COPS behaving badly

[Foggy]

As a native of the great state of California, I consider speed limit signs to be merely suggestions.

[Frater I*I]

As a native of the great state of California, I consider speed limit signs to be merely suggestions.

Along with stop signs

[neonzx]

As a native of the great state of California, I consider speed limit signs to be merely suggestions.

Along with stop signs

A guy I know immigrated from Brazil years ago. He was pulled over for running a stop sign. Instead of just paying the fine, he decided to go to court. He explained to the judge about stop signs in Brazil and that one does not need to stop if the driver sees the roads are clear.

Needless to say, the judge didn't accept his "defense" thus fine and court costs.

When in Rome....

[Chilidog]

Boston Police Shoot 2 Dogs, 1 Fatally, After Officer Bitten

https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/do ... r/3025901/
...
A neighbor told NBC10 Boston that one of the pit bulls is known to be aggressive with residents.

"A few months ago, he did bite my daughter," she said. "I think a couple weeks ago, he bit the landlord's wife, and they did call Animal Control."

pit bulls

I don't think it was excessive force to shoot them after one bit an officer. I NEVER rent to any potential tenant who has a known aggressive breed or mix thereof.

Cops did not behave badly here.

No Chihuahuas or Dachunds, then?

[northland10]

As a native of the great state of California, I consider speed limit signs to be merely suggestions.

You would feel at home in the Chicago area except on highways like the Kennedy, Eisenhower, and the Borman. The speed limit signs are there to you mock by showing a speed limit you will never reach.

They also have lots of construction signs that tell you to reduce to 45 while you're going 15. It makes you miss the days of crawling behind a logging truck in Northern Michigan (which also is a better view).

[Foggy]

Off Topic

The plain fact is, as long as you don't exceed 10 mph over the speed limit, you can avoid a ticket 99% of the time in most states.

Here, most of the freeways are 70 mph. I can't tell you how many times I have passed cops using radar with my cruise control set at 80.

They Do Not Care.

But if I went 83, I'd get tickets all day long. So I go 80.

This is not an issue of cops behaving badly. Not giving me a ticket is cops behaving goodly, not badly. I don't care what happens to people driving 83 mph. That's not safe!

[raison de arizona]

83 isn’t any more unsafe than 80, but I too, also stick to ten over. Around these here parts that’s 85.

[poplove]

Off Topic

The plain fact is, as long as you don't exceed 10 mph over the speed limit, you can avoid a ticket 99% of the time in most states.

Here, most of the freeways are 70 mph. I can't tell you how many times I have passed cops using radar with my cruise control set at 80.

They Do Not Care.

But if I went 83, I'd get tickets all day long. So I go 80.

This is not an issue of cops behaving badly. Not giving me a ticket is cops behaving goodly, not badly. I don't care what happens to people driving 83 mph. That's not safe!

Off Topic

Years ago when I was stationed at McChord AFB a Washington state trooper said a trooper writing a ticket for 5 over was "pretty chicken."

While I was working at Nellis AFB we were told at our safety briefings that the state patrol wouldn't bother you at 10 over, 12 over was what they were looking for.

The speed limit on a long stretch of I-15 in Utah is 80 mph. I didn't go much over that as it didn't seem necessary. Plus I heard the Utah troopers weren't very nice to out of state drivers.

[neeneko]

No Chihuahuas or Dachunds, then?

Eh, pitbulls are the current 'well everyone knows they are bad dogs!' breed, and people only really have room to remember one to panic about at a time.

[neonzx]

No Chihuahuas or Dachunds, then?

Eh, pitbulls are the current 'well everyone knows they are bad dogs!' breed, and people only really have room to remember one to panic about at a time.

You have never encountered a pitbull which was enraged.
A quick firm kick to a attacking Chihuahua or Dachund rib cage and the war there is over.
No comparison with a pitbull.

[Ben-Prime]

Off Topic

I'm biased here in that both my favorite niece *and* one of the longest running exes-that-still-talks-to-me (we were engaged from 93 to 94, it didn't work out, we made a stab at being friends again in 96 and have stayed friends ever since) are both responsible current or former pit bull owners and socialized & trained them properly and to my knowledge, the only bite that has occured across 5 total pitties owned by either of them was to someone who was laying abusive hands on one of them and the dog reacted in defense of its 'momma'. I consider that a good bite, frankly. But, I know, anecdote is not the plural of data. So I try not to argue on this particular topic, except to share that not all experiences are the same and there are co-factors in the mix.

[sugar magnolia]

Many moons ago, when officers had to be certified to use radar and calibrate it every 8 hours with a tuning fork, the cut-off was 11 mph over the limit. It wasn't because they were good guys, or too lazy to write tickets, or anything like that. It was simply that anything under that very rarely held up in court due to the limitations of the actual radar gun.

[bill_g]

I used to have a whole set of those tuning forks.

****

Oregon is another state that doesn't seem to mind ten over. But! We also have VBR - violation of basic rule - which states you should drive safely for the conditions (weather, traffic, visibility), and that includes keeping up with traffic on the highway. Rally racing at 45 through neighborhoods posted at 25 will get you busted. But, doing 75 in a 65 on a highway will be ignored if everyone else is doing 75. If traffic is crawling, you better be crawling too.

