# Fuck off, Rent-A-Cop **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 4, 2002, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-off-rent-a-cop/127000 "2002-09-04T18:05:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![RadioWave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/91b2a8/32.png) [@RadioWave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadioWave)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2002, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-off-rent-a-cop/127000/21 "2002-09-05T20:04:45Z")
> [@](#): > > Actually, I kind of think RadioWave is wrong about the on-the-clock thing. Police officers in malls, directing private traffic, etc. are all on private payroll, AFAIK Could be. I just assumed that since they were in uniform and using police cars/motorcycles, there had to be some official PD involvement. I’ll try driving by drunk and see if they can arrest me. :eek: Now that I think about it, I would have a pretty big problem with cops wearing their uniforms when they’re not officially on the job. I think I’ll look into it. **E-Sabbath** I don’t see how it could be seen as a separation of church and state issue. It’s a large number of people leaving an area at a given time just like for football games, amusement parks and Oscar award shows. As long as they do it for all churches and events, it’s in everyone’s best interest to keep traffic moving. **Macro** Go ahead and complain to the local transportation board. I sure as hell would. ---
**Author:** ![Myrr21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Myrr21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrr21)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2002, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-off-rent-a-cop/127000/22 "2002-09-06T00:14:40Z")
Round here (Boston area), damn near everybody has one. I think it may be a local law or something–every office park seems to have somebody in front directing traffic. ---
**Author:** ![deborak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc348/32.png) [@deborak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deborak)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2002, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-off-rent-a-cop/127000/23 "2002-09-06T04:58:01Z")
**Macro** , apologies for the blatant hijack, but I’m in the area, so…how bad is the Big Three construction? I have a project coming up in Richardson, which involves me either going Midway/635 to 75N, or looping the long way around George Bush, or…camping out in the company’s parking lot for a week. My experiences with 635 in rush hour haven’t been pleasant, and I can’t help but think it’s got to be ten times worse now. Anyhoo, sorry to interrupt… ---
**Author:** ![Macro\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Macro\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Macro_Man)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2002, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-off-rent-a-cop/127000/24 "2002-09-06T13:33:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by deborak \* > \*\ ***Macro** , apologies for the blatant hijack, but I’m in the area, so…how bad is the Big Three construction? I have a project coming up in Richardson, which involves me either going Midway/635 to 75N, or looping the long way around George Bush, or…camping out in the company’s parking lot for a week. My experiences with 635 in rush hour haven’t been pleasant, and I can’t help but think it’s got to be ten times worse now. > > Anyhoo, sorry to interrupt… \*\* It’s not HORRIBLE, but East 635/Mornings and West 635/Evenings is usually bad. I work at Forest and 75, and come in from the north. It seems there are better north/south side streets than there are east/west. As long as there are no other problems on the highways around this area, the effect is only maybe a 15% slowdown. One idiot breaks down or crashes, though, and all hell breaks loose. Your best bet is to go east/west on Parker/Plano Parkway/Beltline etc. and heading south on Preston or Coit. No charge for that advice… ---
**Author:** ![deborak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc348/32.png) [@deborak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deborak)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2002, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-off-rent-a-cop/127000/25 "2002-09-07T04:03:04Z")
Cool - Beltline it is. Thanks **Macro**! ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2002, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-off-rent-a-cop/127000/26 "2002-09-07T15:55:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by fluiddruid \* > \*\* > > How would this have anything to do with separation of church and state? Churches are free to hire cops just like any other organization. \*\* I didn’t say it did, though it does seem to have sounded so. I was suggesting a slant that a local rabid and/or bored news producer might like to use in articles about the practice. I’m cynical. The news, I find, is rarely a hundred percent truthful. Still, cops are cops, even off duty, and therefore, they can make you take surveys, or direct traffic, and you must obey them. Sounds like a bit of a raw deal. But life is full of them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fuck-off-rent-a-cop/127000.md?page=1)