Why can't the police obey traffic laws?

1. 77

   brimancandyposted 14 years ago

   Is anyone else tired of the police doing whatever they want while they are operating a vehicle, while they pull people over for the most tiny break of a law?
   
   I was once pulled over by a cop, and I could not figure out what I did wrong. Well, it turns out that the tiny light over my license plate was out. I didn't even know I had a license plate light. The officer acted likie I was hauling crack.
   
   It irks me that I get pulled over for something like that while the cops break every traffic law in the books. For example, going the wrong way up a highway exit ramp, so they can get into position to chase speeders. Aren't they worried that someone might be coming onto the ramp, and hit them head on?
   
   Here are two more examples.
   
   I was driving on a country road at 2 ocklock in the morning, and just as I am turning onto the highway, this car comes flying up behind me, with no headlights, no nothing. Just a pitch black car about ready to slam into the backside of my car, so I pull over to get out of the way...and then all of the sudden all the lights come on and it's a highway cop.
   
   He asks me if I know why he pulled me over...And, I said. Buddy you didn't pull me over, I pulled over and you pulled in behind me. I'm not blind. I was trying to get out of your way, I thought you were going to smash into my car, and I pulled over.
   You didn't turn on your lights until you stopped.
   
   Well, he gave me this BS story of how he was following me, and I was driving fast. And, I said. No. I was slowing down to turn onto the highway, and you came out of nowhere. You scared the crap out of me, and, I'm not happy about it.
   
   Well, he took my information and let me go. People in the area say that the cops often do a stealth swoop, and pull over the first person they see, to see if they can catch a drunk. Well, unknown to that jackass. I didn't have a drop of alcohol, I don't smoke, or do drugs. So he was out of luck.
   
   The final straw came tonight. (9/16/2010) I am returning from up north after visiting my mother, and I am driving down a divided highway in the dark, and I see a car coming toward me
   on the right side of the road, Going in the wrong direction with no lights on. And, I'm thinking. I'll bet that's a cop.
   
   Sure enough, I looked out my drivers side window, and could clearly see the cop car passing me going in the wrong direction.
   He suddenly does a U-turn, and gets right behind me. So, I said, you want to play games. I slowed down to 40 in a 55, and he follwed me for quite a ways with no lights, and finally pulled over to the side of the road. I looked in my rear view mirror, and he turned around, and headed back up the road still going the wrong way with no lights on.
   
   I hope a semi-driver finds that fucker. Not only is he breaking the law, he is putting other peoples lives in danger doing it.
   How is anyone supposed to know if someone is coming toward them on a one-way street, if they don't have any lights on in the dark? By the time you see him, it might be too late.
   
   Any comments?

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      Amy Bechererposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      This problem is one that appears to be very valid. and troubling with devastating implications. Here in St. Louis, two young sisters were killed by a head-on with a policeman speeding at over 100 mph while talking on his cellphone.  He got off with probation.  The police are notoriously underpaid and unhappy about it, the state offices are all struggling with a huge deficit.  Now, cops are pulling "speeders" going 1 mph over the limit.  I read a news article that warned drivers about this very real possibility.  Personally, my daughter was taken to jail on non-moving violations after a cop stopped her for illegal plates and a false accusation of not having insurance, even after producing her insurance card.  It took my contacting our state rep in Jeff City, who not only was able to have the $900 bail returned to me, but I got a written apology from the police department.  The devastation produced by these rogue police, who chose their profession, to protect and serve, is a national disgrace.

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2. 67

   alternate poetposted 14 years ago

   The police are not answerable to anyone except their own set up bodies.  This is clearly irresponsible totalitarian behaviour.
   
   On these lines, I was driving my son's roadworthy, licenced and MOT'd but very scruffy car near my home and got pulled over by a rude aggressive arrogant wan*ker who strutted round and round the car trying to find fault, examined all my documents to try and find fault and eventually gave up and 'let me off with a warning' for - nothing !
   
