I just got screwed by the police

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04 28 12

New member
Guys, my 2 cents (for what it's worth):

Get over it. It is what is is & will probably never change (the whole lawyers & cops thing), but I for one believe that these guys do a great job in the bigger picture. Who is it that has to clean up the mess when one of our own ends up spread out all over the road? Who gives the family the bad news? Could you even imagine the shit that some of these guys see every day? You really believe that most traffic cops are being vindictive when they hand out that ticket? Or are they subconciously generalising all of us into the same category after getting sick of seeing the antics some of the dickheads that we allow to own a bike?

Before any asks - no, I'm not a cop & I dont particularly like them either. I've had a few tickets over the years, some that I didn't agree with & others where I thought I got off light.

I am new to this site, & come here for the comraderie of fellow Ducati owners & riders and to keep up to date with the latest 1098 news & tech info, not to listen to this crap - I can get this from Jerry Springer. Everyone has an opinion & is entitled to express it, but i find it disappointing that we're starting to get personal. Lets keep upright & stick together - God knows there's enough anti bike sentiment out in public already.

Clinton
 
No CAG,

I'm not "honked off" about not being able to "get away with" moving violations. As I stated before, I haven't gotten a ticket in close to 30 years. And I'm not interested in "getting away with" anything. I'm an honorable person. If I do something wrong I take the blame rather than using my influence and connections to "get away with" it.

As a criminal defense lawyer in Philadelphia, I have daily contact with beat cops, highway patrol, narcotics, vice, special victim unit cops, and homicide detectives. My reputation in Philadelphia as a man of integrity is beyond reproach. Ask any cop in Philly. They all know me and they'll all tell you I'm a "straight shooter." Over the years, police have, from time to time, offered to give me a "courtesy card." You know what I'm talking about: Those "get-out-of-jail-free" cards that police sometimes give to their civilian friends/acquaintances. I always refuse them. I want no part of this climate of police corruption.

I am, however, deeply saddened that police officers will come on-line, openly admit that they "badge" their way out of tickets, and then rationalize their criminal conduct in the name of "professional courtesy." And I'm even more saddened that you have no insight into how profoundly wrong this is, how willing you are to minimize police corruption by comparing the USA to other more violent, more deplorable, police states. Is it as repressive here as in Romania, The Dominican Republic, Serbia, or other "real" police states? Of course not. But does that make it right? No. Does that mean the USA isn't a police state also? No.

I've been around long enough to know the deal. The guys with the guns have the power. That's as old as the hills. And so is corrupt conduct by those in power. I've long since made my peace with this. I co-exist among cops who "badge" their way out of tickets without being "honked off." It is what it is.

But what I'm not willing to do is pretend it's Ok. Or that it doesn't have a profoundly devastating effect on cultural integrity. It's not Ok, and no amount of rationalizing or minimizing will make it Ok. It's wrong, plain and simple. You can talk all you want about "professional courtesy" and government officials taking my motorcycles. At the end of the day, it will still be wrong.

Peace, Elton
 
You trivialize criminal conduct and insult victims of criminal conduct by equating badging out of a ticket with more serious offenses. By your definition, everyone that rolls through a stop sign, doesn't wear his seat belt, or drives 20mph over the limit is guilty of criminal conduct. I give verbal warnings for this kind of thing every day. But if you do it in your unregistered, uninsured car you ARE getting a ticket and your car is getting towed. If you are so drunk you sideswipe half a dozen cars befor coming to rest at a phone pole, you are going to jail. (Whether you have a badge or not)

In our society it is much more plausable that the people with money and influence, not guns, have the power.

Your disigenuous arguement that because cops sometimes badge there way out of tickets makes this a police state is a slap in the face to every American and everyone who cherishes our way of life. Tell that to some one who has come here from Serbia.

If you are truely concerned about profoundly devestating effects on cultural integrity I suggest you watch MTV for a few hours or listen to an Urban Contemporary radio station.

You attempted to make the arguement that we live in a police state. Clearly, we do not.

Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum
 
Well i just came back from Wisconsin, and i was in the center lane of 94E when a IL state trooper comes flying up behind me and passes me in the left lane, he came probably 5-7 ft from my car, and I'm guesstimating he was doing over 90, no lights on, no radar on, he was out of sight within 40 sec. F***in Hypocrites i'm so sick of them!
 
Driving down I89 in Vermont, I would say half the cops drive like maniacs, while the other half would barely hit 60. However most cops I know are friendly and don't pull people over unless they're certain some one is going 15-20 over AND they don't see brake lights come on. If you're nice they'll probably just give you a warning.
 
CAG,

Let's review some of your more revealing quotes:


"I'm not surrounded. I'm at the center of a target rich environment."

"Vae Victus," (Latin for, "Woe to the Conquered")

"Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum," (Latin for, "If you wish for peace, prepare for war.")


Wow!!! The more you post, the scarier it gets. As a child I was taught that "police officer" was synonymous with "peace officer." Clearly you don't see it that way.

I'll grant you're a bit smarter than the average cop. But sadly, you're no less violent, no less aggressive, and no less willing than your brother officers to justify corrupt, unethical, and illegal police conduct with tangental rhetoric.

You seem perfect for the job. I predict you'll go very far. I only prey I'm never subject to your corrupt, illegal version of "acceptable" police conduct in person.

Oh, and BTW, not, "everyone that rolls through a stop sign, doesn't wear his seat belt, or drives 20mph over the limit is guilty of criminal conduct." If a civilian does this, it's a moving violation. But when a cop, who has taken an oath to uphold and enforce the law, routinely and flagrantly violates the motor vehicle code, and then uses his power and position to "badge" his way out, this is criminal conduct.

With evey new post, you prove my point about police, and the deplorable state of law enforcement, more and more forcebly. It's sad you don't see this. A bit less war rhetoric and a little spirituality would suit you well.

Peace, Elton
 
It sure took a while, but, finally. Your first post where you don't demand that we are living in a police state.

I think my work is done here.

And the latin war refernces were for your benefit, peace, Elton.

CAG
 
CAG,

Have you been sniffing gun powder? I'm not in a position to "demand" anything. If I were, a "police state" is about the last thing I'd ask for. Have you been following this thread? I'm starting to wonder.

BTW, in my previous eleven posts in this thread, the words, "police state" only appear in five, although admittedly, the other six, (including my last one), reference police corruption and criminal conduct without specifically using the words, "police state."

Elton
 
I partially agree with this statement. There will always be "bad apples" in every profession. I agree with Elton that "Police Officers" should not be above the law. Like I mentioned in the forum before. My neighbor who is a K-9 unit. He does not use his badge at all to get out of anything. The only time I see him pulled the badge was to get a discount on the basketball tickets He was pulled over twice in his career. Both of the time he knew that he was speeding and took the ticket and never showed his badge. I applaud his ethics. In my conclusion, I am certain that not all cops are ethically challenged. We are all on here to talk about ducs not to bash one another or each others profession. DucMike, this was not aimed at you, because I do not know you at all. I am probably ethically challenged myself, if I didn't watch my speed and got pulled over and I was a cop. I will be tempted to use the badge also.
 
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