I would always use extra (speed sense) around and famous Tour spot they brought in a ton of extra ISP,they were everywhere. Why? Because many of these great functions bring out a ton of idiots and just observing them will result in many more citations issued. I wish one of my LEO neighbors had a Vette .

 

Bingo , in fact I got my first ticket in the vette last week in New Mexico while I took a long trip. The guy was nice enough and said he loved my car asked about my cam and such but we could have sure had a better conversation about it if it was a warning . The ticket was only $80.00 and he did make it for 70 in a 55 instead of the 76 he clocked me at , so it saved me about $40.00. I already mailed the check, was not mad and in fact pretty Happy he didn't come along about 10 minutes before or it would have been a lot worse ....

 

It's a damn job!!! We all have one, and every job has some sort of "perks" You work for an airlines, you get discount flights, you work for an attorney, you get discount legal advise, you work for a doctor, you get free meds and stuff..... It go's on and on. LEO's are much less likely to get a speeding ticket than others, it's just a perk... wake up! all jobs have perks, some better, some worse. I doubt there are many LEO's that abuse the system, but like any other job, some are good some are bad. In 20 years, I never abused my authority, but I have used a few "perks" here and there.... AND YES, I do speed in my vette from time to time...It's just when and where, and use good judgement... Sorry, but I am not perfect. I did'nt by the vette to cruse around at 35 mph all the time..

 

Where are all the Houston/Austin/San Antonio LEOs ?We have a cruise coming up ....

 

#1 I spent 8 years in the Army so no the Purple Heart plate does not offend me, quite the opposite.

#2 I am not talking about the cops that "occasionally" speed. I am 38 and never had a ticket but I will admit that I "occasionally" speed. I think everyone does from time to time just not paying attention. What I was talking about is the State Trooper driving 90 + on the interstate with no lights/siren on that blows my doors off or the local cop that passes me in a no passing zone with no lights/siren on and then speeds off and then 5 minutes later has a car pulled over for speeding. I have a problem with that. I don't have a problem with the police speeding if they are at least running the lights. Police may receive special training that helps them drive fast and remain safe, but it is the other 99% of the cars on the road that are not being driven by policemen, that have their lives put in jeopardy by these cops that speed.

How can a policeman expect to have any respect from the community when they break the very laws that they are there to enforce and do in right in front of people and just thumb their noses at them while doing it. With all that said I am not a cop "hater". I have several good friends that are in local and state law enforcement. I tell them the same thing that I said here. Of course they come up with every excuse in the book, just like the speeders that are pulled over by the cops.

 

In response to #2: You stated a state trooper blew by you at 90. Let me ask you, how would the flow of traffic be if that same trooper was just cruising at the speed limit. They drive faster to keep the traffic flow moving. He may also have been going to cover another officer. As far as that municipal cop passing you, your statement answers that. He pulled the vehicle over right. You ever think he was trying to catch up to it. Putting his lights and sirens on would draw more attention and cause traffic to slow.

 

[QUOTE=shannanl;1559734687How can a policeman expect to have any respect from the community when they break the very laws that they are there to enforce and do in right in front of people and just thumb their noses at them while doing it. With all that said I am not a cop "hater". I have several good friends that are in local and state law enforcement. I tell them the same thing that I said here. Of course they come up with every excuse in the book, just like the speeders that are pulled over by the cops.[/QUOTE]

You'd probably cringe if I told you the number of times I've driven a squad car at night without my headlights on, made a U-turn and had to speed to catch up to a car that I wanted to check, etc. It's funny, but most people have no clue what a police officer's job is about. Maybe the officer who passed you at a high rate of speed was going to back up a fellow officer. I probably did that hundreds of times over the 3 1/2 decades I was a police officer. Would it make you feel better if I they had their lights and siren on?

Why do people always assume that police officers are abusing their powers or "thumbing their nose" at the motoring public by doing that? It's okay for people to have a radar detector in their car to "thumb their nose" at speed laws, but heaven forbid a cop pass someone going over the speed limit. Most law enforcement agencies have "ride-a-long" programs for residents. Want to see what the job is really like? Go in and ride with an officer on the Evening Shift or Night Shift for a few hours. It'll open yours eyes and probably give you a good idea why police officers don't always do things by-the-book. Police officers are, and should be held to a higher standard, but we're supposed to play by the rules. I've yet to see written General Orders or Policies and Procedures that bad guys have to follow.

What really troubles me about posts on cops (and speeding/street racing) is the "holier than thou" attitude that many have. I often chuckle when I read posts such as this because I'm not sure why many people on this forum aren't driving Buicks or Mercury Grand Marquis'. I bought a Corvette and have modded it because I like to go fast and I "occasionly" do it on the street. I admit it. I don't do it because I think I can get away with it because I'm a retired cop, but because I've been a gearhead since I was 16-years old.

You mention that your law enforcement friends alway have excuses for what they're doing. You want to hear excuses? I could write a book on the excuses I've heard from the motoring public over the years, so I guess it isn't only cops who make things up.

 

 

 

DevilDog II and thanks 4 telling it how it is.

 

Cop or no cop, I would never drive fast in my modified C5, but lighting up bambi with a .308 is all fair game..............

