Strange interaction with Police Vehicle

[MuseChaser]

https://www.timesnews.net/living/fam...35aa3a07a.html

Happened to come across this article a few minutes ago.... sure glad this "asshole" was around...

[weederr33]

Originally Posted by MuseChaser

I couldn't disagree more. 99% of the interactions I've had with police, regardless of who initiated the interaction (i.e., they pulled me over, or I contacted them for help with an issue), have been pleasant, professional, and courteous on both parts (their part, and my part). This is a MUCH better percentage than interacting with pretty much any other segment of the professional population.

Especially in today's world where the police are continuously and unjustly bashed in the media, I really wish you hadn't posted that statement. Generally, there are indeed "assholes" in any profession, any walk of life, and any ethnicity/gender/whatever. Stating that "cops seem to generally be assholes" may say more about one's own attitudes than anything else. I have NEVER, and I mean NEVER, seen a cop be an "asshole" towards anyone who wasn't breaking the law or being argumentative, uncooperative, disrespectful, rude, or otherwise... well.... being an "asshole." There are, without a doubt, an isolated few who are "assholes" and shouldn't be cops, but in NO way, shape, or form, is that even close to "generally" the case.

Not to open a can of worms. My intention is to CLOSE that can.

I'd say 9/10 times my interactions with police have been good. They are usually calm, not threatening, nor malicious. However, coming from a small town, I have had my fair share of cops who think they are the law and will be demeaning. But that's pretty rare.

[bcj]

Washington Sheriffs vow to say "Fork You" to any state law they feel like.

[MuseChaser]

Originally Posted by bcj

Washington Sheriffs vow to say "Fork You" to any state law they feel like.

An interesting way of presenting the article link, which in no way represents the article. Talk about out of control spin. Sheriffs are elected by the people, to serve the people. These sheriffs are pledging to serve the wishes of those who elected them by upholding the constitution and specifically the 2nd amendment. They showed no disrespect, no vulgarity, nor a desire to disobey "any state law they feel like." Not even close.

[bcj]

They are picking and choosing what THEY want to enforce.

The people they represent set the laws.

Not a few of the people they represent.

Yes. It really is a thing.

[MuseChaser]

Originally Posted by bcj

They are picking and choosing what THEY want to enforce.

They are choosing to uphold the constitution. In the eye of a large percentage of the country, potentially the majority, and definitely in the majority of their local constituencies, that would hardly be viewed as being "picky."

Originally Posted by bcj

The people they represent set the laws.

Not a few of the people they represent.

100% wrong. The elected officials and politicians, specifically the legislature, set the laws. By definition, that is, indeed, a very few of the people they represent. Additionally, statewide laws are typically set and driven by the very, very few large cities within the state, ignoring for the most part the wishes of the vast majority of people living in the vast majority of the state which, regardless of the state, is NOT comprised of cities. These sheriffs are, indeed, representing the people who elected them, and not the very few who made laws against their wishes.

This concept is one of the MANY reasons our founding fathers envisioned a "United States," with states' rights independent of absolute federal governance, and the Electoral College (so that one or two extremely powerful large states with a few extremely large cities don't dictate their desires to the rest of the states).

These sheriffs are doing the job they were elected, by the people, to do, and they're doing it with class, without vulgarity, without a thirst for power over their constituency, and with clear pragmatic thought and respect. They are upholding the rights and wishes of the people who elected them, not the laws set by a few elected officials against the wishes of the majority.

[2020BRZtS]

Originally Posted by p1l0t

Some of the older cops can't see as well anymore and they have to get close to read your plate and run it through their little computer. Another good reason not to road rage even if they do deserve it. (You never know who it is).

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

This is true to an extent but I think they have scanners on the front of their cars that feed their laptop. in general, police do a lot on the roads we don't see. I know I am frequently paced and checked... once they see my license on their screen they don't even bother pulling me over. I know this because when they pass they wave at me. We see tow trucks towing away cars all the time for seemingly minor infractions but as a bystander don't have the whole story. The driver could have warrants... car could be stolen, etc.

We have a fairly recent law added to our roads that if there is any activity going on in the shoulder (traffic stop, tow truck, broken down vehicle) we have to either move out of the right lane or drop 20 MPH below the posted limit. Be careful driving through PA if you are just passing through.

Fun fact: the only vehicle exempt from traffic laws is a US mail truck.

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by MuseChaser

They are choosing to uphold the constitution. In the eye of a large percentage of the country, potentially the majority, and definitely in the majority of their local constituencies, that would hardly be viewed as being "picky."



