Just a little rant

[Heraclid]

Today I had a cop next to me, we got a red light, I checked and turned right onto my street. Got pulled over for running a red light. He said I didn't come to a complete stop. Now granted, a lot of times, I don't, but there's practically no difference with me, and I am careful and aware of my surroundings, and I don't even think he was right this time. I think he heard the PV as I went up the slope and thought I was taunting him or something (?). No officer, it always does that, especially when I am just getting up speed.

So he asked for my license, asked if the VX was mine, if I'd had a ticket in the past year (nope), went to his car and ran a check I guess. Never asked for proof of insurance or registration, but I already had the insurance card out and was about to whip out the registration so I guess he figured I had my ducks in a row on that. He let me go, no ticket. But it kinda peeved me all the same.

Okay, amazingly I still do have the utmost respect for most cops, and talk about putting it all on the line. If there's anyone who needs a pay raise, they're it. But I swear this is the same guy that pulled me over a few years back when he was next to me and the light went green so I went. Told me I ran that too, so I guess he was too busy looking at his computer screen or something. He was clearly the one not devoting enough attention to the traffic signals. No ticket then either, though. Does this guy think people normally decide it's a good idea to screw around when they know full well a cop is right next to them?

I guess I was lucky this time. First, I was polite but I suppose I was sort of argumentative with him. He had an attitude and tone that just rubs you wrong right away. I still had two rallycross number cards on the floorboard, a shirt that reads "4-wheelin' stud", and a helmet in the back, so it probably didn't look good for me. But I am not hell on wheels and I know there's a time and a place for that on a rallycross course.

Technically, maybe he was right. But here's the thing. As this was happening, this was running through my head - I drive more than most people, mostly for work, and I can't tell you how much the cops miss or simply don't bother to deal with. I see people who truly and recklessly run lights with a cop sitting right there and they don't do a thing. Just yesterday a guy was on my tail, cut off someone dangerously close to go around me, then didn't like who he ended up behind so he passed them in the center turn lane probably doing 60 in a 45 zone. So I'm thinking, "where's a cop when you need one?" and glanced back in my mirror, hoping there'd be a police car around. Well, sure enough, three cars back, there was. Did he do a damn thing? No. But I execute a perfectly safe right turn and wham! And whether he's right or not, of all the nitpicky things, ya know? When I consider what I see them not pull people over for and what I did get pulled over for... geez! There's not even a street on the other side of where I did it. They have a lot of discretionary power and every cop is different so a lot of them apparently don't feel like stopping the dangerous people and others will stop you for anything or nothing at all.

My mom has a red 3000GT and that thing draws cops like moths to a flame, to the point that it's practically harassment. And she pretty much drives like an old granny (well safer than that, but you get the idea). I've been pulled over twice for silly stuff (well three, counting the neons I had on the Avenger). Actually, this was the first time I've been pulled over in the VX. I was given a hefty ticket several years ago right after a lowered black pickup SCREAMED by me, but apparently the officer decided I was the one going that fast or something. I mean, what did he do, take a guess? It must be the red sports coupe I just clocked, right? And we had a cop over when our neighbor shot our cat and he told us he didn't like cats either and he'd probably do it too if he wouldn't get in trouble for it! What an utter *bleep*! So sorry, but the cops around here have a real bad track record in my book.

No offense to the good guys wearing the badge. You guys rock.

Rant over.

[Jolly Roger VX'er]

At least he let ya off.

I just got nailed 2 days ago in my "red" Fiero....I saw him beside the roadway a good 1/2 mile before going by and made sure my speed was a few miles under. Four other cars go by and then he pulls out....hits his lights....first car in front moves over...than next...than next one....than next one....finally he is behind me...so I put right blinker on and move over to let him by...he stays on my *****...so I pull over....

"What can I do for you Officer?"
"I need your license, registration, and proof of insurance!"
(removing cards & handing them to officer) "May I ask what seems to be the problem Officer?"

"You'll know soon enough!"(goes to cruiser..checks me out...)
(15 min. later...hands me my cards back)

"You probably want to know why I pulled you over....Your window tint is too dark...I don't have a meter to check it but I can clearly see it is in violation of vehicle code (blah blah blah) and I could remove your state inspection sticker right here...right now!"

