unmarked "police" car harassed me for three miles.

[Owltooth]

Hi again. First off, allow me to emphasize the fact that I'm not a cop hater at all, .....you know? I live in Oklahoma City, I'm a middle class, married, full time working, home owning, tax paying (property and 2 vehicles) CITIZEN of this bicyclist hater of a state, and I want to ride my ****ing bike from the village to UCO to get my degree without being harassed by cops!

The last time it happened, I posted about it here. The cop told me to get on the side walk etc, and realized I knew the law and when I refused he went about his business. But this time, I don't even know if it was a cop or not, and that's what's ridiculous about the whole thing.

On 33rd and Santa Fe, on my way to UCO from the village, the same route I've been taking since August, I heard a short beep of a siren behind me. I looked back, saw an unmarked police car (I guess!?), a light blue grand marquee or police-type car. I rode on. (with the wind, I hit 40 MPH the last mile before this, but this took the wind out of my sails, you know..)

So the car pulls up beside me, passenger side window rolled down, and a plainclothes citizen for all I know shouts angrily "You need to move over!", "What?!" I yell back, still peddling.
"You can't take up a whole lane of traffic, GUY!" he yells at me, (as he's taking a lane to harass me, understand..)
and I yell back, still peddling, "I'm a PART of traffic, GUY!"...

...At that point, he falls back behind me, and I ride on. If I was doing something wrong, he should have arrested me right? So evidently I wasn't doing ANYTHING wrong (of course..) and he was just another uneducated redneck with the power to strike fear in the hearts of people with hearts big enough to try to use a different means of transportation in their daily lives, in a state which does nothing but discourage alternatives to cars.

=>ranting aside, this "cop" who never identified himself to me, followed me to 15th (first mile) street going 25 mph, followed me through the intersection turning right, all the way to Kelly (second mile), upon which I was riding about 17 mph due to the cross wind, and then left up Kelly almost to 2nd street (third mile) he got tired of playing games and peeled out, motor revving, and went around me (no I couldn't see the plate, damn it..I was worried he was going to knock me over or something..).

I went to my class at UCO, and immediately after I went to the Edmond Police Department to file a complaint or ask them about their take on things, and a friendly concerned type of guy told me that the Edmond Police don't run any light-blue un-marked cars, and due to the fact that he first met up with me on 33rd, which is the border of OKC/Edmond, it could have been OKC police, or anyone for that matter. He said that if he was a police officer it was certainly unprofessional, but that since I didn't get the tag there's of course nothing that they can do.

so if you're out there following the rules, and some jackass messes with you, stick to your guns, and no matter how hard your heart is pumping and scattered your mind gets from the confrontation, be extra diligent and try to get the tag number as it's speeding off...

And by the way, I'm not here to argue about my goddamned lane position as a lot of cyclists like to argue about. We don't have bike lanes here, and I was on a 4 lane road with a turn lane in the middle. There's no shoulder, just a curb, and I ride just to the left of where a car's tire would be. Period. "As far to the right as is safe."
anyway, good luck. Ride safe.

[genec]

Yup, a lot of motorists need education. Even those that enforce the laws.

[Blue Jays]

Rather than arguing about it, ask the driver to radio ahead to have a marked police cruiser meet you for everyone's protection. That will calm him if he's a real police officer and it will completely deflate his claim if he is impersonating one.

[Mr. Underbridge]

Rather than arguing about it, ask the driver to radio ahead to have a marked police cruiser meet you for everyone's protection. That will calm him if he's a real police officer and it will completely deflate his claim if he is impersonating one.

While I think it makes a good quip (whether he's a cop or not), I'm pretty sure that wouldn't 'calm' a cop.

[Blue Jays]

Police officers are trained that when they're in plainclothes it's perfectly acceptable/expected if a citizen requests a marked patrol...simply because of the ease a crackpot can pretend they're an officer. By the same token, it wouldn't be held against a motorist if he/she called 9-1-1 to say an unmarked car was trying to stop them and request a marked cruiser be sent. Darn near my whole extended family is police, FBI, and DEA, so we've had this discussion around the dinnertable.

[maddyfish]

The only time have have ever had a serious problem with a car was an unmarked police car.
They are EXTREMELY dangerous.

[Mr. Underbridge]

Police officers are trained that when they're in plainclothes it's perfectly acceptable/expected if a citizen requests a marked patrol...simply because of the ease a crackpot can pretend they're an officer. By the same token, it wouldn't be held against a motorist if he/she called 9-1-1 to say an unmarked car was trying to stop them and request a marked cruiser be sent. Darn near my whole extended family is police, FBI, and DEA, so we've had this discussion around the dinnertable.

Then I'm sure your family are the best of the bunch, because the cops I've had the (dis?) pleasure of interacting with would not react well to being told what to do. Note that this particular cop is already yelling at him and doesn't appear to care about his rights (which include being in the road).

