Weird Encounter in Louisiana… not sure if 'real'

[Scott in Houston]

Coming back from Florida with my family, I had an unmarked vehicle (a pickup truck) get right on my rear bumper on I-10.
Traffic was solid in all 3 lanes. The left lane was moving the fastest, so I was in the left lane.

Well, the guy in the truck was flashing his lights at me as if to move over. Generally, I'll consider because I've been in an emergency myself where I have needed that same response from others.
When I looked in my mirror more closely, I saw that the guy was holding up his smart-phone in the windshield and it was flashing red/blue on the screen. Now I'm thinking he's some wanna-be or pretending to be a police officer, so I didn't move over as my lane was the fast lane, and I'm not wanting this guy next to me either. Also, I'm not wanting to reward his behavior.

When traffic breaks a bit, he is still flashing lights, honking, and then pulls up next to me and shows me his phone again with the lights … emphasizing that I should have respected that. He's clearly angry.
The thing is… he didn't speed on past as if on a true emergency after that. He just drove along and finally exited. Showing me the phone again.

What the heck?? Has anyone heard of this? Is it legit? I can't imagine it is, or anyone could easily download or create their own app for their phone, but it was Louisiana, so I wouldn't be surprised considering their goofy laws.

[Javier730]

I personally would of tried to get his license plates and reported it to the police. You never know what someones intentions are.

[Keith B]

I have an app that does that exact thing on my iphone. I will bet he was NOT a cop.

[TVGuy]

I have an app that does that exact thing on my iphone. I will bet he was NOT a cop.

Keith, were you in Louisiana over the weekend?

[Cedar Park Dad]

I have an app that does that exact thing on my iphone. I will bet he was NOT a cop.

Keith, were you in Louisiana over the weekend?

That would explain a lot...

[EEllis]

heck who knows he may have been a cop. There are all sorts of little departments and one or two person forces and that doesn't even include reserves or "honorary" officers which used to be a big issue in Louisiana. I will say real or not his use of his phone as a strobe is absurd and no one should ever expect anyone to take anybody seriously who is using that. I would of immediately called the state police on the Yo-Yo because even if the guy was some sort of cop I don't think they would have been real amused with his use of his phone.

[Scott in Houston]

I should have called the police. I'll be honest though. I was with my family, and we had been driving for hours and family was hungry, etc.
I didn't want to look up the non-emergency phone number for the police and hassle with it.
Also, I was a bit caught off guard. It was odd, and I was shocked that someone would actually believe that I would respect an iPhone App the same as flashing lights on an emergency response vehicle!

[TexasCajun]

My personal rule is that if someone wants to be a jerk, I let them. I would've let the guy through when convenient and been done with it.

[BigGuy]

My personal rule is that if someone wants to be a jerk, I let them. I would've let the guy through when convenient and been done with it.

I keep striving for this, but sometimes my inner redneck takes over.

[TexasCajun]

My personal rule is that if someone wants to be a jerk, I let them. I would've let the guy through when convenient and been done with it.

I keep striving for this, but sometimes my inner redneck takes over.

As a matter of humility, I claim progress rather than perfection. I strive and work for this as well. Some days it's easy. Other days, not so much. But I keep trying no matter what.

[VMI77]

I should have called the police. I'll be honest though. I was with my family, and we had been driving for hours and family was hungry, etc.
I didn't want to look up the non-emergency phone number for the police and hassle with it.
Also, I was a bit caught off guard. It was odd, and I was shocked that someone would actually believe that I would respect an iPhone App the same as flashing lights on an emergency response vehicle!

Why did you feel like you couldn't call 911? Someone doing that is possibly a threat....you have no idea what he really represents or what his intentions are. I'd have called 911 and reported someone behaving oddly, following me, and possibly attempting to impersonate a police officer. I think if he was a cop and wanted you to pull over and you didn't he would have called for assistance from a marked vehicle.

[Scott in Houston]

I should have called the police. I'll be honest though. I was with my family, and we had been driving for hours and family was hungry, etc.
I didn't want to look up the non-emergency phone number for the police and hassle with it.
Also, I was a bit caught off guard. It was odd, and I was shocked that someone would actually believe that I would respect an iPhone App the same as flashing lights on an emergency response vehicle!

Why did you feel like you couldn't call 911? Someone doing that is possibly a threat....you have no idea what he really represents or what his intentions are. I'd have called 911 and reported someone behaving oddly, following me, and possibly attempting to impersonate a police officer. I think if he was a cop and wanted you to pull over and you didn't he would have called for assistance from a marked vehicle.

Good point. It just didn't feel worthy at the time. I just try and avoid calling 911 unless I feel like it's a true emergency, and it just didn't, but the context you put it in shows that I probably should have.

[Keith B]

I have an app that does that exact thing on my iphone. I will bet he was NOT a cop.

Keith, were you in Louisiana over the weekend?

Maybe, but i don't drive a pickup.

[Jason K]

Call 911....and Google Map the directions to the local police station. Nothing police officers like better than a felon delivered right to their door....

[jmra]

I should have called the police. I'll be honest though. I was with my family, and we had been driving for hours and family was hungry, etc.
I didn't want to look up the non-emergency phone number for the police and hassle with it.
Also, I was a bit caught off guard. It was odd, and I was shocked that someone would actually believe that I would respect an iPhone App the same as flashing lights on an emergency response vehicle!

Why did you feel like you couldn't call 911? Someone doing that is possibly a threat....you have no idea what he really represents or what his intentions are. I'd have called 911 and reported someone behaving oddly, following me, and possibly attempting to impersonate a police officer. I think if he was a cop and wanted you to pull over and you didn't he would have called for assistance from a marked vehicle.

Good point. It just didn't feel worthy at the time. I just try and avoid calling 911 unless I feel like it's a true emergency, and it just didn't, but the context you put it in shows that I probably should have.

In La you can reach the state police by dialing *LSP. They would want to know about idiots like this one.