Do you drive differently around police?

[Celerocity]

So, I noticed today while heading home from the store, a police cruiser in the lane next to me, following a beat up old pickup truck rather closely. I thought to myself 'busted!'

Then the truck got in a turn lane, and waited for traffic to turn. The officer continued straight. Nothing happened. I found myself... surprised?

I then wondered if the truck turned to try and 'shake' the officer. If he wasn't already going to pull him over, maybe they would lose interest, or were actually going somewhere and maybe trying to get a quick ticket in. I THEN realized, wow, that's... .Kind of a messed up thought, on my part, to assume that.

Now of course everyone goes slower (see also: exactly the speed limit) around police officers. We aren't stupid. ALL traffic goes faster than the limit, but that doesn't make it legal. I've actually seen accidents before where people will slam on their brakes to drop to the limit because they saw an officer nearby.

So the question is, do you drive or behave differently around police cars? Outside of simply slowing to the limit. Will you take an alternate course if an officer is right behind you? Change lanes to let him pass (assuming lights arent flashing). Do you get nervous?

I think it's odd, for me. I get VERY nervous around officers, even though they have no reason to pull me over. But wait... When is my registration due? I don't remember. Is my tail light out? I haven't checked that in months. WHY IS HE SO CLOSE TO MY BACKSIDE? There's so many reason people can get pulled over, is it normal to be nervous when, as far as you're aware, you're abiding by the rules just fine? Is it just a US thing? A big city thing?

PS: Please leave any discussion of 'police brutality' or 'gun control' or whatever out of this. I'm purely discussing driving behavior.

[Hitorii]

Yeah I drive different around police officers. Normally I'll put both hands on my wheel in the correct position and I'll make sure I'm going under the speed limit by a little bit. I get nervous around them too but mainly because I'm on my green P's and I feel like they pick on P Platers more than open license people :P

Also, I live in Australia so it isn't just a US thing

[Kataroku]

No I don't drive differently around police though I do notice some drivers around me slowing down etc. I had an ex-cop for a driving instructor who pretty much told me to disregard police cars on the road; his reasons being:

1. If they wanted to pull you over for speeding they would have done so long before you spot them.
2. Often times they're responding to a call and really don't want to have to pull people over for minor stuff along the way.
3. Being nervous around police and other emergency vehicles makes you more likely to make a mistake and cause an accident.

I've had police following close behind me while I weaved in and out of traffic while everyone else decided to go 10 km/h under the speed limit. I think people slowing down actually annoys the hell out of them.

I live in Australia btw.

[Dispraise]

Off of the highway, I don't actually go over the limit. So outside of maybe being a bit more careful about it, I'm already doing what I'm supposed to and don't need to change my behavior.

On the highway, I follow with other traffic but am definitely more cautious when a cop is nearby (as is everybody else). Especially in the canyon, as the cops there get off on giving tickets.

[StayTuned]

Not a lot differently. I turn down the music if my windows are open but that's about it. I don't race through the city so I never have a reason to act special in front of police

[Independent voter]

Yes I do.

In the US, cops were leaving empty cop cars, with mannequin drivers at spots on the highway were they wanted traffic to slow down. People would see the dummy squad cars and think they were real cops. Soon word got out and the cops would find these dummy cars graffitied.

[StayTuned]

Yes I do.

In the US, cops were leaving empty cop cars, with mannequin drivers at spots on the highway were they wanted traffic to slow down. People would see the dummy squad cars and think they were real cops. Soon word got out and the cops would find these dummy cars graffitied.

We have that with dummy children on the edge of the curb, looking as if they are about to run on the street.

Those little cardboards look damn real on some distance and the only way you ain't gonna slow down in that situation is if you are a crazy psycho.

[Santti]

Not really. Other than maybe checking my speed, I don't do anything differently. I hardly ever go beyond the speed limit and always wear seat belt. I feel it's easier to drive by the rules than go a bit faster and worry about the police all the time.

[Deleted]

No.

First of all because I got nothing to hide and don't do anything wrong and second because the police in the Netherlands/Holland aren't allowed to do much anyway.

[moremana]

Nope

I dont drive bad to start with, I do speed a little over the limit. But where I live, cops arent intersted in handing out tickets unless you are just driving plain stupid.

State cops will get you if your doing 10 or more over on the highways.

[Low Hanging Fruit]

A little. But in general no. I would say the main difference is typically I am not eye on my speed, eye on the road, and eye back on the speed with the repeat. Normal driving I hove between the speed limit to 6-7 over with the mindset of just kind of staying with traffic around me (as long as they are going nuts). If a cop rolls up next to me it becomes more about just sticking directly to the limit. Stop signs are slightly different too. A cop is sitting directly behind me I will stop and count to 2-3 while I take my time looking in both directions. No cop I will just stop glance to see if its clear and go if it is.

These are small changes. But changes nonetheless.

[Celerocity]

First of all because I got nothing to hide and don't do anything wrong

Maybe I've just had bad experiences. I've been pulled over 3 times without having done anything wrong. They usually did it to try and get me to let them search my car (not that I had anything to find).

I suppose I'm a little jaded from that, figuring its a crap shoot if I'll get pulled over or not, and expecting to get a ticket for some obscure thing that I wouldn't have even known about to fix.

[Deleted]

yeah I drive more slowly because I usually speed if given the opportunity (i.e no traffic)

[Deleted]

Yes.

Don't want them searching my car to find the girl I stashed in the trunk!

[Dispraise]

Don't want them searching my car to find the girl I stashed in the trunk!

Just tell them it's fine, because you poked some air-holes.

[Vinictus]

If you're driving through Smyrna in TN, you better pray they don't see you driving out of the ordinary. They'll pull you over for just looking at them.

Oh and if you are driving with out of state plates they might pull you out of curiosity.

[Evil Inside]

Yeah I drive different around police officers. Normally I'll put both hands on my wheel in the correct position and I'll make sure I'm going under the speed limit by a little bit. I get nervous around them too but mainly because I'm on my green P's and I feel like they pick on P Platers more than open license people :P

Also, I live in Australia so it isn't just a US thing

They do, in my experience anyway. Especially if you have a hotted up car or a really sporty car.

[drwelfare]

No I normally go the speed limit, I have been stopped before for seat belts though.

Here we have a law if they are stopped on the side of the road with lights on you have to move over if possible or slow down, so I do that.

Georgia State Patrol will tailgate you at night, sometimes with brights on until you go over the limit and then ticket you. Last time that happened to me I set the cruise control for the minimum speed and after about 5 minutes they went past me

[Lucetia]

So the question is, do you drive or behave differently around police cars? Outside of simply slowing to the limit. Will you take an alternate course if an officer is right behind you? Change lanes to let him pass (assuming lights arent flashing). Do you get nervous?

If one is following me or close behind then I will generally make my way over to the closest lane and pull off at the store, gas station or something. I can usually go in and kill a few minutes. Mainly because all the police officers in my area are idiots who like to tailgate, make U turns with barely any notice. Pretty much things you shouldn't be doing, they do because well why not? Who's going to stop them.

[Aeula]

Yes, of course, but just in case I get caught I've made all my windows and tiers are bullet proof.