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This one time I go stopped at a fruit fly control point on the border between South Australia and Victoria, near Bordertown. The person staffing the control po

This one time I go stopped at a fruit fly control point on the border between South Australia and Victoria, near Bordertown. The person staffing the control point indicated with hand signals for me to stop on the highway in the lane I was in. So I slowed down to walking speed and pulled off the highway into the car park next to the office. The agent then lectured me about not following instructions and that she could fine me for disobeying. I then calmly explained to the agent the reason I didn't stop in the lane on the highway: drivers of cars and heavy vehicles are known to have a terrible habit of not seeing other vehicles stopped on the road.

deleted 7y ago
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newnewpdro 7y ago
It always blows my mind when a highway patrol scolds me for not stopping immediately on the side of the road, instead pulling off at the first exit/intersection to make it safer for us. I'd estimate it's about 10% of the time. But on the contrary, I've also had them express appreciation for doing the same thing.
- cortesoft 7y ago
  Jesus, how many times have you been pulled over that 10% of the time is more than once!?
  - newnewpdro 7y ago
    There was a period of a few years where I drove a track-prepped race car on the street daily, with out of state plates for emissions reasons, and it resulted in a lot of police encounters.
    - SOLAR_FIELDS 7y ago
      Has there been any studies of this? I think it’s well known that if you drive a sports car you get pulled over more often, but I drive a beat up pickup in the south of USA and almost never get pulled over even though I’m frequently 5-10 MPH over the speed limit. Would be interesting to see pickup vs a normal mid range sedan vs sports cars in numbers. Maybe throw in out of state plates as an extra variable.
      - Washuu 7y ago
        I drive a Subaru WRX STI which is one of the most expensive to insure vehicles due to it be one of the most ticketed and crashed vehicles. I have never been pulled over while driving it. I have been pulled over in my Wrangler many times while obeying all laws, but never had a ticket from it. https://insurify.com/insights/car-models-with-the-most-speeding-tickets/ https://insurify.com/insights/car-models-with-the-most-speed...
      - xboxnolifes 7y ago
        I don't know exactly where you live, but around me 5-10 MPH over is still 5-10 MPH under what even the police go.
      - cardiffspaceman 7y ago
        Sports cars are sometimes easier to track and that makes them easier to successfully pull over. I asked a cop about this after he pulled me and my red Stealth over for having a missing corner on a sticker on my license plate.
- lysp 7y ago
  What I notice in Australia is when police want to pull someone over will often follow behind a car with their lights turned off until there is a safe area to pull over - then will turn on their lights. This might be a few minutes down the road. Some people will immediately see lights flashing and pull over straight away without checking for a safe location, so by delaying their lights - it removes that out of the equation.
atoav 7y ago
Interesting, I am pretty sure in Germany they do just that: they drive with you to the next exit. They have a huge display that tells you to follow. At least according to my anecdotal evidence.
- de_watcher 7y ago
  In EU you've usually got an entire always empty "emergency stop" lane on the right side.
  - bkor 7y ago
    The shoulder is still not to be used for a police stop. You should only stop there if there's no alternative. A police wanting to stop you is not an emergency; the nearest exit is close enough. Same for a lot of other situations. Further, in Netherlands an ambulance is not allowed to use the shoulder at high speed. Meaning, they'll prefer driving on the normal lanes (even if a bit crowded) over the shoulder.
  - Already__Taken 7y ago
    These are getting removed in the UK to be opened as an extra lane, with overhead sings warning you to get out of it if there's a stranded vehicle.
    - londons_explore 7y ago
      This is currently being argued in court... There's a good chance the plans will be reversed.
    - tim333 7y ago
      Not always successfully https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-49567968 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-495679...
Simon_says 7y ago
It's not the staff's fault. They're not working there because they display great independent thought.
ed_balls 7y ago
In my country the police cannot stop you on the highway. They have a sign at the back of the car saying "Follow me" and stop at the nearest parking. The speed limit is 140km/h. I guess it's a bit safer when the speed limit in Australia is 110km/h
alufers 7y ago
Could you explain what a "fruit fly control point" is, i can't find anything about it on Google and it seems interesting to me as I am not an native English speaker. Thanks.
- scarejunba 7y ago
  https://pir.sa.gov.au/biosecurity/fruit_fly/bringing_fruit_and_vegetables_into_south_australia https://pir.sa.gov.au/biosecurity/fruit_fly/bringing_fruit_a...

