Bless you, oh Highway Patrol officers.

[Guest]

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[Guest]

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[fieryjen]

Whew! Glad to hear you got lucky and had a decent one.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

I usually do pretty well in California. Once you're out of state, though, make a bad move and you lose. Now way of getting around it.

 

[loganforester]

Oh - we have current insurance.

I just hadn't put the latest little cards in the car.

Must be a girl thing, I can never seem to get out of tickets.

 

[cloudy]

I went through a road block about a month ago, and since the insurance letter in the car dated back to 2007, they wrote me up for no proof of insurance (a $500 ticket here), even though I offered to call my husband, and get him to bring them the receipt where I'd just paid the insurance three days before (we've had the same insurance for years).

Nope, they impounded the car, the fuckers.

I had court yesterday, but it was only "plea day," so I entered a plea of not guilty, and go back on the 18th of November to show the judge what a bunch of fuck-ups our city cops are.

I'm going to ask for a refund of the impound fee, plus missed work for my husband to have to go get the damn thing out of impound.

I hate cops.

 

[Dreamthiev]

I know the local cops around here if they give you a ticket for no proof of insurance, no license plate sticker, or something like that when you do have the card, sticker, whatever (just not with you in the car) you can take the ticket to city hall and the clerk will dismiss it for you.

 

[cloudy]

I know the local cops around here if they give you a ticket for no proof of insurance, no license plate sticker, or something like that when you do have the card, sticker, whatever (just not with you in the car) you can take the ticket to city hall and the clerk will dismiss it for you.

Not here. That would be too easy.

It takes a minimum of two court appearances, and all the waiting around among lovely people that that entails.

 

[slyc_willie]

For when you didst stop me on my way home from work this evening you were very kind and forthright.

Even though my left front headlight was out -

Even though I did not have current proof of insurance (okay, it was a couple of months old) -

After lecturing me on the perils of driving without either, you did not issue me the ticket, which would have been $300 for no current proof of insurance, and $60 for lack of headlight, and $80 court costs.

Thank you.

We did fix everything once we reached home.

Rum?

Good for you.

Cops too often get a bad rap, usually by ridiculously selfish people who think they deserve a break for explaining themselves. It's not easy being a member of the law enforcement community. Very few on the civilian side bother to take the time to understand the pressure any given police officer, trooper, or other member of the community is under at all times. They can't usually afford to give someone a break in a typical traffic stop, because there are far too many people out there who seek to take advantage of the loopholes in the system.

But sometimes, if you're patient and honest and don't give the cop attitude, they'll cut you a break. Because a good cop can make an educated guess when they've pulled over someone who's just made a mistake and someone who's trying to fuck over the system.

Nice to see someone who actually has the nerve to say something good about an institution we can't live without.

 

[cloudy]

It's not easy being a member of the law enforcement community.

I'm sure it isn't, however you need to keep in mind that just a few years ago, the county I live in was in Newsweek for being the most corrupt justice system in the entire nation.

It hasn't changed either. When I went to court over my really fun assaulting an officer charge, the officer that arrested me (and got his eye blacked in the process) just flat out lied in court, saying it took three cops to put me in the car, when, in fact, I put myself in the damn car.

The reason I popped him was because he was plainclothes, didn't bother to identify himself as a cop before grabbing my damn arm. Since he weighs at least 300 lbs (probably closer to 350), I punched him the face. He had it coming - it was a reasonable reaction in the circumstances.

I ended up taking a lesser charge of resisting arrest, simply because I knew he'd lie again.

Stupid thing is, if he's that damn big, and couldn't put me in the back of the car himself if I had resisted, he has no business being a cop. But a judge will believe a lying cop over someone they've arrested, whether there's a reason for the arrest or not.

 

[slyc_willie]

And more the reason to villify an entire community because of a bad isolated incident, right?

No institution is perfect. There's corruption everywhere, I admit.

What always makes me shake my head are those who denounce the entirety of an institution because of bad personal experiences. I've known my share of corrupt cops.

I still respect the institutions.

I never hate cops.

 

[cloudy]

And more the reason to villify an entire community because of a bad isolated incident, right?

No institution is perfect. There's corruption everywhere, I admit.

What always makes me shake my head are those who denounce the entirety of an institution because of bad personal experiences. I've known my share of corrupt cops.

I still respect the institutions.

I never hate cops.

I've known some cool cops too, but...THE MOST CORRUPT JUSTICE SYSTEM IN THE WHOLE DAMN COUNTRY.

So...yeah, I'm gonna vilify 'em as a group, and take exceptions as they come.

 

[slyc_willie]

I've known some cool cops too, but...THE MOST CORRUPT JUSTICE SYSTEM IN THE WHOLE DAMN COUNTRY.

So...yeah, I'm gonna vilify 'em as a group, and take exceptions as they come.

And I'll go the other way around.

Guess it's just a matter of faith in humanity, both as a whole and on the individual level, huh?

