Local police still eye “Move Over” law
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Local police still eye
Local police stay vigilant on the commonwealth'sLocal police continue to stay vigilant on the commonwealth’s “move over” law.
After eight state troopers were hit on the commonwealth’s highways last year, state police put the full court press on Virginia drivers, reminding them in several media campaigns about the law.
The law states a driver must change lanes when passing an emergency vehicle on the side of the road.
If the driver can’t safely change lanes, the law requires them to slow down and “cautiously pass by” the emergency vehicle.
During 2008, some local police officer started parking and watching fellow colleagues on traffic stops in order to catch drivers who didn’t change lanes.
Several local departments allow officers to continue to do so during down time on their shifts.
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Reader Reactions
The reason you see police cruisers stopped at an angle behind a vehicle they’ve pulled over, is to be able to utilize the car itself and especially the engine block in the cruiser as cover in case you are fired upon. As far as where someone is pulled over…..it happens where it happens. As an officer if you stop someone on the interstate and the next exit is miles away, you’re not going to allow them to drive all the way to the next exit. I would advise everyone to enroll in your community’s next citizen’s police academy to get a better understanding of what officers and deputies face out there on the roads. Just obey the law and move over, why is that such a difficult concept for some?
I hate to say it but in all the traffic stops I have seen, its the dumb police officers that have their cars hanging in the road, they have the intercoms make them turn down a secondary street or find a shoulder to pull them on to. Like emergency stop places not in grass that is a foot tall
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