Well, I was stopped last night by the Milwaukee PD up on Silver Spring Ave, in the heart of high crime country.  On my way to work, I slipped through the right hand lane (paved) and shot the green light perfectly at an intersection.  Unmarked squad first out at the light.  Wham!  Busted.  I guess that passing in the right hand lane is illegal, which I didn't know.  I get passed in the right lane on this street constantly.  But wait!  Cop hands me a $99 citation, and advises me to call him at the precinct on Monday, as he can't find the statue in the book anymore, so they may have taken it off the books!  So, I MAY not have a ticket!  

But get this.  He was courteous, businesslike, and professional, totally non-JBT.  Drat!

Now before you start calling me a police apologist, I am not a big fan of SWAT teams.  They ARE being used inappropriately too often, but that is a burden shared jointly by the SWAT officers and the administration of the Dept.

In my mind a group of decently trained street officers with EXPERIENCE can do 99% of what the SWAT guys do, and better.  They are used to watching for the hands.  The whole organization of a dedicated SWAT team combined with lack of training and leadership that has the rights of citizens low on the priority list is the culprit.  Maybe I am wrong, but it's my opinion currently.

But as of last night, I had to report that all cops are NOT JBT A-holes.  Perhaps it was my NRA/GOA stickers all over my truck?  HA!  If this cop was an anti, it makes it even more impressive.

Sorry to hear about the ticket.  I hope that works out okay.  It's refreshing to hear of a nice, normal, professional encounter with police though.  I suspect that a good percentage of encounters are actually like this, but we only hear about the ugly ones most of the time, because it is a lot more fun to bash people than thank them.

I had an idea though.  You want to make the cop's day (whether or not you have to pay)?  How about talking to his supervisor and telling him what a professional and courteous officer you dealt with?  Be sure to mention names.

It is always appropriate to complain when an officer behaves badly, but maybe if we report uncommonly good encounters as well, things will start to change for the better.

.... Then again, maybe not, but it couldn't hurt to try.  Everybody likes to get a compliment now and again, and from my way of thinking honest, courteous cops get way too few of them.

This might cause him to spend a whole ten seconds looking for the statute and then find something better to do.

Passing on the right is only a law on freeway.  Atleast that is to my reckoning.  So I think you are pretty safe as long as you wern't on the freeway/highway.  Cause on streets there is no defind fast or passing lane.  So the officer is wrong.

R4M

By law, you are only allowed to pass the duchy 'pon the left hand side.

I wish someone would explain that to the many IDIOTS out there who just cruise on the expressway in the left lane.  They will not get over no matter what.  Has anyone ever watched the police videos of a chase and notice how many morons are still in the left lane even with 4 or 5 cop cars all lit up coming up on them.  I believe this lack of attention is why some "innocent citizens" get killed in police chases.

I was stopped tonite by a Tx DPS trooper on my way home from christmas shopping. He was polite, non-threatening(sp?), and in a good mood. He pointed out the fact that I had a tag light out, gave a warning ticket, complimented me on my truck and was on his way. What kind of a cop is this? He is a normal Texas DPS  Trooper. Merry Christmas guys..fullclip

I didn't see anything in your post where you had actually passed someone. Is it because you went through the light ahead of someone else? I hope that WI state law doesn't expect you to slow down every time the person to your left does, just so you won't be passing on the right.

Actually, I was in the far right lane that is sort of a lane, but not really.  The one the buses pull over into to stop and stuff.  And everyone was stopped at the light, I slipped in, and hit it at full speed right after it went green, before anyone else started moving.  He think he hit the switch on instinct when he saw me blast into the intersection, and then had to justify it after the fact!  I probably had it coming.  It is something I see commonly though.

P.S.  Last night when I went by the precinct, a marked squad car pulled out and OPERATED IN THE SAME FAR RIGHT HAND LANE, TO THE SAME INTERSECTION, AND STOPPED AT THE LIGHT....YES THE SAME ONE I GOT BUSTED AT.  I pulled up next to him.  When the light went green, I gave him plenty of room to get over into the "legal" lane.  He stayed over there (AND PASSED/GOT AHEAD OF ME) until he almost pasted a construction sign and did a panic lane change.

LOL!  I was driving like an a-hole, but I am thinking the dude should have given me a warning!

LMAO!!!   Good one dude!


[beer]

Passing on the right not legal?? I think not, it is legal to pass on the right on multi-lane roads. It is not legal to change lanes in an intersection, unless the intersection has lanes marked in it, it is also a traffic violation to drive in the "bus/right turn lane".