State Patrol Tactic
04-14-2014, 02:48 PM
#1
State Patrol Tactic
I haven't seen this kind of tactic by the Washington State Patrol before!
Our local Corvette club took a cruise on Saturday and we had a great time touring a winery and visiting.
About 8 of us decided to head to a small town nearby and have some lunch. We're rolling along just outside of the town where there is a long steep downhill run with a big long sweeping right hand bend with one lane heading down and two lanes coming up in a 60 mph zone..
As we start heading down the hill, we come up on a semi truck and trailer. As the front two or three cars pass the truck, I can see around the corner and down the hill where a State Patrol car is coming up the hill towrds us, probably still more than 1/4 mile away.
The front cars pull back in to the right lane, nobody really speeding probably more than 10 mph over the limit to exicute the pass.
The State Patrolman must have seen the row of shiney colorful Vetts coming down the hill, because he quickly spins around into the down hill lane and waits for us to approach him. Just before we reach his location, he hits his overheads and pulls out into our lane traveling at 15-20 mph, and just sits there in front of us. We all have to hit the brakes, including the trucker, and roll along behind the Stater at less than 20 mph on the highway for probably half a mile.
We roll around a left hand corner further down the hill where there is a second State Patrol sitting on the shoulder of the road on the uphill side. The cop in front of us turns off his lights and pulls to the shoulder opposite of the second cop and lets us all go on by.
I've never experianced anythnig like it! Either he was just being an A-Hole, or perhaps he was trying to keep us all from getting nailed by the second cop further down the hill, but really...20 mph on the highway!! My guess is he was just being an A$$.
Our local Corvette club took a cruise on Saturday and we had a great time touring a winery and visiting.
About 8 of us decided to head to a small town nearby and have some lunch. We're rolling along just outside of the town where there is a long steep downhill run with a big long sweeping right hand bend with one lane heading down and two lanes coming up in a 60 mph zone..
As we start heading down the hill, we come up on a semi truck and trailer. As the front two or three cars pass the truck, I can see around the corner and down the hill where a State Patrol car is coming up the hill towrds us, probably still more than 1/4 mile away.
The front cars pull back in to the right lane, nobody really speeding probably more than 10 mph over the limit to exicute the pass.
The State Patrolman must have seen the row of shiney colorful Vetts coming down the hill, because he quickly spins around into the down hill lane and waits for us to approach him. Just before we reach his location, he hits his overheads and pulls out into our lane traveling at 15-20 mph, and just sits there in front of us. We all have to hit the brakes, including the trucker, and roll along behind the Stater at less than 20 mph on the highway for probably half a mile.
We roll around a left hand corner further down the hill where there is a second State Patrol sitting on the shoulder of the road on the uphill side. The cop in front of us turns off his lights and pulls to the shoulder opposite of the second cop and lets us all go on by.
I've never experianced anythnig like it! Either he was just being an A-Hole, or perhaps he was trying to keep us all from getting nailed by the second cop further down the hill, but really...20 mph on the highway!! My guess is he was just being an A$$.
04-14-2014, 03:00 PM
#2
Racer
Member Since: Jan 2000
Location: El Dorado Hills CA
Posts: 269
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I haven't seen this kind of tactic by the Washington State Patrol before!
Our local Corvette club took a cruise on Saturday and we had a great time touring a winery and visiting.
About 8 of us decided to head to a small town nearby and have some lunch. We're rolling along just outside of the town where there is a long steep downhill run with a big long sweeping right hand bend with one lane heading down and two lanes coming up in a 60 mph zone..
As we start heading down the hill, we come up on a semi truck and trailer. As the front two or three cars pass the truck, I can see around the corner and down the hill where a State Patrol car is coming up the hill towrds us, probably still more than 1/4 mile away.
The front cars pull back in to the right lane, nobody really speeding probably more than 10 mph over the limit to exicute the pass.
The State Patrolman must have seen the row of shiney colorful Vetts coming down the hill, because he quickly spins around into the down hill lane and waits for us to approach him. Just before we reach his location, he hits his overheads and pulls out into our lane traveling at 15-20 mph, and just sits there in front of us. We all have to hit the brakes, including the trucker, and roll along behind the Stater at less than 20 mph on the highway for probably half a mile.
We roll around a left hand corner further down the hill where there is a second State Patrol sitting on the shoulder of the road on the uphill side. The cop in front of us turns off his lights and pulls to the shoulder opposite of the second cop and lets us all go on by.
