Hardly anyone wants to be pulled over by the police on a highway, or anywhere else for that matter. Yet, over 50,000 drivers are pulled over in the U.S. every day. That's more than 20 million motorists each year. Sometimes, drivers make an honest mistake, like having a broken light, a broken windshield, or a license plate one day past its expiration date.
Other times, however, people do pretty dumb and reckless things on the road, and some of them get punished by the sweet lady named Karma. We recently came across an online thread where people were sharing the most satisfying stories about drivers who are the epitome of "Play stupid games, win stupid prizes."
After one Redditor asked, "Police Officers of Reddit, what's the best case of 'instant karma' you delivered to a [jerk] driver on the highway?" answers from all people poured in, not just cops.
#21
Not a cop, not a highway, still a funny story.
Stopped at a red light near a railroad. If a train is passing, it stays red. Simple.
We're on a curve and a hill, so I can see the problem. An older gentleman about 3 cars back could not, and decided to pass us. About 5 cars. At a redlight, blocked by a train.
Well, the red light marks an intersection, right in front of the city hall/police station. Did I mention this was right about lunch time?
He breezes through the light, followed by 3-4 flashing lights. Gotta say, made the 5 minute or so wait on the train amazing, because I got to watch them chew this guy out.
Stopped at a red light near a railroad. If a train is passing, it stays red. Simple.
We're on a curve and a hill, so I can see the problem. An older gentleman about 3 cars back could not, and decided to pass us. About 5 cars. At a redlight, blocked by a train.
Well, the red light marks an intersection, right in front of the city hall/police station. Did I mention this was right about lunch time?
He breezes through the light, followed by 3-4 flashing lights. Gotta say, made the 5 minute or so wait on the train amazing, because I got to watch them chew this guy out.
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27points
#22
Car jumped a stop sign, immediately T-boned them windshield shatters and everyone is rattled but okay. The other drive opens their door and 2 empty beer cans fall out onto the road. The driver behind us (witness) gets out and says to me "today is your lucky day" to which I answered with a blank stare and he says "I'm the chief of police and there's no way you could have stopped".
token_bastard:
1 OP t-bones a car that blew through a stop sign. Under normal circumstances, OP would be considered the person at fault due to his vehicle hitting another of there aren't witnesses to attest otherwise.
2 Driver actually at-fault gets out of car, several beer cans fall out too. Bad news, but something that could conceivably be gotten rid of.
3 However, driver right behind OP just so happens to be chief of local police, and has just witnessed a possibly-intoxicated driver blow through a stop sign and cause another car to hit his because he left OP no chance to slow down and prevent the accident. OP is saved from potential charges/liability from the wreck.
token_bastard:
1 OP t-bones a car that blew through a stop sign. Under normal circumstances, OP would be considered the person at fault due to his vehicle hitting another of there aren't witnesses to attest otherwise.
2 Driver actually at-fault gets out of car, several beer cans fall out too. Bad news, but something that could conceivably be gotten rid of.
3 However, driver right behind OP just so happens to be chief of local police, and has just witnessed a possibly-intoxicated driver blow through a stop sign and cause another car to hit his because he left OP no chance to slow down and prevent the accident. OP is saved from potential charges/liability from the wreck.
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26points
#23
I am not a police officer, but several years ago a highway patrol officer provided a beautiful bit of instant karma for which I never got to thank him.
It was the last few days before Christmas so the freeways were packed. People were eager to get to the stores to do their shopping on the way home, so eager that every day my commute home encountered at least one accident on the freeway that snarled up traffic.
I'm crawling in the left-most lane and a car bulled his way in front of me. No signals, just took advantage of the reasonable following distance I was giving the car in front of me in the stop-and-go traffic. I was alert, but I had to tap my brakes, peeping in my mirror to judge the distance between me the police car behind me.
Then the guy who cut me off, swerved over and crossed the double yellow lines to get into the HOV lane. I'd seen that sort of thing before and found myself wishing there had been a highway patrol officer around to witness this.
