That, plus it widens the silhouette of the car so they have cover if some ******* behind them loses control.

You've seen the World Wildest Video thing where a CHP officer writing a ticket got sideswiped by a drunk driver, right?

 

that plus quicker exit if something more urgent comes up.

 

Generally, the body panels and windows of a State Trooper's cruiser provides, to be anal-retentively technical, concealment, and not much cover to State Troopers hiding behind them. Failing to distinguish between the two conditions, or to understand when both are combined, may result in injury or fatality to the Trooper.

Interestingly, my friend's little Cabriolet ("Fahrfee") died on Route 78 due to a bad alternator (en route to the Kutztown, PA Folk Festival) and she pulled over to the shoulder, with me behind her. State Troopers pulled behind us, but didn't do any diagonal parking. Just lights a'flashin' and good smiles all 'round. Didn't hurt she was wearing heels, a halter top, and looks like a fashion model from a '69 Cosmo.

Earlier that afternoon, when I'd driven to jump start her car the first time before I figured out it was the alternator, the Saucon Valley (PA) cops with their two Expeditions pulled over, but again not at a diagonal. So, predicting the possibility of a threat doesn't seem to be in the training; they didn't run her plates in each case, to see if she had any outstanding warrants, until after they'd pulled over and done the whole, "Need help here?" routine. Which they provided, I might also add, with a smile, amazingly so (they even blocked the right lane of traffic to allow me to turn around and face her car, and kept the lane blocked until she was up and running under her own power).

--Scott

 

huh. hey how was the folk festival? my profile location is deceitful, i actually live right outside of kutztown in some even smaller crap town only because i moved in with my girlfriend a few months ago. I've never been to the festival, i just suffer through the traffic. it seems somewhat interesting except for how i don't really like PA dutch people

 

I was always told they pull up behind you like that because, if they pull straight on behind you, you could just ram it backwards into them, pop their airbags, and make a run for it. If you hit the corner of the car, less chance of the bags going off and you being able to run from them.

That came from a local sherriff's deputy I know, so take it for what it's worth.

 

I guess the locals here have a false sense of security, because I don't think I've ever seen them pull anyone over in this fashion.

 

They pull diagonal to provide a safety barrier for them while they are out of the car.

It has become a standard (and recommended) practice in emergency services. I am not sure why everybody is not doing it.

When I am the operator of the engine and on scene at a crash in our commercial district I will block at least two lanes of traffic with the engine by positioning it diagonally. I would rather cause traffic congestion then go to funeral for someone from my station.

Roadway safety if often overlooked.

 

Ah-men to that. A lack of following common-sense roadway safety procedures is, simply put, a killer. When her car was parked on the shoulder, she didn't quite "get" why I told her to climb up the little hill (past the concrete barrier) to the side and toward oncoming cars. I had to explain that, with all the traffic, she certainly didn't want to be sitting inside her car, and, if someone was to impact into her car, walking in front of the car would send pieces of exploding auto into/toward/past her.

Ah, I didn't make it to the festival. Ended up calling my Special Friend and having her come get me--the tow truck stopped for diesel at the exit right before Kutztown, I hopped out, and she proceeded onward to Harrisburg instead of the Festival, as she had to accompany the truck to Wolf's Garage (a VW specialist, friends with her dad) a little past Exit 77 on Route 81.

Back to roadway safety: carrying not just flares, but hi-intensity lightsticks (available from Shomer-Tec) can also help. And moving AWAY from a stranded car, and TOWARD traffic.

As an EMT/Paramedic/Fire Fighter...any word from local law enforcement on this?

--Scott

 

true captainhook....

the additional what, foot or so of the car sticking out will do two things: slow traffic in that lane or make someone switch lanes. Just imagine getting hit by a side view mirror that's going 65 mph. Hello broken back.

 

I thought they parked sideways with the wheel at full lock to help direct their car away from them and the car they pulled over if somebody decided to rearend the cruiser.

 

Captian hook and korinek are right on the money. It also helps with safety if their is an altercation between driver and LEO. But the main reason is to get cars over and keep the car from ramming into them incase of an accident.

 

I do "resuces" with land rover every once in a blue moon, when a car is down on the side of the road and a customer needs to be picked up. I usually pull sideways to prevent the people from getting murdered if a car flys off the road. Better the car then people is my theory.

 

I always get pissed off at the idiots that pull over right away when a cop turns n the lights on a busy street, pull into a side lot, or a side street where there aren't 300 cars passing every minute. I always get a thank you when I pull off a busy road and not just sit like a knob causing a traffic jam 3 miles long out of sheer stupidity.

 

As a firefighter, I can say we do this all the time. It's doen to use the vehicle as a "blocker or barrier" for traffic coming up on the scene. The profile of the vehicle is larger as well, thus more visible especially at night (most emergency vehicles have reflective tape and decals down the sides)... Angling the vehicle is simply to protect the officer or firefighters (rescue workers) from someone sideswiping them.

 

Yup, its just a safety barrier. If the car gets hit, its more likely to spin sideways which will offer more resistance to movement, than if it was hit directly on the rear (sliding tires instead of rolling them).