# Gotta pit- the cops. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 12, 2009, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gotta-pit-the-cops/480892 "2009-01-12T09:04:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gotta-pit-the-cops/480892/41 "2009-01-13T03:51:18Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > From the tone of your post, I would venture to say that you talked yourself into the tickets. Word up. I got a warning ticket on the way to work a few years ago and when one of my co-workers heard about it she just about hit the roof. "I NEVER get warning tickets! Every single I time I get pulled over, I get a ticket and blah blah blah . . . " Then she started describing the times she had been pulled over, and right near the beginning of the first story was the old classic, “I told him to just hurry up and write my ticket, because I was in a hurry.” No wonder you always get tickets you fucking airhead :rolleyes:. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_fun_ball/32/17664_2.png) [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Fun_Ball)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gotta-pit-the-cops/480892/42 "2009-01-13T06:28:56Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > From the tone of your post, I would venture to say that you talked yourself into the tickets. Close. From the tone of his posts it’s pretty clear that he is full of shit and a moron… ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gotta-pit-the-cops/480892/43 "2009-01-13T06:59:02Z")
> [@Fell\_through\_the\_Ice](#): > > Who the fuck carries tape in their car? :rolleyes: Dexter. Some people attract dick cops. I got a ticket when a car kept tailgating me and I sped up each time he did so to keep some distance between us until I got fed up and pulled away from him completely. At that point the cop driving his ghost car put on his lights and I pulled over. I explained this to the judge and his response was that I should have pulled over when I was being tailgated.:rolleyes: Okay, pal, I’m of the opinon that a nut should remain far behind me on the road, not beside or in front of me, but whatever. I paid the ticket. Another time, it was early in the morning 4-5am, I was working the night shift and was stopping in at the doughnut shop. I had to turn left across an intersection to get to the shop on the opposite corner and was stuck at the ‘punishment light’ waiting to turn. A few minutes pass and I wonder what is taking the light so long to turn. I look in all directions for traffic that wasn’t there, nor had been there while I was driving on the road, or stopped at the light. I could see far enough that had I been an invalid grandmother with a walker I could have crossed before Michael Andretti could have reached the intersection with an F1 car at full throttle. So, I ran the light. Very stupid as I should have realized that ‘doughnut shop’ = ‘cop’. They were sitting in their unmarked car chowing down. As always, I’m polite when the officer approaches my vehicle, and was a little miffed when I didn’t get a warning. Yeah, I know he didn’t have to give me a warning, but come on, he was looking at the same intersection I was sitting in probably laughing at the guy stuck at the light with no other cars around and betting with his partner as to whether I’d run it. I never did see the light turn, btw. ---
**Author:** ![mks57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@mks57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mks57)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gotta-pit-the-cops/480892/44 "2009-01-13T09:12:01Z")
Some cops are jerks. If you have never encountered one, consider yourself lucky. Police departments today have higher standards than in the old days, when being someone’s cousin was enough to get a badge and a gun in some departments. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gotta-pit-the-cops/480892/45 "2009-01-13T10:30:36Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > It’s not like he’s saying he got them all in the same week, though. > > You didn’t, did you **Stan**? Your narrative actually gives no clues as to how far apart the citations were, timewise. Eggzactly! These tickets were spaced out over my entire driving career which officially began in 1977, although I have been driving since I was ten years old, operating everything from a VW beetle to a bulldozer on my grandfather’s farm. I guestimate that over that intervening time, I have driven WELL over 1/2 million miles, without an accident. I am pretty much a road warrior, and a better driver than you, unless you are Mario Andretti. The tickets I mentioned are all that I have ever gotten, and all except for the last one, the seatbelt violation, were 100% “I am ticketing you for having long hair, ya dirty hippie” style bogus. Fuck the police. They tried to frame my best friend for his GF’s suicide. She was suffering from post-partum depression and laid down on a freeway on-ramp a few blocks from his house one night when she freaked out. I won’t go into all the details here, but may someday when I have the chance. They were trying to get him to confess AFTER they were in possession of EXONERATING EVIDENCE. Cops suck, and I suspect they always have. The “War on Drugs” has just enabled them more so. /used to know every cop on the South Side of Chicago //Grandfather was a cop ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gotta-pit-the-cops/480892/46 "2009-01-13T10:34:43Z")
> [@mks57](#): > > Some cops are jerks. If you have never encountered one, consider yourself lucky. As a person who does have a problem with authority, luckily most of my transactions with the police have been regarding traffic stops. But, it is somewhat unnerving to play nice nice with a guy who has a gun and the authority to use it, and whose word is more than likely to be taken over yours, when he is being a dick. I did notice that as I got older the police demonstrated less dickish behaviour towards me when I had the opportunity to talk with them. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gotta-pit-the-cops/480892/47 "2009-01-13T10:37:00Z")