"But Officer...I've had the car for about 5 years and have had as many inspections done at different locales...no one has made mention of this to me before."

"I'm not gonna fine you this time...I'm giving you a warning that the window tint must be removed within 5 days and you must report to the barracks and have this confirmed."

"Thanks Officer and have a nice day."

I am actually happy about how this turned out...my previous luck was always a fine! Maybe things are looking up for me! I removed the tint (some was easily removed...some was a ball-buster!) and had them confirm it. I guess no harm done as I bought the car that way. C'est La Vie!

[Heraclid]

I was on my way from Gainesville to Jacksonville and got pulled over in Starke, FL for having red neons on my car. He said it was illegal to have solid red or solid blue lighting because those colors were reserved for emergency vehicles. It is in the FL statutes, but I think it is pretty silly. I certainly had no siren, it looked nothing like any emergency vehicle, the light was a soft glow underneath, not flashing on top. I will give the Jacksonville police that - they never pulled me over for it. It was the guys in a small town who were probably bored to death. Now the shop that installed them had warned me that it might happen and I signed a waiver to get them, but I was in one of those "you gotta be kidding, that's stupid, screw that" moods. I later found out it was actually in the statutes. But I had them for a long time and was never bothered locally. And I left them on there after that until I broke one again, too.

Oh, by the way, several years back I also had a woman not look left when she turned and t-bone my Ford Taurus in a parking lot and she nonchalantly went on in and had dinner in the place it happened in front of while I waited for an officer. No doubt hoping I'd just leave. The responding officer guessed that the damage was under $500 (it ended up being $3000) and that a police report was not necessary. He also said he could not determine who was at fault, but had no interest in getting witnesses (there had to be plenty and I would have gladly found some), and it was quite obvious when you looked at where it happened, the damage on the cars, and each person's account of what happened. You had to be pretty dense or pretty disinterested to not figure it out. Plus, I think the fact that we had to go in and get her from her table in the restaurant should have clued him in to what kind of person she was.

[jimbo]

I got a speeding ticket in Tampa driving a rental car a couple of months ago. My first in 28 years of driving. Please forgive ... but the trooper was a rude a-hole.

I was on my way from my Mom's house in Brandon, up 75 to 4, to the airport to drop my wife off for a business trip. Speed limit was 65 and I was doing around 70, until the end of the entrance ramp.

Traffic down there has gotten ridiculous. I was trying to merge onto 4 and the two right lanes were packed with trucks. I had a choice of slamming on the brakes, with dozens of cars right on my tail, or speeding up momentarily. I sped up to about 85 for 15 0r 20 seconds to cut across into the left lanes beyond the heavy truck traffic. Behind the ramp and tall concrete barrier was a statey witha laser and I got a $160 fine.

When he was done being a pr#ck to me he simply backed up to his previous position. Almost everybody has to speed up to merge at that point. On my way back from the airport he had another car pulled over at the same place. I figure they do that day in day out.

I'm not an unsafe driver and consider Florida (which I love and is my second home) to be kind of a joke when it comes to any kind of serious safety concerns.

This is a state where you kind buy beer along an interstate at a gas station quickmart (just blows mw away the insanity of it). They have so much alcohol at these convenience stores that you cannot find a decent flavored bottle of ice tea down there. Most places almost the entire cooler is taken up with beer, only a couple doors worth of ice tea and soda.

As far as I know most of florida does not even have state auto safety inspections once a year. Seems like every pawn shop (which there are probably thousands) has a big sign that says "guns for sale!" And it is rare to see a motorcyclist wearing a helmit.

I love Florida though. But I don't have a warm fuzzy feeling about the cops down there.

;)

[Heraclid]

Well, I have to say that's all true. I hadn't noticed that the beer thing was any different elsewhere, but then again I don't look for it.

We used to have emissions inspections but they did away with it a few years back when they found out that they weren't finding enough problems to warrant the effort.

In FL, there is no motorcycle helmet law, but there is a law saying that kids (under 16 I think) must wear a bicycle helmet. But there's goofy stuff everywhere. In Alabama oral sex is technically illegal. Now how many people do you think have broken that law? LOL!

