being pulled up by a cop using high beam

[jas98]

ok im not trying to complain about anything to do with me getting pulled over by a cop, however i was always under the impression that in a marked cop car (even un marked) that they neede to flash u with there blue and red lights, as ive always read that you have to give way or pull over for blue and red flashing lights only!

but tonight down a dark road (i live kinnda in teh bush area) a cop car was following me and only flashed with high beam and not his roof lights, is this leagal. as it could have been any tom dick or harry impersonating a police officer in a mock up car(again, not trying to complain)

asked what my name was and why i was out (first time they have asked me name)


i pulled over as well yeh it was a cop but what are the laws? this is the first time they have only used high beam pulling me up (as i work nights) and not the roof lights

[Calaber]

It's perfectly legal for the police to use their headlights to get your attention to pull over. Many police vehicles which are not used for urgent duties are not equipped with flashing lights, but there is still a police officer at the wheel.

[Morton]

I don't think it's illegal, but at night time you would have not been reasonably expected to know it was a police car.

[garth]

in qld, they have to use their lights, they can flash you to get your attention, otehrwise you can keep on going unless they signal you with the old red and blue that they want you to stop, otherwise you can simply say, hey, didnt know you were a police officer,

not so much illegal, but they should have used the old red and blue lights.

what more can i suck, qld police are a law unto them selfs

[Eliminator]

this is what they used to do back in the day i remember as a young lad instead of turning their red/blue lights & siren on...

[naf33n]

it is illegal, using high beam with a another driver within 200 meters is against the law, you should of learnt that when you got your L's ,
secondly you dont have to pull over to anyone just flashing there high beam at you, you dont know who that could be, if you dont pull over after mutliple flashes, hopefully the cop is smart enough to know the little switch to his left, is for the disco lights on top.



with the amount of car jacking that go on, i would not of pulled over

[garth]

it is illegal, using high beam with a another driver within 200 meters is against the law, you should of learnt that when you got your L's ,
secondly you dont have to pull over to anyone just flashing there high beam at you, you dont know who that could be, if you dont pull over after mutliple flashes, hopefully the cop is smart enough to know the little switch to his left, is for the disco lights on top.



with the amount of car jacking that go on, i would not of pulled over

car jacking? didnt know it was in brisbane to be honest.
thats the first i have heard of this type of thing.
but then again, i do live under a rock, so who knows, might have missed something.

[Morton]

I don't know about you guys, but I drive around with my doors locked. I'm paranoid about that sort of thing. I had my last alarm system rigged up to lock my doors when I turned the car on.

[minux]

If you think it is not a police car, do not pull over until you are at a location YOU feel safe.

Morton, my hsv does that standard, although its called Drive lock up, second car shifter moves, doors lock, then unlock when put back in park.

[Calaber]

it is illegal, using high beam with a another driver within 200 meters is against the law, you should of learnt that when you got your L's ,
secondly you dont have to pull over to anyone just flashing there high beam at you, you dont know who that could be, if you dont pull over after mutliple flashes, hopefully the cop is smart enough to know the little switch to his left, is for the disco lights on top.



with the amount of car jacking that go on, i would not of pulled over

NAF

This may vary from state to state, but people should realise that police have very specific exemptions from various road laws.

It is NOT illegal for a Police Officer to use the headlights on high beam in the course of their duties, if the circumstances demand it. As I said in my earlier post, not every police car is fitted with warning lights, but they are police cars, driven by police officers, who all have the same basic responsibilities for road safety regardless of the type of police duty they perform. If they are on duty and spot you doing something dumb, use of high beam is quite ok.

Another exemption, in NSW at least, is the use of mobile phones whilst driving. Again, because of their duties, police are permitted to use mobiles whereas you and I would be booked. This is particularly common in areas where police radios have poor reception because of local terrain or other factors, and they need to keep in contact with their base or other police on the road.

The nature of their duties demands that certain exemptions apply. These are just two examples.

