Another reason to hate a Prius

JackDodge · 04-18-2006, 07:45 PM

I was on my way to an appointment this afternoon and I was a little late. I was headed towards an intersection that is part of a construction zone in that traffic from the main road that is being reconstructed is being routed down the road that I'm approaching. I'm doing the speed limit of 35 in the right lane and just before I get to the intersection, the light turns yellow. It figures. Anyway, I automatically take my foot off the accelerator and on to the brake and come to a stop. Meanwhile, some young guy with some obvious impatience in some kind of red POS in the left lane and a couple of car lengths back decides he ain't a gonna stop so he hits the gas and zooms through the now red light. It wasn't until he left that I noticed a police car in the right lane on the other side of the intersection who's pointed in the opposite direction from me who had also stopped for the light. It took him a second to turn on the lights and make a big U-turn as he went after Mr Lightrunner who was stuck at the next light by then behind a bunch of other cars who were stopped for that red light. Sometimes, you just can't win

Anyway, after a couple of minutes (the light is kind of long) I drove past the two of them and wondered if I had inadvertently caused the kid to get a ticket because since I was obviously able to stop and was closer to the light than he was that he was totally busted. That if I had cruised the yellow light, the cop might not have been able to ticket the guy who cruised the red light. The way it turned out made it pretty much irrefutable. Granted, the kid got what he deserved and I did what I was supposed to but I wonder if the cop will now have a fond memory of the Prius and the kid will have a negative memory of that damn Prius who cost him a ticket.

It's going to be one of my favorite stories from now on, though, that's for sure.

**Tideland Prius** · 04-18-2006, 07:51 PM

Well if he's gonna blame someone else for his own actions, that's his problem.

hycamguy07 · 04-18-2006, 08:03 PM

Did the kid pass you on the left? Or did he drive down the side of the road on the curb? either way thats another ticket on top of the failure to obey a traffic device lol , good one.. I some times think people have forgotten how to drive.

Quick example, one morning Im driving through a 20mph post neighborhood in a fully marked with light bars on the roof ford E250 and this kid keeps riding up on me repetedly until he starts tailgating me. I was a little miffed at his stupidity I hit the lights then the brakes and the kid just slammed into the back of my vehicle he didnt even hit the brakes.. ( I did not slam on my brakes I attemted to slow down to a stop) needless to say he got two tickets & was even later for school.. Again have we forgotten how to drive?

Jack thats a good one !

galaxee · 04-18-2006, 08:04 PM

i would have laughed myself sick at that.

now that's what i call swift justice!

JackDodge · 04-18-2006, 08:12 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priusguy04 @ Apr 18 2006, 08:03 PM) [snapback]241795[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Did the kid pass you on the left? Or did he drive down the side of the road on the curb? either way thats another ticket on top of the failure to obey a traffic device lol , good one.. I some times think people have forgotten how to drive.

Quick example, one morning Im driving through a 20mph post neighborhood in a fully marked with light bars on the roof ford E250 and this kid keeps riding up on me repetedly until he starts tailgating me. I was a little miffed at his stupidity I hit the lights then the brakes and the kid just slammed into the back of my vehicle he didnt even hit the brakes.. ( I did not slam on my brakes I attemted to slow down to a stop) needless to say he got two tickets & was even later for school.. Again have we forgotten how to drive?
[/b]

two lanes for each direction plus a left turn lane. Both the cop and I were in our respective right lanes. Our little speedster was in the left lane on my side and the cop had to cross the left lane of his direction when making the U-turn.

You're right, galaxee, it was pretty funny and I don't get to see someone get what they deserve but he wasn't being a jerk to me so it didn't taste quite as sweet as it could have

Schmika · 04-18-2006, 08:20 PM

Jack, why would you....for even one millisecond...consider that YOU had anything to do with the "kid" getting a ticket.

Sounds to me like he just got caught. And maybe...just maybe...he got a warning.

I really don't get it.

Mystery Squid · 04-18-2006, 08:45 PM

Quote:

It took him a second to turn on the lights and make a big U-turn as he went after Mr Lightrunner [/b]

Hear that Schmika....

Don't think that guy would have tried to out fox you had the lights gone on quickly...

JackDodge · 04-18-2006, 08:45 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Schmika @ Apr 18 2006, 08:20 PM) [snapback]241808[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Jack, why would you....for even one millisecond...consider that YOU had anything to do with the "kid" getting a ticket.

