Breaking the Law?

Foster City is a dull and boring place, which is why I live there. Part of that is the somewhat zealous police force.

A stretch of my commute through Foster City takes me down a 3-lane boulevard. Driving along this bit of road this morning I was behind someone who was going slower than I preferred to. I changed lanes from the #1 (far left) lane to the #2 lane (middle) and accelerated to pass, reaching a mind bending 50-ish MPH in a 40 zone. While I was doing this, I noticed a police cruiser in the left turn lane. I slowed down to a more reasonable 35-40 before passing him.

After I passed, the cruiser drove straight across the intersection and changed to the #3 (far right) lane, accelerated and pulled along side me long enough to throw the stink eye. He passed me then changed lanes back to the #1 lane[1] (throwing another stink eye in his mirror while in front of me) and slowed. I'm sure that, had I been going straight at that light, I would have been lit up after the intersection. The section of road leading up to the light didn't have a shoulder, so there wouldn't have been anywhere to pull me over. I'm sure that's what kept me out of the road side disco.

[1] Why is it that cops drive like total asses, but gleefully pull us over for the same behavior? Oh yeah, because most of them are pricks. (I don't feel this way about the CHP and most sheriff departments; I reserve my ire for municipal police.)