Can A State Trooper Stop More than One car at a time? (insurance, how much) - Maryland (MD) - City-Data Forum

Golfer Gopher · 08-12-2014, 08:44 PM

Can a State Trooper working alone with a radar gun and pulling over vehicles stop two cars at once? This happened to me. My car, then another were pulled over. He spoke to me, took my license & registration, then went and spoke to the driver pulled over behind me. After many minutes, we were both issued citations ( I think the other driver got a citation, but possibly a warning.)

A Maryland lawyer's website stated:
A police officer can only stop one vehicle at a time (unless the officer is working as part of a speed enforcement team, then they can collectively stop more than one vehicle at a time), so as many judges say “you were the unlucky one that day.”

Is this true? A trooper working alone can only stop one car at a time?

MidValleyDad · 08-12-2014, 09:45 PM

I've seen them do it more than once over the years. Years ago it happened when I was riding in a car. On I-83 He stepped out and pointed in our direction We pulled over as did the car in front of us. He started on the other driver then came over to us. There was a loud beep from his car as he walked up to us and there was a lone camaro coming flying towards us (only car in sight coming down a slope after a hill) He pointed at the car which was already slowing down and pointed for him to pull in behind us. then came over to us and said "You just got lucky you were the slower of the first two and that one was doing at least 25 over because the alarm on the radar went off" He was smiling "So slow it down from now on. Both of us were Xerox repair techs (back when we had to wear coats and ties) in a company car (a Plymouth 4 door similar to his) And I know we sometimes got warnings if we weren't too much over the limit because they could tell we were working (and once or twice they thought we were plain clothes officers and would just wave us off as they walked up to us :-))

King_of_DC · 08-13-2014, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Golfer Gopher

Can a State Trooper working alone with a radar gun and pulling over vehicles stop two cars at once? This happened to me. My car, then another were pulled over. He spoke to me, took my license & registration, then went and spoke to the driver pulled over behind me. After many minutes, we were both issued citations ( I think the other driver got a citation, but possibly a warning.)

A Maryland lawyer's website stated:
A police officer can only stop one vehicle at a time (unless the officer is working as part of a speed enforcement team, then they can collectively stop more than one vehicle at a time), so as many judges say “you were the unlucky one that day.”

Is this true? A trooper working alone can only stop one car at a time?

Without the link you cited how can anyone tell you anything...

In many states a state trooper can and will pull over multiple cars.

rdflk · 08-14-2014, 06:47 AM

If you want to fight it, I'd definitely consider it (depending on the violation on the citation) -- speeding only...to be honest i usually just go ahead, suck it up and pay it. But other people fight EVERY damn ticket. And if they win or get the speed knocked down....hey they win SOMEthing. How good is your drivng record otherwise? How much will the penalty/fine cost you in higher insurance?

Here's another story about a cop trying to stop two cars at once....

A COUNTY county cop tried to pull over two cars. "Some one I know" was one of them. That car kept going to its destination. Cop about ten minutes later came in (to a library) and found the person. Who was asked didn't you see me? "Oh no officer I didn't." Officer didn't buy it, but was polite said come with me" and asked the person to drive BACK to where he originally was. Then gave a citation for speeding, no seat belt AND refusing to obey an officer. (No attitude at all. Very polite cordial the whole time.)

The driver, through a personal recommendation, got the name of a local criminal attorney. They went to court for the date. 1) the officer didn't show -- 2) the driver and the lawyer were called first (because they call all cases with lawyers first. Apparently lawyers' time is more valuable than all the OTHER people who have to work and are sitting there ...anyhow.... The lawyer said SOMEthing,...through in some latin legal phrase...and I kid you not the driver and attorney were dismissed -- in and out in literally less than ten minutes from the time everyone was called in.

It was over so fast, the person asked the lawyer, what just happened? "Oh, I just asked that it be dismissed, and also made sure that even if the officer walked in right now as we're leaving, it's too late."

