We’ve all done it; I know I have. See a police car and we hit the brakes. Doesn’t matter if we’re going 5 mph at the time. It’s a reflex action.
So on this day, I was walking into town and saw the police car, with its little blue light on top, and thought I’d take photos of the cars braking as they saw it. Never mind that the police car is clearly targeting vehicles heading out of town. Never mind that I didn’t see any car speeding. They saw the police car, they hit the brakes. Every single car!
I find this kind of action fascinating. And on this subject, it’s common here for drivers to flash their lights at other vehicles to warn them of a police speed trap up ahead. This is something that drives me nuts.
First up, these drivers might have passed the police car some miles back. On numerous occasions, I’ve been warned in this way and never seen a trace of a police car. Secondly, these drivers flash their lights at anyone, never mind if the oncoming cars clearly aren’t speeding. They still get the warning. And thirdly, and most irritating, It’s widely understood that the police here won’t pull you over if you’re going 5 mph or so over the speed limit. They’re looking for drivers ripping along well over the limit. So these light-flashing drivers want to warn speeders like that. I don’t. Frankly, I’d like the police to pull them over and ticket them. I don’t want cars whizzing through town at 40 or 50 mph. Give them a ticket and hopefully they’ll slow down a bit.
Posted for Becky’s Squares: Simply Red. See more responses here.
Graham's Island 
Oh dear, a sore point. Here, people warn others, too, with all the possibilities that you’ve outlined. However, even 1km/hr over the limit will get you a very expensive ticket. Now that I rarely speed, I often consider flashing my lights when I see someone at high speed, just to slow them down. I haven’t done it, yet…
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I hadn’t realized they’re so strict there. I don’t think it’s a bad thing, especially if you know that’s the way it is. I’m always amazed at how many locals get pulled over in places where they have to know police often operate.
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Excellent point about not wanting to warn super speeders of the waiting police, Graham. Like the BI, we have a lot of rural roads, and one main rural highway that people must feel compelled to speed on. I get tailgaited constantly. The speed limit is 50 mph.
But I do chuckle at the visceral reaction by everyone. There is an area on our highway that goes feom 50 to 35 as the road nears “town.” Leaving there 2 years ago I was moving along fast enough that a trooper waiting around the bend pulled me over. Of course I braked, but he got me! I got off with a warning (doing 49 in the 35). But since then I respect the speed limits. There are so many dead animals hit by speeders. Shame on them!
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I once got a ticket leaving Wenatchee, heading for Winthrop, one evening. It was a rural road, no houses, about 100 yards before the speed limit went back up to 55 mph. I wasn’t a happy bunny!
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and I always panic when one is driving right behind me too – as you say reflex action!
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Me too. I had one following me the other day and my phone went off. Had to pull over or I’d have been pulled over!
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thank goodness you saw them!
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It makes me smile when there is a police car on the motorway and no-one wants to overtake it even if they are not exceeding the speed limit. I have to say though that your police car is parked in a very dodgy place on that bend. It would make me brake just for being parked where it is.
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It’s not as bad as it looks, especially since traffic is moving slowly!
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Funny phenomenon, we humans are all so predictably similar in the end! But I agree with you. It’s the same reason why I don’t mind security checks at the airport or at major museums or events. It’s for all our safety, let them do their jobs!
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Especially when it’s a thankless job most of the time!
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