Question: Why does CHP cruisers weave on highways to slow traffic?

[h2v7]

officer up the road? we seldom have that luxury. most of the time we have to stop traffic, get out of the car and clear the roadway, then get back in and drive off. i had the freeway stopped for 5 minutes one time while i was clearing lumber out of the roadway. sucks, but it has to be done.

SOMEBODYS gotta do it.

 

[MontereyDave]

They're doing the same thing racecars do during the yellow flag weaving back and forth to keep the tires warm and free of debris so they'll be ready to haul ass when the green flag waves.

 

[deathbug74]

I'd rather be running the break, than having to play dodge car, picking up what ever it is in the roadway...

i almost took out a caltrans worker playing dodge car in the right lane, trying to scoop up some roadkill in between traffic. no lane blockage, no traffic break, just "run, scrape, run, scrape"

 

[EastBayDave]

I can't believe the number of people who don't know anything about driving rules; including CHP's running "breaks." Unfuking believable....

This is because none of them have any kind of formal driver training, & it shows. Next time one of them tries to pass you guys, give them a reckless driving ticket. That should teach them something. Your rickshaw driving license has no validity here foo....

Before you get testy w/me, I drove professionally for 11 years & over a million miles.

 

[wazzuFreddo]

California is the only place I have ever seen it done. I had no clue what they were doing when I first saw a traffic break happen. WSP might do it in Seattle, but I never drove there enough to know.

It was fun driving my parents around one time and them going, "What in the world is he doing?"

 

[Noid]

It would be nice to see local news dedicate 15-30 seconds during every news cast and explain some does and don't. For example: yield to the right. Police car swerving on freeway means don't pass until instructed to or the lights go off. Whatever the case may be. And even more so on the foriegn channels for the non English speaking drivers who are new to this country.

 

[Razel]

And even more so on the foreign channels for the non English speaking drivers who are new to this country.

Now, that's a concept!

 

[JPM]

California is the only place I have ever seen it done. I had no clue what they were doing when I first saw a traffic break happen. WSP might do it in Seattle, but I never drove there enough to know.

It was fun driving my parents around one time and them going, "What in the world is he doing?"

Maybe drivers in other states follow the laws so the officers don’t have to block the whole road. One of my favorite violations to write.

Following Emergency Vehicles

21706. No motor vehicle, except an authorized emergency vehicle, shall follow within 300 feet of any authorized emergency vehicle being operated under the provisions of Section 21055.

This section shall not apply to a police or traffic officer when serving as an escort within the purview of Section 21057.

Amended Ch. 46, Stats. 1972. Effective March 7, 1973.

 

[Bear_San]

Maybe drivers in other states follow the laws so the officers don’t have to block the whole road. One of my favorite violations to write.

Following Emergency Vehicles

21706. No motor vehicle, except an authorized emergency vehicle, shall follow within 300 feet of any authorized emergency vehicle being operated under the provisions of Section 21055.

This section shall not apply to a police or traffic officer when serving as an escort within the purview of Section 21057.

Amended Ch. 46, Stats. 1972. Effective March 7, 1973.

Reminds me of Die Hard 3. My friend would always try to do that.

"I don't think that's legal..."
"No, it's cool, man."


But who is dumb enough to try to pass during a traffic break?

 

[Rel]

I always pass when there doing the break! At a safe speed of course

Thanks for the job security.

 

[SLOW10R]

In the valley, it is often for fog.

 

[Rotora]

We run breaks so we can stop traffic and pick up the loose change we find on the freeway. That's OUR solution for the state budget!

 

[ecthemc]

We run breaks so we can stop traffic and pick up the loose change we find on the freeway. That's OUR solution for the state budget!

That's awesome..

 

[Human Ills]

I guess I'm one of the half-wits. I figured they stopped weaving because they got a call telling them the obstruction was cleared.

I figured they didn't turn off their lights because they forgot.

I figured they were driving slow in the middle lane because they were on the phone.
arty

 

[beaker]

I can't believe the number of people who don't know anything about driving rules; including CHP's running "breaks." Unfuking believable....

It's not in the DMV handbook. Yes, staying behind emergency lights is, but if a simple sentence or two got into there about the weave I'm sure more drivers would understand the concept of a traffic break.

Granted, they should suspend licenses for people who pass school buses and railcars...

 

[Human Ills]

What do you mean pass school buses? After the red lights stop flashing or while they are flashing?

 

[mean dad]

11 out of 10 people will pass a school bus that's stopped on the other side of an undivided road (illegal). fuckin pisses me off when douchebags behind me lay on the horn cause i know the freakin rules.
but seriously, i thought the weaving cop car thing meant the green flag was sideways, ready to drop?

 

[9integra2]

11 out of 10 people will pass a school bus that's stopped on the other side of an undivided road (illegal). fuckin pisses me off when douchebags behind me lay on the horn cause i know the freakin rules.
but seriously, i thought the weaving cop car thing meant the green flag was sideways, ready to drop?

Just make sure the other side of the undivided road, the section you are traveling, is a single lane road. If it has 2 lanes, you don't need to stop.

22454. (b) (1) The driver of a vehicle upon a divided highway or multiple-lane highway need not stop upon meeting or passing a schoolbus that is upon the other roadway.

(2) For the purposes of this subdivision, a multiple-lane highway is any highway that has two or more lanes of travel in each direction.

 

[mean dad]

sorry. didn't write my report clearly enough. i knew this, but failed to properly upraise you of said knowledge.
11 out of 10 people will pass a school bus that's stopped on the other side of an undivided road that is one lane in each direction(illegal). fuckin pisses me off when douchebags behind me lay on the horn cause i know the freakin rules.

 

[Traq]

There's a school bus stop close to my house where the bus driver only puts his yellow flashers on when he's stopped there...presumably he's waiting for the kid to come out of the house before he switches to red w/stop arm, but I dunno cause I just pass him.