[Simon Templar]

Originally posted by Jolly Roger VX'er
"You probably want to know why I pulled you over....Your window tint is too dark...I don't have a meter to check it but I can clearly see it is in violation of vehicle code (blah blah blah) and I could remove your state inspection sticker right here...right now!"

"But Officer...I've had the car for about 5 years and have had as many inspections done at different locales...no one has made mention of this to me before."

"I'm not gonna fine you this time...I'm giving you a warning that the window tint must be removed within 5 days and you must report to the barracks and have this confirmed."




It would seem you have two choices on how to proceed....

1) If you know that your tint is indeed beyond limits and you've just gotten away with it all of this time, then kow tow and remove the tinting. Show up and prove it is gone. Getting on bended knee and tearfully begging for forgiveness usually helps as well.

2) Get in touch with your attorney and contest that warning. I HIGHLY suspect that, given the fact that you've had the tint on board for as long as you have without mention from anyone, that it is indeed NOT illegal. I would caution you against letting a disgraceful (but disgustingly all too common) example of modern law enforcement bully you into passive submission (especially as it sounds as though he had no other reason than he is just generally mad at the world.)

Don't go along with it just because you don't want to spend the time and money fooling with it. This can come back to bite you down the road.



....sT

[kpaske]

You bring up a valid point. All too often the enforcers (er, cops) are ignorant of the laws they are enforcing. In Maryland there is a law that states that your tires can't stick out beyond your fenders. I recieved an inspection ticket for that infraction, while at the same time, the trooper gave me a ticket for having tinted my rear window (on a pickup truck). No other windows were tinted, but apparently the trooper didn't know that it's not illegal to tint any glass, no matter how dark, anywhere behind the driver's field of view (i.e. anywhere behind the driver/passenger windows). It was easily solved when I got inspected for my fender covers, but had that been the only thing I was ticketed for, I would have been pissed if I had to waste my time getting inspected because of the trooper's ignorance.

Another time I came out to my vehicle, which I had started with an autostart remote, to find a trooper looking over the vehicle, preparing to write another ticket. She told me she would let me go with a warning this time, but if she found my car running again without my being inside, with my foot on the brake pedal, she would ticket me. Little did she know, but the law states that a car cannot be left running WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION unless the driver is present, with his/her foot on the brake. Because the autostart doesn't require the key to be in the ignition, and cannot be driven without the key, there was no violation. Another case of ignorance on her part.

[transio]

If you realize the role cops play in day-to-day traffic, you look at things like this from a different point of view. Cops don't give a crap about "rules". They just want to control you. They want to raise your fear of the unknown and instill a sense of submissive respect for them. This allows them to keep the sheep in line. Because they are, after all, shepherds. If the sheep all stay in line, then they can perform their real job of warding off the wolves a lot more effectively. Imagine how hard it would be to deal with the wolves if the sheep didn't obey them, or behaved chaotically and eratically!

[Maugan_VX]

I can't believe people still think that way about police officers.

Sure there are a few bad apples in the bunch, but we're not in soviet russia here.

I know several cops, and all of them do their jobs to the best of their abilities. Its a thankless job, that alone deserves a certain respect.

[WormGod]

Originally posted by kpaske
[B]In Maryland there is a law that states that your tires can't stick out beyond your fenders.

Dunno when you were here last, but that has changed. State inspection calls that they can't stick out more than 1/2". I found out the hard way when I had my Rodeo inspected. My Mickeys stuck out 1". Failed till I put the stocks back on for inspection. :(

There are some other possibilities around this. Having farm tags (think you must own 4acres of land to aquire this tag). Plus, just from what a police buddy told me, having mudflaps behind your tires if they stick out more than 1/2". It's not a binded backdoor around the law, but most officers figure you are showing a respect to other drivers by killing the roostertail that the tires would create in rain.


Another time I came out to my vehicle, which I had started with an autostart remote, to find a trooper looking over the vehicle, preparing to write another ticket. She told me she would let me go with a warning this time, but if she found my car running again without my being inside, with my foot on the brake pedal, she would ticket me. Little did she know, but the law states that a car cannot be left running WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION unless the driver is present, with his/her foot on the brake. Because the autostart doesn't require the key to be in the ignition, and cannot be driven without the key, there was no violation. Another case of ignorance on her part.

