Dealing with the po-po

Thanks Derstuka but I gotta warn you of guilt by association now ha ha! I'm not really annoyed by the flak because I know that we all speed. I got this PM:

I agree with you I just can't post in open forum. Balls aren't as big as yours or made from brass for that matter. Good Luck! If somebody gets way out of line i GOT YOUR BACK!

To protect the innocent I won't reveal who sent me that PM.

Oh, and see how Drewl called me a squid? If you see his signature he's got this quote Haul ass, screamin' as you go!

Does that sound like a law-abiding citizen who always follows the speed limit and contributes to the sheriff's department? Just saying...

As for the heat coming here and all, well, I see cops speed on highways where they enforce the speed limit. And no, they're not speeding to answer a call. Does that sound right?

As for squidly "gear" I'm always fully geared with jacket,helmet,boots and gloves. You can see product reviews I have posted:

http://vfrworld.com/forums/apparel-reviews/13363-tcx-airtech-touring-boots.html

http://vfrworld.com/forums/apparel-reviews/12501-6th-gear-python-motorcycle-jacket.html

http://vfrworld.com/forums/apparel-reviews/11426-alpinestars-gp-plus-racing-gloves.html

You'll note I haven't posted any reviews of flip flops

In conclusion, all I really wanted to do is see if anyone had any good advice for avoiding the dreaded ticket and share my experiences as well. I'm pretty surprised at the reaction I got too. Maybe I'll start a thread on running from the law stories that'll get everyone fired up ha ha!!

 

After reading this one and a very few others, think I will unsubscribe from this dribble

 

I told myself I wasn't gonna respond to this thread anymore but I gotta ask

So if I understand correctly, you're saying you don't mind if a semi blows through a red light and takes out your family as long as your local police department has all those gas-drive-offs apprehended. Thats just absolutely crazy. Maybe you don't see the need for traffic enforcement but I dare say you have never knocked on a door at 3 am and told a mother her daughter was killed in a car crash due to speed. When you have that misfortune you may see why traffic officers are so faithful to their jobs.

VFRstar said it in a prior thread much better than I can:
"As a police officer, I don't expect most of you to understand why we enforce laws like speeding, which seem silly and useless to you. I don't expect you to understand what it's like to see the twisted metal, the dead bodies and the crying mothers when we have to notify them their child died in a car accident, and the cause of the accident was speed. It happens, and it happens far more than it should.

I know your answer... "Well those are the people that the law should be enforced upon, not me. Even though I drive 20 miles an hour over the limit, I do it safely." Obviously we can't pick and choose who we enforce the law upon; my radar does not have a teenager setting on it. And regardless how safe you think you are driving, and how lucky you may have been all these years, you don't know what will happen tomorrow.

Laws are there to protect us, sometimes from ourselves. It's our job to enforce those for your safety and the safety of the people around you. My job is no different than yours, I have a boss and a book, and they tell me what to do. The only difference is I don't follow you to your job and complain to your boss, the papers, and everyone I meet when I think you made a wrong decision."

KC, I hate you had a bad experience with East TN officers. Like I said earlier there are bad ones out there and we all have a bad day occasionally (I bet the military is like that also). Next time you come to the dragon give me a shout, I'd like to buy you a cold Pepsi and thank you for your service to our country.:usa2:

 

I don't hate the PD, I hate the way they do business. If you are an LEO, chances are, I would think you're a perfectly normal, likeable person. I just don't like your job. I understand you must satisfactorily perform your job or you'd get fired. Just because the PD has a job to do doesn't mean I like the way they do business.

Yes, I see traffic enforcement as EXTREMELY overzealous at the expense of common sense. I believe it is completely insane to have officers generating revenue from traffic stops while there are other things they can be doing. Why do I believe this? Simple, police have ZERO affect on traffic. Drivers will do what they want, when they want, however they want. Statistics prove this 1000 times over. Speed limits have no noticable affect on speed but they have a huge affect on the revenue of the jurisdiction If traffic laws were so important, why are the fines little more than an inconvienence? Make the fine for 5mph over the limit $1000 & not a single solitary person would speed, ever. The fines are what they are just to generate revenue. Make the 1st offense for speeding a week in jail & no one would speed, ever. This will never happen. Why? It's all about revenue generation. I'm sorry the LEO's on the forum don't agree with this, but it is reality. We all know reality sucks at times & this is one of them.