[danja]

It is NOT illegal for a Police Officer to use the headlights on high beam in the course of their duties, if the circumstances demand it. As I said in my earlier post, not every police car is fitted with warning lights, but they are police cars, driven by police officers, who all have the same basic responsibilities for road safety regardless of the type of police duty they perform. If they are on duty and spot you doing something dumb, use of high beam is quite ok.

So question: Can an off-duty police officer in his personal vehicle pull someone up for say speeding?

I'd assume yes, but the evidence presented to court would be quite poor as there wouldn't be any video/audio evidence, and the cop car is unlikely to have had a speedo calibration as I believe police cars are required to have.

[OzJD]

You are not required to pull over when a police car "flashes" you.
If they have sirens and/or lights (on the light bars) that's a different story.

The COP should not have flashed his highs at you, since that's illegal (if he was close to you (as above))
Also, You have the right to request them turn on their light bar, as this enables the in dash camera.

[immortality]

i wouldn't pull over for anything except red and blues flashing period.

[danja]

You are not required to pull over when a police car "flashes" you.
If they have sirens and/or lights (on the light bars) that's a different story.

The COP should not have flashed his highs at you, since that's illegal (if he was close to you (as above))
Also, You have the right to request them turn on their light bar, as this enables the in dash camera.

I'll believe that when a cop tells me it's true. Sounds a lot like urban legend to me.

[minux]

If the car is a marked car they can do whatever they like to pull you over, if it is unmarked, unless there was an array of blue and red lights flashing I would keep driving until I was at a location in where I felt safe, which is perfectly legal.

You also do not have to comply with any officers instructions unless you are CERTAIN they are a police officer(Vic only) by confirming ID. If they cannot provide ID or it doesnt look right, drive off to the nearest police station.

I would also suggest people familiarise themselves with their states ID.

[Low_VX_Taxi]

So question: Can an off-duty police officer in his personal vehicle pull someone up for say speeding?

I'd assume yes, but the evidence presented to court would be quite poor as there wouldn't be any video/audio evidence, and the cop car is unlikely to have had a speedo calibration as I believe police cars are required to have.

I think off duty police can arrest you when they are off duty if you are breaking any law but traffic offences may be different... Very interesting point though

Morton, my hsv does that standard, although its called Drive lock up, second car shifter moves, doors lock, then unlock when put back in park.

My Soarer does this also once you go above about 10km/h, scared the crap outta me first time.... Also yo can't unlock them without coming to a stop....

Morton, I always lock my doors if I am in stop start traffic or bad neighbourhoods, I have heard quite a few stories that made me VERY paranoid about this.....

[ScoHar]

I got pulled over by a marked police car in a tiny 100km/h zone and he just flashed his lights coming in the opposite direction, so I pulled over and he turned around and came and warned me for going too fast, no ticket. I thought it was ok as it didn't get everyone staring at me while pulled over. although it prob would've been safer with his lights on.

[TGM]

If you think it is not a police car, do not pull over until you are at a location YOU feel safe.

Morton, my hsv does that standard, although its called Drive lock up, second car shifter moves, doors lock, then unlock when put back in park.

Yea I think most of them from the VY onwards have that. (even execs.) Dual stage unlock can also be handy, unlocks drivers door with the first click and the rest with the second, or with a longer push on the button. It's all in the startup menu.

[jas98]

wow this thread kicked off:P

anyway he was in a marked car so i did have a fair idea he was indeed a cop:P (was following me for quite some time) so theirs no doubt about that. he pulled me up just as i was getting off the free way, BUT DAM!! his high beam was bright! he was in one of the new camery cop cars and im pretty certain he was by him self. Its just seeing as i work nights i do get pulled up a fair bit just for RBT and licence check so im kinnda used to it but not just useing high beam..but he only wanted me name..and licence so yeh.