   Later that week I was driving my BMW 735 too fast (near my home) and got pulled over by a police officer who informed me my tail light was not working. I told him to follow behind me to the next filling station where I would get it repaired - and he obeyed like a puppy, even helping to replace the lamp.

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   1. 77

      brimancandyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      If your BMW incident happened in Michigan, and you had a prior incident, you probably would have got a citation. The police know that people that drive a BMW can afford to pay a parking fine. One of the reasons why you see so many pieces of crap on the road, because the police don't bother to ticket people if they know there is no money in it.
      
      You'll also notice that they will haul away a newer car that they find broken down on the side of the road, while a junker might sit there for weeks before it is hauled away. the new car will go to impound, and the junker goes straight to the junkyard. Unless someone claims it.
      
      I know a few people who know the local police all too well.

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      Jim Hunterposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      "On these lines, I was driving my son's roadworthy, licenced and MOT'd but very scruffy car near my home and got pulled over by a rude aggressive arrogant wan*ker"
      
      Must suck to live in a country where probable cause isn't needed to pull someone over.
      
      "Later that week I was driving my BMW 735 too fast (near my home) and got pulled over by a police officer who informed me my tail light was not working. I told him to follow behind me to the next filling station where I would get it repaired - and he obeyed like a puppy, even helping to replace the lamp."
      
      Pardon me, would you have any Grey Poupon?

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         alternate poetposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         what is this ?

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         1. 79

            thisisoliposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            I had to ask my wife that when we were watching waynes world.

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            1. 67

               alternate poetposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               and what is Wayne's world,  while you are getting around to telling me what a grey poupon actually is  ?

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                  Jim Hunterposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                  Try Google, its one of those second rate products created by Americans.

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3. 91

   habeeposted 14 years ago

   Cops are like every other group - good ones and bad ones. Some of ours are criminals, while others are truly honest and helpful.

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4. 60

   A la carteposted 14 years ago

   I am sure the majority of police officers act responsibly. Unfortunately those officers can do 100 good things and it only takes one idiotic cop to spoil it for the rest. Sounds that you have met your fair share.

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   1. 77

      brimancandyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I have met a few good ones. But, most that I have come across seem to think that they are law, and the actual laws they are supposed to enforce are secondary. I can think of many other officers that I would have liked to report, for just being total pricks. Including two women!
      
      I once had a friend who got the crap kicked out of him outside of a local bar, and when the police arrived we pointed out the guys who did the beating, they wouldn't do a damn thing about it, and just let them walk away. I got into an argument with one of the cops, and he tried to arrest me for some interupting an officer on duty charge.
      
      Well, the cops all left, and three of us carried my friend four blocks to the local hospital so he could get the care he needed. The cops could have given a rats ass about my friend, and didn't bother to assist in any medical aid, they pretty much just told us to forget the whole thing happened and go home, and they left.
      
      But, I will bet if the exact situation happened in an airport, the police would have dropped on those guys like a ton of bricks. I think the police only care about what happens where the money is, and nowhere else. One reason why you'll never see them hanging out in the hood.

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5. 59

   Lita C. Malicdemposted 14 years ago

   Policemen aren't the same. Like civilians, there are the good ones and the bad, too. Of course we don't glorify the bad ones, we also need to help discipline them. Report their wrongdoings to proper authorities to be assured at least of positive results.

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   CASE1WORKERposted 14 years ago

   they break traffic laws cos they have stripes on the side and blues and twos on the top!which are very necessary if you need to get to the fish and chip shop and there is a queue.
   
   Still with the cuts the no of cars is being reduced in the UK and they are being forced to get on the buses and ride in hot pursuit on their bikes!

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7. 60

   Evan G Rogersposted 14 years ago

   Let's see...
   
   we've given these "Police" institutions a monopoly on privilege on enforcing the law...
   
   ... and now we're wondering why they're slow to respond, they're over paid, they're jerks, they don't obey the rules, and they only rarely serve a valuable purpose?
   
   ... sounds to me like all we have to do to fix the situation is make the management responsible! Privatize!

