomes a pursuit, it could be high or low speed.

Failure to yield is a mail in ticket in Connecticut.

[Wardo]

Firecop, quick question. Wouldn't the officer have to be going at a much higher speed to be catching either one of them? And, with their driving ability :) it shows he was traveling to fast when he drove off the road. Seems the officer is a danger to himself and everyone around him when not using the lights when going that fast. :shrug:

[firecop]

Wardo, I agree with you to some extent. An officer should not be hauling ass without his warning lights and siren activated. But, ip305 sez "the cop came hauling down on me and then at the last min turned on his lights and tried to pass me. well i kinda stopped thinking at that point and tried getting out of the way which ever way i could. i turned left ( yes i know supposed to yeild to the right) and the cop was forced to run off the road.

I have no way of knowing how long the officer's lights were on, nor how fast he was going. The bottom line is ip305 turned left and caused to officer to run off the road. He (ip305) caused the crash.

[MrDude_1]

Originally posted by firecop
Wardo, I agree with you to some extent. An officer should not be hauling ass without his warning lights and siren activated. But, ip305 sez "the cop came hauling down on me and then at the last min turned on his lights and tried to pass me. well i kinda stopped thinking at that point and tried getting out of the way which ever way i could. i turned left ( yes i know supposed to yeild to the right) and the cop was forced to run off the road."the cop came hauling down on me and then at the last min turned on his lights and tried to pass me. well i kinda stopped thinking at that point and tried getting out of the way which ever way i could. i turned left ( yes i know supposed to yeild to the right) and the cop was forced to run off the road.

I have no way of knowing how long the officer's lights were on, nor how fast he was going. The bottom line is ip305 turned left and caused to officer to run off the road. He (ip305) caused the crash.

oh the flip side though, all emergency vehicle drivers should know that you scare the shit outta people when you haul up on them THEN hit your lights and or siren.. and some people dont react well to that....
so while i agree with firecops conclusion 100% the officer still could of avoided that if he thought ahead... oh, and thats assuming that ip305 was watching his mirrors.... if he wasnt, then he would of got spooked anyhoo. :shrug:

[ip305]

well lights were on for max of 5 to 10 seconds. i was doing 40 and the cop was probably doing 50 +

[FivePointSlow]

5-10 seconds is an extreemly long period of time in the context of what you've told us.

[ip305z28]

ok 5-10 is not long at all and by the way this happened ion sachse texas were cops like to do whatever they want but beside the cops being pricks ive been pulled over in the exact same spot and i did the same thing i pulled over to the left were there is a neighborhood and is off the main road btw the main road is narrow aand has sterap ditches on each side so if he being pulled everything would have been fine btw this is not the first time cops have flown into ditches on this same road just different spots

[firecop]

huh? :roll:

BTW 5-10 secs is a long time. (unless your a tree sloth)

[Wardo]

Originally posted by firecop
huh? :roll:

BTW 5-10 secs is a long time. (unless your a tree sloth)


:lmao: that threw my whole question right out the window.

[TC]

Here are the applicable codes:


§ 546.001. Permissible Conduct

In operating an authorized emergency vehicle the operator may:
(3) exceed a maximum speed limit, except as provided by an ordinance adopted under Section 545.365, as long as the operator does not endanger life or property; and


§ 546.002. When Conduct Permissible


Section 546.001 applies only when the operator is:

(2) pursuing an actual or suspected violator of the law


§ 546.004. Exceptions to Signal Requirement
(c) A police officer may operate an authorized emergency vehicle for a law enforcement purpose without using the audible or visual signals required by Section 546.003 if the officer is:
(1) responding to an emergency call or pursuing a suspected violator of the law with probable cause to believe that:


(A) knowledge of the presence of the officer will cause the suspect to:

(iii) evade apprehension or identification of the suspect or the suspect's vehicle


===========================================

§ 545.156. Vehicle Approached by Authorized Emergency Vehicle


(a) On the immediate approach of an authorized emergency vehicle using audible and visual signals that meet the requirements of Sections 547.305 and 547.702, or of a police vehicle lawfully using only an audible signal, an operator, unless otherwise directed by a police officer, shall:


(1) yield the right-of-way;


(2) immediately drive to a position parallel to and as close as possible to the right-hand edge or curb of the roadway clear of any intersection; and


(3) stop and remain standing until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed.


(b) This section does not exempt the operator of an authorized emergency vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons using the highway.


Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

[FivePointSlow]

Originally posted by ip305z28
ok 5-10 is not long at all and by the way this happened ion sachse texas were cops like to do whatever they want but beside the cops being pricks ive been pulled over in the exact same spot and i did the same thing i pulled over to the left were there is a neighborhood and is off the main road btw the main road is narrow aand has sterap ditches on each side so if he being pulled everything would have been fine btw this is not the first time cops have flown into ditches on this same road just different spots


Maybe if your posts were even semi-coherent you could get a good answer to your questions.

From what I've been able to decipher from your posts, it sounds like:

1.the officer turned on his siren to encourage you to get out of the way

2. you slowed down

3.he began to move to your left to go around you

4.your turned left and ran him off the road.

What was the question again??? :chuckle:

[ip305]

ok i already know i fucked up and ran him off the road. my fault i was just wondering how much of a warning the officer was supposed to give which TC pretty much summed it up.

[Stutz]

If he startled you and it threw you off the road, you have a good case for being innocent. Just like if someone is walking in the woods hunting and someone comes up behind them and fires a blank at them, then the hunter turns and kills the prankster.

The hunter would more than likely walk.

If you fight it, at the least you should be able to plea to a lesser charge.

[MrDude_1]

Originally posted by Stutz
If he startled you and it threw you off the road, you have a good case for being innocent. Just like if someone is walking in the woods hunting and someone comes up behind them and fires a blank at them, then the hunter turns and kills the prankster.

The hunter would more than likely walk.

If you fight it, at the least you should be able to plea to a lesser charge.

uhh, bad example, but mmmk.

[firecop]

Originally posted by Stutz
If he startled you and it threw you off the road, you have a good case for being innocent. Just like if someone is walking in the woods hunting and someone comes up behind them and fires a blank at them, then the hunter turns and kills the prankster.

The hunter would more than likely walk.

If you fight it, at the least you should be able to plea to a lesser charge.

That's called murder. Or at least manslaughter.

[MrDude_1]

Originally posted by firecop


That's called murder. Or at least manslaughter.


heh yea.... i know, bad example.

heh when you have a gun, you cant jsut shoot when you're scared...

besides, whats your finger doing on the trigger anyway? it should be next to the trigger, but not on it until you are ready to fire and you know both your target and whats behind it.

[Stutz]

You are in the woods alone and all of the sudden you hear someone shooting right behind you, are you just going to duck and cover when you turn and see a guy pointing a gun at you?

You would still have to prove your innocence in court, but it would most likely fly.

I will let you know when I get further into my pre-law courses. :)

[MrDude_1]

Originally posted by Stutz
You are in the woods alone and all of the sudden you hear someone shooting right behind you, are you just going to duck and cover when you turn and see a guy pointing a gun at you?


yea, id get the hell outta the path of that gun.

i wouldnt shoot the dude. :roll: