Why can police give you a ticket for something like speeding,not using a turn signal,wrongfull lane changes?

Question

How come you can get a ticket for not driving by the book,but you see police cars all the time making illegal turns, not using turn signals,speeding for no good reasons,wrong full lane changes and nothing is done to them? And please don't just say because they are the police, that is not a valid answer. I wonder why they don't get into trouble?

Answer 1

As a U.S. citizen you have the right to report instances of police misbehavior in their driving habits. However, you better have some kind of proof such as other witnesses or a video of the incident. Also, how can you know if their actions were not the result of some kind of police action they were looking into. Also, many police are given a lot of latitude in the operation of their vehicles as long as it doesn't endanger other citizens in the process. Good luck in catching the police breaking the driving laws.....  

Answer 2

The police actually CAN get into trouble if they do these things in a patrol car while NOT on official business.  

In some instances the police do need to speed, rapidly redirect within traffic, or make illegal U-turns, for instance when getting to alarm calls while not using lights & siren which would tip-off a robber or burglar that they're coming.  In this case, they would be authorized to break these and other traffic laws.  If they were not trying to get to a call, they would and could get into trouble.

There's really not much excuse for not using a turn signal in law enforcement.  For the most part, not using the turn signal would simply be uncouth, (and illegal) driving.  In my experience, I never found a reason NOT to use my turn signals while on patrol.

A Palm Beach County, TV News crew actually filmed off-duty sheriff's deputies some years ago, leaving work and speeding home in their patrol cars.  They interviewed them when they arrived at their driveways.  Those deputies were officially reprimanded.

Answer 3

why? because thats dangerous driving...why do you think its ok to make illegal turns, not use a turn signal and speed? you're putting yourself and others at risk..just how old are you? i would think most ppl wouldnt have to ask this question if they had any driving experience  

Answer 4

In my state (and I suspect most others) there is a law that allows police officers, firefighters and paramedics to ignore traffic laws if they need to in the course of their duty.

Much confusion is caused by the fact that we don't need to have our lights and sirens activated to ignore traffic laws. Folks will see us driving and flip a U-turn or something else and think that we are just breaking the law for the sake of it, mainly because they are oblivious to what we are actually  doing and why.

If this is something that interests you, why not do a ridealong with your local PD?

Answer 5

How do you know the Police do not have a reason to violate a traffic law?  Can you read minds?

They could easily be enroute to a call or going after a violator.  If I'm not on a call or doing something job related I actually take my sweet time driving.  I have 12 hour shifts and no place to go (unless I'm on a call) so why hurry?

Answer 6

hi ya's sandy ;)  the officers here all had great answers....I had always wondered this too.  One day I was behind an squad car and it did a u-turn right infront of me, no turn signals or nothing.  One thing that kind of annoys me in this town is that officers seem to "push" drivers along who are going the speed limit.  Often times I see them going well over the speed limit, but they appear to be casual (not on the way to a call or looking for someone).  But it doesn't bother me if they do any of that stuff except when they tailgate.  

See ya

Answer 7

Many correct answers have already been given.  They MAY be responding to a call and you can't tell.  I have personally observed one instance of an officer driving in what appeared at the time to be an illegal and dangerous manner.  About a mile later, I saw the same officer at the scene of an accident.  Had I not been headed the same direction anyway, I would have never known why the acted as they did.

Answer 8

alot of the time the police are doing it for a good reason. alot of them dont have their lights on when speeding to a scene. same with illegal turns. if you call the cops do you want them in 5 minutes or 10 minutes? if they dont have any other valid reason they can get introuble. but you have to prove that it wasnt a valid reason. which sometimes you cant do.

and i find it hard to believe that you have not breaken a traffic law. even i have gone well over the speed limit, ran a red light, and a stop sign. jsut because i wasnt caught doesnt mean i didnt break a driving law.  and how do you know they arent on a call? they dont need their lights and sirens all the time. and i bet you arent in their car so how do you know they arent going to a call?.  

Answer 9

If the police were going and jumping off of bridges woudl you want to as well?

Answer 10

"speeding for no good reasons"

You really don't know if they have good reason to speed or not.  In most cases something came over their CB.  There are times when it's a really BAD idea to turn the lights on.  

"wrong full lane changes"

This is probably happening when they are trying to chase someone.

"making illegal turns"

Same story.  I would rather they make illegal turns and wrongful lane changes to catch a drunk versus have to let the drunk go, wait 5 minutes for help to come from the other direction, and here the drunk kills an innocent family in those five minutes of waiting for help.

Edit:"I do not break the driving laws while driving,nor do I expect to"

You must be the only driver in the world who has never gotten so much as a speeding ticket.

Answer 11

It is the job of the police to enforce the laws.  They are paid to do that!  Officers are not required to obey all traffic laws while conducting their jobs.  It would be impossible for the police to follow all traffic regulations but still catch the people that they were hired to give citations too.  Every state writes into their statutes that very fact.

You also have no idea what a police car is doing or where they are going.  Just because they are not using lights and sirens does not mean they are not on a call or going to one.

Some of the examples above were right on.  One of the answers said the officer's looked calm while driving fast...I take that as a good thing.  Rookie officers are usually uptight when driving to a call, while the veterans are relaxed, even when driving 100mph with lights and sirens...

I suggest you do a ride along with an officer to find out what police work is really like.