99% of the cops I have come in contact with have given me a fair deal - 33 years of driving and riding and only got 3 or 4 tickets - Had a few "warnings" and a few "have a nice days" - Never had one come to my office and second guess me on my job so I figure they deserve the same - I know there are some dumb rookies or hard asses out there and some of you have your reasons to resent cops but not me - You might call me a boot licker but I support them as much as I can - I mean these men and women will jump in to save your life - How many people do you know who will do that for shift work and 40K a year????? Instead of bitchin find a cop you do like and buy them a cup of coffee.

That said - Snarly nailed it and it's not very confusing

 

This has turned into a two-topic thread...

Not sure what the actualy law about stopping is down here... but I do know that the test requires you to stop and hover the bike without putting your foot down... They want to make sure you can balance the bike... If You cannot do the hover maneuver you do not pass the road test to get the license in NC... or so I am told... I got my license in IL...

<rant>

As for the Cop thing and us not knowing what is going on in the squad... First let me say that I am normally the first person to defend cops... They have a VERY difficult job and just like every profession their are jerks that go for those jobs... My brother is a cop and my father-in-law was a cop for over 40 years... My brother will blow stop lights and signs all the time... and then flash his badge to get out of it. my first problem is that he does it and my second problem is that the cop that stops him lets him out of it.

The other day I was almost hit by a car while driving to work. The @$$hat was jabbering on his cellphone, left arm propped against the window holding the phone to his head... He came right into my lane (left lane) without looking. He was also doing about 15 over the limit. Oh yeah... and it was Raleigh PD... IN A SQUAD. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot? He gave me a dirty look when I blew the horn at him.

And since I live in the land of Krispy Kreme... I swear I am not making this up. Stopped at a light... Cop right next to me. The "Fresh HOT" sign came on at Krispy Kreme... He turns on his MARS bar and siren and goes through the light... You guessed it... Right into the Krispy Kreme parking lot. Think there was a breakin in progress at the Krisy Kreme? Doubtful.

To all the LEOs here (and everywhere). Thank you for the job you do. For the ones that abuse their position... You suck. For the others that let your brethren get away with abusuing their position... You suck too. If it were not for the Blue Brotherhood nonsense that goes on citizens would probably not get so bent out of shape. I personally think there are more good cops than bad.... I think it is just the ones that get into the gig for the wrong reasons that are the problem.

One of the best things I have EVER seen was a State Trooper pulling over a Raleigh Copper for driving like a moron. He actually wrote him a ticket.

Worst thing I have ever heard about? State Trooper went to whip a U-Turn in the middle of I-40 in the rain to go after a guy for doing 10 over the limit. As he whips the Uey.. He gets stuck in the mud. The guy in the truck that he was about to go after sees the cop get stuck and goes back to help pull him out of the mud. Throws the trooper a rope and ties it off to his truck. Cop then throws him his ticket pad and demands that the guys sign it... Truck driver throws him back the pad, cuts the rope, and leaves. Of course since the cop had his plate number it all goes to court... Judge threw it out... Told the trooper he needed to learn how to interact better with the public or at least wait until the guy pulled him out to try that crap.


The jobs that should pay the most in the world (and in no particular order)

Policemen
Firemen
Military
Teachers.

And of course they are typically the least paid of any profession...

</rant>

 

[sm=exactly.gif] WENT_POSTAL, I couldn't agree more. That is the point I was trying to get across. I have all the respect in the world for the men and women of law inforcement. Just not the ones that break the law themselves, and yet have the arogants to pass judgement on someone else. My brother in law is a cop as well. As a person I love him to death. But I have never seen someones driving habits change so drasticly as his did after becoming a LEO. I can only hope he's not out filling a ticket book for the very crap he does himself.

 

OK! This is not a rant!

But, LOL!

What do you do (anyone)? Taxman? Bartender? Car salesman? Hairdresser? Politician? Truck driver? etc. etc. etc.