> [@bobkitty](#): > > Could a law-enforcement-type confirm something for me? > > For ticket #2 he says “I totally dressed him down, and have never paid the ticket.” If you never pay a ticket, doesn’t it turn into a Really Big Deal, like a bench warrant or something? I thought that was the purpose of those “Come pay your tickets today and we’ll look the other way as to how long it’s been” days that the city sometimes advertises. > > Am I incorrect? This was a long time ago, around 1980, and I don’t think that the state of Washington had reciprocity with California at the time. It has never shown up as a warrant here, and I have been back to Washington many times since then. It has never been an issue, although I suppose it could be. BFD. If they pop me on a 30 year old warrant someday, well, I guess they have solved all the other crime problems up there, so let them have at it. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gotta-pit-the-cops/480892/48 "2009-01-13T10:42:56Z")
> [@Uzi](#): > > Dexter. > Some people attract dick cops. I got a ticket when a car kept tailgating me and I sped up each time he did so to keep some distance between us until I got fed up and pulled away from him completely. At that point the cop driving his ghost car put on his lights and I pulled over. I explained this to the judge and his response was that I should have pulled over when I was being tailgated.:rolleyes: Wowsers, same thing happened to me. I was heading down a side street in Anaheim, CA, and at a place where there were two stop signs within about 40 feet of each other due to staggered cross streets. Vehicle behind me almost rear-ends me at the first sign, and tailgates me to the next one, so I roll it slightly. On come the lights. “Have you been drinking this evening?” “I should ask YOU that question, you almost hit me at the last stop sign.” Got off with a “warning” that time. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gotta-pit-the-cops/480892/49 "2009-01-13T10:50:36Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > A few of the stories seem dubious or outright fabricated, at least in the manner in which the OP told them. Add in the fact the OP clearly has “issues” with law enforcement and I basically have to call BS on his entire post. > > Most likely he’s just a dumbass that gets pulled over a lot because he does stupid things. Like most dumbasses he completely lacks any personal accountability for his actions. I don’t get pulled over a lot. The times I have been pulled over were bogus. And yes, I do have “issues” with law enforcement. I think they should do their jobs in a proper manner and not shoot restrained people in the back. Or pull minorities or long haired “hippies” over on fishing expeditions, and failing to catch anything, write bogus tickets. Yeah, I have “issues” with that. Maybe I should cut my hair? Sorry, but my girlfriend likes my flowing viking locks, and she takes precedence. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gotta-pit-the-cops/480892/50 "2009-01-13T10:55:05Z")
> [@Bill\_Door](#): > > I’ve driven hundreds of thousands of miles over the last 38 years, in dozens of states and six different countries. During most of that time I was long haired and heavily bearded, and drove what might be charitably called beaters. > > I have been stopped on five different occasions, and every one was a fair cop. I was warned and released on four offenses, twice for speeding, once for failing to come to a complete stop at a stop sign, and once for an expired registration. > > I only got one ticket, a violation of section 1225, avoiding a traffic control device, and when I went to court the judge dropped the charge. In every instance the cops were nothing if not polite. > > Where are these police that have the time and the energy to pull people over for fun? Well, you got off easy. I don’t think you got fair treatment from the cops just because they let you off. A fair cop would have ticketed you for the offenses. I was pulled over, for, basically obeying the law. In the modern age, what with the war on drugs and all, OBEYING the law makes you a suspect. Refer to my OP. Also a certain novel by Joseph Heller. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gotta-pit-the-cops/480892/51 "2009-01-13T10:59:35Z")
> [@bobkitty](#): > > The whole time I was thinking “Would you mind sparing a little of that energy to pick up the guy standing about 100 yards from you who is well known for concealing a shotgun under his coat??” Reminds me of the time me and my boss were driving in South Central LA. We were stopped at a red light, and a character at the bus stop was openly peddling crack cocaine out of vials. Made a sale while we were sitting there. Behind us was an LAPD cop car who must have seen the whole deal. Nothing happened. Me and my boss just looked at each other like WTF? Later on, it was revealed that LAPD was renting corners to dealers in exchange for protection and immunity. Making all this up am I? Google “rampart scandal”. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gotta-pit-the-cops/480892/52 "2009-01-13T11:02:47Z")
> [@Uzi](#): > > As a person who does have a problem with authority, luckily most of my transactions with the police have been regarding traffic stops. But, it is somewhat unnerving to play nice nice with a guy who has a gun and the authority to use it, and whose word is more than likely to be taken over yours, when he is being a dick. I did notice that as I got older the police demonstrated less dickish behaviour towards me when I had the opportunity to talk with them. Getting old sucks green moldy donkey balls, but there ARE some perks. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gotta-pit-the-cops/480892/53 "2009-01-13T11:08:18Z")
