# How could a police officer be this wrong? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 30, 2012, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-police-officer-be-this-wrong/626759 "2012-06-30T00:54:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-police-officer-be-this-wrong/626759/201 "2012-07-27T20:20:26Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Oh. I misunderstood, I apologize. > > Well that goes back to what I was saying; I had always had a cordial, polite and respectful relationship with this man, as far as it went. I always said hello to him in passing and made small talk with him in the steam room. I absolutely never had even the slightest uncomfortable, awkward or negative experience with him at all. He wasn’t a member of my old gym, either. Well I guess this just shows how much of a reputation you have. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-police-officer-be-this-wrong/626759/202 "2012-07-27T20:29:25Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > And “going to stores” isn’t the totality of transportation needs for someone in a wheelchair; those needs _can_ be a bit more pressing (such as doctor visits, court appointments, work schedules, etc.). Wow, all those places are in your gym’s building? Because the situation you described wasn’t a hypothetical. It was at a gym. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-police-officer-be-this-wrong/626759/203 "2012-07-27T20:29:40Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > And actually, you are _completely_ and _totally_ wrong here. Like I said in my OP, this man was an older man who I frequently said hello to in the gym. When I saw him approaching, I thought he could be the owner of the car and could be a _legitimate_ handicap parker; due to his old-age and somewhat debilitated state. It was more like a “Oh, is this _your_ car” type question. Not an accusatory one whatsoever. Well guess what? I don’t believe you and clearly neither did the older gentlemen that you thought you had a cordial relationship with. Maybe we’re both wrong but pulling a “Big confrontation? Who? Me?” is rather ignoring the bed you’ve made for yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-police-officer-be-this-wrong/626759/204 "2012-07-27T20:32:33Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Hey, all I ask is that you respond to what I post and not carry over past resentments. The problem is, people are going to form their own impression of you, based on former interaction. And if you keep doing the same thing over and over, people ARE going to judge you on that, and say, “wait a minute, didn’t you do this before?” “No, no, it was DIFFERENT this time!” Like it or not, jamie, you have a reputation. You can’t ask people to “not carry over past resentments”, because you’ve already established that reputation here, and people are going to judge you from what they know about you. It happens to everyone, like it or not. “SMH” all you want, but that’s just how people interact with one another. ---
**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:** [July 27, 2012, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-police-officer-be-this-wrong/626759/205 "2012-07-27T20:38:00Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Oh. I misunderstood, I apologize. > > Well that goes back to what I was saying; I had always had a cordial, polite and respectful relationship with this man, as far as it went. I always said hello to him in passing and made small talk with him in the steam room. I absolutely never had even the slightest uncomfortable, awkward or negative experience with him at all. He wasn’t a member of my old gym, either. So he found out some things about you that you didn’t know he knew and when he saw you looking at the other car and asking if it was his, it clicked with him. I don’t think it’s so mysterious. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-police-officer-be-this-wrong/626759/206 "2012-07-27T21:05:03Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > … I quickly glanced to check for the permit … OH MY GOD, _this shit again!!!_ ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-police-officer-be-this-wrong/626759/207 "2012-07-27T21:06:53Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > The thing is, we all see people doing illegal things all the time: red light running, rolling stops, sampling grapes, riding bikes on the sidewalk, buying two beers and taking them in the car for the ride, smoking near entrance ways, not wearing a seat belt, not wearing a life jacket, speeding, parking in fire lanes, making unsafe lane changes, passing on a solid line, wearing white after labour day, and tearing the tags off their mattress. > > We don’t all go around and continually point it out and stir up trouble. Some of us are having a hard time understanding your need to continually do this. Yes, one day you may be inconvenienced by one of these dicks and have to park elsewhere. And we get that it’s a shitty thing to do; most of us here would never consider parking in a handicap space, but why can’t you shrug it off and leave them alone? Why should he? Seriously, this is puzzling to me. I’m glad the SDMB didn’t exist in 1955 and have Rosa Parks as a member. I can only imagine what advice you’d have for her. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-police-officer-be-this-wrong/626759/208 "2012-07-27T21:14:42Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Why should he? > > Seriously, this is puzzling to me. I’m glad the SDMB didn’t exist in 1955 and have Rosa Parks as a member. I can only imagine what advice you’d have for her. Is there some sort of worst analogy contest going on that everyone forgot to tell me about? ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-police-officer-be-this-wrong/626759/209 "2012-07-27T21:36:56Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Why should he? Well, for one he’s gonna run out of gyms to go to do his gym thing (that apparently he cannot do at home) which seems pretty important to him. Now maybe there are 50 of em within driving distance he can use and he will be good for years and years before he pisses em all off (then again he might start getting blacklisted well before that). He could save his parking lot crusade for other random places or just a general letters to the editor /some kind of public awareness campain that doesn’t target specific business (especially gyms). Lets face it, his approach, whatever it is, is not making converts. It’s just pissing gym owners and members off and getting him booted out. Maybe his approach, if we were see it as it actually was, would shock everyone here in its badness. Or at the other extreme maybe he is Ghandi and apparently everyone in his town is a fucking asshole who hates anybody in a wheelchair. Who really knows what the reality is. Short version. He can keep up the fight. But he is at some point going to pay the price. And him having paid the price…did he just pay a price or did he actually accomplish anything? ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-police-officer-be-this-wrong/626759/210 "2012-07-27T23:29:26Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > So he found out some things about you that you didn’t know he knew and when he saw you looking at the other car and asking if it was his, it clicked with him. I don’t think it’s so mysterious. And how are those things synonymous with being a “dick”? ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-police-officer-be-this-wrong/626759/211 "2012-07-27T23:34:16Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > The problem is, people are going to form their own impression of you, based on former interaction. And if you keep doing the same thing over and over, people ARE going to judge you on that, and say, “wait a minute, didn’t you do this before?” “No, no, it was DIFFERENT this time!” > > Like it or not, jamie, you have a reputation. You can’t ask people to “not carry over past resentments”, because you’ve already established that reputation here, and people are going to judge you from what they know about you. It happens to everyone, like it or not. > > “SMH” all you want, but that’s just how people interact with one another. Except this is my very point; my _initial_ posts and threads here may have come across in somewhat of a confrontational, boisterous manner but I have NOT continued in that respect since. Despite this change, I have continued to get flogged mercilessly for those earlier transgressions whenever I even attempt to discuss the _subject matter_ that was the focus of those earlier threads.; even when the tone and attitude of those discussions (on my part at least) are markedly more civil and respectful. You are perpetually beating me up for long-past dust-ups that are not central or germaine to the current discussion whatsoever. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-police-officer-be-this-wrong/626759/212 "2012-07-27T23:37:04Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Well guess what? I don’t believe you That’s what it all boils down to. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-police-officer-be-this-wrong/626759/213 "2012-07-27T23:38:07Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > Wow, all those places are in your gym’s building? Because the situation you described wasn’t a hypothetical. It was at a gym. Um, go back and read for comprehension prior to posting next time, kay? ---
**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:** [July 27, 2012, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-police-officer-be-this-wrong/626759/214 "2012-07-27T23:39:44Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Except this is my very point; my _initial_ posts and threads here may have come across in somewhat of a confrontational, boisterous manner but I have NOT continued in that respect since. Despite this change, I have continued to get flogged mercilessly for those earlier transgressions whenever I even attempt to discuss the _subject matter_ that was the focus of those earlier threads.; even when the tone and attitude of those discussions (on my part at least) are markedly more civil and respectful. You are perpetually beating me up for long-past dust-ups that are not central or germaine to the current discussion whatsoever. Taking everything you’ve said at face value (since I truly have no interest in getting into a dust up with you and I just want to put this idea out there)…Is it possible the subject of your current story was simply doing exactly the same thing? ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-police-officer-be-this-wrong/626759/215 "2012-07-27T23:41:49Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > OH MY GOD, _this shit again!!!_ I know, it’s nothing but busybody behavior on my part to look over at the car parked in handicap-parking next to mine as I pass it to look for the permit. This issue that affects me on a near-daily basis, why should I intrude on someone else’s business like that? Geez. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-police-officer-be-this-wrong/626759/216 "2012-07-27T23:43:29Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > Is there some sort of worst analogy contest going on that everyone forgot to tell me about? Explain how it’s the worst analogy. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-police-officer-be-this-wrong/626759/217 "2012-07-27T23:44:40Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Taking everything you’ve said at face value (since I truly have no interest in getting into a dust up with you and I just want to put this idea out there)…Is it possible the subject of your current story was simply doing exactly the same thing? What do you mean? ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-police-officer-be-this-wrong/626759/218 "2012-07-28T00:26:15Z")
Just wanted to say that reading through the archived threads concerning this topic (broadly speaking-illegally parking in handicapped parking spaces) was very interesting. The threads had none of the attitudes that are seen so prevalently in this thread. I wonder why that is? ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-police-officer-be-this-wrong/626759/219 "2012-07-28T00:31:20Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > I know, it’s nothing but busybody behavior on my part to look over at the car parked in handicap-parking next to mine as I pass it to look for the permit. This issue that affects me on a near-daily basis, why should I intrude on someone else’s business like that? Geez. It’s pretty obvious your reputation has now followed you to gym # 3. You’re now the Soup Nazi of handicapped spaces. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2012, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-police-officer-be-this-wrong/626759/220 "2012-07-28T00:32:43Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Just wanted to say that reading through the archived threads concerning this topic (broadly speaking-illegally parking in handicapped parking spaces) was very interesting. The threads had none of the attitudes that are seen so prevalently in this thread. I wonder why that is? why don’t you read that sentence over again about 3 threads worth of times and get back to us on that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-police-officer-be-this-wrong/626759.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-police-officer-be-this-wrong/626759.md?page=12)