Driving too slow...

[G.A. Heath]

A little over a week ago I was driving home after a late night at work (after 11:00pm). At this time I was trying to run my fuel level down as low as I could in order to get rid of an additive that my Jeep does not like so my fuel level is lower than I would like. I am about 10 miles from home when an orange fuel pump lights up on the dash. Since I am a unsure if this means I am about to run out of gas now or that I will run out of gas 20 to 30 miles later I reduce speed to 55mph. After a few minutes another vehicle comes up behind me and then starts pacing me. I hit the cruise control's accel button and the other vehicle speeds up, I then hit and hold the decel button so that I slow back down to 55. The other vehicle continues to pace me. At this time I decide the other driver is up to something so I slip my phone out and dial the Sheriff's Office non-emergency number and just as I am about to press the send the other car changes the situation with a set of red and blue lights.

I pull over and it's a county deputy, although one I have never met before. We have a quick talk where he explains that I was going slow and at the end I started to drift toward the other lane (This was while I was dialing the S.O.). I explain that I get less than 20mpg and that my fuel warning light had just come on. He asks about alcohol (One town recently discovered that alcohol sales have been legal in a small portion of the county for 70 years) and points out I am driving toward where it can be purchased. I explain that I have not been drinking, and he asks for ID. At this point I explain I have a CHL and my weapon is on the right while my ID is on my left. He asks me about where they are both at to verify that he heard me correctly and asks me to continue with getting my ID. I hand both over he looks at them then hands them right back and tells me to have a nice night.

Overall it was a very professional and courteous stop, he was looking for drunk drivers going to get more beer and had good reason to think something was up due to my speed and drifting within the lane while I was dialing my phone. I still need to catch the Sheriff and give him a positive report on his deputy, but we bump into each other atleast once a month so I'm not going out of my way to catch him.

[Jumping Frog]

Sounds like good catch & release fishing, looking for trophy fish.

[MasterOfNone]

Interesting that driving 55mph is considered suspicious. Was it under the minimum speed?

[G.A. Heath]

Interesting that driving 55mph is considered suspicious. Was it under the minimum speed?

By itself it wasn't. When combined with other factors such as the time (11:00PM, just before alcohol sales end) as well as the drifting towards the dividing line (While dialing phone to call SO) it was enough to justify the stop for a possible intoxicated driver.

[Jumping Frog]

Interesting that driving 55mph is considered suspicious. Was it under the minimum speed?

I'd suspect it was more the variation in speed than just being 55 mph. Pull up on anyone, sit on their bumper, and watch how they react.

[bizarrenormality]

In other words, act suspicious and pull them over if they notice and react to the suspicious behavior.

Seems legit.

[SA-TX]

In other words, act suspicious and pull them over if they notice and react to the suspicious behavior.

Seems legit.

That reminds me of a time in Lubbock when I was a student at Tech. I happen to notice car is riding my bumper so badly I can't even see their grill. At night. I slow dow, I speed up but don't exceed the limit. The other lane is clear and they could pass if the wanted too. At this point I begin to wonder if it is a cop and I look very intently for red & blue light reflections from grill-only lights nearly up my tail pipe. Nothing. No top light bar and he's so close I'm positive about that. No cop cowboy hat - this is West Texas after all -- or badge or uniform on the driver. I honestly don't remember if there was a passenger.

After quite awhile of this I tapped the brakes hard enough to make the car's rear shoot up, but almost simultaneously stabbed the gas. He slammed the brakes locking up the tires in response to the pitch of my car & the brake lights that he must have been close enough to almost feel. That put quite a bit of distance between us.

After that he roared back with grill lights & a red & blue unit just below his windshield in the car. I immediately pull over. He is HOT demanding my license & insurance which I provide. He was in plain clothes and not in a traditional unit. He said something like "what's a matter with you? Are you trying to cause a wreck?" I said "Nope. I've tried everything I can think of to avoid one. Slow down. Speed up. Change lanes. All the while I have a lunatic right on my bumper. That last move was the only thing that achieved any safe distance in miles."

He thought about what I said for a few seconds & then said "I see what you mean. I just wanted to tell you that one of your (two so not an equipment violation) license plate lights is burned out." He handed my DL & insurance card back to me and went on his way.

SA-TX

[gigag04]

Driving more than 10mph under the posted speed limit is a NHTSA recognized indicator of impaired driving. One of many really.

[brainman]

Driving more than 10mph under the posted speed limit is a NHTSA recognized indicator of impaired driving. One of many really.

Then 70% of the people I see on any given road (especially in the left lane) on any given day are totally impaired. Wait, yeah, most of them are definitely mentally impaired.

[talltex]

Driving more than 10mph under the posted speed limit is a NHTSA recognized indicator of impaired driving. One of many really.

Hmmm...what does the NHTSA say about riding someone's bumper despite their varying speeds to encourage you to pass them indicates? A fear of passing...unless it's an LEO doing it ?

[OldCurlyWolf]

Driving more than 10mph under the posted speed limit is a NHTSA recognized indicator of impaired driving. One of many really.

I have had Precisely 1 beer, last October, in the last 11 years. On the interstate I consistently drive 10 or more mph under the speed limits. I don't think I am driving impaired.



One reason I haven't is because I don't drink and carry. And I nearly always carry.

[mojo84]

Driving more than 10mph under the posted speed limit is a NHTSA recognized indicator of impaired driving. One of many really.

Hmmm...what does the NHTSA say about riding someone's bumper despite their varying speeds to encourage you to pass them indicates? A fear of passing...unless it's an LEO doing it ?

Aggressive driving.

[G.A. Heath]

Lets clear the air here. I never said anything about the officer riding my bumper. Was the deputy floowing closely? Yes, but just close enough that he could get a good read on my LP. Gaines County has not had legal alcohol sales until very recently, like the week prior to when I got pulled over. I was driving 15 under the speed limit, I accelerated then returned to 15 under. While dialing the S.O. I drift toward the center line and correct before pressing call. So look at my jeep from the deputies point of view. He comes up on a vehicle that is driving 15 under the limit (read Giga's post), the vehicle then fails to maintain a consistant speed (accelerates and decelerates) and finally drifts toward the center lane before correcting. Is it possible that he is following an intoxicated driver? He had THREE (3) indicators that said he might.

As the OP my take on this situation is that the stop was legit, anyone accusing the deputy of going on a fishing expedition or engineering the situation to make a stop is going too far and is getting a little close to cop bashing so please stop it before I ask the mods lock this thread.

[tbrown]

Driving more than 10mph under the posted speed limit is a NHTSA recognized indicator of impaired driving. One of many really.

Hmmm...what does the NHTSA say about riding someone's bumper despite their varying speeds to encourage you to pass them indicates?

I'm not NHTSA (or any TSA) but to me it says stalker, psycho, intoxicated and/or jerk. No matter who is doing it.