# Don't know how to feel about this cop's question... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 30, 2011, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-know-how-to-feel-about-this-cops-question/601263 "2011-10-30T06:02:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 18
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-know-how-to-feel-about-this-cops-question/601263/341 "2011-11-08T06:55:17Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Bullshit. The _only_ time I have questioned a person with a valid placard was in the case of a young woman who I had seen park her car next to me in the handicap section of a Planet Fitness gym and get out and exercise, run and lift weights without the slightest trace of disability or need for a parking space which was close to the entrance. That plus the fact that she was using a blue, _permanent_ placard gave me reason to believe she was using someone else’s placard. > > It would have been _precisely_ what I had done, if I would have seen her pull up into the handicap spot, and, despite her placard, questioned her just on the basis of her appearance behind the wheel of her car. But that wasn’t what happened. What about at the grocery store? You questioned someone there about their use of the handicapped parking spot. Or are you saying that you’re allowed to ask someone why they’re handicapped, but other people aren’t allowed to ask you? > [@](#): > > The cop who questioned me only did so because I didn’t fit his image of what disabled people _look_ like/drive. You keep saying that but A)It’s just an assumption and B)I truly don’t think you even considered that assumption until it was said to you 40 bajillion times. See, here’s the thing Jamie, the cop very specifically told you that he couldn’t see your placard. Any other reason you feel he detained you for is pure, 100% speculation on your part and you just don’t seem to get it. I really don’t understand why you don’t see that. Why is it that the reason he gave you is ‘bullshit’ but the reason you decided (the reason I believe I was the one to suggest) is correct. Why can you say the cop was lying that wasn’t the real reason the real reason is blah blah blah and that’s the end of the story. But in other threads when you’ve felt under attack, when you’ve told us that we’ve put words in your mouth or suggested that you had ulterior motives for things, when the teeming millions have called you a liar…do you realized that it’s the same thing that you’re doing to the cop. The cop told you he couldn’t see the placard, you’re calling him a liar…fine. But it’s worse IMHO to tell us what he was really thinking. Unless you’re a mind reader you can’t do that. Again, all that crap that you get worked up and angry with us for doing is the same thing you’re doing to the cop. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-know-how-to-feel-about-this-cops-question/601263/342 "2011-11-08T06:57:02Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > If there’s one thing **Ambivalid** knows, it’s vigilantes. 😃 I find all your posts in every forum to be completely worthless, one-line pieces of drivel. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-know-how-to-feel-about-this-cops-question/601263/343 "2011-11-08T07:00:11Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > I’m saying that he should have done an appropriate survey of the area, which would include at least a front or side-view of the vehicle, before deciding that this car is not displaying a placard and needs to be checked out and lit up. Could I get a site on what exactly an “appropriate survey of the area” is and the protocol for how it’s to be done…or even what it means because I’ve never heard of such a thing and frankly, I think you’re just making it up to suit your needs. Also, if there is such a thing, I’m willing to bet it’s done with the lights on because the cop will need the person to know they are being detained. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-know-how-to-feel-about-this-cops-question/601263/344 "2011-11-08T07:08:59Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > What about at the grocery store? You questioned someone there about their use of the handicapped parking spot. Or are you saying that you’re allowed to ask someone why they’re handicapped, but other people aren’t allowed to ask you? > You keep saying that but A)It’s just an assumption and B)I truly don’t think you even considered that assumption until it was said to you 40 bajillion times. > > See, here’s the thing Jamie, the cop very specifically told you that he couldn’t see your placard. Any other reason you feel he detained you for is pure, 100% speculation on your part and you just don’t seem to get it. I really don’t understand why you don’t see that. Why is it that the reason he gave you is ‘bullshit’ but the reason you decided (the reason I believe I was the one to suggest) is correct. > > Why can you say the cop was lying that wasn’t the real reason the real reason is blah blah blah and that’s the end of the story. But in other threads when you’ve felt under attack, when you’ve told us that we’ve put words in your mouth or suggested that you had ulterior motives for things, when the teeming millions have called you a liar…do you realized that it’s the same thing that you’re doing to the cop. > The cop told you he couldn’t see the placard, you’re calling him a liar…fine. But it’s worse IMHO to tell us what he was really