BEST $600.00 the person ever spent. Never having been through anything like that the person didn't know even with a lawyer getting a ticket dismissed is so cheap and easy.

==============IF you fight it yourself, some points below may help ============

The difference in the OP and the person's case. The person figured out right quick the officer was trying to stop two people, so once the other car pulled over the person just kept going. Sure the officer came and found the person. But by that time:
-- it was ten minutes later...the person was NOT in their car.
-- the officer had to ask the person to drive BACK to where he wanted to stop the person.

The lawyer was easy. One initial consult before court date.
-- He asked how's your driving record other than this? (excellent)
-- Did you know officer was trying to pull you over? -- no. (Another car pulled over so on the right, the officer was on the right, the driver was looking left to make a turn, into the place the officer eventually came into)
-- OK so you didn't SEE him. No.
-- Your window was up RIGHT? -- uh, yes, you know come to think of it ...my window WAS up....
-- Was your radio on...you know come to think of it...my radio WAS on....
-- Lawyer: OK, so you didn't and couldn't have HEARD him.
(you didn't see or hear him, so clearly you didn't know he was trying to stop you. "Oh absolutely.")

-- DO you wear your seatbelt, because this says no seatbelt? "Absolutely, I wear it -- and because this person, a female, is let's just say say 'well endowed' the belt is sometimes put in UNDER the chest area and worn lower.....and perhaps the officer's attention was diverted on the OTHER car he stopped he didn't see it. (because he was looking right at the other car, trying to stop two cars, make sure HE didn't get hit by the OTHER cars on the road...and the person was on his left, and all this is happening in seconds)

Come court time though...the lawyer didn't even get into that. I'm telling you...he said about thee sentences. And the case was over. Bye-bye. The person says it was the BEST 600.00 ever spent.

kcmo · 08-14-2014, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rdflk

BEST $600.00 the person ever spent.

Except if the cop doesn't show up, the case is dismissed anyway (for free) and I doubt the cop would show up for a case like this with so many issues that could lead to the case being dismissed due to technicalities.

Once the driver left the scene, the cop can't prove the person in the library was the driver of the car or even if the car he caught up to was the car that the cop tried to stop.

A lawyer would have probably gotten him off, but again a no show is a freebie.

I would go to court regardless. I wouldn't want "refusing to obey an officer" on my record and even without a lawyer the judge will more than likely reduce or throw out that or give "probation before judgment" which won't affect your record unless you screw up within six months or something like that.

rdflk · 08-14-2014, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Except if the cop doesn't show up, the case is dismissed anyway (for free)

That's true.
But given that he added failure to obey an officer to the citation, personally -- the person wasn't taking any chances.
They still feel it was absolutely worth the money.

kcmo · 08-14-2014, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rdflk

That's true.
But given that he added failure to obey an officer to the citation, personally -- the person wasn't taking any chances.
They still feel it was absolutely worth the money.

Agreed, but that seems pretty high for a pretty basic offense, it's not like he took off and a car chase occurred or that he didn't cooperate with the cop when he showed up at the library. While the cop sounds like he was being "nice", it also sound like he was being a little bit of a prick too.

That may be the going rate to be defended for that though and I probably would have done the same (not take any chances).

atgss · 08-14-2014, 11:56 AM

So can it be said that Maryland and Virginia are the two peas in a pod police states?

MidValleyDad · 08-14-2014, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lol-its-good4U

So can it be said that Maryland and Virginia are the two peas in a pod police states?

Don't know what you mean by that. I have never had a MD State trooper be anything but polite and professional. I can't say the same for VA troopers

kcmo · 08-14-2014, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MidValleyDad

Don't know what you mean by that. I have never had a MD State trooper be anything but polite and professional. I can't say the same for VA troopers

Yea, I hear VA is MUCH worse than MD. You generally have to be doing something really stupid to be pulled over in the first place most of the time and if you do get a ticket, I won't destroy your driving record like simple speeding tickets can in VA.