Almost every NON TRAFFIC dealing (for lack of a better term) I've had with the police has been less than stellar.
Examples:
1) When my first 2000 VFR was stolen, the cops didn't do a damn thing, that's right they didn't do anything. I had to call a lawyer just to get the PD to do a report to submit to my insurance. Getting that report took me over 2 weeks. Every call I made, they blew me off & said something about being overworked. That's fine, I know all about being overworked. The problem I have is, if they are so overworked for other matters, why on earth are the officers sitting behind billoboards generating revenue? Their superiors clearly state they are overworked on criminal matters yet traffic citations/revenue generation is more important?
2) When my neighbor was attacked by stray dogs, the PD didn't show up when I called. After 4 more calls, I got them to show up by asking if I could shoot the dogs. When they did, they didn't rush to the attention of the man mauled just minutes earlier, no, they asked me, "Where is the gun? When you called, you said you had a gun".
3) When I observed a squid pulling a monster, stand up wheelie IN FRONT OF THE LEO BUILDING, on the AFB no less, I followed the individual to the front gate, managed to get the plate # and went directly back to LE Desk. I turned the plate # in and was told something to the effect, "Oh, that's SSgt ____ he does that crap all the time." The person was a USAF Security Forces. I asked what they planned on doing about it & they told me to mind my own business. Had I done the same thing, my base driving priveleges would have been revoked for a year & I would have been turned in to my commander.
4) Lastly, how many times has anyone observed a State Police or local in a marked car doing like 30mph over the limit for no apparent reason? If they are enroute to a call, fine, get down to business. When they speed just because they can & know they will get away with it, that's utter BS. I see this pretty much every day since the local PD uses the little strip mall by my house for a staging area of sorts. They come flying down the road at 70 in a 45 & then I see them pull up to the Wawa, get out & grab a cup of coffee. I asked one of the officers why it was necessary to go that fast in a residential area & he told me to mind my own business. Sorry, you can't uphold the law if you believe you're above it.

Sorry the LEO's don't like me or what I type but have almost no reason to believe anything other than what I do. For the record, this is why I made the comment about east TN police:
http://tailofthedragon.com/dragon_THP.html

KC-10 FE out...
lane: :usa2:

 

Here you get your base driving privileges taken away for 10 days for just answering a cell phone while driving and NOT using a headset or wireless earpiece. One of our group commanders rode a bike to work for his 10 days...in the middle of winter.

I agree with KC-10 on this one...law enforcement (civilian and military) have better things to do. With all of the violent and domestic crime that goes ignored in this country, you'd think they could stop patrolling empty country roads and maybe bust a kidnapper or two.

I was actually told by a USAF security forces officer that our law enforcement and OSI (Office of Special Investigations...think FBI for the USAF) are so swamped with potential terrorism issues that most actually applicable crimes go completely ignored. I think law enforcement in this country needs to be adjusted.

 

Dude, that's seriously messed up with all your experiences with the police!

I can't help but add some stories as well.

My last ticket (89 in a 55) was at around 2 in the morning and I was on a country road. I had been driving for about 15 miles and there was NOTHING. Not even a critter. Plus there were barely any curves so with my highbeams I could see at least 3/4 mile away.

Anyway, I get pulled over and this cop gets into a lecture on how I'm a danger to the roads and that I need to slow down because I'm going to hurt someone. I didn't say anything back to him because I just wanted to get the thing over with. But I couldn't help but think, "Who am I endangering? For the past 15 miles there's been NOTHING" I didn't even see any cars going the other way.

So he says he's got to teach me a lesson and gives me the ticket. Never mind the fact I have NEVER filed a claim EVER with the insurance company in my 12+ years of driving. Whatever. So I just go to court and get my case dismissed.

Other story is actually a friend of mine's. He likes doing the stunting on his bike but he only does it in empty parking lots and behind lots in warehouses. He even asks for permission from the warehouse/parking lot owners and cleans up afterward.

You'd think he's good with the law? Think again, sometimes the police come and tell him to get lost. There was one time the police were handcuffing people and my friend just had to run.

What we really need is a better way to fund the police so they don't have to resort to tickets just to pay for their bills. Then they can focus on the REAL crimes like murder, theft, and kidnapping.