This has been a touchy subject here for years. Since the introduction of the law, and the introduction and popularity of auto-starters, the stink has only grown. I know a guy who faught his violation of this in court and LOST. Apparently, the judge sees a car cannot be left running WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION unless the driver is present to be an underlying case for an autostarter. The way he put it to my buddy is, "the car was running and you were not in it. that is the gist of the law and you disobeyed it". Go figure. Laws are made, changed, and broken daily.... by those you are supposed to enforce them. *shrug*

Your best weapon in these situations.... hope the officers are having a good day and be as cooperative as possible with them since their days are typically stressful.

[transio]

Originally posted by Maugan_VX
I can't believe people still think that way about police officers.... I know several cops, and all of them do their jobs to the best of their abilities. Its a thankless job, that alone deserves a certain respect. I have friends who are officers, too. I don't think you understand my point. I'm not saying that cops are all control-freaks. I'm saying that civil traffic violations are a way of instilling fear / respect in the institution of law. The common citizen requires the shepherd / authority figure to be established in order to maintain order in society.

[jimbo]

Originally posted by Heraclid
Well, I have to say that's all true. I hadn't noticed that the beer thing was any different elsewhere, but then again I don't look for it.

We used to have emissions inspections but they did away with it a few years back when they found out that they weren't finding enough problems to warrant the effort .....

Weird how things are so different, and usually we don't even know they are different until they see how others live.

I spend a lot of time in Florida and it blows me away that I can't get a good iced tea or whatever. In Pa we have literally dozens and dozens of choices soda, ice teas, sport drinks, juices. You get kind of used to it. Lately I've had a hard time just finding a damn snapple down there. (you guys seem real big on gatorade though)

Regarding beer: you can pull off the interstate in Florida (60 seconds off the highway, miles from home or anywhere) and pick up a six pack, then be right back on the highway. Up here that would be considered too much of a risk, to trust every last bozo not to drink it when it's so easy. Up here that would be simply insanity.

We have to go to a state store, bar or beer distributer to buy alcohol. It's very inconvenient on purpose, and usually not located anywhere near an interstate.

I don't mean emissions, we have that too and it's silly. I mean safety inspection. Once a year (used to be twice) you take your car to a garage and pay them $100 to inspect everything (brakes, tires, lights, exhaust, suspension, body and frame rot etc.) If it fails then usually the very same garage fixes your car. Now in regards to this we may be the insane ones.

However, it is kind of scary some of the cars you see driving around down in Florida. Up here it's nice to know that no matter what, someone is checking out those brakes, tires etc on the other cars on the road.

[BaM*BaM]

I think this is the sign for the local bubba jesus church on the interstate between florida and alabama.

http://www.users.qwest.net/~pempem/2%20liquor-guns.jpg

[BaM*BaM]

http://www.users.qwest.net/~pempem/790146.1.jpg ....... http://www.users.qwest.net/~pempem/2hang%20on%20jesus.jpg WEEEEEEEE!

[Heraclid]

Iced tea and sweetened tea are actually big down here, and it seems to me like there is a decent amount of tea products at the convenience stores

As for selection, I have to plead ignorance on this one, because it's not a problem, not around here anyway, or anywhere I've been. I don't stop in convenience stores too much, but when I do I usually get some sort of juice and always have tons of options. As for the bottled tea drinks, I always see plenty of them, and in my own opinion most of them are pretty gross, so I wouldn't miss 'em.

The beer thing you mention is true. But if it weren't that way, it's still not going to take the opportunity to drink and drive away. I hate drunk drivers (and my wife's mother was killed by one), but I wonder how much of a difference changing that would really make. I guess if it made any whatsoever it would be worth it. However, I do not put the blame on the retailer - I put it squarely on the consumer.

I know you didn't mean emissions per se, but that's the only remotely similar thing we've had since I can remember, and it didn't last long. And I do think that safety inspections like that are probably overkill. Here that is left up to law enforcement and any questionable vehicle should be pulled over. The way it is done up there sounds a bit like a government cash cow to me. And I'm not saying you're wrong, but I just haven't noticed more jalopies running around here than anywhere else I've been (NY, NJ, OH, GA, AL, SC, NC, VA, WV, TN, ND, MN, HI). But granted I've never been to PA yet, either. I personally think it would be more of a concern in northern states because of climate (salting the roads). My wife's previous van was rusting underneath and wouldn't have held up so well had she not moved down here from OH.

