A-typical rant for me("Officers of the law")

[umcamara]

I know a few cops, directly indirectly, and sometimes they need to run with their sirens off because it's safer. People panic and do stupid things when they see an emergency vehicle and it's sirens are on. My parents live also in a not-so-good neighbourhood and cops rarely come this way with their lights and sirens on. It also depends on the time of the day, specifically at night, they don't run with them on to wake up people. I've woken up to the sound if an idling firetruck outside the house. they didn't have their sirens on so them driving to the scene didn't wake me up. There are situation where there's no excuses too, but it's not all bad things, so you don't know unless you know what's up.

That's pretty much what I said in my post...

[mxmikey]

I have been pulled over three times, two times going thirty in a forty

You got pulled over for 10 under the limit?

Sorry about that it was doing 40 in a 30, typos suck

[Inodoro Pereyra]

The purpose for the existence of the law, is to protect the innocent. Contrarily to what most people believe, the law is not meant to punish the criminal, but to protect the possible victim.
Traffic laws clearly state that, to be allowed to "bypass" traffic signs, emergency vehicles need to have their sirens on, or, if the circumstances don't allow it, at least their light bars, and, in any case, they need to slow down at stop signs or red lights, to avoid hitting an unsuspecting driver passing through. The fact that a cop is responding to an emergency does NOT give him the right to put others in danger.

I know a few cops, directly indirectly, and sometimes they need to run with their sirens off because it's safer. People panic and do stupid things when they see an emergency vehicle and it's sirens are on. My parents live also in a not-so-good neighbourhood and cops rarely come this way with their lights and sirens on. It also depends on the time of the day, specifically at night, they don't run with them on to wake up people. I've woken up to the sound if an idling firetruck outside the house. they didn't have their sirens on so them driving to the scene didn't wake me up. There are situation where there's no excuses too, but it's not all bad things, so you don't know unless you know what's up.

Hmmm... at this point, I'm starting to think that my English may be a lot worse than I thought (which wouldn't surprise me at all), as you guys seem to be consistently missing my point.

I have friends in the Police in Argentina, and several acquaintances in the Pembroke Pines and Plantation Police Dept, just North of Miami.
The rulebook (or whatever it's called in English) specifically discourages the use of the sirens for ANY emergency vehicle after dusk, and specifically states that sirens should NEVER be used after 10 PM, with the sole exception of ambulances transporting critical patients. I never said cops should always use their sirens.
The same rulebook says that EVEN WHEN USING THE SIRENS, emergency vehicles should ALWAYS treat intersections as stop signs, unless they have a green traffic light.

So, to make myself clear: I'm perfectly aware cops don't use their sirens at night. I'm also aware that, even in the middle of the day, cops may be coded to go to an emergency with their sirens off. But in all those cases, and even when they do have their sirens on, all emergency vehicles are OBLIGATED to follow traffic laws.
So, yeah, when a cop runs a stop sign, he/she IS necessarily at fault, regardless of their siren being used or not.
A cop NEVER has the right to put innocent civilians at risk. Not if pursuing a serial killer, and DEFINITELY NOT for pursuing somebody for traffic violation.

[marcdh]

Well I have to say the more experience I have with the police here the less respect I have for them. They seem to forget they are here to protect and serve the public, not indulge in a powertrip harassing the public.

Last week I was driving to a local shop, on the way I noticed a police car to the side of the road with flashing lights on. I thought another guy pulled for doing 40 in 30... As I drove 200m up the road I was confronted with 100-200 rioters. They had already hijacked a double decker bus and a few cars and set them on fire. So I had to quickly negotiate a new route, passing scumbags armed with petrol bombs, bricks and a token sword! SO great job there letting me know about that officer!

To top it all off, a guy moved his daughters car out of this warzone to put it in a safer place. Unfortunately the car had no MOT on it, so the police fined him £60 for driving the non MOTd vehicle. So instead of arresting/confronting rioters (there was also a gunman) the police continued to harass the general public, for doing something they shouldn't have to do.