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   1. 77

      brimancandyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Making the police department run by a private company instead of the government would be a huge mistake. Then what? does the company support the police with investors? And how does this company make money? Do they get a goverment kickback?
      
      And how many companies would stick with the police before they drop them at the first sign of a major lawsuit. Or, just drop them because they aren't performing as expected. Would be about as smart as the idea of
      making social security run by a private company. It would be very bad.
      
      That is about as bad an idea as bush wanting to turn the welfare program over to the church. How in the heck did he expect the church to pay for it? with old donated food? only a small handfull of churches are well off through donations, the rest get just enough to keep themselves going.

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8. 79

   thisisoliposted 14 years ago

   Fortunately most of my police experiences in Austin so far have been good ones, however I do think it is funny how the motorcycle cops will drive up a highway grass embankment to save a few minutes in traffic and the like, complete disregard of the law.

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      Jim Hunterposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Maybe they are answering a call.
      
      They don't always use lights and sirens to do that.
      
      Or they could be trying to save time in traffic.
      
      Who knows.

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9. 51

   Negativeposted 14 years ago

   I've been harassed by local cops.  My truck stands out... WAAAAY OUT...  I have been ticketed too many times to count.  I've beaten most tickets.  Here's how you do it:  The average IQ of a police officer in the US is 86...  That's right, 86.  You beat that cop by being able to read or write or speak.  I can stand in any courtroom and have my facts straighter than any retard-cop can any day of the week.  I take pictures.  I call witnesses.  I do all of that crap the day I appear for my ticket.  The cop shows up reading his notes, and I have 12 people ready to testify on my behalf.  99% of the tickets are dropped.  My trick?  I give 10 people standing around smoking cigs outside the courthouse $5 each to show up and sit on my side of the room.  I just spent $50 and got out of a bullshit $400 speeding ticket (I never speed more than 5 miles or so over the limit, but the fines are waaaay out of control).  Stupid cops?  ABSOLUTELY.  I've been doing 70 in a 55, and was passed by a cop, just to end up at the same place as him (McDonalds).  No lights, no sirens, just lunch. (The above has been rare, but has happened).  I guess if I had a badge, a gun, and a fast car, I'd be speeding, confiscating pot, and shooting people just for fun.  Like the cops do now.  PS:  My neighbor is a county cop, and NEVER works, but has a county police vehicle sitting in his driveway 24/7.  I'd bet that car could be used to stop the many bank robberies that seem to be happening in my area!  I have ZERO confidence in the local police department. I'd rather some 'tard shows up with a gun and no clue, but was trained,  than the "usual":  some 'tard shows up with a gun and no clue.  Shame on you, police chiefs...  shame on you, sheriffs, shame on you, law enforcement officers.

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      Negativeposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      If anyone wants to listen to me rant about stupid cops, or wants to hear the absolutely RETARED stories of ineptitude or complete abuse of power, let me know.  I have many more true (personal) accounts of corruption, graft, and outright felonious activities of law enforcement hilarity to share.

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10. 0

    khmohsinposted 14 years ago

    both types of corps exist, good one and bad one.
    
    Mostly cops are hungry to catch people to get promotion or rewards. So they try hard to get a chance. Also they get bonus and some percentage from the fine.
    So why would they miss that golden chance

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11. 59

    triosolposted 14 years ago

    They are not answerable to anyone except their own setup.

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12. 60

    Jonathan Jancoposted 14 years ago

    Hey I'm from a place where NOBODY obeys the traffic laws. So many people here in Southern CT have such a sense of entitlement that, as a full-time pedestrian, I'm lucky to still be alive. I was in a car once that got severely rear ended, and the woman driving the other car wouldn't get off her cellphone even when the cops were ticketing her . . . and she wasn't calling for a ride she was on the same call she was on when she hit us.

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13. 66

    b. Malinposted 14 years ago

    When all is said and done....Can't one make a CITIZENS  ARREST....Think of it, you chase down the bad cop....tell him to pull over, borrow his equipment and phone it in!   What a wonderful world this would be!

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