And BaM*BaM, you're a trip. I have done the FL-AL thing plenty and I've never seen that, but not saying it isn't so either. I've had enough contact with some of your fellow Idahoans via other interests of mine to know the grass isn't so green right where you're at. Beautiful state, though. When you boil it all down, there are kooks everywhere, and all the kooks think everyone else is kooky and not them. You probably think I'm a dumb-as-dirt southerner and I think you're something out of the Twilight Zone, but it's all good.

[deermagnet]

The state and local cops in my area are very cool. The first time I was pulled over in my VX, I was doing 83 in a 65. I didn't get a ticket because after talking a bit he found out we have a common hobby, flyfishing for trout. A couple months ago I got caught in NY doing 77 in a 55. The cop was a nice guy, the fine was not large, and no points on my PA record, so I didn't mind at all. He even explained why it wasn't a 65 zone there after I asked about it. About seven years ago I was doing 67 in a 45 construction zone where the fines are doubled. The fine would have been many hundreds of dollars. He knocked my speed down to 55 and didn't double the fine. That was pretty cool of him.

I've been using red horn lights for over four years now. I'm sure they're illegal, but I'm positive I'll never be pulled over for that. It's just unheard of. No cop in this area would ever do that.
http://www.wtv-zone.com/markg/mag/red.jpg

Mark Griffin

[jimbo]

Yeah our safety inspection is kind of warped cause the mechanics doing the inspecting end up doing the work most times. Seems like a conflict of interest.

In tampa area where my mom lives all the convenience stores seem to be a Circle K. They have no snapples, no arizona teas etc. (we have gotten used to dozens and dozens of flavors up here). They have about the same amount of cooler space on average as up here but usually like two or three doors have soft drinks, the rest is beer.

I only notice cause I'm on vacation when I'm down there and end up in Circle Ks a lot.

I'm not sure if having beer so readily available increases the chance of people driving intoxicated. It just seems to me like it might.

I guess the thread's about tickets so I guess I kind of hijacked it.

Sorry. ( I think I was ranting about the what I saw as irony in Fla regarding highway safety)

[Heraclid]

Hey jimbo, no prob. It's still a free country. Besides, ya made me think about some things I never had before. :-)

Does anyone else like to wait until it's dark and turn on their lights the way they are in deermagnet's photo and just stare for a while and think how friggin' cool that is? Or am I some sort of freak? :-)

[geshaw30]

You know- I simply shake my head in amazement sometimes. I've been a Houston street officer for 21 yrs. It's never been a "control"thing for me or a need to break it off in you because I have the power. I have a job to do-plain and simple. I assure you I know the laws inside out and backwards. I have scraped dead babies off the pavement and saved your neighbors from whippings from spouse beatings. I don't seek anything out of the ordinary regarding public recognition. Let me do my job to the best of my abilities and everyone wins in the long run. Trust me when I tell you I've seen things your nightmares cannot begin to fathom and yet you feel you understand what I do enough to slam my profession. You're the first to call me when your life has an immediate problem and the first find fault in what I do if it doesn't meet with your approval.

Give it a rest here people-try on my shoes then perhaps you'll see things a little different. Make no mistake about it-there are some crummy cops and I've known many. But for the most part I've been proud of who I am and those I work with.
________
HARLEY-DAVIDSON EASY RIDER (http://www.cyclechaos.com/wiki/Harley-Davidson_Easy_Rider)

[Tone]

Well said George! Laws keep this country what it is and as much as I disagree with many of the speed limits, if I get caught, I pay the fine or fight it but is never the officer's fault! It seems that so many people today refuse to take responsibility for their very actions that bring the man to them.

[Heraclid]

While I've had my experiences with the bad apples out there, I will not let it color my feelings about the police in general, and I hope I made it plain that I respect the profession wholeheartedly. I know that I have had experiences that reflect the exception rather than the rule. I fully recognize that there have been other incidents in which, no matter how trivial I felt the matter was, I know I ultimately brought the matter upon myself. I just wish they'd catch the real menaces on the road and leave the small stuff alone, because I see them miss a lot.

