You have gotta be the dumbest person ever!!!!

For many reasons, that's easier said than done.

Protecting police officers and firefighters while they do their jobs on the side of a road.

It's not new around here. You could always take the jail time if you don't want to pay the fine.

 

We have a similar law here. If you dont move into the left lane OR its a single lane highway/road, one can only pass any emergency vehicle at a maximum of 60 km/h (38mph). I dont know what the fine is, nor do I care. Ive always slowed down for emergency vehicles out of courtesy and I will continue to do so, law or not.

 

I can't comment on laws/fines in other states, but in California it is an infraction with a maximum fine of $50. If the o/p had bothered to read further on the Snopes article he would have found the fine had been greatly exagerated. To sum up California law it states, if you can safely mover over to an adjacent lane you are required to; if you cannot you must slow to a reasonable speed.

Snopes:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/traffic/moveover.asp

California Vehicle Code:

21809. (a) A person driving a vehicle on a freeway approaching a
stationary authorized emergency vehicle that is displaying emergency
lights, a stationary tow truck that is displaying flashing amber
warning lights, or a stationary marked Department of Transportation
vehicle that is displaying flashing amber warning lights, shall
approach with due caution and, before passing in a lane immediately
adjacent to the authorized emergency vehicle, tow truck, or
Department of Transportation vehicle, absent other direction by a
peace officer, proceed to do one of the following:
(1) Make a lane change into an available lane not immediately
adjacent to the authorized emergency vehicle, tow truck, or
Department of Transportation vehicle, with due regard for safety and
traffic conditions, if practicable and not prohibited by law.
(2) If the maneuver described in paragraph (1) would be unsafe or
impracticable, slow to a reasonable and prudent speed that is safe
for existing weather, road, and vehicular or pedestrian traffic
conditions.
(b) A violation of subdivision (a) is an infraction, punishable by
a fine of not more than fifty dollars ($50).
(c) The requirements of subdivision (a) do not apply if the
stationary authorized emergency vehicle that is displaying emergency
lights, the stationary tow truck that is displaying flashing amber
warning lights, or the stationary marked Department of Transportation
vehicle that is displaying flashing amber warning lights is not
adjacent to the freeway or is separated from the freeway by a
protective physical barrier.

 

I can't believe some of you guys are bitching about this. It is common sense to move over and give room for the pull over. How many videos have we seen of some poor cop just standing by the side of the road and then out of nowhere some dumb ****er just runs into the car. A ****ING POLICE CAR ON THE SHOLDER WITH ITS GOD DAMN LIGHTS FLASHING LIKE CHRISTMAS TREE! I'm all for this, there are some stupid ****ers out there.

 

I've always switched lanes when I saw a cop pulled over on the side of the road. I think this is a great law. It's scary enough having to change a tire on the shoulder, imagine being on that shoulder all the time with cars speeding by you.

 

here's for all the stupid people with "what a dumb law" comment....



<--- at least watch this one, if any...




do u really need more...?

 

Well said

I cant count the times some A-hole blew past me mere inches away because he/she was in a hurry or didnt care. The way I see it, I'd rather slow down and change lanes than spends countless amounts of money in raised insurance premiums and or Court fee's fighting Vehicular assult or vehicular homicide charges.

 

It really is common sense to move further away from a person who is working or stopped on the side of street... the same way a slower moving vehicle should move out of the fast lane... regardless of how much the fines cost, just be smart and move over... you would appreciate it if you were in their shoes... but i can see how this may cause some accidents to occur, esp. since many drivers out there (speaking on Jersey's behalf) have trouble switching lanes and not hitting a car... seems like everyday somebody is about to merge onto me.. and then when i honk i become the a$$hole... just think logically... and be safe... the life of a person will always out weight a fine...

 

So let me get this straight, as I never knew about the highway one.


If they are just on the side of the road outside their car or have the lights on or both, either change lanes or slow down by 20mph if you cant switch lanes?

 

ehh i never get out of the left lane so this dosent bother me.....

 

^ ok?

Cops stop people on the left side all the time ha

 

not on any of the highways i ever driven on.....

 

People generally are supposed to stop on the right shoulder when a leo pulls them over. However, alot of people panic when they see red/blue lights behind them and stop where it is most convenient; sometimes in the lane they are driving in. Sometimes they pull to the left if it is the closest lane. In traffic on a busy highway it might be more feasible to pull to the left lane than to cross 4 lanes of traffic to pull to the right. Some people will listen when given direction over the p/a, others will not. There are alot of variables that cannot always be controlled by the officer. The hardest one to control is the driver.

 

I've seen this a few times near San Diego.

 

i was about to pull into a big empty shoulder on the freeway when i was being pulled over but the officer said over the pa to pull to the right....so like i said never seen it happen i think the left is more for actual emergencies like a blowout or something