The lights behind me came on immediately. Traffic stopped in the HOV lane and the highway patrol car entered the lane. I might have smiled as I watched in my rear view mirror as the the officer begin to escort the other vehicle off the freeway. It was going to be quite a trip to cross all that traffic and he was probably already in a hurry.
It was the last few days before Christmas so the freeways were packed. People were eager to get to the stores to do their shopping on the way home, so eager that every day my commute home encountered at least one accident on the freeway that snarled up traffic.
I'm crawling in the left-most lane and a car bulled his way in front of me. No signals, just took advantage of the reasonable following distance I was giving the car in front of me in the stop-and-go traffic. I was alert, but I had to tap my brakes, peeping in my mirror to judge the distance between me the police car behind me.
Then the guy who cut me off, swerved over and crossed the double yellow lines to get into the HOV lane. I'd seen that sort of thing before and found myself wishing there had been a highway patrol officer around to witness this.
The lights behind me came on immediately. Traffic stopped in the HOV lane and the highway patrol car entered the lane. I might have smiled as I watched in my rear view mirror as the the officer begin to escort the other vehicle off the freeway. It was going to be quite a trip to cross all that traffic and he was probably already in a hurry.
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24points
#24
There was a guy who was driving on the highway erratically and weaving in and out in front of me in the cruising lane, I happened to see this truck slowing down and got in the passing lane. I made the legal pass and the guy for stuck behind the truck. He ended up following me off the interstate to the next stop light and getting out with a Snapple bottle tapping it on my car window and screaming at me obviously wasted. My friend and I were only 17 or 18 and terrified. A cop happened to be pulling up on the other side of the intersection and he got arrested for DUI.
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22points
#25
Im not a cop, but...
I was riding along on the interstate at about 75 and an unmarked State Police car pulled in behind me. I knew I was about to get a ticket, but before I even had time to think "what!" some woman in a BMW passed us both.
I looked in the rearview and he had the most surprised look on his face. He pulled up even with me and pointed at me and started laughing really hard. I was highly amused also, he sped on and pulled the BMW over and I honked the horn as I drove by.
I was riding along on the interstate at about 75 and an unmarked State Police car pulled in behind me. I knew I was about to get a ticket, but before I even had time to think "what!" some woman in a BMW passed us both.
I looked in the rearview and he had the most surprised look on his face. He pulled up even with me and pointed at me and started laughing really hard. I was highly amused also, he sped on and pulled the BMW over and I honked the horn as I drove by.
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21points
#26
Not a cop, but where I live, people tend to run red lights fairly often. I was sitting at a red light in rush hour traffic heading home, first in line.
The oncoming lanes have a green light for left turns. The light turns yellow, then red and someone runs it just after my light turns green to go straight. I go forwards, and stop in the middle of the intersection because they're about to hit me. I lay on the horn. They continue turning left.
As I'm leaving the intersection, I spot red and blue lights in my mirror. There was a cop right behind me at the light and he went after the bad driver. Pretty sure he got a big ticket.
The oncoming lanes have a green light for left turns. The light turns yellow, then red and someone runs it just after my light turns green to go straight. I go forwards, and stop in the middle of the intersection because they're about to hit me. I lay on the horn. They continue turning left.
As I'm leaving the intersection, I spot red and blue lights in my mirror. There was a cop right behind me at the light and he went after the bad driver. Pretty sure he got a big ticket.
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20points
#27
Not a cop but best one i have seen was on my way home there is at an intersection that is posted no left turn, i get stuck behind the jerk who didn't see or is ignoring the sign, i am laying my horn on the guy all of a sudden a car yielded and lets the guy turn , it was an unmarked car and the person got pulled over after making the turn.
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20points
#28
Not a cop but here's my instant karma story. Driving to work during rush hour, going the speed limit and go to change lanes. Check my rear view mirror and I see this pickup going about 60 kmh over the speed limit coming up fast so I swerve back to my lane.