There have been times I did not do anything to bring it on too, though. I know most officers are just out there giving their all and doing the best job they can. All I'm saying is that some aren't, too. If I set aside the times I could have averted the situation, still...

when one zooms by me without his lights on, I think about what he'd do if I tried what he's doing. When one says he'd shoot your pet too if he wouldn't lose his job, that really pisses you off. When one doesn't give a rip about your car getting smacked and won't give you a police report, you wonder why you waited all that time for him to show up. When you get pulled over for running a light you didn't run because of his negligence and get told he thought you were trying to taunt him, you just want to throw your hands up in the air and scream. Then all the time you see one watch a person run a red light (and not just barely), and nothing happens. You have a guy speeding and going head-on with other motorists in a turn lane to pass people and the officer three cars back is oblivious to it. It's just real frustrating.

I don't blame the police for things some people would. My wife's mother was killed by a drunk driver who was being pursued by police. Did the pursuit lead to the accident? Quite possibly, but who can really say for sure? Do she or I blame the police? Hell, no. We still blame the drunk bastard that got to walk away from it.

I still have great respect for the police. To serve as a police officer or soldier is to be in one of the most honorable professions I can think of. Those ranks are comprised of some of the most courageous, selfless people there are. I do know that and I do appreciate the guys like George out there putting it all on the line every day.

[Simon Templar]

Originally posted by transio
.......Because they are, after all, shepherds. If the sheep all stay in line, then they can perform their real job of warding off the wolves a lot more effectively. Imagine how hard it would be to deal with the wolves if the sheep didn't obey them, or behaved chaotically and eratically!

So, let me get this straight...

By this train of logic, the Police are some sort of omnipotent Order of all-powerful protectors which are your only possible hope of shelter from random attack, death, and dismemberment. Therefore, if one of these Holy sentient beings were to unfairly push you about (for whatever reason...personal entertainment, corruption, general dimness of reason and intellect, or whatever) then you should be quiet and thankfully accept such treatment as some sort of kharmic payment for the outside chance he might actually save you from harm at an unnamed future date????

That is one incredibly Orwellian view of reality you have there.



....sT

[Bantan]

Too many stories to tell, I could write a book.
I get pulled over mostly cause they want to see what the VX looks like inside. Just be polite and smile, and if that don't work I let them know the extent of my knowledge (Ex NYPD Officer), and if that don't work "Please excuse me while I call my lawyer". Never had to use the last one, yet.

QUESTION....
Are Green lights (Horn, Windshield washer nozels) legal in Florida?

[Maugan_VX]

QUESTION....
Are Green lights (Horn, Windshield washer nozels) legal in Florida?

If they are, they shouldn't be.

[geshaw30]

Thanks Heraclid- well said & class response. I wasn't calling anyone out on this deal. It just gets kinda frustrating sometimes.
Your respect means a great deal to me and I hope I earn it nightly.

I will tell you a story. A few weeks ago I was 3 cars back of someone who got tired of waiting on a red light light and decided to bust on through. I too ignored it. Problem was my partner & I had been dispatched to a "CIT" (Crisis Intervention Team) call. The people next to me at the light sat in wonderment as I refused to take any sort of action on the driver & trust me they were as pissed as most of us would be. To make a long story short- had we decided to stop to deal with the traffic violation the 17 yr old with the meat cleaver and ammonia bottle (I have no idea about the latter!) might have had the time to carve up his parents before we could have arrived.

Sometimes it's just not as it seems
________
Pornstars lacey duvalle (http://www.****tube.com/categories/874/lacey-duvalle/videos/1)

[transio]

Originally posted by geshaw30
You know- I simply shake my head in amazement sometimes... It's never been a "control"thing for me or a need to break it off in you because I have the power. I have a job to do-plain and simple... Give it a rest here people-try on my shoes then perhaps you'll see things a little different. I'm sure this is mostly in response to my post, so I'll try to respond... I didn't intend to say that cops as individuals necessarily are out to control you, but that "the police" as an institution implements control procedures over the general public to create order and respect for authority.

[Heraclid]

Same with me, George. Sometimes I just get frustrated, but that's life and we all get a generous helping of frustration.