Oregon also lets motorcyclists split traffic. IE: run between cars on the white line. But only if traffic has slowed below 15 (IIRC). That does NOT include passing on the shoulder. And it does not allow drivers in other vehicles to impede the cyclists following the law. IE: opening your door, or crossing the line with your vehicle to block them.

Oregon also requires turn signal use at ALL intersections including a tee from a one way to another one way, or from a marked right/left turn only lane whether controlled by a signal or not, or from a drop lane into another street (like an exit).

So, you can speed, you can risk your life, but you better use your signals while doing it.

[RTH10260]

'Deplorable': Iowa's GOP governor opts out of summer food program for kids

Jake Johnson, Common Dreams
December 26, 2023 6:39AM ET

Iowa's Republican-led government sparked outrage late last week by declining to participate in a federal program that would have provided low-income residents with $40 a month in additional food assistance during the coming summer.

Created by the U.S. Congress late last year, the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) for Children program aims to boost nutrition benefits for families with school-aged children who typically receive free or reduced-price meals during the school year. Starting in summer 2024, eligible families will receive a prepaid debit card with $40 per child for three months.

But in a press release issued Friday, the state's health and human services department said it had notified the Biden administration that Iowa would be opting out of Summer EBT, claiming the program doesn't sufficiently restrict the kinds of food that families can purchase.

Kim Reynolds, Iowa's Republican governor, echoed that assertion in a statement focused more on childhood obesity than food insecurity, which impacts one in 11 kids in her state.




https://www.rawstory.com/deplorable-iow ... -for-kids/

[Jim]

So, you can speed, you can risk your life, but you better use your signals while doing it.

That sounds exactly like what a buddy of mine told me before letting me loose to drive on Chicago expressways when I was 16...and he was right! You see a turn signal, they're coming into your lane NOW!!! Be prepared!

[Maybenaut]

I got pulled over by a State Trooper in Tennessee. It was 2 a.m. on 5 July, and I was heading home after a party. I wasn't drunk, but I was worried that cops would be on the lookout, so I drove the speed limit. Cop asked if I had been drinking and I said nope, not a drop (back then I didn't). Dude said, look, the trucks go through here at 80 mph. Your doing 55 is actually a hazard. I can't advise you to speed, but I can inform you that if you go with the flow of traffic, it is extremely unlikely we will ticket you. So, no ticket or anything, just some education (while his partner spent a great deal of time looking into the passenger compartment of my car with a big flashlight).

[bob]

I got pulled over by a State Trooper in Tennessee. It was 2 a.m. on 5 July, and I was heading home after a party. I wasn't drunk, but I was worried that cops would be on the lookout, so I drove the speed limit. Cop asked if I had been drinking and I said nope, not a drop (back then I didn't). Dude said, look, the trucks go through here at 80 mph. Your doing 55 is actually a hazard. I can't advise you to speed, but I can inform you that if you go with the flow of traffic, it is extremely unlikely we will ticket you. So, no ticket or anything, just some education (while his partner spent a great deal of time looking into the passenger compartment of my car with a big flashlight).

Sounds like a classic case of "if I look long hard enough and wait long enough, probable cause of something will appear."

[Maybenaut]

I got pulled over by a State Trooper in Tennessee. It was 2 a.m. on 5 July, and I was heading home after a party. I wasn't drunk, but I was worried that cops would be on the lookout, so I drove the speed limit. Cop asked if I had been drinking and I said nope, not a drop (back then I didn't). Dude said, look, the trucks go through here at 80 mph. Your doing 55 is actually a hazard. I can't advise you to speed, but I can inform you that if you go with the flow of traffic, it is extremely unlikely we will ticket you. So, no ticket or anything, just some education (while his partner spent a great deal of time looking into the passenger compartment of my car with a big flashlight).

Sounds like a classic case of "if I look long hard enough and wait long enough, probable cause of something will appear."

Yup. They wouldn't have found anything, though. There was nothing to find. I was a good girl.

[RTH10260]

Winthrop Police Lieutenant James Feeley arrested, charged with child rape

BY LOUISA MOLLER
UPDATED ON: DECEMBER 27, 2023 / 5:34 PM EST / CBS BOSTON

EAST BOSTON - Winthrop Police Lieutenant James Feeley has been arrested and charged with raping a child.

Feeley, 56, of Winthrop, pleaded not guilty Wednesday while handcuffed and shackled at his arraignment in East Boston District Court. He's also facing two counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under the age of 14.

Details of the case were not revealed at the hearing, but according to court documents, Feeley confessed to Winthrop Police Chief Terrance Delahanty in a cemetery on Monday, Christmas Day.

