So I went out for a drive today to troubleshoot my ongoing dash rattle. While zipping along at 55 mph, State Trooper "Richard (insert nickname here) Head" flies out of the median and starts tailgating me - I can only assume that this was his name.

I change lanes and take an obscure exit the get off the highway and Officer Head does exactly the same. I get back on the Highway to head home and he is still tailing me. 15 mins into this idiots idea of keeping the highways safe, he finally overtakes me at which point I'm furious. So I decide to turn the tables and follow "Richard" for quite a while.

"Head" eventually pulled into a Gas station to refuel, no doubt on the cliche of donuts and coffee, but how in the world is this legal?

Folks, please understand that 15 minutes is a long time when you're taking a route that he would clearly not be taking.
How long could this fool have legally followed me, given that it was borderline harassment.

Any similar experiences?

 

hes gotta make that quota to get a year end bonus.

 

Good question! It makes me nuts as well. I had a very similar experience except he pulled me over right after I got behind him. He actually tried to try to give me a ticket for tailgating him! I can't even begin to explain how mad I was. Well after a few choice words and a description of how long he was behind me, and me writing down his badge ID and getting supervisors name he finally told me to get lost.
While most law enforcement are good people some just think they have too much power and take every opportunity to abuse it.
As a normal citizen you really feel at their mercy and it is very frustrating. I know we have many lawyers on this forum, I'd love to hear if there are any laws for this and if anyone has ever been successful fighting this in court.

 

Nothing can make me happier than a successful lawsuit against highway patrol.

 

Maybe he wanted to tail you to hear your PSE

 

He's human.

He saw the best looking car of the day and wanted a closer look.

He was probably not alone in the desire to make a moving inspection, but he was the only one who could do it with impunity.

Next time: right turn signal, right turn, right turn signal, right turn, right turn signal, right turn, right turn signal, right turn. If he is still following you call the police on your cell phone.

 

Rnl,

You are closer in your assessment than you realize. I kept going left, left, left... and then left again.
If it had been a normal car following me, I would have called the police.

 

I've only had one similar experience, some years back in my Cayman. I went by a state trooper shooting radar on the side of a rural highway. My V1 had gone off way before so I knew I was going the exact speed limit when I came into his range.
I'd already gone by 1/4 mile or so when I saw him pull out. He followed me for almost a mile before putting his lights on. He was very friendly and issued me a warning for no front license plate. His last question to me was "are they worth it?" and I answered Yes.
When a cop is following you, he is likely running your plate for any outstanding violations, or maybe just trying to get a closer look. As far as filing a "harassment" charge for a cop following you on a public highway, good luck with that. That would be a non-starter for a judge even if it made it to court.

 

Some cop's can't help being B@ll Breakers. Such cops need to do do a six-month tour in the South Bronx. Working in such conditions tends to help the rookies shake the common ailment known as the "Wyatt Earp" syndrome.

Unfortunately, some of the LEO'S who live and work in nice areas really never get a chance to "grow."

Yes, I'm a retired NYPD detective and I never liked cops who are bullies. My suggestion to the OP is to forget the incident and move on. There are many good cops out there that are willing to put their lives on the line to protect you. Don't judge them all because of the few morons who are strutting around with the "big-iron" on their hip.

I'm enclosing a link to support my credibility on the subject:


Best Regards,
Peter Milo

 

Pull over. Wait for him to pass. Copy his vehicle number. Call his Watch Commander and ask what's up with respect.

 

I think that he was running your plates waiting for dispatch to get back to him. if anything would have turned up he would have lit you up. Unfortunatley there is nothing illegal about what he did and I would not have liked it either.

If you sued the county or officer he simply would have said I was keeping him in my sites until dispatch got back to me on the history of the vehicle. He could tell you he was making car your car was not stolen yada yada.

Enjoy the car and the positive and negative attention it generates.

 

Tailgating is illegal in many states and a safety hazard. There's a reason the issue is on drivers' test. If he was checking the status of the vehicle he tailgated that would be exceedingly dangerous and he should be reported so lessen the likelihood of it being done to someone else.

 

I have the utmost respect for all those in law enforcement.
I cannot imagine going to "work" every morning, not knowing if you're going to come home alive. And all this for very limited pay.

The sad thing is that a few make it so easy to give the many a bad reputation.

To tailgate for 15 mins while I changed lanes to literally get him off my behind, didn't help the situation. Folks, he was so close that I felt he was goading me.

But had I pulled over to ask him what the problem is, THAT would have been a bad idea.

 

I did not suggest communicating with him, my friend. Every law enforcement agency has a couple of rotten eggs. Nothing you could do except report it.

 

That's the real frustrating part, as it does make things more difficult for all the other LEO'S.

You did the right thing, and hopefully you won't have any similar experiences anytime soon. But do keep an eye on that rear-view mirror!