[2RotorsNaDream]

As I drove 200m up the road I was confronted with 100-200 rioters. They had already hijacked a double decker bus and a few cars and set them on fire. So I had to quickly negotiate a new route, passing scumbags armed with petrol bombs, bricks and a token sword! SO great job there letting me know about that officer!

This same exact thing happened to me last week.

Thats crazy man, I'd hate to have to worry about that stuff on a nice drive around town.

[_-Night-Shade-_]

Cocksuckers.

[ethand]

haha nicely put, night-shade!!
Inodoro Pereyra, your english is great - i understand what you're saying, and agree with you, although (maybe the rules in Australia are different) I'm not so sure about not being allowed to use your sirens at night - I often hear them, regardless of time (I live fairly close to a Police station).
But yes, Police should obey traffic laws as well as we should, but hey, its not like you're gonna have the police police or anything, is it??
My mum once got pulled over by a cop back when I was in school while she was taking us to school because she supposedly ran a "red" light (looked pretty orange to me, but hey, I was like 15, so I wasnt gonna say anything!) and the cop had to run a red light in order to pull her over. He then insisted on searching the car and doing a full safety inspection of the car (this is in one of the wealthier areas of my city, with a 40-something mother driving her two kids to a private school in the morning in a brand new Toyota Camry... i know, a VERY suspect situation for illegal substances and poor safety, isnt it??? [sarcasm])...
My point is: its not fair or right... but hey, they are doin their job. It might seem unreasonable, but, like the security at airports, you just gotta put up with it...

[_-Night-Shade-_]

haha nicely put, night-shade!!

Thanks. I'm a man of few words.

[ethand]

haha its quality not quantity

[Inodoro Pereyra]

Inodoro Pereyra, your english is great - i understand what you're saying, and agree with you, although (maybe the rules in Australia are different) I'm not so sure about not being allowed to use your sirens at night - I often hear them, regardless of time (I live fairly close to a Police station).
But yes, Police should obey traffic laws as well as we should, but hey, its not like you're gonna have the police police or anything, is it??

Thank you. Nice to read that, even when I don't believe you...

There actually is a way to police the police (at least in Argentina). You can call the police line, ask to speak with the officer in charge, and file a report against the cop(s) at fault. I've used it (once, on a cop that was allowing taxies to park on the wrong side of the street), and within 15 minutes the cop was being handcuffed.

But then again, I don't know if that'd work anywhere else.

[Ryan]

Definitely not. We live in the land where cops aren't held to their actions.

Look up all the law suits against them which were ridiculously lost... For cops jumping the gun, literally, and killing defenseless (albiet perhaps drunken or dazed) people, natives, or using tazers recklessly, or EXCESSIVELY... I watched a documentary on a few cases. Clearly biased documentaries, but the fact that the problem exists at all, and the statistics are rather shocking... ratio of convicted to sentenced police officers. Always have some dumb crap to blame it on that no normal person would get away with.

[MrMazda92]

Definitely not. We live in the land where cops aren't held to their actions.

Look up all the law suits against them which were ridiculously lost... For cops jumping the gun, literally, and killing defenseless (albiet perhaps drunken or dazed) people, natives, or using tazers recklessly, or EXCESSIVELY... I watched a documentary on a few cases. Clearly biased documentaries, but the fact that the problem exists at all, and the statistics are rather shocking... ratio of convicted to sentenced police officers. Always have some dumb crap to blame it on that no normal person would get away with.

x2 for this, without a doubt.

I was going downtown yesterday in a 25, driving about 25-28 MPH, and a Deputy Sheriff passed me going ~40 MPH, then turned into a Gov't Parking garage without a signal, slamming on his brakes last minute to do so.

Thing is, if I'd gone 30 MPH(as he was passing me), I'd have been ticketed, and likely mocked for my driving record.