In this case, however, the person never stated that he was a police officer, at which point it's just a clown in a Crown Vic who may or may not have had a siren. You'll also note that the car did *not* try to stop him, and instead offered some (illegal?) advice that was not a legal order. Best idea here, as usual, is to ignore it and let it go. If he actually is a cop and wants to take it further, he'll have to identify himself. If the cop puts on the flashers and pulls you over, then go the 911 route if you desire.

However, let's stick to what's actually happening here, and how you handle it. Do you tell a guy who's angry with you but not charging you with anything that you want *more* police presence? How do you think that's likely to end up? Do you call 911? In this case, what do you tell them? 'A guy in a Crown Vic yelled at me and I think I heard a siren' ? Come on.

I notice that the solutions you recommend tend to go the 'escalate first, ask questions later' route. Quite frankly, I think the original poster handled the situation extremely well, and I don't think I'd offer an alternative strategy. Getting the plate would have been great, but that whole self preservation thing is important. As it is, he had a very productive conversation with the local cops, got their take on the matter, and learned that it's not one of theirs causing the problem.

Hey Owltooth, any chance of you politely inquiring as to why the OKC police are harassing cyclists out of their jurisdiction? ;)

[Az B]

I think I would've pulled over, stopped and got the license number whether he stopped or not. Unmarked cars are not supposed to make traffic stops in this state. Although it kinda sounds like he was just a wannabe.

Either way, the guy seems to need some edumacation.

Az

[maddyfish]

You should be careful about pulling over for an unmarked car. I got pulled over by a marked private security car once while riding a motorcycle, in the rear view mirror it looked like a cop. But when the geek got out and came up to me it was apparent he was a rent-a-cop. I don't know what he wanted, I was in a hurry. He got treated to a haze of 'Busa tire smoke, and rubber as I left.

[Mr. Underbridge]

You should be careful about pulling over for an unmarked car. I got pulled over by a marked private security car once while riding a motorcycle, in the rear view mirror it looked like a cop. But when the geek got out and came up to me it was apparent he was a rent-a-cop. I don't know what he wanted, I was in a hurry. He got treated to a haze of 'Busa tire smoke, and rubber as I left.

Are you kidding? What the heck did he think he was going to do? Write you a fake ticket?

[Blue Jays]

Another thing to keep in mind is that even in the case of an unmarked car, if it is a legitimate officer, he/she will be wearing the regular police uniform of the township/county/state in which he/she is patrolling.

Additionally, a legitimate officer wouldn't be angered by the request for a marked cruiser. As people become more savvy about their safety, this happens all the time. Especially in the case of a woman traveling alone, there isn't an officer in the world who would recommend she pull to the side for an unmarked car. Let that officer request marked backup, and continue driving (observing the speed limit) to a public place such as another police station, firehouse, post office, etc. That technique is not perceived as escalation to a trained officer.

[maddyfish]

Are you kidding? What the heck did he think he was going to do? Write you a fake ticket?
I was speeding, I'm not sure what he was going to do, I was in a hurry, so as soon as I saw it was a rent-a-cop, I left.

[Mr. Underbridge]

Another thing to keep in mind is that even in the case of an unmarked car, if it is a legitimate officer, he/she will be wearing the regular police uniform of the township/county/state in which he/she is patrolling.

Additionally, a legitimate officer wouldn't be angered by the request for a marked cruiser. As people become more savvy about their safety, this happens all the time. Especially in the case of a woman traveling alone, there isn't an officer in the world who would recommend she pull to the side for an unmarked car. Let that officer request marked backup, and continue driving (observing the speed limit) to a public place such as another police station, firehouse, post office, etc. That technique is not perceived as escalation to a trained officer.

I realize that the difference in perception is that your family consists largely of police officers and you, naturally, perceive officers as nice friendly reasonable people that are here to help you and respond rationally to questions and requests. However, I have had encounters with officers who are testosterone-filled rage-a-holics who apparently joined the force to bully people around. These people do not respond well to even reasonable requests. I once had a cop follow me 2 miles to scream at me because I dared make a hand motion to the car behind me that they were following way too close (6 feet at 55 mph). I didn't know it, but turned out to be a cop. Not to say I haven't met friendly officers, I have. But I don't think you can characterize cops as a whole as far as any characteristic. You have some good ones, you have some that are total jerks.

Since the officer in question here seems to fit the 'rage-a-holic' mold better than that of a friendly officer, I stand by my original advice - don't escalate the confrontation.

[sgtsmile]

As was stated in the OP, the officer in question might not have even been a cop. The OP handled it well, in my opinion. Stay alive first, the rest is gravy.

[wheel]

As was stated in the OP, the officer in question might not have even been a cop. The OP handled it well, in my opinion. Stay alive first, the rest is gravy.


I had yellow light flashing behind me, We were like what the FRikc

We just rode they have PA system they can use.
It was security truck and it turned behind us after following for couple of blocks.

Guessing it was giving us an escort.

[sgtsmile]

If a vehicle was flashing a yellow light behind me, in this jurisdiction, I would just ignore it. Cops here use red lights.

:)