 

[quote=shannanl;1559734687How can a policeman expect to have any respect from the community when they break the very laws that they are there to enforce and do in right in front of people and just thumb their noses at them while doing it. With all that said I am not a cop "hater". I have several good friends that are in local and state law enforcement. I tell them the same thing that I said here. Of course they come up with every excuse in the book, just like the speeders that are pulled over by the cops.[/QUOTE]

You'd probably cringe if I told you the number of times I've driven a squad car at night without my headlights on, made a U-turn and had to speed to catch up to a car that I wanted to check, etc. It's funny, but most people have no clue what a police officer's job is about. Maybe the officer who passed you at a high rate of speed was going to back up a fellow officer. I probably did that hundreds of times over the 3 1/2 decades I was a police officer. Would it make you feel better if I they had their lights and siren on?

Why do people always assume that police officers are abusing their powers or "thumbing their nose" at the motoring public by doing that? It's okay for people to have a radar detector in their car to "thumb their nose" at speed laws, but heaven forbid a cop pass someone going over the speed limit. Most law enforcement agencies have "ride-a-long" programs for residents. Want to see what the job is really like? Go in and ride with an officer on the Evening Shift or Night Shift for a few hours. It'll open yours eyes and probably give you a good idea why police officers don't always do things by-the-book. Police officers are, and should be held to a higher standard, but we're supposed to play by the rules. I've yet to see written General Orders or Policies and Procedures that bad guys have to follow.

What really troubles me about posts on cops (and speeding/street racing) is the "holier than thou" attitude that many have. I often chuckle when I read posts such as this because I'm not sure why many people on this forum aren't driving Buicks or Mercury Grand Marquis'. I bought a Corvette and have modded it because I like to go fast and I "occasionly" do it on the street. I admit it. I don't do it because I think I can get away with it because I'm a retired cop, but because I've been a gearhead since I was 16-years old.

You mention that your law enforcement friends alway have excuses for what they're doing. You want to hear excuses? I could write a book on the excuses I've heard from the motoring public over the years, so I guess it isn't only cops who make things up.



AMEN Brother!!!!

 

From one cop to another . Very well said.

 

ha ha.. thats why i have pissed on cop cars..because i am jealous

i want to be able to abuse power

 

Cops, I have no problem with the way you drive. I respect you, your job, and I have faith in your ability to drive fast safely. The problem is there are too many cops that hand out speeding tickets like they were candy to people driving safely. They will tell you that R&P is NEVER above the posted limit, even though we all agree that sometimes it is. These guys need to be vulnerable to getting the same chicksht tickets they write, when they are off duty. If they got a few, maybe they would understand how much it hurts and how unjust it feels to get them when doing nothing wrong.

 

in cali they're $300+ candies. Not cheap.

 

I'm not trying to start a flame warwith ya, but I gotta say you sound like you are taking a ticket way to personally.

First of all, cops CAN NOT just arbitrarily hand out citations to people "when [they're] doing nothing wrong." You don't really believe that do you? Officers actions have to be justified (in court as well). If anyone gets a ticket they don't feel wasn't legally justified, they have the option to contest it.

As for anyone (officers) who deal in absolutes, i.e. "They will tell you that R&P is NEVER above the posted limit, even though we all agree that sometimes it is." I don't even know what an R&B is... but there is spirit of the law and letter of the law... You may have come across someone who believes in the latter of the two... you're gonna get a ticket everytime. Oh well... deal with it and pay attention to you speed, driving habits and you won't have a problem [and I don't mean you directly, just in general]. I know guys that give more then their share of verbal warnings around here, so I have to disagree with that part of your statement.

Lastly, if you (or people you know) have such bad experiences with the system, then step up and undertake the job yourself.

It's easy to say things are chickens@!t and so forth, but you have to admit... if you're not the one in the driver's seat, it's easy to sit back, criticize and pass judgements...

BTW, thanks for your support

 

You should be proud.

Come back and tell us how it went....

... when the cop's still in the car

 

I'm not at war with you either, I would just like to explian my position. There are places in this great country where 9/10 drivers are over the posted limit because it is very safe and R&P. (Reasonable and Prudent) And there are officers who know where these places are. So that's where they hang out, not where it is dangerous to speed. And in these places, they pretty much can write tickets to whomever they want and get them to stick in court. Why do they chose to enforce the letter of the law here? We may see things differently simply by where we live. I have been told by an officer and in traffic school, without asking in either place, that they pretty much never give warnings here anymore. I have never gotten one in the Tucson area, and I am always honest and polite to the officer. Speeding is three pionts, causing an accident (Failure to yield, failure to control) is two. 8 an your license can be suspended. 10 is mandatory I think. I know Cops don't control this, but a silly little ticket can have a major impact in your life. That feels personal. If I get a ticket, I want to at least deserve it. As for doing the job, I don't want to deal with the people you deal with. And absolutely no offense intended, I make more money doing an easier job. Wow, that was long.

 

I think what he was trying to say is that exceeding an arbitrarily low speed limit, while technically violating the law, is not wrong. At least, in some sense of right and wrong.