I have been driving for 6 years.

I was pulled over last October for the first time ever, and ticketed with careless driving. Allegedly 35 MPH in a "School Zone", at the Private school my sister attended. I'm alumni there, and it's not a school zone. It was also physically impossible to go 35 in that parking lot. There are 3 speed bumps on the corner I allegedly sped through, all about 10" across and 3.5-4" high, my rear right strut was shorn in half at the time of my ticket. I'd just purchased the car, and hadn't had an opportunity to repair it yet, I documented this with pictures and my receipt of the repair(as well as a statement from the Goodyear that did it).

I went into court with this evidence, where the EPD officer stated that he heard me rapidly accelerate from inside the building, then chased me down(he pulled me over ~4-5 miles away from the school, on the highway)

After I submitted my evidence, including an audio clip of my car idling(My exhaust was cut off, it was loud and proud to say the least), and the statement of the Goodyear manager(family friend), the EPD officer changed his story to having SEEN me take the corner at ~35 MPH.

The judge cited me with careless driving, a ticket which negatively contributed to my reckless driving ticket this july. This ticket was even more idiotic, and it carries a criminal penalty. Needless to say, I pulled out all the stops and hired a very well known defense attorney, and have a half dozen reputable witnesses on my side.

There was police mis-conduct involved, as well as a false statement from the star "witness", and a laundry list of other crap involved.

Needless to say, I'm going in guns blazing on this one. I will NOT have another repeat of last years case, and this time I get a jury. No a---covering by the Government on this one, eh?

The best part, is I've had 2 tickets in the last month where both officers mentioned my 2 priors(1 of which still pending) in a taunting manner.

The fact that they can SEE a pending ticket, and taunt me with it... is disgusting, to say the least.

I am a careful driver, almost to a fault. I incessantly b---- about other drivers not signalling, speeding, cutting me off, having loud exhausts, etc. I berate the people I know when they drive unsafely, and more often than not offer people driving lessons. Would you like to know the best part? I have put more miles on cars in the last 24 months than my Mother, Father, and Girlfriend combined.

I have put over 100,000 miles on cars in the last 2 years. I can say with absolute certainty that I am in the top 5% safest drivers in my city. I swear that on my life.

The fact of the matter is this, I was wrongly convicted of a ridiculous violation last year, because an officer of the law didn't want to look like an idiot. He couldn't even remember what color my car was in court, what a tool eh?

This conviction led to another, much more damaging ticket, and 2 small/otherwise insignificant tickets.

If I beat my reckless, I have a much better chance of beating the other 2 tickets. Wish me luck, would you? Maybe a little justice can be served, and my record will be kept safe from further slander.

[Ryan]

I've had my share of ridiculous run ins with the police.

#1) "119" in a 90. This was definitely only 110, which is still 20 over, but if you consider the fact that the road is straighter and clearer than any you've probably ever driven on (Manitoba) and that its a municipal road (law states municipal roads speed limit is max 90) which makes it a political, and not geographic reason for the speed limit....

He pulled me over about 200m from my road, asked me where I was going, I pointed to my house and he said, and I quote "Almost made it eh?" Rude fucker. That ticket was a months savings for tuition.

The hundreds of people who drive down there doing 120 in their mini vans and trucks? No problems. I know, because I've been IN THEM with people.
Little black two door? Red flag.

#2) One of the bays in my tiny town got fresh asphalt. It was very pretty. I had my old a-- worn out tires on my car, and went for a little drive around it, and squeeeeeeeeeeek go the tires around the corners. I was NOT speeding, I made a point of it.

OFF DUTY cop chases me down a few blocks later, clearly speeding, in his cobalt, to stop his car in the middle of the road at an intersection, run over to me, and yell. He asks me if I have any weapons He tells me that I endangered all the children on that block because he could hear my reckless driving and my loss of control. And what he woulda done if he were on duty... blah blah blah...