 

Simply put, you don't know how they do business, all your doing is making generalizations off the experience you have, your statement about a cop on the highway with a ticket book solidifies that fact. Too bad there wasn't a cop around when our fellow VFR world members family was smoked by a drunk. Guess he must have been out taking care of that "ONE SINGLE UN-SOLVED CRIME".

Unless anyone has walked in a cops shoes they should save their breath.

 

JS... I usually enjoy reading your posts, this is the first time I've ever thought you were flat out wrong.

KC-10... right on brotha, several times I have thought your posts were a little hot headed. However, you nailed this one. Your last two posts were some of the best stuff I've ever read on this site.

J_D... I wanted to stay netural on this thread, but the more posts I read on this thread the more I'm siding up with the anti-LEO front.

Stellenbrav... if you were the majority instead of the minority this thread would have burned itself out instead of blowing up into the raging inferno that you see before you.

LEOs... I run 911s out of LA city and LACO and you guys impead us from doing our job more often than not. In theory, we should be working together to acheive a common goal. I've seen everything you've seen and I'm/we're the ones who stick around long after you're gone to clean up the mess.

I could go on and on but what's the point... I already konw you don't give two sh!t$ about my two cents.

-JTC

 

Considering your quote above I can understand your statement below...

I am with Stellenbrav's quote of VFRstar, and I also agree with 34468RANDY re "unsubscribe". I just wish I could be Cher and "turn back time".

Although this has been quite a learning experience... I'm out, I promise.

 

When i was in High school, i took my bike wheather permitting and was coming back to school after lunch break, late as usual and as i crossed a busy 4 lights intersection, i just pulled the handle bars up to smooth out a pot hole and guess what: front wheel left the bike:
You should have seen MY face going straight for the asphalt in front of traffic:redface:

Luckily i rolled and only scrapped my arms:smile:

 

wow. I can't believe how this thread has stratified vfrworld... anyhow, I hope folks can still talk tech even if they disagree on LEO's. Its a democracy baby, opinions are where it's at.

I gotta say, I've met good cops and bad cops. So I won't generalize, it is easy for all of us to love firefighters cause they help without punishing us. It is tough to like the enforcers. The cops on this forum sound like some damn good guys. I just wish I had you guys in my town! Instead I have a bunch of high-school tough guys and druggies (i knew 'em then too) went into the PD and now it is powertrip city. Hell, last time I got hurt, I had one trying to buy my pain killers off me, not help me out.

But to be honest, I think we NEED the enforcement, just better discretion. Pull over the speeding cell-phone chatting coffee chugging suv driver from jersey. Pull over the squid in a t-shirt doint 90 in a 65. But give a second thought to yanking the brotha in full protective gear enjoying an exit ramp on his bike or who is driving a sports car quickly but otherwise obeying all lane-laws etc. I know it must be hard though, and god love ya, I wouldnt want that responsibility.

Can't we all just get along??? :hug: :grouphug:
Ok im out, I think this is my last post to this thread, rock on brothas.

 

I am confused now. If there is truly no one around, how can you possibly get caught? That empty road is not empty if you got caught is it? Does not matter if the cop car is disguised as an outhouse, it is still there. As is anything else you do not recognize as important.

What you do not realize is that public roads are not there for your entertainment, they are they for transportation. If you want to be entertained, go to the track. The majority of other vehicles are using this road system to just get somewhere. They are expecting that others are doing this as well. They are not expecting the other vehicle to be going twice the expected speed. When they pull out to pass a car, that oncoming vehicle should be doing the speed limit, and that is what they plan on. You going twice the limit, cuts their time in half. And no matter how many times you "scout" the road, you will see different vehicles, and what is to say the next one is not a cop. Your logic is not well thought out.

Your original post actually sounds more like the ramblings of 4 or 5 different people. None of the thoughts are tied together logically. They contradict each other. If I were to guess, you are under 25, and probably still live with mom. There is no dad there.

 

Been holding out til now but this has to be a joke. Run form the LEO's, jeez grow up, that can only go bad, real bad. If it was only you that would get taken out in an accident ,so be it, but putting everyone else in jeopardy cuz you wanna be a badass, man ,wait til you have kids, If someone ever hurt my family in a chase he'd be looking over his shoulder the rest of his extremely short and painful life..