If it was an unmarked car and they did that i wouldn't have pulled over...especially seeing that it was a dark spot where he flashed his lights (right up me ass too) unless they had the blue/red lights.

at the end of the day i knew it was a cop car (still gotta be carefull though) so i pulled up doing the right thing and not wanting trouble, he did quickly check me tyres lol but otherwise wanted to know what i was doing and where i was going, where i lived, why i was out, who was the guy in front of me, where does he live, why is he out, where do i work, where does teh guy in front of u work .... (he was a work mate that left the same time as me)

[BoostedDave]

Seems pretty normal for them to flash you. Alot of undercover cars do it that way?

[Calaber]

So question: Can an off-duty police officer in his personal vehicle pull someone up for say speeding?

I'd assume yes, but the evidence presented to court would be quite poor as there wouldn't be any video/audio evidence, and the cop car is unlikely to have had a speedo calibration as I believe police cars are required to have.

Yes, he can. In fact, in accordance with his Oath of Office, a police officer is never "off duty" and is empowered to act outside his normal working hours. He can, in fact, place himself "back on duty" if he becomes aware of an incident or occurrence that requires prompt police attention and he is at the scene before on duty police arrive.

An off duty police officer can report you for a traffic offence. In regard to speeding offences, although he has no scientifically calibrated speed measuring device in his private car, he can still report you for an estimated speed based on his own car's speedo reading. Some leniency is involved here, but if he follows you at 100 in a 50 zone, you won't get a low range speed offence of less than 15 k's over the limit, it's more likely you will get the next level up.

Video/audio evidence is only used under certain circumstances. In NSW, the audio equipment provided to Highway Patrol police cannot be used if the driver being booked objects to the incident being recorded. The video evidence can be used, but the lack of it doesn't necessarily weaken the case if an off duty officer nabs you. I must stress that this is the situation in this State - it could well be different in other states.

[Calaber]

You are not required to pull over when a police car "flashes" you.
If they have sirens and/or lights (on the light bars) that's a different story.

The COP should not have flashed his highs at you, since that's illegal (if he was close to you (as above))
Also, You have the right to request them turn on their light bar, as this enables the in dash camera.

OzJD

You obviously didn't read my post about an hour earlier than yours. Some police vehicles are unmarked and have no warning lights, as they are normally used for non-urgent duties, but the police driving them still have the same responsibilities for public safety as General Duty or HWP police.

Flashing you with headlights to get your attention is not illegal for police if they have reasonable excuse to stop you.

[Torquative]

sure are alot of theories being bantered around as you often see with police related threads... just be careful which ones you listen too tho for instance in NSW if you drive in front of a cop car trying to stop you (even if you "felt it was unsafe to stop") they can go you for failure to stop.

Trust me I made the mistake on a highway at night, I pulled into a sidestreet to g et off the 80kph speed zone which wasnt the thing to do apparantly. Ive since questioned many officers about it they all say the same thing, once you see a cop car try to stop you then stop no matter where you are. IF they or YOU get it its their problem as you were following their directions. On a freeway for instance stop on the shoulder, they will get out and direct you to stop at a emergency break down bay.

Video camera turns on with lightbar? Only in a Highway Patrol vehicle, wont happen in a GDs or Detective vehicle.

Just keep it in mind ...

[greenfoam]

I don't know about you guys, but I drive around with my doors locked. I'm paranoid about that sort of thing. I had my last alarm system rigged up to lock my doors when I turned the car on.

Serious?, I saw my wife and her mum doing this in the more dodgy areas of Mexico, never heard of anyone so paranoid in Australia before. This must make leaving the VP running outside the shops most impressive for you: P. Cops pulling you over with high beams is totally normal they do it all the time. Makes it look less dramatic then

[minux]

Serious?, I saw my wife and her mum doing this in the more dodgy areas of Mexico, never heard of anyone so paranoid in Australia before. This must make leaving the VP running outside the shops most impressive for you: P. Cops pulling you over with high beams is totally normal they do it all the time. Makes it look less dramatic then

lol foamy, how many decades has it been since you visited Melbourne? In some places you wouldnt even get to the shop door without your car being stolen if it was running lol.