</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I would assume what they are telling you is pull over *at the next safe place to do so* rather than stop immediately )</font>
Actually, Bob, in Texas at least, it makes no difference whether the police car is using both the flashing lights and the siren, or whether only one of those is being used, but as a practical matter, most officers use only the lights to start with, and then use the siren also if the lights alone do not get the other driver's attention. As far as I know, the following is the only "law" on this topic in Texas:
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( 545.156. Vehicle Approached by Authorized Emergency Vehicle
(a) On the immediate approach of an authorized emergency vehicle using audible and visual signals that meet the requirements of Sections 547.305 and 547.702, or of a police vehicle lawfully using only an audible signal, an operator, unless otherwise directed by a police officer, shall:
(1) yield the right-of-way;
(2) immediately drive to a position parallel to and as close as possible to the right-hand edge or curb of the roadway clear of any intersection; and
(3) stop and remain standing until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed.
(b) This section does not exempt the operator of an authorized emergency vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons using the highway.
Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.
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In other words, the same law applies whether yielding for an emergency vehicle passing, or being stopped by an officer.
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Otherwise, slowing down, putting on the right turn signal, and perhaps even going an extra few hundred feet to where there's a store to pull into might be appreciated by the officer? Or no? )</font>
That is commonly done. There are actually some business owners who will object if an officer comes onto their property to write a traffic citation, and therefore, some departments have a policy of asking a violator to drive back out onto the street and stop at the curb before the officer talks to them about the violation, so it's a little hard to say. Personally, if stopped, I would get out of the street into big parking lots, such as Wal-Mart, shopping centers, etc., but would not turn into a service station, small convenience store parking, etc. In other words, I would not pull onto private property where there would be any possibility of anyone even thinking that I might be blocking other traffic from coming and going to or from that property. I've no doubt that most, if not all, officers appreciate it when a person being stopped uses the turn signals, and moves as far to the right as possible and continues to a place he can get out of the traffic lanes before stopping. (I've actually had people stop in the middle lane of Interstate Freeways /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif).
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( probably one of those common-sense things.. except it might be wrong )</font>
It would certainly seem to be, but since police officers are humans, too, not all of them always use common sense. Fortunately, most do. Personally, I would slow down, but not stop until I could get out of the traffic lane at the curb or on the shoulder of the road, but if there's no such place in sight (such as on a narrow one or two lane road with borrow ditches on each side) and the officer decided to use his siren, also, then I'd go ahead and stop there as far to the right as I could safely get. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