 

[cloudy]

And I'll go the other way around.

Guess it's just a matter of faith in humanity, both as a whole and on the individual level, huh?

I suppose so, but I'm a Cynic with a capital C.

As an aside, I've found that most state troopers are cool as hell. I don't know what accounts for the difference, but there's a HUGE difference.

 

[slyc_willie]

I suppose so, but I'm a Cynic with a capital C.

As an aside, I've found that most state troopers are cool as hell. I don't know what accounts for the difference, but there's a HUGE difference.

Hey, ask the SO about how cynical I am.

As far as state troopers vs. police . . . couldn't tell ya.

Maybe it was your attitude at the time?

 

[cloudy]

Hey, ask the SO about how cynical I am.

As far as state troopers vs. police . . . couldn't tell ya.

Maybe it was your attitude at the time?

I would say that might be true, but I used to drive a fire-engine red Z28 that I once took up to 127 mph and still had gas pedal left. I got pulled over a LOT...like once a week, simply because thei could hear the car was fast (Holly four-barrel and headers, among other things... it rumbled so loud it twisted at red lights). As a rule, the state troopers were always really nice, but city cops seem like power-hungry high school losers getting their revenge at last on the popular kids.

 

[slyc_willie]

I would say that might be true, but I used to drive a fire-engine red Z28 that I once took up to 127 mph and still had gas pedal left. I got pulled over a LOT...like once a week, simply because thei could hear the car was fast (Holly four-barrel and headers, among other things... it rumbled so loud it twisted at red lights). As a rule, the state troopers were always really nice, but city cops seem like power-hungry high school losers getting their revenge at last on the popular kids.

I might venture that it's a bureaucracy issue. Sad as it is, most city-deployed police officers are under pressure to deliver a certain quota each month. Troopers, as I understand it, are not.

In that case, it's a matter of institutional corruption, not individual. To keep their job, and thus do what they were trained to do, police officers have to bow to the lowest common denominator and bite the bullet against their pride.

But I'm just speculating.

 

[rgraham666]

For when you didst stop me on my way home from work this evening you were very kind and forthright.

Even though my left front headlight was out -

Even though I did not have current proof of insurance (okay, it was a couple of months old) -

After lecturing me on the perils of driving without either, you did not issue me the ticket, which would have been $300 for no current proof of insurance, and $60 for lack of headlight, and $80 court costs.

Thank you.

We did fix everything once we reached home.

Rum?

Glad things turned out well, sweetie.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

I got to show my insurance card days later after I got rear-ended the other week, with no ticket, so I can't complain about my town's police right now, even though my younger brother curses them every chance he gets, and my mother got into an accident with one of their rookies a few years ago 9he panicked so badly that he kicked the window out of his cruiser to get out instead of opening the door ).

 

[SweetWitch]

Good for you.

Cops too often get a bad rap, usually by ridiculously selfish people who think they deserve a break for explaining themselves. It's not easy being a member of the law enforcement community. Very few on the civilian side bother to take the time to understand the pressure any given police officer, trooper, or other member of the community is under at all times. They can't usually afford to give someone a break in a typical traffic stop, because there are far too many people out there who seek to take advantage of the loopholes in the system.

But sometimes, if you're patient and honest and don't give the cop attitude, they'll cut you a break. Because a good cop can make an educated guess when they've pulled over someone who's just made a mistake and someone who's trying to fuck over the system.

Nice to see someone who actually has the nerve to say something good about an institution we can't live without.

Ah, cops. I just love every last one of them.

Years ago, while at college, I was attacked by a freak with a gun. I took a severe beating, had to fight for my life and thought he was going to kill me (mainly because he told me he would) while he tried to kidnap me. The rest of the night after the incident was a blur. There were cops, doctors, a high speed police chase with me in the cop car, people running everywhere and a visit to the hospital after I lost consciousness.

Then all was quiet and I had to return to school. That was hard knowing that my stalker was still walking around and no one could find him. That first morning I was terrified. I stepped through my dorm door into the open, my face still battered, my body aching. I stood at the door, looking around, unable to make myself take those first steps to cross the campus, but it was something I needed to do.

Then I saw him. It was one of the cops from that night. He was in his own vehicle, on his own time, sitting there grinning at me. He waved. I almost cried.

I made my way across the campus toward my first class and saw another one. This one was on duty, in uniform and met me around the corner from my class. He walked me the rest of the way.

After class was one of the detectives, lounging on a bench outside the building. He walked me back to my dorm, asked how I was doing and told me that the "boys" would be around campus until the guy was caught. I hugged him.

I love each and everyone of them. They gave of their own time to see that I was safe and worked over time until they caught the bastard. They flanked my sides in the court room at the trial and kept him properly cowed whenever he looked in my direction.

