Dave Smith wrote:
>
(snip)
>
> In one case, the cop had left our inspection station to check out a car
> that had run out of gas on a bridge about 15 miles down the road. He
> stopped behind the car with his lights flashing. He was parked on the
> upward slope of the overpass, so his lights would have been visible for
> miles. A truck ran right over his cruiser and he was killed.
>
> In the second case, the cop was assisting another officer at a roadside
> traffic stop. He was standing outside the driver's window and was
> clipped by a passing car.... hit and run. It turned out to be an old man
> who didn't know he had hit anything.
>
> On the third case, the cop was on paid duty doing speed enforcement in a
> construction zone. He was parked on the grass to the right of the paved
> and the gravel shoulder. There are several coincidences here. I had
> just met that cop a few days earlier and he had just moved into a house
> on the next road, directly behind my house. The other is that a former
> co-worker witnessed the whole thing. The truck was driving along in the
> left of two lanes. He moved from the left lane to the right, across the
> paved should, the gravel shoulder and right over top of the cruiser. He
> had fallen asleep at the wheel.....at 8 am.
>
> The fact is that a lot of cops are killed by cars on traffic stops.
> They use lights and flashers to alert people to their presence, but the
> lights can be more of a distraction. The lights also seem to be a lure
> for drunks. Sometimes the cops just get complacent and stand too close
> to the edge of the road, or step out in front of traffic. You can't be
> too careful because there are too many distracted drivers. They day
> dream, read, curl their hair, apply makeup, talk on cell phones, send
> text messages etc.

Recently, I read something very interesting about a topic called "the
moth effect", but I forget where so I can't cite the relevant article.
IIRC, "the moth effect" means that somehow some folks (drivers) are
drawn to disasters like moths are to natural and (especially) artificial
lights at night. The effect was likened to 'rubber-necking' and how a
motor vehicle driver may unintentionally allow their vehicle to drift
away from the lane when looking at and paying attention to roadside
distractions. Who hasn't BTDT to some degree, thankfully without any
mishap!!?????

Sky

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