thinking. Unless you’re a mind reader you can’t do that. > Again, all that crap that you get worked up and angry with us for doing is the same thing you’re doing to the cop. Well, _of course_ I am only speculating here. How can I know for sure, one way or another, what the real motivation was behind this cop’s action? I am saying that the context of the situation, and the factors present, make me think the cop was using the “I couldn’t see your placard” reasoning as a pretext to light up and approach a vehicle and driver that he suspected was actually using a placard illegally. If he was truthful and he couldn’t see the placard; from the darkly tinted rear-window in the middle of the night (which I still say is visible); and decided to light up and detain my vehicle based on that alone; well then I’d just say he is a cop who needs a little training on how to properly identify vehicle placards. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-know-how-to-feel-about-this-cops-question/601263/345 "2011-11-08T07:13:40Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Could I get a site on what exactly an “appropriate survey of the area” is and the protocol for how it’s to be done…or even what it means because I’ve never heard of such a thing and frankly, I think you’re just making it up to suit your needs. Also, if there is such a thing, I’m willing to bet it’s done with the lights on because the cop will need the person to know they are being detained. Looking to see if a vehicle has a placard from a vantage point _other_ than from behind the tinted rear-window in the middle of the night. Many vehicles, like vans, don’t permit visibility from such a vantage point _at any time_ due to the tint and seating proximity inside. _That_ is all I meant by “appropriate survey of the area”. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-know-how-to-feel-about-this-cops-question/601263/346 "2011-11-08T07:18:57Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Well, _of course_ I am only speculating here. How can I know for sure, one way or another, what the real motivation was behind this cop’s action? I am saying that the context of the situation, and the factors present, make me think the cop was using the “I couldn’t see your placard” reasoning as a pretext to light up and approach a vehicle and driver that he suspected was actually using a placard illegally. Are you fucking serious? What do you mean “_of course_ I am only speculating here” you’ve been going on for pages that the cop was lying to you and that the real reason he pulled you over was because you don’t look handicapped…now you’re saying this. My god, pick a story and run with it. Every thread I participate in, you’re changing your story, adding new ‘facts’ halfway into the thread, telling us we had things all wrong. You ask for help, but we can’t hit a moving target. > [@](#): > > If he was truthful and he couldn’t see the placard; from the darkly tinted rear-window in the middle of the night (which I still say is visible); and decided to light up and detain my vehicle based on that alone; well then I’d just say he is a cop who needs a little training on how to properly identify vehicle placards. Ummmm, what training would you suggest the cop goes through to help him see through a darkly tinted window at night? Is there some sort of night vision or x-ray training he can get? And yes, of course he ‘lit up’ your car based on that alone. I don’t get why you don’t get that. He thought you were parked illegally. When cops see something they think is illegal, they put their lights on…that’s what they’re there for. When he was adequately satisfied that you were in fact parked legally he turned off the lights and drove away. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-know-how-to-feel-about-this-cops-question/601263/347 "2011-11-08T07:44:17Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Are you fucking serious? What do you mean “_of course_ I am only speculating here” you’ve been going on for pages that the cop was lying to you and that the real reason he pulled you over was because you don’t look handicapped…now you’re saying this. My god, pick a story and run with it. Every thread I participate in, you’re changing your story, adding new ‘facts’ halfway into the thread, telling us we had things all wrong. You ask for help, but we can’t hit a moving target. > Ummmm, what training would you suggest the cop goes through to help him see through a darkly tinted window at night? Is there some sort of night vision or x-ray training he can get? > > And yes, of course he ‘lit up’ your car based on that alone. I don’t get why you don’t get that. He thought you were parked illegally. When cops see something they think is illegal, they put their lights on…that’s what they’re there for. When he was adequately satisfied that you were in fact parked legally he turned off the lights and drove away. Dude, you just _have_ to be contrarian with me, dont you? I have been going on for pages because this _speculation_ is what I believed happened. I haven’t changed my story. I feel that this cop lied as to why he detained me, yes, and I have been clear and unwavering about that. But he could have been truthful, how do I know? _One_ of the many reasons I suspect he was lying, however, is the fact that he didn’t even attempt to _look_ for a placard from any vantage point other than that of the rear window which is commonly tinted or otherwise blocking the view of the placard (like the van example, or truck). While I believe he _did_ see it, it was immaterial to him. He believed I was using it illegally. Why can’t you see my issue? _ **IF** _ he was lying, and that’s a big if, just for the sake of this discussion, would you agree that what he did was _wrong?_ ---