100% wrong. The elected officials and politicians, specifically the legislature, set the laws. By definition, that is, indeed, a very few of the people they represent. Additionally, statewide laws are typically set and driven by the very, very few large cities within the state, ignoring for the most part the wishes of the vast majority of people living in the vast majority of the state which, regardless of the state, is NOT comprised of cities. These sheriffs are, indeed, representing the people who elected them, and not the very few who made laws against their wishes.

This concept is one of the MANY reasons our founding fathers envisioned a "United States," with states' rights independent of absolute federal governance, and the Electoral College (so that one or two extremely powerful large states with a few extremely large cities don't dictate their desires to the rest of the states).

These sheriffs are doing the job they were elected, by the people, to do, and they're doing it with class, without vulgarity, without a thirst for power over their constituency, and with clear pragmatic thought and respect. They are upholding the rights and wishes of the people who elected them, not the laws set by a few elected officials against the wishes of the majority.

I think you are putting a bit of your own spin on the matter, but for the most part the constituency and representation bits are correct. However, I think you would be surprised to learn that most "red" and "blue" counties are far from unanimous. Usually you will see 30-70 or even 60-40 on election maps.

But that's politics...

[soundman98]

Originally Posted by MuseChaser

I couldn't disagree more. 99% of the interactions I've had with police, regardless of who initiated the interaction (i.e., they pulled me over, or I contacted them for help with an issue), have been pleasant, professional, and courteous on both parts (their part, and my part). This is a MUCH better percentage than interacting with pretty much any other segment of the professional population.

Especially in today's world where the police are continuously and unjustly bashed in the media, I really wish you hadn't posted that statement. Generally, there are indeed "assholes" in any profession, any walk of life, and any ethnicity/gender/whatever. Stating that "cops seem to generally be assholes" may say more about one's own attitudes than anything else. I have NEVER, and I mean NEVER, seen a cop be an "asshole" towards anyone who wasn't breaking the law or being argumentative, uncooperative, disrespectful, rude, or otherwise... well.... being an "asshole." There are, without a doubt, an isolated few who are "assholes" and shouldn't be cops, but in NO way, shape, or form, is that even close to "generally" the case.

Not to open a can of worms. My intention is to CLOSE that can.

that might have more to do with you locale as well. every time i've had to ask a cop for assistance, they act like i'm a hassle and an inconvenience to their routine, usually after it takes an hour or more for them to respond. the only officer i've ever seen even so much as smile while in uniform is the D.A.R.E. officer in grade school..

my biggest problem is really how above the law they really are--the majority of the time, i can call out unmarked police cars in traffic based on a lack of turn signal usage while rapidly switching lanes/speeding, or the number of cops that consistently use their flashing lights to get through stopped intersections at the end of their shift to get back to base faster (a number of towns near me, i know to steer clear of main intersections around shift change time for this reason). we entrust them to be upstanding citizens, and should be easily held to a higher standard, yet that standard seems to be constantly adjusting to a lower bar. and hey, if anything happens, they just move to another police force somewhere else to shirk the repercussions of their actions because there's such a need for officers that departments will take almost anyone that applies.

sorry, i'm bitter about it because i want to see the good in people, yet, my interactions on the street and in person with cops indicate a lack of care, and a guy 'just punching a clock'. the stories of cops playing basketball while on shift or helping tend to get headlines in the chicagoland area because the situations are outliers, and don't fit the norms.

[soundman98]

Originally Posted by bcj

Washington Sheriffs vow to say "Fork You" to any state law they feel like.

is there more local history to this article like local lawmakers offering up more stringent gun laws? or are they responding specifically to the president offering more stringent gun laws?

while it's a nice article, i just like to remind people that illinois and chicago already tried all of that...

for decades, illinois had a concealed carry ban--since 1949. it was only recently repealed in 2012 because it violated the constitution.

not to mention chicago, and oak park both had handgun bans on record that were repealed in 2010 for being unconstitutional.

but of note, the highest shooting times for chicago was in the 1990's, where it was legally impossible to own a hand gun within chicago. this article is from 2015:
https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2015/01...ou-look-at-it/

but as a state officer in this case--who have been sworn in to uphold state law, assuming they're going against state law makers, it will be interesting to see if they actually have the right as employees of the state to sign and state that they'll not abide/enforce the state laws they agreed to uphold.

[bcj]

Originally Posted by MuseChaser

They are choosing to uphold the constitution. In the eye of a large percentage of the country, potentially the majority, and definitely in the majority of their local constituencies, that would hardly be viewed as being "picky."

Certainly not the majority. Only the hog leg fondlers.
Area vs. population.

[VIP BRZ]

This thread went in a little bit of a direction I hadn't intended. I didn't make my original post to incite any kind of negativity toward police enforcement or there practices. simply to get some more information and opinions on the occurrence.
but thank you everyone for the reply's!