#3) My pot head buddy gets pulled over goin 40 down a gravel road, on his way home from McDonalds, his vehicle a serious hot box, every one is jacked. Cops makes him roll down the window and the weed smoke pours out, but he's got cigarettes. Cop brings him into his car, asks him a few questions, and lets him off with a warning...

#4) SAME pot head buddy gets T-boned pulling onto a clear, divided highway. He is found not at fault, because his daddy knew the cop.

#6) SAME pot head buddy has written off three vehicles, and lots of other s---, the cops don't bug him. I pass out behind the wheel and loose my license for a year, totally f---ing with my schooling, work, and costing me a LOT of money and time for millions of dollars worth of medical tests.

I really think I just have bad luck, but the idea that they're totally chasing down the wrong people is super annoying... My Pot head buddy has sank enough cars into the ditch trying to light his bong on an icy highway while driving...

I'm a freakin' honour roll engineering student with a very comprehensive understanding of vehicles and their limits. I build a formula car with SAE in my spare time, or shits sakes. Leave me alone and go hunt down the people who have no clue what they're doing behind the wheel... like the people who stop in merging lanes, the people who drive recklessly for real (Audi S4 I see going 200+ down that 90 a few times a week) and the freakin' pot heads who couldn't see a semi coming in their lane if they were going the wrong way down a one way...

[wytbishop]

Stop it...you're breaking my heart.

Yes...people get screwed and yes...some cops are dicks. But you sound like a bunch of teething infants.

MAN THE F$%& UP AND STOP MOANING ABOUT HOW THE WORLD IS OUT TO GET YOU. PRESERVE YOUR F&(*ING DIGNITY AND DEAL WITH IT LIKE A GROWN UP!


You want the truth...here it is and it sucks. You're a punk. When I was young I was a punk and I got lots of attention from cops because I acted like a punk. And then I figured it out and started acting like a man. As if by magic, I stopped getting all that attention. Anyone see a correlation?

Mr. Mazda...you got pulled over because your car sounded like it was going full bore. "My exhaust was cut off, it was loud and proud to say the least"

YOU CHOSE TO DRIVE A CAR AROUND WITH NO FRICKIN' EXHAUST!!! WHAT DID YOU THINK WOULD HAPPEN??? BE A MAN AND ACCEPT THAT THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE YOU MADE A STUPID CHOICE. A MORE INTELLIGENT DECISION ON YOUR PART WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THAT. period. Was the officer wrong? Maybe. Did he embellish the facts? Perhaps, but I bet you're not being entirely forthright either. My experience tells me that the guy who got a careless driving citation and then a reckless driving citation probably did something to earn it whether he believes it or not.

None of this will change until you take some responsibility and start acting like a man. And for God's sake stop moaning on the damn internet about it. It makes you sound pathetic. Take your shitty lumps and learn from it and do it with some dignity.

That's what a man would do...in case you were wondering.

[Ryan]

Its nice to b---- sometimes.... I already knew that the "real men" and soccer moms get off easier than "punks"

There's a whole 'nother topic about that.

My grade 11 English prof was a smaller lady, and she drives a v6 auto mustang. Cops pull her over on the highway for speeding before the trucks passing her.

I'm not sure what your point is? Just suck it up till you look old enough to be left alone?

Are you saying the system is without flaws or unfair biases?

What about a (rather attractive) female friend I know, who ran a stop sign will trying to eat her take out while driving? She saw the lights behind her, slammed the brakes, and spilled it everywhere. Cop comes up to her window, sees the food everywhere and her crying, and tells her to have a nice day and walks away. True fricken story.

The real truth is that no matter how many b---- how hard, a self regulating governing body will hardly ever bend to public opinion, period. Welcome to MPI in Manitoba. They'll continue to do whatever they feel in order to maintain revenue....

I agree that this thread is useless, but I don't condemn it.