> [@drachillix](#): > > When you keep getting tickets, over and over again, from multiple law eenforcement agencies, we are forced to consider the possibility that just maybe, you’re full of shit. Yah, five tickets in 40 years of driving. I am a real scofflaw. Are you a LEO or related to one by any chance? ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gotta-pit-the-cops/480892/54 "2009-01-13T11:19:11Z")
> [@Baldwin](#): > > I’m trying to picture this. What did you tape to the side window? The ticket? > > And who gave you the thumbs up? I can see that happening if it was other motorists who were also stopped in the same area, and who could see what you were doing. At first I thought you meant that, after you got back on the road, other motorists, heading toward you at a closing speed of 110 mph, were able to see the ticket, recognize what it was, figure out that you were some kind of awesome righteous dude, and give you a thumbs up, all in about half a second. They were motorists that were passing me as I did the speed limit, (I wasn’t taking any more chances) so they had plenty of time to read it. I think I also posted a sign next to the ticket that said “bogus” in big letters with an arrow pointing to the ticket. Again, this was almost 30 years ago, so memory is not perfect. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gotta-pit-the-cops/480892/55 "2009-01-13T11:34:04Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > Tip: Don’t “dress down” the police officer, or even ask “what did I do wrong?” when he walks up to your car. Just be polite, let him do most of the talking and ALL the question-asking, and answer with yes-sirs and no-sirs. I’ve gotten out of more tickets that I can count like this, and the 2 times I was cited, minor offenses that I could’ve also been ticketed for were overlooked. I chewed out the officer south of Seattle after the ticket was written. Any action after that on his part would have opened up the department to a 1st amendment lawsuit. And of course you never ask “what did I do wrong”. No duh. Let him make his case. Any traffic officer will tell you that they have already made their mind about ticketing you before they approach your vehicle. Not being stupid or suicidal, I am always polite but firm with LEO’s, conveying respect but also subtlety dropping a hint that I am aware of my rights. And yes, I have been let off for stuff that they could have legitimately ticketed me for. I just find it interesting that the tickets that I HAVE received have been completely bogus. I guess the message is: “Drive like a jerk and we will let you off, but obey the law and you attract our notice.” And living in the Burbank/Glendale CA area, I wish they would ticket MORE people. We have some of the worst drivers on earth here. I won’t point any fingers, but some people have noticed that a certain ethnic group prevalent in this area are beyond psychotic when they are behind the wheel. Suffice it to say, I wouldn’t ride as a passenger in my Armenian EX GF’s car. She was also recently involved in a horrific accident that totaled her car and put her in intensive care. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gotta-pit-the-cops/480892/56 "2009-01-13T12:08:23Z")
> [@mks57](#): > > Police departments today have higher standards than in the old days, Yeah, right. [cite](http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_56314.html) Police departments want stupid thugs that will not question the morality of their actions under color of authority. QED. ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gotta-pit-the-cops/480892/57 "2009-01-13T12:16:08Z")
So THATS how people can have such high post counts… ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gotta-pit-the-cops/480892/58 "2009-01-13T12:29:15Z")
27 years of driving - 1 ticket # of times a cop told me he ought to “kick my ass” - 0 Of course, I’m blessed with a healthy dose of common sense. Case in point: When I go to the laundromat, I bring change. Lots of it. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gotta-pit-the-cops/480892/59 "2009-01-13T12:32:50Z")
> [@bucketybuck](#): > > So THATS how people can have such high post counts… Perhaps if the SDMB had a better interface, I could combine responses to multiple posts more easily into one. As it is, this is what you get. As if I care about my post count. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gotta-pit-the-cops/480892/60 "2009-01-13T12:42:53Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#): > > 27 years of driving - 1 ticket > > # of times a cop told me he ought to “kick my ass” - 0 > > Of course, I’m blessed with a healthy dose of common sense. Case in point: When I go to the laundromat, I bring change. Lots of it. Well, I average about 20k miles a year, and have been driving (at least on public roads) for 43 years, so I think our ticket rates may be similar. The quote, as far as I can remember it, was “It is people like you that run over old ladies and children and I ought to kick your ass right here and now.” Delivered in such a manner that I feared for my physical safety. I am glad you have had different experiences. One of these days I will relate the story of Anaheim cops that beat the crap out of an innocent man in front of my very eyes, and were really getting into it. Pummeling the dude with night sticks, a total Rodney King scene. When I went to the department to file a complaint, the desk officer handed me a form, I spent a good half an hour filling it out. When I was done, he ripped it apart in front of me, and told me “get the fuck out of here before you get the same.” Yah, I am a big liar that just makes up stories on the dope for yucks. If that comforts your feeble mind, keep on keeping on with your delusions. I prefer reality. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gotta-pit-the-cops/480892.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gotta-pit-the-cops/480892.md?page=4)