Park Police behavior during GW Pkwy traffic stop

[Anonymous]

I was driving on the GW Parkway earlier this afternoon and was pulled over by a very rude and abrasive US Park Policeman
for driving too slowly in the left lane. When I explained to him that I was driving the posted speed limit, he said he never
mentioned my speed because that wasn't the issue. He said the left lane was reserved for passing only, and I had no business
just tolling along so slowly when I clearly saw that there was a police vehicle behind me (I didn't notice the SUV behind me
was a police vehicle until he stopped me as he didn't have sirens on before that). I asked if I'd broken any laws and he said that
by driving in the left lane and impeding traffic flow (by driving the speed limit of 50mph), I definitely broke the law !

When I explained that I was unaware of the law, and that it seemed as if many other drivers were too (based on the typical
traffic pattern I see on the parkway), he insisted that wasn't the case. He said that the left lane is reserved for "passing only"
in all 50 states and I needed to look up the law when I got home so I could be a more informed driver. According to him, most
drivers know that the left lane is off limits unless trying to pass, but this clearly wasn't apparent even during the traffic stop as
many cars were traveling (not just passing) in the left lane. When I pointed that out to him, he got really irritated and said the
flow of traffic was just diverted at the moment because motorist were reacting to the sirens on his SUV. He also said the traffic
stop didn't have to get ugly unless I wanted it to, and that he was only going to issue me a warning, but I needed to understand
that it was within his authority to give me an actual citation if he wanted to. I explained to him that I had just suffered the loss
of my dad and didn't want to debate with him...I told him that if he felt he needed to issue me a ticket, to do so, so that I could
be on my way. He ultimately did not issue a ticket, but it's now several hours later and the episode still isn't sitting well with me.

Has anyone else had a similar experience with US Park Police, particularly on the GW Parkway? I'm so bothered by this that I
really want to file a complaint. I didn't get the officers name or badge number, but because he pulled over another driver soon
after he stopped me, I was able to get a picture of the license plate of the SUV he was driving. I noticed that he was tailgating
the other driver prior to pulling him over, so I'm guessing he stopped him for the same thing .

[Anonymous]

Be careful you aren’t murdered like the young man a few months back. No justice.

[Anonymous]

He was murdered and no one was charged. GW parkway.

[Anonymous]

The same Park Police who murdered Bijan and got away with it despite appeals by prominent politicians?

Please go ahead and file the complaint. Too bad you didn’t ask for his name.

[Anonymous]

While the cop may have acted inappropriately, driving 50 mph in the left lane of the GW Pkwy is stupid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:While the cop may have acted inappropriately, driving 50 mph in the left lane of the GW Pkwy is stupid.

It's not against the law.

[Anonymous]

I don’t know the rules here but in a lot of states left is for passing only. Similar to the escalators in Dc where you don’t stand on the left side.

[Anonymous]

Don't make a big deal out of it. It's usually a lot worse. Must have been your first time to get pulled over, and do get out of the left lane.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While the cop may have acted inappropriately, driving 50 mph in the left lane of the GW Pkwy is stupid.

It's not against the law.

A lot of stupid actions aren’t against the law.

[Anonymous]

If you want to file a complaint, file a complaint. Why do you need validation from an anonymous message board? Interesting that you were later able to take a picture of his license plate while driving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While the cop may have acted inappropriately, driving 50 mph in the left lane of the GW Pkwy is stupid.

It's not against the law.

YES IT IS.
https://www.whsv.com/content/news/Thousands-cited-for-slow-left-lane-driving-under-new-law-479153303.html

[Anonymous]

While you may have felt he was rude/gruff, he was not wrong in any of the traffic laws he cited (check what PP posted). I think a lot of people still don’t know because these laws are fairly new, but ignorance is not an excuse.

I don’t understand why you decided to question him or get into it. You should have simply said you understand for the future and moved on.

On a road like the GW Parkway, yes, emergency vehicles may need to pass and so driving 50 in the left lane is not just obnoxious but also flat out wrong.

[Anonymous]

You were wrong. And stupid to argue.

[Anonymous]

OP, please be careful. The Park Police is a nasty operation. They lie when they pull you over, and they lie on the stand. If they don’t like you, you get shot. You got out of this lucky. Please be careful.

[Anonymous]

The left lane is a passing lane. Was there a car in the right lane you were passing? Or were you driving in the left lane on a open road? If you were passing it is one thing, if you were using the left lane as a travel lane, then yes you were obstructing the flow of traffic.

Sorry the officer was so harsh, but what he was attempting to convey was the truth.