[WmJBrown]

The Police are out in force on the Florida Turnpike sitting on the shoulder with their lights flashing. They don't have anyone pulled over. There is no emergency. They are just waiting for some idiot like me to come along and NOT move over to the left lane. Then they get you. $160 fine and points on your record. Drivers beware.

[NYGUY]

Great!!..

[DougB]

Move to the other lane when you see flashing lights and you shouldn't have a problem.

[tommy steam]

It's an expensive lesson, one you won't forget.

[gerryann]

I certainly could be wrong, but are you sure that is what they were doing? I've never heard of police or troopers doing that. It seems very dangerous. Sitting on the side of the road with lights flashing can cause an accident. I think there may have been another reason for them being there. Are you saying you were stopped and received $160 ticket? What does the ticket say?

Maybe someone had been pulled over earlier and he was finishing paper work. The law is clear when lights are flashing and what to do. Not a trap

[DonH57]

It's pretty simple. Whether it's a single police vehicle, tow truck, mowers, or what ever on the shoulder, move over. It's the law. If you can't move over, slow down. What really surprises me are the useless that refuse or make no attempt to get out of the way for emergency vehicles

[perrjojo]

Beware! If you don't obey the law you may get a ticket. Move over or slow down...its the law!

[kcrazorbackfan]

Isn't that the law? Move to the left lane when approaching emergency vehicles? Doesn't sound like a trap to me. Of course, you've never had the opportunity to be standing next to a car on a car stop and traffic pass so close to you, one misstep and you become a statistic. The law was written to protect Police Officers, Fire Dept. personnel, EMT's, tow truck personnel, FL. Dept. of Transportation, etc., etc., etc. - starting to get the idea?

[Walt.]

Originally Posted by gerryann

I certainly could be wrong, but are you sure that is what they were doing? I've never heard of police or troopers doing that. It seems very dangerous. Sitting on the side of the road with lights flashing can cause an accident. I think there may have been another reason for them being there. Are you saying you were stopped and received $160 ticket? What does the ticket say?

Actually, it has been done before. When the law first passed a few years ago the Ft. Lauderdale police set up the same situation as described. Because the law was new, and nobody had ever heard of it, they got over a hundred cars within a short period of time. They "explained" that the only reason they did it was to educate the citizens about the new law. Why they didn't just give out warnings instead of a ticket they didn't explain.
No, I didn't get one of those tickets.

[gerryann]

I am very pro police, but that's one of the stupidest and dangerous traps I've ever heard of.

[Topspinmo]

I find it difficult sometimes to pull over on fl. Turnpike or the freeway (I like the sound of that FREEway) with bumper to bumper traffic in all lanes. When there no traffic you have to watch for the cars coming 90 MPH in the left lanes.

Warning tickets don't pay court system. The system made up to collect money, what to collect more money enact new law.

Ever notice when out driving they never catch the AH that flys by, cutting you off, weaving from the left to right back to left speeding and passing cars like he's in NASCAR race, on top of that not using his blinker light.

[obxgal]

It's not like it's a new law. I've know about it since 2002.

[Allegiance]

I had always ass-u-me-d that it was illegal for police to use their lights unless it was a true emergency.

What if someone saw the lights and while slowing down lost control and died?

[DonH57]

Originally Posted by kcrazorbackfan

Isn't that the law? Move to the left lane when approaching emergencyother move overcles? Doesn't sound like a trap to me. Of course, you've never had the opportunity to be standing next to a car on a car stop and traffic pass so close to you, one misstep and you become a statistic. The law was written to protect Police Officers, Fire Dept. personnel, EMT's, tow truck personnel, FL. Dept. of Transportation, etc., etc., etc. - starting to get the idea?

You are right. It's to protect the very people you mentioned above. Florida's law is real simple. Either move over or slow down 20 mph while passing. To the few entitled ones it's too much to ask till they kill someone.