Pulled over question: Courtesy or Law?

A friend of mine was pulled over the other day ago on a two lane divided expressway. He was traveling in the right-hand lane when he approached two state troopers on the shoulder with an eighteen wheeler. He (friend) moved to the center of the two lanes and then back into the right lane. One of the two trooper-boys left the truck and caught up to my friend and then followed him for a mile or so. After following in close proximity he was pulled over and verbally assaulted for failing to yield to an "emergency vehicle." Friend told me he only answered yes sir to the trooper and remained cordial as possible. He stated the trooper was very rude. He was issued a traffic ticket after his reprimand.

Those are the broad details.

I told friend he should have fully-yielded as a courtosy after learning there was no traffic in left lane that precluded that maneveur. In hindsight he agreed.

Question: Is this a law or a common courtesy? Police officer friend from Arizona told me it's a curtosy but didn't know my state laws for sure. I know this is a gray area but I'm just curious if anyone else has been cited for this or know whether this is in fact law.

 

Friend was driving 88 Porsche turbo. He was driving posted speed limit. There was no center lane. He stradled the two lanes, in other words he didn't completely move into the left lane of the two lane expressway.

He was cited for "Failing to Yield to an emergency vehicle."

He was not violating any other vehicular laws.

Porsche could've been an "aggitator" for the trooper but that makes not difference. This did come on the heals of that video last week of a police officer being hit road side by an SUV, though.

 

That's right NNO, no flares, no accident, no anything. Perhaps writing a citation to the trucker.

Personally, I'd file a complaint on the officer. But I don't know the law.

 

Well I guess it is state law and similar with other states. I think we'll all be learning more about it.

Here is a "partial" story posted out of a Northern Kentucky newspaper called the Kentucky Post:


Officers in peril along roads
Post staff report

Northern Kentucky police officers are seeking state help with a growing menace - drivers who don't know how to act around emergency vehicles:

Already this month, three officers have been killed while working road-side stops in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.

An Indiana trooper was killed last year.

And about 10 officers a year die when hit by vehicles.

Local police want interstate signs at Kentucky's borders informing drivers of state laws requiring them to slow down and move over for stopped cruisers, fire trucks and ambulances.

''I've had my hat knocked off many times along the roads,'' said Hobart Strange, president of the Northern Kentucky Police Chiefs Association and the outgoing chief in Wilder.

''A lot of people will be out working special details this weekend and I'm sure that 95 percent of the drivers don't even know a law exists about this,'' he said.

''Right now, we're just trying to get the word out to motorists that these laws are in effect.''

On Monday, the police chiefs asso ciation sent a letter asking for help to Transportation Cabinet Traffic Division Director Simon Cornett, who they say is currently reviewing sign placement along state roads.

''I would like to request that the division consider placing signs on the interstate entrances to Kentucky that indicate the requirement for motorists to move over or slow down for stopped emergency vehicles,'' Strange said in the letter.

The cabinet will consider the request once it receives it and has a chance to study it, spokesman Mark Pfeiffer said late Tuesday.

Other states have enacted similar measures.

Indiana has posted signs at entry roads into the state that advise: ''Move over or slow down for stopped emergency vehicle. It's the law