The police

[el dub]

The cops are at it again. Check out this video where they use a guy walking back and forth in a crosswalk catching drivers moving to soon and writing them tickets.   www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGZd1AbSMfQ. Cops aren't worth a shit in my book.  Isn't this something like entrapment.

[Windsor]

They do it a lot at places where there are incedents of cars hitting pedestrians in the cross walk. Cops aren't worth a shit? Don't call em if your car gets jacked or someone does something to you or your family. People always say shit about cops when they don't need em and then ask why they weren't there right when something happens.

[polywideblock]

isn't this a lot like sitting at the bottom of a long hill with a radar trap 

[el dub]

They do it a lot at places where there are incedents of cars hitting pedestrians in the cross walk. Cops aren't worth a shit? Don't call em if your car gets jacked or someone does something to you or your family. People always say shit about cops when they don't need em and then ask why they weren't there right when something happens.

They do it to make money for the city off of citizens. I have a cc permit I have to pay the sheriffs every couple of years to use. So don't worry, I won't be calling them.  Maybe you need to figure out the response times if you call the police. Here's another peek at the chp.  http://youtu.be/DcCN5C7UBx0. The cops are there to make sure the judges and lawyers get their cut. That's it. The second amendment is there for a reason. The only trouble is they are charging for you to use it.

[polywideblock]

cops over here respond to a "domestic "  about a hour AFTER the incident has stopped  their just there to direct the ambulance   

[Baldwinvette77]

DISREGARD THE AUTHORITY!!!!!!!!! 

Here all cops do is patrol this one 1/2 mile of street looking for hookers... i wish i was joking, but if you ever needed a cop here, thats where you look 

[charge69]

I absolutely hate "revenue-boosting" speed traps and other assorted BS traps set up solely to boost revenue of any municipality and they, surely, give the local police a "black eye" in my opinion. Wayyyy too many of these with power-hungry cops giving the unfortunate souls caught in their sting a bad name! Certainly did not used to be that way, at least when I was a young fellow growing up in Houston.

That said, let me tell you guys about an "incident" I had last fall!  I was leaving my home a little late in north Houston (Spring) and headed for my daughter's graduation, receiving her PhD. in nursing from Incarnate Word University in he city where she lives, San Antonio. Travelling on Beltway 8 around to I-10 I was travelling in a pack of around 8 to10 vehicles when my radar detector started screaming a warning of lasers as I topped an overpass and, sure enough, there was a Harris County Constable at the bottom of the overpass gunning us!

As I was travelling in a pack, I did not really slow down too much but noted the speedometer showed a little over 80mph in a 65mph zone. As we went past him I could see him quickly put the laser gun in the Tahoe and proceed to get on the road. I hoped he wasn't after me but, he pulled up behind me and flashed his police lights so, I pulled over ASAP.

I have a CHL and was packing my G30 in a disguised holster right next to me but I made no attempt to further hide it! He walked up to my car and I gave him my drivers license and CHL. he looked at my CHL for a second and gave it back to me without a word about it and asked for my insurance card as he said "I clocked you doing 82 in a 65 zone"!  I just looked at him and said "I might have been as I was just travelling with the pack" not mentioning the loaded G30 as he said nothing about it and I certainly wasn't going to pursue it either!

My wife was looking for the insurance card and, predictably, she produced an expired one as I hadn't removed it when I put the new one in it. The Constable said this one is expired, do you have a current one? Again, my wife fumbled in the glove box for a current one. Then, the Constable said "It's OK, I can see if you have insurance when I run your Drivers License"

He went back to the Tahoe and was gone about a minute then, I could see him get out of the Tahoe and he walked up to my window, handed me my license and said" Mr. Cartwright, try to slow down a little on your trip and be careful getting back on the Beltway"!  I had a big grin on my face all the way to San Antonio! Going 82mph in a 65mph zone and not even a warning ticket!  My G30 was still by my side as usual, all the way there also!

[RallyeMike]

Its the law in most or all States that you are supposed to stop for a ped in a crosswalk. How is this a trap? The cars are not stopping and deserve a ticket.