 

I have never laughed as much as I did reading the 4 pages of posts here. Not only is this a rediculous discussion, but a great example of internet bravado....Most of us are old enough to recognize it, and should give it due attention.....zero, zilch, nothing....

For what it's worth, I have never had a bad expierience with a LEO. Ever. Includes 3 speeding tickets aged 16-19, citations for not wearing seatbelts and no insurance, all during the same period. Also includes LEOs reponding to my car theft and twice to B&E of my appartment, (the fool came back).

Nothing tougher in my mind than Police/Fire/EMS and deserve all the respect we can muster.

 

I cannot beleive I have wasted my time reading this....

Can I have my 2 minutes back

I have many curent and former police officer friends who would be offended by this drivel... I have been pulled over many times...While I'll admit one time I got a little pissy with an officer that gave me ticket... It happens.... He did his job I was a young idiot once....

While have never received a ticket on my bike Ihave in my car and I have usually escaped a ticket by extreme honesty and politeness...Not fake politeness...

Officer: Do you know how fast you were going?
Me: Jeez I'm sorry Sir... To behonest I guess I forgot where the 35 zone started and I was not paying much attention to my speed...
Officer: License and registration Sir..
Me: Sure thing Sir give me a moment to go into my glove box... Here you are Sir it should be all there...

10 minutes later the officer comes back totally confused and asks:

Officer: Have ver been pulled overbefore?
Me: Not in a long time sir... In my Youth I was not very bright and in a red car that was kinda fast and flashy...
Officer: (Chuckles a bit) Drive carfully Mr Chappell. Heres a warning and your License and Registration...

Cops have a job to do... treat them with respect and guess what? they will actually return the favor.... While I'm sure there are exceptions I'd be willing to go out on a limb and say that about 99.9% of most police officers will fall into my category of good people...

 

I thought looooong & hard about whether or not to post what I'm about to type. In the end, I felt it's sort of like a "tough love" kind of thing, painful, but entirely necessary. I know the following paragraph will only make the LEO's on the forum hate me that much more but when have I ever cared what someone thought of me?

Anyway...
When our fellow VFR Rider's family got smoked by a DUI, maybe, just maybe, if the PD WERE NOT sitting behing a billboard generating revenue with a ticket book, maybe, just maybe, they would have stopped the driver from driving under the influence & maybe, just maybe our fellow VFR Rider's family would not have been put through the nightmare they are currently going thru.

I can honestly tell you right now, I would have 10000% more respect for the PD if they would man up & admit they are revenue agents first & Law Enforcement Officers second. I know that will never happen but that's my opinion which the Constitution of the USofA entitles me to have.

Two other thoughts:
1) I have NEVER, EVER thought I'm above the law or the law doesn't apply to me or the law is "for the other guy". I just don't put myself in the position where Law Enforcement becomes an issue. In the few encounters I've had, the encounter has sucked. I don't hang around with squids, I don't do drugs, I don't drink at a bar then drive home, I simply don't put myself in the position where LE is an issue.

2) NEVER, EVER, EVER, NEVER, EVER RUN FROM THE PD. EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER. If you do, you are an idiot of truely epic proportions and they should study your habits in the quest to raise the sum of human intelligence. Ever watch "Cops" on TV? Does the chase EVER end in a good way? I didn't think so.

KC-10 FE out...
lane: :usa2:

 

Eek! Lots of sticky wickets here!

I am kinda in the middle of many of the points raised here but here is one observation for what it is worth. I lost a good friend to a drunk driver. My 20 year old pal was a great bicyclist, a smart kid with a big future ahead of him but he was taken out by a drunk Mexican illegal with no license and no insurance on Valentine's day 20 years ago. I think about him and his poor family often. What a waste...what a crime. But, who should I blame? Mexico? The police dept? The Immigration Dept? USA Government? Tucson Government? Hmmm, I just cannot lay the entire blame on any one entity. I do blame the f*&k who killed him. But he got off really lightly. No matter what, my friend is still dead.
I cannot truly know anything else except the grief. Our entire society is misguided in many ways. Where do we start fixing it? Vote! Get involved with your local and state Governments. Don't drink and operate machinery. One of our society's problems is that we freely give away too much authority and too many rights and then blame someone else for the results.
Ok, now I give the soapbox to someone else...