**Author:** ![Lacunae\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-know-how-to-feel-about-this-cops-question/601263/348 "2011-11-08T08:09:18Z")
And here you are, all these pages later, insisting that it’s okay for you to speculate on his motives and actions, but that it wasn’t okay for him to speculate on yours. Only, in his case, that speculation is called “reasonable suspicion,” and it’s part of his job description. As for the notion that he should’ve checked from different angles if he couldn’t see the permit: why? He activated his lights (which, on most cruisers, activates the dash cam recorder - advisable for CYA purposes during any encounter), which gave him the opportunity to walk over and take a look. And whether he could see your prmit or not, he still had the right/responsibility to make sure that it was being used in an approved manner. Where’s the oppression? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-know-how-to-feel-about-this-cops-question/601263/349 "2011-11-08T08:17:23Z")
_I’m_ not being ‘contraian’ with you…I’m just pointing out how you’re contradicting you’re self. First you said this > [@](#): > > See, there was never an issue of my placard being non-visible. This officer, upon seeing a young, fit man in a sports car; automatically assumed that the visible placard hanging from the rearview mirror was someone else’s and being used illegally. This was a judgment call that, in my opinion, he was out-of-bounds in making. > \*I am making the assertion that his initial claim of the window tint keeping him from seeing the placard was BS In the above quote you are very clearly accusing the officer of seeing the placard hanging from the rear view mirror and choosing to ignore it because you’re a muscular guy in a sports car so it’s probably not yours. He told you that he couldn’t see it, but you chose to believe he’s lying and not only that but went a step further and decided what what he was thinking as well. I don’t see how that statement could be read as anything other then an flat out accusation. In fact there’s a footnote where you even specifically said that you are making the assertion that what the officer said was BS…those are your words. Then, a few posts later you said > [@](#): > > Well, of course I am only speculating here. How can I know for sure, one way or another, what the real motivation was behind this cop’s action? Who’s being contrarian…not me. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-know-how-to-feel-about-this-cops-question/601263/350 "2011-11-08T09:01:58Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Bullshit. The _only_ time I have questioned a person with a valid placard was in the case of a young woman who I had seen park her car next to me in the handicap section of a Planet Fitness gym and get out and exercise, run and lift weights without the slightest trace of disability or need for a parking space which was close to the entrance. That plus the fact that she was using a blue, _permanent_ placard gave me reason to believe she was using someone else’s placard. Guess what, you absolute fucking mindless moron. She owed you no explanation whatsoever. Nobody other than you made you the parking placard enforcement bureau. Do you know why? Because there’s no such thing. And the fact of the matter is that those placards are not issued on the basis of “looking as though one needs to use one.” Come to think of it, the police officer you’re bitching about probably could not have seen your wheelchair from his vantage point of being in another vehicle. Got that, moron? You’re bitching about a police officer, someone who’s actually employed to and invested with the authority to monitor compliance with laws, doing exactly what you just proudly announced you do when it suits your whim. You are a hypocrite, a moron, and generally a piece of crap for a human being. Of course, I’m just judging by the posts you’ve made here and by what I’ve read about you on certain news sites. And I don’t give a hoot that you’re in a wheelchair. You’re just not a decent person at all. The wheelchair is your excuse to be a jerk. No doubt, you never needed an excuse, though. I’m so glad that some years ago, I met a man who lost his arm in a freak accident. Do you know how angry he was at the world? Zero. He was a great guy, a lot of fun to be around. And he kicked everyone’s ass in foosball. The best part about that was he played solo against teams. He wasn’t angry. You are angry because you’re a piece of crap and you blame others for it so you take out your rage on innocent parties who’ve dare to offend you. Well, too bad. The world doesn’t owe 100% peace and kindness to crap. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-know-how-to-feel-about-this-cops-question/601263/351 "2011-11-08T09:20:50Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > I’m so glad that some years ago, I met a man who lost his arm in a freak accident. Do you know how angry he was at the world? Zero. He was a great guy, a lot of fun to be around. And he kicked everyone’s ass in foosball. The best part about that was he played solo against teams. My God, I would love to see that. A one armed man beating a two man team in foosball? One arm against _four_?! I’m not doubting you, but that’s one of the most kick ass things I can think of. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-know-how-to-feel-about-this-cops-question/601263/352 "2011-11-08T11:56:32Z")