There are definitely unfair traps out there that give the police a bad reputation, but this does not appear to be one.

[Mike DC]

 
In a pedestrian crosswalk situation I think it depends on how they are doing it. 


Nitpicking about exactly where the lines are, and how long people are stopped, or how far the guy is off the curb . . . that's entrapment. 

Writing tickets to people who really blow through the intersection while the guy is right there in the middle of the street exposed . . . that's legit policing. 

[johnnycharger]

I have a lot of respect for the law but I must admit it got kicked down a bit recently. I drive fast but am a very alert driver.  I was driving and watched a cop literally climb out of the highway bushes where he was completely hidden about 1/8 of a mile ahead of me. He was not pointing the radar at me because he already got me while hiding. His vehicle was behind another set of bushes about 60 or so feet away behind another set of bushes beside a fence. I had always thought that some portion of them had to be visible but I guess not.  My first ticket in 14 years!

[hatersaurusrex]

The missing detail here is this was in Massachusetts.  You're lucky not to be hit then drug 500 feet while the guy honks at you the whole time for not getting out of his way.

They call the drivers there 'Massholes' for a reason.  I've yet to see worse.

[myk]

"Cops" are just dutiful agents of the system, performing their sworn duty, following orders, and I respect that completely.  If you want to hate someone then target the system that gives them ludicrous instructions to begin with, not the men and women that are just trying to make a living like anyone else...

[el dub]

Hate is a strong word. I don't recall using it.

[F8-4life]

Don't break the law and you have no reason to worry about authority.
The you vs them thing goes no where.
Who cares about police, think of them as your friends.

[Mike DC]

Don't break the law and you have no reason to worry about authority.

LOL

[F8-4life]

Don't break the law and you have no reason to worry about authority.

LOL

Hey if trouble finds you fine, but if your not guilty you got a damn good defense against the charge.

[Mike DC]

  

Hey if trouble finds you fine, but if your not guilty you got a damn good defense against the charge.

No firsthand experience with this stuff, huh?


The problem is that sometimes it's not the trouble that finds you.  Sometimes cops find you and give you the trouble.

[F8-4life]

No personal experience really. I'm thinking you might have some though.
My point is it's a waste of time to worry about authority.
Even if they are abusing the power they have.

[terrible one]

 

Hey if trouble finds you fine, but if your not guilty you got a damn good defense against the charge.

No firsthand experience with this stuff, huh?


The problem is that sometimes it's not the trouble that finds you.  Sometimes cops find you and give you the trouble.

Agreed, I have 2 stories in particular that come to mind, one involving the Charger that are a perfect example of this.

It's hard not to stereotype but its the same as ANY profession, plenty of bad AND god out there you can get a bad cop just like a mechanic or doctor but unfortunately you can't decide to pick a different one when you know you're dealin with an ignorant asshole.

[el dub]

 
Even if they are abusing the power they have.

Did you really say this, or are my eyes crossed and I misread it.

[Mike DC]

  

No personal experience really. I'm thinking you might have some though.

In my younger days I was pulled over for literally doing nothing, and then written a ticket for something that was literally made up out of thin air.  

It happened more than once.  And it wasn't just retribution for something else they knew I got away with, or some other extenuating circumstance.  It was done by cops who didn't know me whatsoever.  They just simply didn't like the look of me.  Where & when I was, how I looked, who I was with, etc.

It's hard not to stereotype but its the same as ANY profession, plenty of bad AND god out there you can get a bad cop just like a mechanic or doctor.  But unfortunately you can't decide to pick a different one when you know you're dealin with an ignorant asshole.

This.  

[F8-4life]

I grew up a long haired skateboarder, so I do know what your talking about.

[polywideblock]

I grew up a long haired skateboarder, so I do know what your talking about.

add a beard and a  hot looking car to this equation and they just "knew " you were up to no good    over here anyway 

[Alaskan_TA]

Am I the only one that thought of this when seeing the thread title?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aENX1Sf3fgQ

[polywideblock]

no but I thought of Roxanne    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3T1c7GkzRQQ