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Originally Posted by VINMAN
First of all, I did not ASK. So I have nothing to be ashamed of. He saw my turnout gear on my seat., and my fire-fighters plate. HE ASKED to see my ID.
NOWHERE did I incinuate that I had a right to speed and expected to get off.
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I'm sorry; I missunderstood. Your initial post certainly indicates an expectation for a "professional courtesy", and dissapointment in not having received one. Maybe I read it wrong.
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Originally Posted by VINMAN
Plus the fact that he looked at my Fire dept badge and ID. So much for professional courtesy!  |
Quote:
Originally Posted by VINMAN
As far as integrity goes. Ive seen many, many, cops using their lights and sirens for no reason at all, just so they can drive through red lights so they dont have to sit there waiting.
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I have a Snohomish County Sheriff's car pass me several times a month on my way to work. I commute on I-5; he gets on the freeway a couple of miles north of where I do. He never fails to get out to the carpool lane and just fly right on by everyone. Traffic is doing 70+ (in a 60) as it is. He must be pushing 85-90. I'm sure if anyone complained, he would be "on a call". I've seen it often enough, and for long enough, to be pretty darn sure he is on his way to work. They drive their patrol cars home in that department. It's the same guy, in the same car, from the same on ramp every time I see him.
I've now followed State Patrol on the freeway at elevated speeds on two occasions. Once in the 911; once on my Harley. The one I followed in the 911touched 100 mph a couple of times on I-90, westbound from Snoqualmie Pass. I followed him for over ten miles, about half a mile behind him, until he got off in North Bend. For lunch. I walked right in and confronted him and another young trooper that were standing in line with who appeared to be a supervisor or something. Pretty tense few minutes...
The time on the bike I fell in behind a pair of them on their BMW's. Southbound I-5 from Everett to Seattle, in the carpool lane, in rush hour traffic. The only times we dropped below 80 mph were when they caught up to some poor citizen that couldn't get out of their way fast enough. Amazing. I was waving to the cars we were passing, pointing to the troopers ahead of me, and giving the car drivers that "what the hell..." shrug.
Nothing anyone can do about this, in all of its various forms. We've all seen it. Speeding, hitting the strobe to trip the traffic light, etc. One would think departments concerned with their public image would investigate citizen complaints about this behavior and take them seriously. They don't appear to do so.