[PalmettoMason]

I never see a police car traveling below the speed limit.

Me either. It is crazy around here. Police cars routinely going 15-20+ MPH over the posted limit.

Recently, I was nearly broadsided by a police car running a red light. He was passing the cars stopped for the light by driving at a high speed on the wrong side of the road, with no siren, only blue lights. He had to slam on his brakes, and slid almost into my drivers side door. Then he rolled down his window and screamed obscenities at me, before speeding off.

I asked someone I know (who is in law enforcement) about it, and he said that they are forbidden to use the siren when responding to a call unless specifically instructed to do so. He said they don't want to alert the "bad guys" that they are coming.

I guess the element of surprise is more important than the safety of the driving public.

[jaydubya2]

"Recently, I was nearly broadsided by a police car running a red light. He was passing the cars stopped for the light by driving at a high speed on the wrong side of the road, with no siren, only blue lights. He had to slam on his brakes, and slid almost into my drivers side door. Then he rolled down his window and screamed obscenities at me, before speeding off."

A few years ago, a fellow work of mine was killed when he attempted to make a U-turn and was t-boned by a police officer driving westbound at a high rate of speed in the eastbound lane. My fellow worker was determined at fault because he had just left the bar and was slightly over the .08 BAC limit. The officer was running lights but no siren.