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]

newnewpdro 7y ago

It always blows my mind when a highway patrol scolds me for not stopping immediately on the side of the road, instead pulling off at the first exit/intersection to make it safer for us. I'd estimate it's about 10% of the time. But on the contrary, I've also had them express appreciation for doing the same thing.

cortesoft 7y ago
Jesus, how many times have you been pulled over that 10% of the time is more than once!?
- newnewpdro 7y ago
  There was a period of a few years where I drove a track-prepped race car on the street daily, with out of state plates for emissions reasons, and it resulted in a lot of police encounters.
  - SOLAR_FIELDS 7y ago
    Has there been any studies of this? I think it’s well known that if you drive a sports car you get pulled over more often, but I drive a beat up pickup in the south of USA and almost never get pulled over even though I’m frequently 5-10 MPH over the speed limit. Would be interesting to see pickup vs a normal mid range sedan vs sports cars in numbers. Maybe throw in out of state plates as an extra variable.
    - Washuu 7y ago
      I drive a Subaru WRX STI which is one of the most expensive to insure vehicles due to it be one of the most ticketed and crashed vehicles. I have never been pulled over while driving it. I have been pulled over in my Wrangler many times while obeying all laws, but never had a ticket from it. https://insurify.com/insights/car-models-with-the-most-speeding-tickets/ https://insurify.com/insights/car-models-with-the-most-speed...
    - xboxnolifes 7y ago
      I don't know exactly where you live, but around me 5-10 MPH over is still 5-10 MPH under what even the police go.
    - cardiffspaceman 7y ago
      Sports cars are sometimes easier to track and that makes them easier to successfully pull over. I asked a cop about this after he pulled me and my red Stealth over for having a missing corner on a sticker on my license plate.
lysp 7y ago
What I notice in Australia is when police want to pull someone over will often follow behind a car with their lights turned off until there is a safe area to pull over - then will turn on their lights. This might be a few minutes down the road. Some people will immediately see lights flashing and pull over straight away without checking for a safe location, so by delaying their lights - it removes that out of the equation.

atoav 7y ago

Interesting, I am pretty sure in Germany they do just that: they drive with you to the next exit. They have a huge display that tells you to follow. At least according to my anecdotal evidence.

de_watcher 7y ago
In EU you've usually got an entire always empty "emergency stop" lane on the right side.
- bkor 7y ago
  The shoulder is still not to be used for a police stop. You should only stop there if there's no alternative. A police wanting to stop you is not an emergency; the nearest exit is close enough. Same for a lot of other situations. Further, in Netherlands an ambulance is not allowed to use the shoulder at high speed. Meaning, they'll prefer driving on the normal lanes (even if a bit crowded) over the shoulder.
- Already__Taken 7y ago
  These are getting removed in the UK to be opened as an extra lane, with overhead sings warning you to get out of it if there's a stranded vehicle.
  - londons_explore 7y ago
    This is currently being argued in court... There's a good chance the plans will be reversed.
  - tim333 7y ago
    Not always successfully https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-49567968 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-495679...

Simon_says 7y ago

It's not the staff's fault. They're not working there because they display great independent thought.

ed_balls 7y ago

In my country the police cannot stop you on the highway. They have a sign at the back of the car saying "Follow me" and stop at the nearest parking. The speed limit is 140km/h. I guess it's a bit safer when the speed limit in Australia is 110km/h

alufers 7y ago

Could you explain what a "fruit fly control point" is, i can't find anything about it on Google and it seems interesting to me as I am not an native English speaker. Thanks.

scarejunba 7y ago
https://pir.sa.gov.au/biosecurity/fruit_fly/bringing_fruit_and_vegetables_into_south_australia https://pir.sa.gov.au/biosecurity/fruit_fly/bringing_fruit_a...