Do Cops Ever Pull Over People Driving Behind Them?

Driving on a Friday evening through Kansas, I found myself having a somewhat uncomfortable encounter with a police officer. While fueling up, the police car beside me revealed a uniformed officer in the back. I casually remarked, "Reserves, hunh?" and got a nod. As I started my drive again, it became apparent that the officer was clearly frustrated by the circumstances. What ensued was a rather remarkable and heart-wrenching scene that left me questioning the nature of officer observations during traffic patrol.

The latter half of my journey was interrupted by an approaching large pickup truck. The officer had evidently been keeping a close eye on the vehicle as it overtook me and then followed me at an uncomfortably close distance. This intimidated and harassed the officer, who was watching the situation unfold with concern. Just as the truck accelerated to overtake the police car, the frustrated officer finally had to resort to activating his siren to make the driver aware of his presence.

This incident has sparked curiosity and discussion about the practices of traffic police. Many have similar accounts of being pulled over not because they were violating the laws themselves, but because another driver ahead of them was engaging in suspicious behavior. These behaviors can include erratic driving, not using blinkers, speeding, or any other rule-breaking actions that could put others at risk. It turns out, when it comes to observing the road, police officers pay equal attention to drivers both ahead and behind them.

One account stresses the use of technology and smart measures:

My car is fitted with a matrix sign. I can display a sign that says ‘follow me’ and use my rear blue lights only to direct them to pull over. This usually happens on the motorway.

Another driver shares an experience that reflects the frequent occurrence of such scenarios:

"I did it all the time. It wasn’t unusual to be on the freeway traveling at a higher rate of speed than the speed limit, trying to quickly get to a call. Inevitably, some joker would figure he could go the same speed limit as you were, figuring falsely that as long as he didn’t pass you, he was home free. Officers quite frequently get cancelled from calls with because someone has gotten there first and put out a code 4 (no further help needed). The R/P (reporting personnel) cancels the response, or a closer unit jumps the call, freeing you. There are any number of reasons why we might be cancelled. Guess what happens then? We go back in service, and YOU became our biggest priority. You are guaranteed of receiving a citation for speeding. You’re not special. You’re not smarter than all the other drivers obeying the speed limit. You’re just an arrogant asshole who doesn’t think the rules apply to you. We’re there to give you a very expensive lesson that you’re not as special as you thought you were."

The public generally takes a strong stance against such behavior, with most reciprocating the officers' efforts:

On almost all these stops, an appreciative public drives past our stop, waving, honking, and giving us the thumbs up. Nobody likes someone who thinks he’s better than everyone else.

These anecdotes highlight the complex dynamics between drivers and traffic law enforcement. They also underscore the importance of adhering to traffic laws and ensuring safe driving practices, not just for the sake of avoiding penalties but for the communal benefit of maintaining orderly and safe roads.