Dude, it was great. This was in Alameda, California before the Navy closed its base there. My buddies and I actually looked forward to that ass-kicking on our return from cruise. Not just because he was great at foosbal, but because, as I said, he was a great guy. Warm personality, not a mean bone in his body. He’s the kind of guy people wish they were. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-know-how-to-feel-about-this-cops-question/601263/353 "2011-11-08T12:08:09Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > I’ll take the afternoon of 11/10 **Rick** : Your guess was the closest. You may now commence bragging to all and sundry about the, how you pegged the, how was it put in one of _The Big Bang Theory_ episodes, oh, yes, feminine cleansing product which makes one feel like a summer breeze and the bag it came in. ---
**Author:** ![CannyDan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cannydan/32/548_2.png) [@CannyDan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CannyDan)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-know-how-to-feel-about-this-cops-question/601263/354 "2011-11-08T14:44:00Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > _ **IF** _ he was lying, and that’s a big if, just for the sake of this discussion, would you agree that what he did was _wrong?_ NO, for the ten thousandth time you fricking asshole, NO! Cops are under no obligation to be honest with you. Telling lies to people and judging the response elicited is normal investigative technique for cops. Once again, just in case you really are too dumb to have understood this point before, the cop had suspicions about you and your car. Those suspicions probably included doubts about your qualification to park in a restricted zone. But cop suspicions are rarely confined to a single narrow possibility. Cops suspect pretty much everybody of being involved with pretty much anything under the sun. You might have been a mere parking violator, or a car thief, or a getaway car driver, or a kidnapper or mass murderer. What, you protest, why would a cop suspect me of mass murder when all I’m doing is parking in a handicapped spot? Well, simpleton, because criminals frequently make mistakes that have absolutely nothing to do with their most recent or most terrible crime. Tons of violent felons, escapees, drug smugglers, arms purveyors, and others are captured when they do something totally unrelated, like speeding or running a red light. Or, I speculate, _parking in a handicapped zone_. As for the whole _could or couldn’t see the god damn placard_ issue, your assertions are still fucking bogus. Even if the cop could see a placard hanging from your mirror, all that confirms is that you possess a piece of cardboard (?varies? by state) that has the general shape and color of placards issued in that jurisdiction. It does not confirm that it is actually a real placard, nor does it demonstrate that it is currently valid, meaning not expired or revoked. Even close inspection of that hanger, had the cop walked around and made an “appropriate survey of the area” (dubious bullshit phrase noted), would not confirm that it belonged to the current occupant of the car – you. Only additional investigation, the proffer of your identifying papers and a direct comparison with the placard, could establish the actual validity of your permission to be so parked. But this cop didn’t bother with all that. He lit you up so you’d know you were under suspicion then further checked you out by asking you a leading question. A question, I repeat, that was at least related to the circumstances as they presented themselves at that time – meaning you, jackass, parked in a handicapped spot. You didn’t attempt to flee, and you gave an answer in keeping with an innocent person encountering a cop while engaging in lawful activities. You apparently didn’t act furtive, or give other signs of covering up something you felt needed to remain hidden. He didn’t observe a crack pipe on the seat next to you, nor a cloud of reefer smoke billowing out the window. There didn’t appear to be a person tied up in the back seat, nor a pile of bank money bags. You were fully dressed and there wasn’t a hooker on the floor giving you head. There was no screw driver sticking out where the ignition key should have been, and the dashboard place designed to hold your car stereo system actually had a stereo in it, not a gaping hole with wires protruding. All that was sufficient for the cop, who then left you alone without microscopic examination of your _bona fides_. Hell, he might in fact have actually not cared a lick about your parking. He might have been looking for a car thief or other criminal who was the subject of an APB. Discovering that you were not a major miscreant, he may then have simply walked away, not bothering to even find out if he could have written a parking ticket or not. > [@Monty](#): > > **Rick** : Your guess was the closest. You may now commence bragging to all and sundry about the, how you pegged the, how was it put in one of _The Big Bang Theory_ episodes, oh, yes, feminine cleansing product which makes one feel like a summer breeze and the bag it came in. Hey, I guessed the morning of November 10th, in Post 322. The morning of November 10th is closer to “320 PM Nov 7” than the afternoon of November 10th is!! I don’t want any feminine hygiene products, I want my pony! Or no, wait, I already have horses and there is hardly a more expensive giant lawn ornament known to man. I don’t need another. But bragging rights, yeah, I could go for that, yessir!! Oh, and maybe a cookie. Chocolate chip, please. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-know-how-to-feel-about-this-cops-question/601263/355 "2011-11-08T14:59:09Z")
> [@CannyDan](#): > > But this cop didn’t bother with all that. He lit you up so you’d know you were under suspicion then further checked you out by asking you a leading question. A question, I repeat, that was at least related to the circumstances as they presented themselves at that time – meaning you, jackass, parked in a handicapped spot. You didn’t attempt to flee, and you gave an answer in keeping with an innocent person encountering a cop while engaging in lawful activities. You apparently didn’t act furtive, or give other signs of covering up something you felt needed to remain hidden. He didn’t observe a crack pipe on the seat next to you, nor a cloud of reefer smoke billowing out the window. There didn’t appear to be a person tied up in the back seat, nor a pile of bank money bags. You were fully dressed and there wasn’t a hooker on the floor giving you head. There was no screw driver sticking out where the ignition key should have been, and the dashboard place designed to hold your car stereo system actually had a stereo in it, not a gaping hole with wires protruding. All that was sufficient for the cop, who then left you alone without microscopic examination of your _bona fides_. Hell, he might in fact have actually not cared a lick about your parking. He might have been looking for a car thief or other criminal who was the subject of an APB. Discovering that you were not a major miscreant, he may then have simply walked away, not bothering to even find out if he could have written a parking ticket or not. It’s also worth noting (again, I suppose) that he didn’t need a reason to check any of the items on this list. He could have lit you up because he didn’t like the cut of your jib and then proceeded to check all those things hoping to find something wrong. What you are complaining about is akin to when I got pulled over years ago because a vehicle similar to the one I was driving was reported as having stolen a lawnmower (in the middle of winter) and the cop asked if he could take a look in the back. Of course I didn’t take the lawn mower, I was at the movie theater an hour earlier there’s no way I could have taken it. I consented to the search (it was an empty cargo van and all he wanted to do was shine the flashlight in the back) and that was the end of it. For all I know there was no stolen lawnmower and he just wanted to see if I was smoking pot in the van and stop me so he could get a whiff of the interior or maybe he thought I looked underage and it was just an easy way to see my DL. Maybe there was a serial killer in Milwaukee driving a similar van and it was easier to say ‘lawnmower thief’ then to alert the public to something like this. Anyways…remain calm and carry on. ETA, FTR, I didn’t say it was _exactly_ the same, I said it was akin…similar. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-know-how-to-feel-about-this-cops-question/601263/356 "2011-11-08T15:15:47Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > This officer, upon seeing a young, fit man in a sports car; automatically assumed that the _visible placard_ hanging from the rearview mirror was _someone else’s_ and being used illegally. This was a judgment call that, in my opinion, he was out-of-bounds in making. You’re wrong. It is completely within his bounds to follow up his suspicion with further investigation. You seem to think that a cop stopping you and asking you questions is a violation of some kind of right. It isn’t. He didn’t arrest you; he didn’t charge you; he didn’t assault you; he didn’t imprison you; he didn’t order you around. He asked you a few questions to address his suspicions and he went on his way. That’s exactly what he’s _supposed_ to do. > [@Ambivalid](#): > > And it would seem to be common sense, from a police officers’ perspective, to at least travel to the front of the car to check for proper tags before lighting a parked car up for parking in handicapped parking. What makes you so sure you know what is “common sense” from a cop’s point of view? > [@](#): > > Everything about that situation told me that he simply didn’t believe I was using that placard legally. Everything from the way he lit me up without even _really_ making an effort to _see_ the placard (because he actually _did_ see it from the get-go), to the tone of his questioning “So come on, how are you _really_ disabled?”, made me confident that that was the situation. I’m willing to take your word for all this. In fact, if I had to guess, I’d say this is exactly what happened. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with it. His actions were within the bounds of his duties. > [@Ambivalid](#): > > So I waved the placard out of the window. It wasn’t a well thought out action, I will admit, but I just did it to show the officer that I _was_ legal, and to try to save him the time of even getting out of his car. You bet it was ill-thought-out. The very idea that someone is going to be waving stuff at a cop and he’s just going to go “Oh, well, guess there’s nothing to see here. I certainly shouldn’t approach any closer because there’s no way I might find evidence of some other crime if I looked around a bit” – it’s a joke. > [@](#): > > I’m saying that he should have done an appropriate survey of the area, which would include at least a front or side-view of the vehicle, before deciding that this car is not displaying a placard and needs to be checked out and lit up. > [@Ambivalid](#): > > is the fact that he didn’t even attempt to _look_ for a placard from any vantage point other than that of the rear window Look, Jamie, a cop is not a parking attendant. Can you understand that? > [@](#): > > _ **IF** _ he was lying, and that’s a big if, just for the sake of this discussion, would you agree that what he did was _wrong?_ I think CannyDan has this one in the bag. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-know-how-to-feel-about-this-cops-question/601263/357 "2011-11-08T15:38:09Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Dude, you just _have_ to be contrarian with me, dont you? When I replied to this last night (way past my bedtime) the word ‘contrarian’ didn’t sound right to me (I think that’s mainly because it’s a noun, not an adjective), hence the reason I put it in quotes. I just looked it up [Contrarian](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/contrarian) - a person who takes an opposing view, **especially one who rejects the majority opinion** I’m not a contrarian…you are. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-know-how-to-feel-about-this-cops-question/601263/358 "2011-11-08T15:49:41Z")
> [@CannyDan](#): > > But this cop didn’t bother with all that. He lit you up so you’d know you were under suspicion then further checked you out by asking you a leading question. A question, I repeat, that was at least related to the circumstances as they presented themselves at that time – meaning you, jackass, parked in a handicapped spot. You didn’t attempt to flee, and you gave an answer in keeping with an innocent person encountering a cop while engaging in lawful activities. You apparently didn’t act furtive, or give other signs of covering up something you felt needed to remain hidden. He didn’t observe a crack pipe on the seat next to you, nor a cloud of reefer smoke billowing out the window. There didn’t appear to be a person tied up in the back seat, nor a pile of bank money bags. You were fully dressed and there wasn’t a hooker on the floor giving you head. There was no screw driver sticking out where the ignition key should have been, and the dashboard place designed to hold your car stereo system actually had a stereo in it, not a gaping hole with wires protruding. All that was sufficient for the cop, who then left you alone without microscopic examination of your _bona fides_. Hell, he might in fact have actually not cared a lick about your parking. He might have been looking for a car thief or other criminal who was the subject of an APB. Discovering that you were not a major miscreant, he may then have simply walked away, not bothering to even find out if he could have written a parking ticket or not. Of course there wasn’t. Even street crack whores have _some_ standards. > [@](#): > > Hey, I guessed the morning of November 10th, in Post 322. The morning of November 10th is closer to “320 PM Nov 7” than the afternoon of November 10th is!! I don’t want any feminine hygiene products, I want my pony! Or no, wait, I already have horses and there is hardly a more expensive giant lawn ornament known to man. I don’t need another. But bragging rights, yeah, I could go for that, yessir!! > > Oh, and maybe a cookie. Chocolate chip, please. Right you are. You may obtain your chocolate chip cookies at your local mercantile upon presentation of the appropriate legal tender for your area. May I suggest that you don’t wave a fistful of it at your local police personnel if any such individuals happen to be present? I’m given to understand, LEOs aren’t fond of people doing that. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-know-how-to-feel-about-this-cops-question/601263/359 "2011-11-08T15:52:08Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Bolding mine. I’m sorry, but I couldn’t let this willful distortion of facts go uncontested, simply in order for you to make your point. See, there was never an issue of my placard being non-visible. This officer, upon seeing a young, fit man in a sports car; automatically assumed that the _visible placard_ hanging from the rearview mirror was _someone else’s_ and being used illegally. This was a judgment call that, in my opinion, he was out-of-bounds in making. > \*I am making the assertion that his initial claim of the window tint keeping him from seeing the placard was BS Do you know that opinions aren’t facts? If so, you don’t display that knowledge in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2011, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-know-how-to-feel-about-this-cops-question/601263/360 "2011-11-08T16:03:18Z")
> [@CannyDan](#): > > He didn’t observe a crack pipe on the seat next to you Or a Saturday Night Special, for that matter. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-know-how-to-feel-about-this-cops-question/601263.md?page=17) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-know-how-to-feel-about-this-cops-question/601263.md?page=19)