Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights

Angela Macy · 05-08-2008, 03:54 PM

I've noticed troopers doing that too here in NC Goob, kind of - they park their car about 4 feet out from the car they've pulled over, sometimes this causes them to be in the road partially. I think their theory is they'd rather a person hit their patrol car and have the patrol car forced into them, rather than be hit by the car who is running off the road completely. Maybe if the car running off the road hits their patrol car, it may slow the cars down the split second it takes them to get out of the way. Still a risk of getting hurt or injuried, but maybe not quite as badly. I've even noticed the troopers going to the passenger side of the car now adays instead of the drivers side.

And agreed, something about the flashing lights seems to draw people to that area. Another case in Northern North Carolina a year or two ago - car had broke down the night before, group of people are well off the side of the road pushing broke down car onto a trailer - woman blasts through their in her SUV, runs off the road and runs over them all over and killed all of them - 4-6 people I think. They charged her with vehicular manslaughter and if I recall correctly she was sentenced a few months back - I forget what exactly that sentence was, very lenient but she thought it was too much. I'm not sure I ever heard exactly what caused the woman to run off the road, but inattentiveness most likely was the culprit. I guess her theory was that just because she didn't intend to kill the people she shouldn't be held accountable for her actions.

05-08-2008, 03:54 PM	#14
Angela Macy Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Randleman, NC Posts: 301 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Driving in Illinois and passing vehicles with flashing lights I've noticed troopers doing that too here in NC Goob, kind of - they park their car about 4 feet out from the car they've pulled over, sometimes this causes them to be in the road partially. I think their theory is they'd rather a person hit their patrol car and have the patrol car forced into them, rather than be hit by the car who is running off the road completely. Maybe if the car running off the road hits their patrol car, it may slow the cars down the split second it takes them to get out of the way. Still a risk of getting hurt or injuried, but maybe not quite as badly. I've even noticed the troopers going to the passenger side of the car now adays instead of the drivers side. And agreed, something about the flashing lights seems to draw people to that area. Another case in Northern North Carolina a year or two ago - car had broke down the night before, group of people are well off the side of the road pushing broke down car onto a trailer - woman blasts through their in her SUV, runs off the road and runs over them all over and killed all of them - 4-6 people I think. They charged her with vehicular manslaughter and if I recall correctly she was sentenced a few months back - I forget what exactly that sentence was, very lenient but she thought it was too much. I'm not sure I ever heard exactly what caused the woman to run off the road, but inattentiveness most likely was the culprit. I guess her theory was that just because she didn't intend to kill the people she shouldn't be held accountable for her actions.