I've had various encounters with traffic stops, and I'd like to share them.
On the good side:
Ann Arbor, Michigan. An officer pulled me over near the bar's closing time. Asked me to demonstrate that I was in shape to drive. He had a partner. Both were courteous. I was happy to comply. Did one stupid thing. I turned toward my car to close the car door after the officers ordered me to approach them. The senior leo scolded me that what I did was stupid. I knew I deserved it.
Southern California. An officer pulled me over for lack of current registration sticker on the license plate. It was not my vehicle, and the registration was current. It's just that the owner didn't get around to putting up the sticker. The leo was friendly (maybe because I smiled a lot and asked "what's up?" when he approached our vehicle) He checked that everything was in order and bid us farewell.
On the bad side:
Ann Arbor, MI. An officer pulled me over for making an illegal right turn on red. Issued me a ticket. I went to the court. He was four hours late. (could I have asked for a dismissal for a no-show?) I explained that I failed to come to a full stop at the traffic light due to a concern for ice on the road. (I had to scrape ice off my vehicle after a three hour long parking on roadside) The officer simply stated he knew of no ice forming that night. The judge sided with him. In retrospect I should have brought news clippings of that night's weather.
Southern CA. An officer pulled me over for tailgating. My cruise control was set to two miles BELOW the legal speed limit. There just happened to be three vehicles in front of me who were slowing down due to the presence of the patrol car. We were in the fast lane. I disengaged the cruise control and fell into place behind the slow vehicles. I took my time in establishing safe distance so the leo pulled me over.
Here's what makes this a bad experience. There's a patrol station at the next freeway exit after the leo initiated the stop. The Rodney King beating was only a couple of months before. I signalled the leo with hand gestures that I am exiting the freeway and will he follow me please. He used his PA to tell me pull over into the next gas station one block shy of the patrol station. He then came to my vehicle all pissed. STood with his feet wide apart in a cocky stance. Rested his hand on his weapon the whole time except to hand me the citation for my signature. That kind of attitude does not belong in civilized company.
-Courtesy is the lubricant of civilized society. It keeps us from bashing each other's brains in. [Robert Heinlein]
The laws we have now make criminals of us all. The only safe speed on the freeway is the speed of the traffic. Two cars going in the same direction and speed do not collide. I will be just as dead if a) I drive at 25 miles over the limit and hit someone going at the limit, or b) someone else drives at 25 miles over the limit and hit me going at the limit.
I just read in the Wall Street Journal this morning that we must make the charities give us receipts for our donations over $250. Such receipts must detail the amount of donation AND whether we received any gifts in return for the donation. Otherwise the IRS will not recognize the donation for deduction. There. A charitable donation had just made me a criminal because the charity was lazy and did not give a couple of details on their receipt.
I just feel so powerless against all these laws that make us criminals just doing day-to-day things. How can I be happy with the leo who enforces these laws to my detriment?
On the good side:
Ann Arbor, Michigan. An officer pulled me over near the bar's closing time. Asked me to demonstrate that I was in shape to drive. He had a partner. Both were courteous. I was happy to comply. Did one stupid thing. I turned toward my car to close the car door after the officers ordered me to approach them. The senior leo scolded me that what I did was stupid. I knew I deserved it.
Southern California. An officer pulled me over for lack of current registration sticker on the license plate. It was not my vehicle, and the registration was current. It's just that the owner didn't get around to putting up the sticker. The leo was friendly (maybe because I smiled a lot and asked "what's up?" when he approached our vehicle) He checked that everything was in order and bid us farewell.
On the bad side:
Ann Arbor, MI. An officer pulled me over for making an illegal right turn on red. Issued me a ticket. I went to the court. He was four hours late. (could I have asked for a dismissal for a no-show?) I explained that I failed to come to a full stop at the traffic light due to a concern for ice on the road. (I had to scrape ice off my vehicle after a three hour long parking on roadside) The officer simply stated he knew of no ice forming that night. The judge sided with him. In retrospect I should have brought news clippings of that night's weather.
Southern CA. An officer pulled me over for tailgating. My cruise control was set to two miles BELOW the legal speed limit. There just happened to be three vehicles in front of me who were slowing down due to the presence of the patrol car. We were in the fast lane. I disengaged the cruise control and fell into place behind the slow vehicles. I took my time in establishing safe distance so the leo pulled me over.
Here's what makes this a bad experience. There's a patrol station at the next freeway exit after the leo initiated the stop. The Rodney King beating was only a couple of months before. I signalled the leo with hand gestures that I am exiting the freeway and will he follow me please. He used his PA to tell me pull over into the next gas station one block shy of the patrol station. He then came to my vehicle all pissed. STood with his feet wide apart in a cocky stance. Rested his hand on his weapon the whole time except to hand me the citation for my signature. That kind of attitude does not belong in civilized company.
-Courtesy is the lubricant of civilized society. It keeps us from bashing each other's brains in. [Robert Heinlein]
The laws we have now make criminals of us all. The only safe speed on the freeway is the speed of the traffic. Two cars going in the same direction and speed do not collide. I will be just as dead if a) I drive at 25 miles over the limit and hit someone going at the limit, or b) someone else drives at 25 miles over the limit and hit me going at the limit.
I just read in the Wall Street Journal this morning that we must make the charities give us receipts for our donations over $250. Such receipts must detail the amount of donation AND whether we received any gifts in return for the donation. Otherwise the IRS will not recognize the donation for deduction. There. A charitable donation had just made me a criminal because the charity was lazy and did not give a couple of details on their receipt.
I just feel so powerless against all these laws that make us criminals just doing day-to-day things. How can I be happy with the leo who enforces these laws to my detriment?