Sounds to me like he just got caught. And maybe...just maybe...he got a warning.

I really don't get it.
[/b]

oh, I don't believe that I had anything to do with it. I was just wondering if the infraction would have been observed if I hadn't stopped, thereby making it so obvious that he ran it. That if another car hadn't been there, would the cop have been able to know for sure if the guy ran the light. Of course, the cop stopped for the same light so perhaps I just answered my own question. It seems that it would be difficult to tell for sure whether someone runs a light or not if you're not able to see the light actually turn red for him.

hycamguy07 · 04-18-2006, 08:57 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JackDodge @ Apr 18 2006, 08:45 PM) [snapback]241821[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

oh, I don't believe that I had anything to do with it. I was just wondering if the infraction would have been observed if I hadn't stopped, thereby making it so obvious that he ran it. That if another car hadn't been there, would the cop have been able to know for sure if the guy ran the light. Of course, the cop stopped for the same light so perhaps I just answered my own question. It seems that it would be difficult to tell for sure whether someone runs a light or not if you're not able to see the light actually turn red for him.
[/b]

Not sure about where you live here they have been installing the little lights above the signal lights so no matter where you sit you can tell when the lights are red because the light lites up when red.???? did that make sence???

Presto · 04-18-2006, 08:58 PM

I'm sure cops would be anticipating yellow light runners and probably catch'em by reflex

04-18-2006, 07:45 PM	#1
JackDodge Gold Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Bloomfield Hills, MI Posts: 2,375 My Car: Other Hybrid Model: Package: N/A Thanks: 2 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts Friends: 0	I was on my way to an appointment this afternoon and I was a little late. I was headed towards an intersection that is part of a construction zone in that traffic from the main road that is being reconstructed is being routed down the road that I'm approaching. I'm doing the speed limit of 35 in the right lane and just before I get to the intersection, the light turns yellow. It figures. Anyway, I automatically take my foot off the accelerator and on to the brake and come to a stop. Meanwhile, some young guy with some obvious impatience in some kind of red POS in the left lane and a couple of car lengths back decides he ain't a gonna stop so he hits the gas and zooms through the now red light. It wasn't until he left that I noticed a police car in the right lane on the other side of the intersection who's pointed in the opposite direction from me who had also stopped for the light. It took him a second to turn on the lights and make a big U-turn as he went after Mr Lightrunner who was stuck at the next light by then behind a bunch of other cars who were stopped for that red light. Sometimes, you just can't win Anyway, after a couple of minutes (the light is kind of long) I drove past the two of them and wondered if I had inadvertently caused the kid to get a ticket because since I was obviously able to stop and was closer to the light than he was that he was totally busted. That if I had cruised the yellow light, the cop might not have been able to ticket the guy who cruised the red light. The way it turned out made it pretty much irrefutable. Granted, the kid got what he deserved and I did what I was supposed to but I wonder if the cop will now have a fond memory of the Prius and the kid will have a negative memory of that damn Prius who cost him a ticket. It's going to be one of my favorite stories from now on, though, that's for sure. __________________ "Isolation exists only in isolation. Once shared, it evaporates" - Dr. Breuer from the movie "When Nietzsche Wept"

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04-18-2006, 07:51 PM	#2
Tideland Prius Moderator of the North Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 19,616 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: N/A Package: Technology Package (Canada) Thanks: 228 Thanked 344 Times in 243 Posts Friends: 23	Well if he's gonna blame someone else for his own actions, that's his problem.

04-18-2006, 08:04 PM	#4
galaxee resident lab rat Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: boilermaker territory Posts: 9,675 My Car: 2005 Prius Model: N/A Package: #5 Thanks: 0 Thanked 94 Times in 37 Posts Friends: 26	i would have laughed myself sick at that. now that's what i call swift justice!

04-18-2006, 08:20 PM	#6
Schmika Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Xenia, OH Posts: 1,622 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Jack, why would you....for even one millisecond...consider that YOU had anything to do with the "kid" getting a ticket. Sounds to me like he just got caught. And maybe...just maybe...he got a warning. I really don't get it.

04-18-2006, 08:58 PM	#10
Presto Has his homepage set to PC Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 1,257 My Car: 2005 Prius Model: Package: B Thanks: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts Friends: 3	I'm sure cops would be anticipating yellow light runners and probably catch'em by reflex