I've never experianced anythnig like it! Either he was just being an A-Hole, or perhaps he was trying to keep us all from getting nailed by the second cop further down the hill, but really...20 mph on the highway!! My guess is he was just being an A$$.
Our local Corvette club took a cruise on Saturday and we had a great time touring a winery and visiting.
About 8 of us decided to head to a small town nearby and have some lunch. We're rolling along just outside of the town where there is a long steep downhill run with a big long sweeping right hand bend with one lane heading down and two lanes coming up in a 60 mph zone..
As we start heading down the hill, we come up on a semi truck and trailer. As the front two or three cars pass the truck, I can see around the corner and down the hill where a State Patrol car is coming up the hill towrds us, probably still more than 1/4 mile away.
The front cars pull back in to the right lane, nobody really speeding probably more than 10 mph over the limit to exicute the pass.
The State Patrolman must have seen the row of shiney colorful Vetts coming down the hill, because he quickly spins around into the down hill lane and waits for us to approach him. Just before we reach his location, he hits his overheads and pulls out into our lane traveling at 15-20 mph, and just sits there in front of us. We all have to hit the brakes, including the trucker, and roll along behind the Stater at less than 20 mph on the highway for probably half a mile.
We roll around a left hand corner further down the hill where there is a second State Patrol sitting on the shoulder of the road on the uphill side. The cop in front of us turns off his lights and pulls to the shoulder opposite of the second cop and lets us all go on by.
I've never experianced anythnig like it! Either he was just being an A-Hole, or perhaps he was trying to keep us all from getting nailed by the second cop further down the hill, but really...20 mph on the highway!! My guess is he was just being an A$$.
04-14-2014, 03:37 PM
#3
Burning Brakes
My best guess being a retired LEO is that something (you will probably never know) was happening, and the second officer called for a traffic slowdown. Could have been as simple as debris on the road or slow animals crossing. I see no fun in slowing down traffic just to be an a$$hole. I'm sure I'll get all the people with a chip on their shoulder disagreeing. I also don't think he didn't want you to get "nailed" by the second officer, he would probably have preferred to do that himself. Sounds like it was a legitimate safety issue. But that's just MHO.
Last edited by WhiteDevil828; 04-14-2014 at 06:24 PM.
04-14-2014, 04:06 PM
#4
You may be right! All I can tell you is there was no evidence of any debris, animals, or disabled vehicles , and the 2nd officer looked to be about 25 and was sitting in his car with a big smile on his face when we drove by. The whole thing didn't make sense to me.
I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they were doing it for our benefit.
I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they were doing it for our benefit.
04-14-2014, 04:17 PM
#5
Le Mans Master
You may be right! All I can tell you is there was no evidence of any debris, animals, or disabled vehicles , and the 2nd officer looked to be about 25 and was sitting in his car with a big smile on his face when we drove by. The whole thing didn't make sense to me.
I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they were doing it for our benefit.
I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they were doing it for our benefit.
Clif
04-14-2014, 05:58 PM
#8
I can't imagine it would be worth the trouble they could get in for a bad joke. Slowing down traffic on the highway for no reason could get them in serious trouble. That could easily have caused a horrible accident if someone coming up behind wasn't paying attention. If you have any doubt at all, it might be worth a call and report.
04-14-2014, 06:10 PM
#9
Safety Car
reminds me
I was with my father when he was stopped by a NJ State Trooper (40 years ago)...when asked why he was speeding my Dad replied that he was in a hurry for an important meeting.....the statie said to follow him and lead my Dad on a 20 minute speed run, then pulled over and said, "well you're not in a hurry now...." Still makes me chuckle...
04-14-2014, 07:04 PM
#10
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Jun 2013
Location: Colorado
Posts: 6,013
Received 890 Likes
on
375 Posts
2024 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C7 of the Year Winner - Unmodified
2022 C7 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 C7 of the Year Finalist -- Modified
My best guess being a retired LEO is that something (you will probably never know) was happening, and the second officer called for a traffic slowdown. Could have been as simple as debris on the road or slow animals crossing. I see no fun in slowing down traffic just to be an a$$hole. I'm sure I'll get all the people with a chip on their shoulder disagreeing. I also don't think he didn't want you to get "nailed" by the second officer, he would probably have preferred to do that himself. Sounds like it was a legitimate safety issue. But that's just MHO.
Sounds like the reason to me.