I should mention, also, it was an off-duty detective that tracked him down and had him arrested.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Florida Highway Patrol was pretty kewl 30 years ago. I was a fireman back then, and you could always depend on the Trooper to climb into the blood and gore with you at a car wreck. Deputies and city cops wouldnt. On one occasion a Trooper stopped me for doing 70 in a 25 mph zone. He listened to my story then switched off my dash lights, giving me a warning to fix the dash lights instead of the speeding ticket. When I was 3 a geezer hit our car and turned it over. The Trooper bought me an ice cream cone.

They aint like that today. They exist to collect fines.

CLOUDY WAS A WOODEN INDIAN STANDING BY THE DOOR
SHE FELL IN LOVE WITH AN INDIAN BRAVE OVER IN THE CIGAR STORE
CLOUDYYYYYYYY.

JUST STOOD THERE AND NEVER LET IT SHOW
SO HE COULD NEVER ANSWER YES OR NO

SHE ALWAYS WORE HER SUNDAY FEATHERS AND HELD A TOMAHAWK
THE WARRIOR WORE HIS BEADS AND BRAIDS AND HOPED SOME DAY SHE'D TALK
CLOUDYYYYYYYY

TOO STUBBORN TO EVER SHOW A SIGN
BECAUSE HER HEART WAS MADE OF KNOTTY PINE

POOR OL' CLOUDY, SHE NEVER GOT A KISS
POOR OL' CLOUDY, SHE DON'T KNOW WHAT SHE MISSED
IS IT ANY WONDER THAT HER FACE IS RED
CLOUDY, THAT POOR OL' WOODEN HEAD

CLOUDY WAS A WOODEN INDIAN, NEVER WENT NOWHERE
HER HEART WAS SET ON THE INDIAN BRAVE WITH THE COAL BLACK HAIR
CLOUDYYYYY
JUST STOOD THERE AND NEVER LET IT SHOW
SO HE COULD NEVER ANSWER YES OR NO
AND THEN ONE DAY A WEALTHY CUSTOMER BOUGHT THE INDIAN BRAVE
AND TOOK HIM OH SO FAR AWAY BUT OL CLOUDY STAYED
CLOUDYYYYYYYY

JUST STANDS THERE AS LONELY AS CAN BE
AND WISHES SHE WAS STILL AN OLD PINE TREE

 

[Safe_Bet]

Ah, cops. I just love every last one of them.

Years ago, while at college, I was attacked by a freak with a gun. I took a severe beating, had to fight for my life and thought he was going to kill me (mainly because he told me he would) while he tried to kidnap me. The rest of the night after the incident was a blur. There were cops, doctors, a high speed police chase with me in the cop car, people running everywhere and a visit to the hospital after I lost consciousness.

Then all was quiet and I had to return to school. That was hard knowing that my stalker was still walking around and no one could find him. That first morning I was terrified. I stepped through my dorm door into the open, my face still battered, my body aching. I stood at the door, looking around, unable to make myself take those first steps to cross the campus, but it was something I needed to do.

Then I saw him. It was one of the cops from that night. He was in his own vehicle, on his own time, sitting there grinning at me. He waved. I almost cried.

I made my way across the campus toward my first class and saw another one. This one was on duty, in uniform and met me around the corner from my class. He walked me the rest of the way.

After class was one of the detectives, lounging on a bench outside the building. He walked me back to my dorm, asked how I was doing and told me that the "boys" would be around campus until the guy was caught. I hugged him.

I love each and everyone of them. They gave of their own time to see that I was safe and worked over time until they caught the bastard. They flanked my sides in the court room at the trial and kept him properly cowed whenever he looked in my direction.

I should mention, also, it was an off-duty detective that tracked him down and had him arrested.

Ooooh, you made me cry.

 

[Vermilion]

Ooooh, you made me cry.

Nice to know there are some good guys out there, huh?

Mind you, I believe the English police are somewhat different from US police, though I'll admit this is conjecture based almost entriely upon what I hear on here about American Police and the fact that three of my good friends are bobbies.

In England we have this culture of 'the police are your friends', so if you have a question you can ask a policeman, something that's so ingrained in our culture, there's even a song "If you want to know the time, ask a policeman". Agh, a headache is setting in and I've forgotten entirely where I was going with this post...

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[Selena_Kitt]

For when you didst stop me on my way home from work this evening you were very kind and forthright.

Even though my left front headlight was out -

Even though I did not have current proof of insurance (okay, it was a couple of months old) -

After lecturing me on the perils of driving without either, you did not issue me the ticket, which would have been $300 for no current proof of insurance, and $60 for lack of headlight, and $80 court costs.

Thank you.

We did fix everything once we reached home.

Rum?

*high five* !!!!


I'm with Cloudy on the cop issue. I'd hesitate to call one even in an emergency.

 

[Vermilion]

*high five* !!!!


I'm with Cloudy on the cop issue. I'd hesitate to call one even in an emergency.

Oh yeah, that was my point! Our police are a bit bogged down by paperwork and slow to get to you for a standard burglary or whatever, but I'd still call them and I still trust them.

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