According to the arrest narrative, the chief met Feeley in the Belle Isle Cemetery in Winthrop after learning that Feeley was "in a bad way" and believing that he was suicidal and armed with a handgun. Feeley allegedly told the chief that he assaulted a child and was apologetic. He was then taken to Massachusetts General Hospital for a psychiatric evaluation. The alleged victim was treated at Boston Children's Hospital Tuesday where the child disclosed that the alleged assaults by Feeley started about a year ago.



https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/win ... e-charges/

[sugar magnolia]

I got pulled over by a State Trooper in Tennessee. It was 2 a.m. on 5 July, and I was heading home after a party. I wasn't drunk, but I was worried that cops would be on the lookout, so I drove the speed limit. Cop asked if I had been drinking and I said nope, not a drop (back then I didn't). Dude said, look, the trucks go through here at 80 mph. Your doing 55 is actually a hazard. I can't advise you to speed, but I can inform you that if you go with the flow of traffic, it is extremely unlikely we will ticket you. So, no ticket or anything, just some education (while his partner spent a great deal of time looking into the passenger compartment of my car with a big flashlight).

Sounds like a classic case of "if I look long hard enough and wait long enough, probable cause of something will appear."

Not really. It's actually taught as one of the indicators of DUI. It's considered "overly cautious driving" just like stopping too short of a red light or slowing down for a block before turning. If you're tipsy (or buzzed, as our commercials call it) you have a tendency to overcompensate in the opposite direction. Or maybe he was just being a nice guy and didn't want to have to work a wreck 5 miles down the road when a truck crawled up in her trunk. I don't know about other states, but we have max and minimum speeds posted on the highways here. A slower vehicle (regardless of the speed limit) causes as many wrecks as speeders do.

[northland10]

So, you can speed, you can risk your life, but you better use your signals while doing it.

That sounds exactly like what a buddy of mine told me before letting me loose to drive on Chicago expressways when I was 16...and he was right! You see a turn signal, they're coming into your lane NOW!!! Be prepared!

What's this turn signal in Chicago thing you mention? Is it some mythical creature?

[Maybenaut]

Sounds like a classic case of "if I look long hard enough and wait long enough, probable cause of something will appear."

Not really. It's actually taught as one of the indicators of DUI. It's considered "overly cautious driving" just like stopping too short of a red light or slowing down for a block before turning. If you're tipsy (or buzzed, as our commercials call it) you have a tendency to overcompensate in the opposite direction. Or maybe he was just being a nice guy and didn't want to have to work a wreck 5 miles down the road when a truck crawled up in her trunk. I don't know about other states, but we have max and minimum speeds posted on the highways here. A slower vehicle (regardless of the speed limit) causes as many wrecks as speeders do.

I think Bob’s right. Well, I think you’re both right. The overly cautious driving gave rise to reasonable suspicion so they could pull me over — for all the reasons you mention. But once they had me on the side of the road they didn’t have probable cause to believe I was impaired - Dude engaged in a lengthy conversation with me and I wasn’t exhibiting any of the behaviors associated with impairment. There was no smell of alcohol or marijuana. I had a reasonable explanation for my behavior - it’s a holiday, cops are out in force, and I couldn’t afford to get a ticket. Meanwhile, the other dude was shining his flashlight everywhere it would go.

So I think they were looking for probable cause so they could get me off the road if need be.

But that’s OK with me. Among the lives they wanted to save that night was mine. When they let me go I got behind a tractor trailer and stayed three car lengths behind him til my exit.

[Jim]

So, you can speed, you can risk your life, but you better use your signals while doing it.

That sounds exactly like what a buddy of mine told me before letting me loose to drive on Chicago expressways when I was 16...and he was right! You see a turn signal, they're coming into your lane NOW!!! Be prepared!

What's this turn signal in Chicago thing you mention? Is it some mythical creature?

Probably ancient history from 50 or so years ago...been ages since I've driven Chicago interstate traffic.

[sugar magnolia]

That sounds exactly like what a buddy of mine told me before letting me loose to drive on Chicago expressways when I was 16...and he was right! You see a turn signal, they're coming into your lane NOW!!! Be prepared!

What's this turn signal in Chicago thing you mention? Is it some mythical creature?

Probably ancient history from 50 or so years ago...been ages since I've driven Chicago interstate traffic.

My biggest problem with Chicago driving is the freaking HORNS all the time. If someone blows their horn here, it means imminent crash. I can go literally weeks without hearing the first car horn here, but can't hardly go a block up there without hearing them. It makes me a nervous wreck. No pun intended.

[bob]

I think Bob’s right. Well, I think you’re both right. The overly cautious driving gave rise to reasonable suspicion so they could pull me over — for all the reasons you mention. But once they had me on the side of the road they didn’t have probable cause to believe I was impaired - Dude engaged in a lengthy conversation with me and I wasn’t exhibiting any of the behaviors associated with impairment. There was no smell of alcohol or marijuana. I had a reasonable explanation for my behavior - it’s a holiday, cops are out in force, and I couldn’t afford to get a ticket. Meanwhile, the other dude was shining his flashlight everywhere it would go.

So I think they were looking for probable cause so they could get me off the road if need be.

Yeah; (the highly subjective) "overly" cautious is indicator of possible impairment. And officers are trained to observe suspected impaired drivers (for like 15 minutes) before administering a breathalyzer. So waiting long enough for probable cause, all while taking advantage of a (compelled) plain view.