I try to keep things like that in mind (regarding what you said about prioritizing while on duty). I can see it if their lights are flashing and they're quite obviously on the way to deal with something bigger. I can even sorta see it if they're sitting there behind some other cars stopped at a light, see someone run it, but it would be a real pain to get out of where you're sitting, boxed in by everybody else. And maybe trying to make those people move to chase that guy would create new hazards that aren't just worth the risk. But when the officer is the first car at the light, sitting there and not racing along to an important call, and it happens right in front of him, that to me is a bit different.

That said, your point is well-taken. The very least someone in your position deserves is a little benefit of the doubt. You've earned it.

At times I've considered pursuing a career in a few fields of law enforcement myself, and who knows what the future may hold. Maybe I still will try that. I am someone who does not want to always be doing what I do now. I don't want fame at all, but what I do want is to somehow live a life that will make a difference and make a positive impact. I want to do something that directly affects those things I consider most important. I want to be part of something I have admired and look up to. And that is why a career like that interests me, despite the gripes you've seen from me here. Because I believe you folks do all of that. I just thought you should know. If it is sometimes a thankless job, please consider this a big thank you.

[transio]

Originally posted by Simon Templar
By this train of logic, the Police are some sort of omnipotent Order of all-powerful protectors which are your only possible hope of shelter from random attack, death, and dismemberment. Therefore, if one of these Holy sentient beings were to unfairly push you about... you should be quiet and thankfully accept such treatment as some sort of kharmic payment ... That is one incredibly Orwellian view of reality you have there. That's not my view of reality, rather your incorrect interpretation of my post, and subsequent extension thereof into absurdity.

What I ACTUALLY SAID (if you correctly interpreted it) is that law enforcement exists to create order in society as a way of minimizing chaos and crime. In order for such an institution to work successfully, the general law-abiding public must be socialized to be subservient to law enforcement officers, respect them, and do as they're told. (EDIT: The following is an aside in reference to your post.) It is my observation that TO A DEGREE, the average citizen WILL submit to unjust treatment from officers.

It is also my belief that traffic violation enforcement is one way of reinforcing the authority figure image in society. Just observe the procedures used to ticket people. Officers obstruct traffic, flash lights, and increase visibility to an absolute maximum. These things are not necessary to enforce traffic laws. Just limit cars to 65 mph and you're way ahead of the game as it is now. If the government REALLY wanted to enforce traffic laws, speed limits in particular, they could much more easily and cheaply create a requirement for computer-controlled speed limiters that feed off of radio-wave speed limit signs, transmitting local speed limits on radar frequencies.

Instead, they give you the ability to break "the law" so you can get caught and "punished". Why do YOU think that is? Think about it.

[Heraclid]

Sorry Bantan, meant to reply earlier...

Green is fine in FL. My neighbor has tons of green neon on a lime green Eclipse. The statutes only pertain to solid blues, reds, and amber lights, which are restricted to use with only certain vehicles.

[Simon Templar]

Originally posted by transio
What I ACTUALLY SAID (if you correctly interpreted it) is that law enforcement exists to create order in society as a way of minimizing chaos and crime.


In either event, you're still way off the mark.

In actuality, it is laws and the legal system in general which exist to create order in society. Law Enforcement exists only to deal with those who violate those laws. Hence the name "Law Enforcement". The Police (contrary to what a great number have been led to believe) DO NOT exist to create order, control the public, or any other such activity.

I shudder to think what 'society' WOULD look like were the Police actually tasked with 'creating order as a way to minimize chaos.' Again, we seem to be wandering back into Orwellian territory.


....sT

[Bantan]

Originally posted by Heraclid
Sorry Bantan, meant to reply earlier...

Green is fine in FL. My neighbor has tons of green neon on a lime green Eclipse. The statutes only pertain to solid blues, reds, and amber lights, which are restricted to use with only certain vehicles.

Thanks

[Heraclid]

No prob. Oh, Joe_Black has a Dragon, so he has green "horn" lights on his VX, too.

[Moncha]

Originally posted by Heraclid
I just wish they'd catch the real menaces on the road and leave the small stuff alone, because I see them miss a lot.