Originally Posted by FR-S2GT86

The statements below apply only to roadways within the US, as I don't have experience driving in other countries (well Canada a few times, but that doesn't really count.)

With my work, I drive sometimes up to 1000 miles a week. One of my biggest pet peeves is Left-Lane Louies (or Left-Lane Lou Lous if they're female) HOGGING the passing lane and pissing everyone else off who want to go faster, and can't because of it.

I eco this sentiment, if you are in the far left lane and your not going AS FAST AS POSSIBLE, there's a special pace in hell for you..

The amount of times I have been behind someone with absolutely NO awareness of what is going on behind them is astounding, flashing bright with my left signal on for miles and they still don't even glance in the mirror

Originally Posted by McMCOO

Was there room to pass to the left when he was riding you or the second car he tailgated? I agree with all the theories presented as possible. Did anybody else pass you that might have been an unmarked cop? It's possible he was part of a follow, trying to catch up without using lights to the front to spook the fish.

If officers/detectives are trying to follow someone as part of an investigation or in order to stop a car after getting enough units to do it safely, driving like a bit of a butthole without the "excuse me" lights is certainly something that happens. Let's say you are an officer following someone wanted for a felony, and you are pacing from a safe distance in an unmarked car keeping other traffic between you and the bad guy. Other officers try to catch up so that you can have a few people with you so things don't go off the rails. If the other cops trying to catch up are running lights and siren from a mile back, things are likely not going to go as planned, and to the detriment of public safety.

Although I don't know if this totally excuses the amount of ass riding that was gong on...

There really was not room to pass on the left in either situation. I could see how this could have been some sort of chase operation I bullhead' d my way into unknowingly. (I didn't see more police activity as i continued my drive)

In retrospect maybe a quick flash of the lights was really a lucky outcome of the situation

If this officer really wanted to be an asshole they probably could have ticket me with something ridiculous like reckless driving, or impeding police activity or something bonkers

Originally Posted by 2020BRZtS

This doesn't explain what happened but may explain the vehicle.

We have police cars like that in our area. They are called "chasers". They are completely unmarked but have a light bar in the rear window and usually follow behind another emergency vehicle... not aggressively but within a quarter to half mile.

I do believe now it was some sort of chaser car, but I have no idea what they may have been chasing down. I didn't see anything out of the ordinary on the rest of my drive into work.

[humfrz]

Over the past 60 some years I have lived in (and driven in) Ohio, Kentucky, Georgia, Germany, California, Connecticut, Missouri and Washington.

I have been pulled over several times by LEOs. With one exception, I found the officers polite and just doing their job.

I only contested one speeding ticket and that was in Los Banos, CA. I found out the hard way, NEVER, no NEVER contest a ticket in the court in Los Banos. Why? Because the judge, the sheriff and the sheriffs deputy are all related (read inbred). -

[Capt Spaulding]

Originally Posted by FR-S2GT86

Last year, coming home from a friends' house late at night going exactly the speed limit, (as far as my speedometer indicated) I passed by a local patrolman parked in the median on a four-lane highway. About a quarter mile later, I looked back in my side-view mirror and noticed his headlights pull out from the median as he engaged pursuit at an extremely rapid speed, then when he caught up to me about half a minute later, proceeded to tailgate me within 15 feet at 55 mph for almost a mile.

He finally initiated a traffic stop and I pulled to the side of the road. A very young rookie law enforcement officer (I'm not even sure he had pubes, he looked so young) approached my vehicle on the passenger side and I rolled that window down and asked him what the emergency was. He stated that he just wanted to tell me that my license plate light was out. He didn't even ask for my identification or proof of financial coverage. I thanked him and told him I would get it fixed, then he let me go.

Surely it was a legitimate stop.....however.....was his actions of driving at such a high rate of speed without his emergency lights on and his blatant and egregious tailgating necessary for the circumstance of a burnt-out license plate light?

...

What you may have experienced was a pretextual stop by an inexperienced and poorly trained leo.

I've had is happen several times. Once returning from lunch I was pulled over for not signaling a left turn from a signal protected left turn lane.

The cop and I chatted for a bit during which I remarked that his was a clearly pretextual stop and I was wondering what he hoped to accomplish. He hemmed and hawed a bit and finally told me it was because his department had issued a directive to make the department more visible in the community. I can think of more effective and positive ways to do it.

I don't think ALL cops are assholes, but far too large a proportion are now trained in ways that lead them to treat every civilian encounter adversarially. Of my last 5 or so encounters with a law enforcement type, in one I'd call the officer's demeanor respectful - in the others the person was belligerent, demanding, accusatory or simply rude.

That does not impress the community positively.