I'm thinking where's a cop when you need one when a police car shows up on the on ramp behind the pickup but the pickup has slowed to a stop at a traffic light and the cops didn't see the speeding. The pickup driver decided he wouldn't wait for the cars in front to clear the light so he drives on the sidewalk to make a right hand turn. The cherries come on and the cops pull him over. Put a smile on my face!
I'm thinking where's a cop when you need one when a police car shows up on the on ramp behind the pickup but the pickup has slowed to a stop at a traffic light and the cops didn't see the speeding. The pickup driver decided he wouldn't wait for the cars in front to clear the light so he drives on the sidewalk to make a right hand turn. The cherries come on and the cops pull him over. Put a smile on my face!
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20points
#29
Not a cop, but I was driving home from the gym at night down a two lane road. There's a car on the side road to the left that turns left in front of me with barely any room so I slam on my brakes and honk at them. Then cop lights turn on behind me and I thought I was getting pulled over but he went around me and got behind the guy who cut me off.
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19points
#30
Not when I was working, but I was in some heavy traffic going into an event center, I noticed a squad car sitting on the median making sure people werent doing stupid s**t. Right as we are getting up to where the squad was some idiot cuts across 2 lanes of traffic (cutting me off) and going into a drive with a "do not enter" sign. All of this right in front of a marked squad car. I made eye contact with the officer as he put down his coffee and flipped on his blues.
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18points
#31
Not a cop, but an amazing thing I saw years ago.
County route near where I lived had a overpass with a slight hill so you couldn't see over the rise.
Some idiot decides to make a u-turn in the middle of the road and start driving in the opposite lane.
As he's doing the turn, my then SO looks at me;
"Well that's illegal."
No sooner then the words come out of their mouth do we see police lights come over the rise heading towards said u-turn idiot.
My instant reply: "And THAT'S a cop!".
County route near where I lived had a overpass with a slight hill so you couldn't see over the rise.
Some idiot decides to make a u-turn in the middle of the road and start driving in the opposite lane.
As he's doing the turn, my then SO looks at me;
"Well that's illegal."
No sooner then the words come out of their mouth do we see police lights come over the rise heading towards said u-turn idiot.
My instant reply: "And THAT'S a cop!".
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18points
#32
Had a suspect fly through a school zone at 103 MPH. Needless to say he instantly hit the brakes when he saw my cruiser at the corner.
EDIT: For people wondering how he got up to such a speed here is a little backstory.
The high school where this man was speeding is split into two campuses. In between those two areas is a crosswalk that runs between a major street. The street is about 3 miles long. I still have no idea why they never went through on installing a pedestrian bridge. Multiple schools janitors have been hit on their golf carts.
EDIT: For people wondering how he got up to such a speed here is a little backstory.
The high school where this man was speeding is split into two campuses. In between those two areas is a crosswalk that runs between a major street. The street is about 3 miles long. I still have no idea why they never went through on installing a pedestrian bridge. Multiple schools janitors have been hit on their golf carts.
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17points
#33
Not a cop, but I was once driving on a very curvy road doing the speed limit. There was a car totally riding me and trying very hard to pass/ get me to speed up, though the road was incredibly bendy, you could not see oncoming traffic, and the line was solid. He had been tailing me really close for a few minutes when he decided to go for it and pass me while we were on a bend. Apparently there was an unmarked car right behind him. As soon as this guy passed me the cop was on him and pulled him over immediately.
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17points
#34
Obligatory not a cop, but...
As a kid who took the bus to and from school every day, I saw plenty of schoolbus-related rule breakers. One frequent example was of cars that wouldn't acknowledge a stop sign that swings out from the side of a school bus. This sign allows children to cross roads safely. On one glorious occasion, as the sign swung out and assumed a visible position, a bright red car swerved a bit to the left to avoid the sign and zoomed past it. The road we were on was very busy and in the middle of town, meaning cars and pedestrians were everywhere.
One of the nearby cars was a police car.
Its lights began shining brightly and the sirens roared along with the cheers of those of us who remained on the bus. The police stopped the car that had endangered our lives, and we screamed out of delight for justice as we passed them. One of the officers tipped his hat towards the bus and winked. In that moment, we believed him to be the greatest being on Earth.