My Uncle is a Manager at Pondarosa. He's a crack addict and "I HATE them damn Pondarosa Manager's!! Every time i go in there to eat, a manager walks past me and I think anytime now, he's going to come over to me and offer to sell me some crack.

I know a fireman who was just convicted of childporn. Those damn fireman, forget the one's who ran back into the two towers to save anyone (but died) AND that particular fireman would have probably done the same thing but he was convicted of childporn SO damn ALL them guys!! I'll never let any of them near my daughter again.

Obviously, I'm just putting things into perspective.

Cops are just people. I think we all go into the profession wanting to be "the hero" or to change things for the better. Then things change as we are in the profession. It affects different people differently. BUT I think the main reason we are different than everyone else is.....now get ready for this.....

We are held to a higher standard. Now, I would like to think that I am like everyone else. THAT WOULD BE NICE! The only problem is....I'm not because of my profession. The thing that I chose to support me and mine. THAT'S IT!!

You see, when the "restaurant waiter" gets a DUI, he loses his license for 3 months (gotta take a cab to work) and that's basically it. NOW! When I get a DUI, I lose my license for three months... I work the desk for three months (if I'm lucky), get demoted, lose weekly pay, and my FACE is on the front page of the newspaper (which ultimatley embarrasses me, my wife, child and family).

AND THAT'S IF I ONLY COMMITT A MISDEMEANOR!

This is NOT to make you feel sorry for me or any other Officer. I'm only describing what happens when you and I get hit with a misdemeanor. It's a fact.

Officer discretion, brother-in-blue, helping your buddy out yada yada yada. Yea, we TRY to help each other out if we can. Hell, most of us would take a bullet for one another. Think about that for a second. Would you take a bullet for a fellow car salesman if a mad Buyer came back into the dealership because he was not happy with the service? It sounds far fetched for a car salesman. I know.

But, it's everyday for us for every traffic stop, domestic call, burglary in progress etc. etc. etc.

Suicide is the number ONE killer of Police Officer's. Did ya know that? Alcoholism is the number one problem in the Law Enforcement field. Did ya know that? Bah Blah Blah! Yea, I know. LOL!

Well, tell a Soldier when he comes back from Iraq that your brother was a Soldier and he was an azzhole so you hate HIM! That's what you're saying.

I don't want your respect, I just want you to see me for WHO I am. Not WHAT I am. 'Cause if you're breaking the law, you won't have my respect and I don't care WHO you are! I'll just do my job. The same as you would do when you sell me a car.

(Ok, maybe alittle bit of a rant, but it was going through my head as I was writing).

Drive careful, hope you don't get a ticket but if you do, I just sold you a car.

(And the difference in that is, if I was a car salesman, I'd be happy. Do you really think it makes me happy to give you a ticket? Honestly, it doesn't but,,,,,,, you probably think it does).

Oh well.

Hell, I need to ride. When is Winter going to end DAMNIT!!!!!!!!

 

Winter? We don't have that in Florida.

 

Pfffffffffffffffttt

 

Nice post Chuck. Thats a good way to put it in perspective. I always enjoy when the topic here starts towards Law Enforcement. We are all a** holes until they need us. Oh well, it comes with the job I guess.

Lynn

 

Hey Bulldog
No offence, but come down from Fredrick and cruise rt 50 near Annapolis any day and you will see a lot of Md State boys on another call ! LOL Heck if I'm doing 60 in the 55 I better be in the slow lane. If I'm not in the slow lane I'm holding up trafic and may have a LEO tailgating me. [:@]

 

I take the safe position and put my foot down on the ground on the bike or in the car. If its good enough for bikers its also good enough for cagers. enough said.

 

I have a Giroscope mounted on one of my bikes and hydraulic training wheels on the other......I can stay stopped all day long without putting my feet down! Sorry ...can't post pictures......you know.....the patent thing.....