I always question this, because as soon as you are lit up, is it just me but I get the impression that they want you to pull over NOW! They are on your ass, and even using their PA or siren. Being on a motorcycle, it doesn't take much room to find a space to pull over, it may not be safe but it's a spot but not enough for a cruiser. I have seen and read way too many incidents where the cruiser has been crashed into by a passing motorist not paying attention.
I can easliy pull over on the left shoulder of the freeway, against the concrete barrier but not enough room for the cruiser. I see a lot of vehicles pulled over on the left side of the freeway, and not on the right, which is an indication to me that the highway patrol prefers you to pull over immediately rather than working towards finding a safer location.
In my 25 years on the road, I generally didn't light the top lights until I was aware of
an area up ahead that was safe , traffic was now moving, not only for myself but the car/bike. If your stopped behind someone, in traffic and turn on the top lights, now everyones trying to get out of your way, Not good...
Now if your on the freeway (we didn't have but a very small portion of I75 in the city), or on a 55 MPH zone, I'll get on the microphone speaker and direct the driver to pull forward, to the next driveway, over farther, etc, where its safe, the further off to the side, the better. I can always approach on the passenger side of the vehicle.
As you note, sometimes, they'll get on your butt,
super close, extremly dangerous!! and not too smart. Folks have been known to brake hard and quick, now you just rear ended him, or caused traffic behind you to also stop quickly,
likely causing a wreck... Anything I can do to get clear of traffic, to a side street, even better... (We worked our own wrecks so if one happened right there, unless I had a physical arrest, I got to work the wreck..
You'd be surprised how many rubber neckers, wihile gawking at the traffic stop, will CAUSE A WRECK!. Seen many
run into the rear of a cop car that was already lit up!!!!
In my experiance, I've seen the local police on a traffic stop,
smack in the middle of the curb lane of a 6 lane road. Absolutly stupid...
Don't know if its a new officer or what, but you do have a microphone to direct folks to where YOU WANT them. Its your stop, your pretty much responsible should you screw up and also be liable...
In my years of an FTO, I taught this to all my recruits, the bottom line, #1, YOU GO HOME AT NIGHT.
The blue and white was my 2000 (pic taken 12/2003), take home car (just started the program) I had until 2007, we went to the black and whites in 2007 (had that for about 2 months before I retired), looked sharp but a PIA to keep clean. Both in my driveway..
