There was a guy on the old porschephiles mailing list (in PA or ME?) that was driving along on a relatively deserted stretch of 4-lane highway when he was passed by a state trooper going well over the speed limit (no lights on or anything). He sped up and basically followed the trooper for a few miles and then the trooper pulled into the left lane, slowed drastically and whipped in behind the guy and pulled him over and wrote him a ticket.

The guy fought it but in the end he was basically told to "drop it, or else...". It was suprising the total disregard that the troopers had for the law and how he was treated for bringing that to their attention.

no offense len, but that is utter horse ****e.

If you are going to be a professional, you have to act accordingly

The shame of it is these guys COULD be the front line in the war on illegals.

'We can't just round up 11 million illegals' say the pussified lameasses. Hmmm....I wonder how many revenue requests...err tickets....are written in the US in a day?

Hell, if you just tell the little pricks that they get a box of free donuts and an honorary FBI badge for every illegal they round up we will be free of this scourge in two weeks' time.

Hey it's not an excuse, rather an explanation. I'm not saying it's ok for them to do this crap, just that the system is such that human nature takes over.

Ah yes, the great equalizer. I love it. The speed cameras have no idea who they are photographing. Until, of course, they put something like a very prominant blue bear sticker in the back window of their private vehicles...

Here in Washington, we only have red light cameras. All film and photos are "reviewed" by a police officer before a ticket is mailed. "Hey Ed, come here and look at this... is that a blue bear sticker?" "Looks that way to me, Frank." "I don't think I see a violation, do you?"...


I was very surprised the WSP officer didn't do this to me. I followed him for over ten miles at sometimes triple digit speeds. I was a couple hundred yards back, though. He must have been too focused on that taco.

Maybe he had to stop and "go?"

Agreed. But ultimately it's more profitable and you can make more money with less work by simply dishing out tickets to our own citizens. Going after real criminals and illegals is a lot harder work, riskier and doesn't make us any money.

Besides, we're just civilians anyway. We're scum. Trash. Garbage. Worthless. We're not part of the fraternal elite who gets to follow its own separate set of rules.

I have all the respect in the world for police officers who keep the rest of us from having to deal with the dirtbags of society, who bust up meth labs and nail "gangsta" pieces of crap and incarcerate thieves, muggers, rapists and scam artists. This is what being a "lawman" is all about. I wish them good hunting and success.

However, the money-driven crusade against our own citizenry simply undermines their cause. Unless someone is FLAGRANTLY endangering other people by driving recklessly and dangerously, let's put our priorities in order here. Commuters who happen to be going 10 or 15 over the speed limit in matched-speed traffic are not the problem. The problem is illegals, criminals, lowlifes and other vermin. Please, please, please go take care of those problems - even if they don't bring in as much revenue for your corrupt bosses at City Hall. Please do this and restore dignity and respect to your profession.

Not long after I had moved to Chattanooga, I'm driving home after working late. It's just after dark. I'm planning to stop for gas just up the highway. In the mirror I see a car closing like crazy. I'm speeding, probably 60. The car passes my by at an easy 100, cop, no lights. I see them on the brakes hard going into the same gas station I was going to. I think they might be getting robbed. I pull up cautiously. The "officer," a young, fat, black woman is selecting a soft drink. She checks out, chats with the clerk, gets in her car and squeals the tire out of the parking lot.

http://www.injuryboard.com/national-news/trooper-facing-24-million-lawsuit-in-death-of-two-teens.aspx?googleid=238968

Taxes, tickets, and building permits - local government revenue sources. Building permits down, they need to write more tickets.

IF the cruiser had his emergency lights on then he _probably_ got an emergency call. In most jurisdictions, he needs to proceed at a safe pace. A state cop definitely is trained in high speed car control. The state patrol policy manual will spell out exactly what he can or should do. sometimes there are state laws also (i.e. legislature passed law).

If his lights are off, he still may be on an emer. call (but needs to sneak up on thieves, for example).

He may also be headed for some hot do-nuts...

But generally a state trooper will the the cream of the crop (not counting the FBI - their agents are far above even that). I said generally. There are bad apples everywhere.

IF you see something wrong going on - try to videotape it. Or get another witness. File a complaint - or call and ask if it was an emergency. IF not, or if they won't tell you, then file a complaint. Good govt. requires that the people be involved, and that includes some degree of "policing the police."

Small town cops are - again generally - the worst. Those little township things they have in Penn. and NY are terrible and have been the subject of some really bad news articles.

Tidbit for you:

In Oregon, any citizen can enforce the traffic laws. And one citizen in Portland has taken a cop to court for a traffic violation he caught on video tape. I dunno the outcome of the trial.