The driver of the car that had wrongfully passed us likely received no less than a $500 fine and the loss of several demerit points. He also gets to remember the victory cries of about twenty or so kids on a bus.
As a kid who took the bus to and from school every day, I saw plenty of schoolbus-related rule breakers. One frequent example was of cars that wouldn't acknowledge a stop sign that swings out from the side of a school bus. This sign allows children to cross roads safely. On one glorious occasion, as the sign swung out and assumed a visible position, a bright red car swerved a bit to the left to avoid the sign and zoomed past it. The road we were on was very busy and in the middle of town, meaning cars and pedestrians were everywhere.
One of the nearby cars was a police car.
Its lights began shining brightly and the sirens roared along with the cheers of those of us who remained on the bus. The police stopped the car that had endangered our lives, and we screamed out of delight for justice as we passed them. One of the officers tipped his hat towards the bus and winked. In that moment, we believed him to be the greatest being on Earth.
The driver of the car that had wrongfully passed us likely received no less than a $500 fine and the loss of several demerit points. He also gets to remember the victory cries of about twenty or so kids on a bus.
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17points
#35
I was the one who got immediate karma from a police officer. I was driving from Texas to Phoenix at night. Am in right lane when I see headlights behind me. Driver is on my back and I'm getting annoyed because I'm in the right lane, cruising at the speed limit. He continues to get dangerously close and then hard swerves into the left and accelerates quickly passed me, but not before I stick my middle finger out the window. Tailgater was a highway patrolmen. Pulled me over and gave me a ticket for an obscene gesture in public. Seriously.
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14points
#36
Husband had some instant karma the other day. School zone, guy pulls up and passes doing double the limit. Cop at the end of the zone.
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14points
#37
Obligatory "Not a ____, but", I was driving home from work one evening, when this woman starts riding my back. I sped up, now doing ~45 in a 35, but apparently that's not fast enough for her. I passed a cop, whom I noticed turning around in my rearview. I held my breath as I crossed the bridge out of his jurisdiction (into my town) and watched him pull her over.
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14points
#38
Not a LEO but i was driving along and was cut off by some jerk in an old van. Saw a police car next to me and was like "hell yea!" Then saw it was transit police and my hopes were immediately dashed. It was ok though because apparently they can pull people over too i don't think I've laughed that hard since.
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11points
#39
Not a cop, but this happened to my dad and I:
Driving on highway in Texas, where the highway patrol LOVE their unmarked vehicles that you would never expect to be a cop. I'm talking the Chevy Malibu, the new Ford Mustang fastback (GT version, but no GT badge), etc. Anyway, we were in the fast lane (70 mph speed limit) and this Malibu is doing 55. My dad proceeds to drive up close to him in an effort to persuade him to move over. After about a minute of doing this, the car flicks his lights on for about 2 seconds to make us back off, but he blew his cover doing this. He immediately moves over and gets off at the next exit to regain his cover.
Driving on highway in Texas, where the highway patrol LOVE their unmarked vehicles that you would never expect to be a cop. I'm talking the Chevy Malibu, the new Ford Mustang fastback (GT version, but no GT badge), etc. Anyway, we were in the fast lane (70 mph speed limit) and this Malibu is doing 55. My dad proceeds to drive up close to him in an effort to persuade him to move over. After about a minute of doing this, the car flicks his lights on for about 2 seconds to make us back off, but he blew his cover doing this. He immediately moves over and gets off at the next exit to regain his cover.
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9points
#40
Not a cop, got to spur on into action. I was at a four way intersection where two four lane roads intersect, and on the road I'm on there is one left turn lane, the middle lane which goes straight or turns, and the right lane which goes straight. I stop at the light that yellow as I approached it, knowing it'd be red long before I clear the intersection. The BMW behind me guns it into the right lane, then makes a left turn on the now red light in front me. I laid on my horn, causing the cop on the intersecting road that I could see fine in my truck but the BMW could not see to look up. Queue lights, siren, and a quick U-turn for the cop.
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8points