I can't help but chime in on this one...
I'm cruising down one of our local thoroughfares in my patrol car the other day and in my rear view mirror I see a white Eclipse on my rear quarter. What attracted me was that he failed to have the required front license plate.. So I say to myself, "No biggie" I'll just watch and see if every thing else is in line.. I drop my speed to allow him to pass but, he stays on my rear. I drop my speed more and he passes. As we approach a traffic light he applies his brakes and I see the driver side bulb is out. Now, I say to myself, "I can just let it go because I'm looking for bigger fish to fry" but no, I follow my instincts and perform a traffic stop. The little guy that is in the car is very polite and all but, after performing a wants and warrants check (Standard policy with all contacts) he shows he has a $10k outstanding warrant for burglary. Needless to say, he got a free trip to the pokey. Now, the point of this is, I can just keep looking for "real menaces" or I can do my job and enforce the statutes as written in between my calls for service and see what turns up. In fact, I could just be a hard *** and inconvience "appearent innocent people" by enforcing the traffic laws but, then I would never get anything else done. To protect myself from hipocracy, I never pull over for something that I'm guilty of doing myself.

I appreciate the fact that there are folks out there that do resect the majority of the law enforcement professionals but, as with any profession, there are some bad seeds and even though I'm not realated to them in any fashion, please accept my apologies.

[Heraclid]

Everyone who gets pulled over - make sure the officer can see your hands. I always keep my hands on top of the wheel. It would be even better to put your hands out the window. Don't get out of the car though (unless asked, of course). Wait before you go rummaging through the glove box for anything the officer may want to see, because for all they know, you could be going for a gun.

I'm glad that Florida is a rear plate-only state. It's purely an aesthetics thing for me, although from a law enforcement perspective it would probably be best if everyone everywhere had to have one on the front too.

Kudos on nabbing the burglar! I wouldn't mind being advised of something like a brake light being out - I would appreciate being given a heads-up on something like that. I'm certainly glad that you folks do run the checks, no matter how benign things seem. Doesn't bother me since I've got nothing to worry about from it and it helps catch the bad guys.

I really don't mind so much if I get nailed for something I do wrong if I in fact did it and I knew better. Can't be mad at anyone but myself for something like that. I just hate to see other people get away with more all the time while I get stopped for lesser infractions or imaginary ones. I know you can't expect officers to catch everything all the time, but I have seen some things let go that I feel should not have been. However, a lot of it is probably just flawed perception on my part too. For the most part they probably get pulled over a whole lot more than I do - I just don't get to be there to see them get what's coming to them as much as I'd like. Seen a few though. Had a very impaired driver in front of me on a long local bridge once, and I called in to report it. Literally by the time I was coming off the other side of the bridge, he was being pulled over.

Oh, I set up an annoying driver in an Eclipse once. I had been through the same area minutes earlier and knew there was a police car lying in wait for speeders. This guy was being obnoxious so at the right time I gunned it just a bit, really just to get the noise of it and I didn't break the speed limit. As I'd hoped, as we came over the hill he floored it to try to do me one better and got nailed. :-)

[Raque Thomas]

Originally posted by Moncha
I can't help but chime in on this one...
As we approach a traffic light he applies his brakes and I see the driver side bulb is out. Now, I say to myself, "I can just let it go because I'm looking for bigger fish to fry" but no, I follow my instincts and perform a traffic stop.


Moncha, I'm sure that you would not have given him a ticket for just a bulb out had there not been other "issues". those of us who are (generally) law-abiding citizens would not object to being pulled over and given a warning for such an issue. I've had more than one experience though with the "tough guy" cop out to write any ticket he could and show me who was boss.

I think in any profession you have the good and the bad - and believe me, I think the good officers FAR outweigh the bad, it's just more "newsworthy" to talk about the jerks. Anyway - keep up the good work!

BTW, I have several police friends and had one tell me the other day that when you deal with people all day who obviously lie to you, do illegal things, spit at you, call you names, etc. you become a little jaded and start to have a different attitude towards everyone you pull over/come in contact with. I can see how that would happen - maybe we all need to be a little more understanding of where people are coming from???? You think I am a criminal and liar when you pull me over - I think you are a jerk and power junkie - neither of the above may be true, let's find out before we jump to conclusions!