Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and beginning April 20th, 2021 (Eastern Time) the Yahoo Answers website will be in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.

Is there specific legislation that allows Cops to sit on the side of an Interstate Hwy to check for speeders.?

It is illegal for the general public to stop along the Interstate in a non-emergency situation. So what piece of Federal Legislation allows the Highway Patrol to just sit on the side or on the incline under a bridge/overpass. Wouldn't this be entrapment? Furthermore, along those same lines, when they run stings for underage sales of alcohol/tobacco, you would think they are essentially breaking the law by having a minor attempt to buy these items. It a minor succeeds in buying the product in a sting then what protects the minor from prosecution even though it was sponsored by law enforcement. Isn't it illegal to attempt to buy these products if underage. Wouldn't this be entrapment also (doing one illegal act to catch somebody else doing another illegal act)? Is there SPECIFIC legislation that allows this, or is this an example of Law Enforcement acting as if they are above the law.

Update:

To the person that stated "there is no specific legislation, it's called law enforcement" I thought law enforcement was PROHIBITED from breaking the law to Catch someone breaking the law. Unless specific legislation was written to approve it (i.e. operation with emergency lights on). Your answer doesn't cut it.

Update 2:

Even if it's not entrapment by definition aren't the Police still Prohibited from doing an illegal act to catch someone in an illegal act?

Update 3:

Patrolling the highway is one thing, but stopping along side the Interstate is something totally different.

Update 4:

I guess what i'm asking is then, "do the laws that provide the police with the authority to patrol the highway, specific, where it would grant them the power to stop on the side of the Interstate, or do we just look the other way. If I were to become a highway patrol officer and, for example, saw another cop in my jurisdiction stopped along the interstate could I turn on my lights and write him a ticket?

Update 5:

And to all the Idiots that assume I got a ticket, you have no idea what you're talking about. I didn't get any ticket and haven't been pulled over. I'm just asking the question. And yes, a co-worker got a ticket for running out of gas on the interstate. As fas as the definition of entrapment. I already concluded I was misunderstanding that and stated so in my details. Read the entire entry before making yourself look like an even bigger fool.

8 Answers

Relevance
  • Bruce
    Lv 7
    9 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    No, that is not entrapment. Entrapment is when a police officer puts pressure on you to commit a crime you would not have committed without the pressure.

    Interstate Highways are funded by the federal government, but they are governed by the local jurisdiction. The authority to patrol them would be in your state traffic code, and in the state statutes that grant law enforcement authority. I could certainly give you the references for my state, but there will also be 49 other correct answers depending on where you live.

    Underage stings, likewise, are allowed when under the direct supervision of a law enforcement officers. I have a link for that too, if you live in the same state I do. Again, they are not entrapment because there is no pressure put on the sales person. They are required ask for ID.

    In my state, and exemption is granted for parking on the shoulder as long as the vehicle is giving a visual signal. This applies not only to police, but all emergency vehicles including fire, medical, and even tow trucks. Again, this exemption is granted by state law, so you will have 50 different references. As far as parking in the median or crossover, that exemption is posted under the NO U TURN sign.

    Source(s): Law enforcement since 1991
  • Darin
    Lv 4
    9 years ago

    Can you show me the law which states its illegal to pullover on the shoulder of the interstate? There is no such law. Yes you're vehicle will get towed if you abandon it on the interstate but there is no law about stopping on the shoulder.

    Municipal workers are allowed to leave the roadway while performing official duties. This would include law enforcement working traffic. By your logic an officer could write a ticket to a snow plow for driving on the shoulder or construction workers for walking in the ditch.

    And it is not intrapment for the police to set up stings. There are very certain rules to follow, but as long as the rules are followed the informants can't be charged.

    Maybe you should simply try not speeding and keep your eyes on the road.

    Source(s): I am an 8 yr police veteran
  • Neil
    Lv 7
    9 years ago

    No, it's nothing remotely like entrapment. Look it up.

    And the are no federal laws about driving or parking (except on federal premises like military bases, VA medical centers, and the like.)

  • Anonymous
    4 years ago

    I have not been affected quickly, yet in a roundabout way, my dogs is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and thanks to media hype round "Pit Bulls", human beings seem at my dogs otherwise, like he's risky, yet that's the smaller (majority of the time that's Shih Tzus and Fox Terriers) are those which have shown aggression in the direction of me and my dogs. My neighbour and that i have been given into an argument because i became playing fetch on the line with my dogs (it became a quiet street, very few vehicles), she advised me to "save my dogs on a leash because he's risky". some all of us is so mis-guided.

  • How do you think about the answers? You can sign in to vote the answer.
  • ?
    Lv 7
    9 years ago

    You got a ticket and want to whine about it. Pitiful.

    There is nothing illegal about it anywhere. Pay the damn ticket and stop being a baby. Oh yeah, slow down before you kill someone.

  • 9 years ago

    You need to look up the description of 'entrapment'.... you obviously don't know what it is.

  • HD
    Lv 7
    9 years ago

    there's no specific law or legislation, it's called law enforcement.

  • 9 years ago

    BRUCE nailed the answer-no need to add anything to it

Still have questions? Get your answers by asking now.