brokenrobot

Absolutely. But law-enforcement officers have a sworn duty to uphold the law. Maybe I'm just old-fashioned, but I can't see how that's compatible with a system that places them, their families, and their friends de facto above the law. The difference between covering up for your buddy who's a terrible (or a drunken) driver and covering up for your buddy who's dealing heroin stolen from the property room is a difference of degree, not a difference of kind; both are reprehensible.

Lucky07

Whoo! 8 pages! CAAD, your next thread should be titled: Runnin' Lights, No Helmet AND Dodging Cops!

brokenrobot

Fixed!

LSPR_MTU

That's also an excellent point, I'm suprised I didn't pick up on that.

For all the people complaining about the righteousness of the replies: the majority of the replies are not attacking the poster because he ran a red light, but because he ran from the cops, teased the cops, and then bragged about it. It's no secret that a very high number of criminals are apprehended because they brag about their crime to anyone who'll listen.

I also agree that had you pulled over right away, maybe he would've simply let you go with a warning. After a block of "not hearing" the police siren, it's not suprising he didn't take an imediate liking to you.

I'll freely admit that I don't live in NYC, or even a big city for that matter, so I can't comment on the cops around there. I do know a few police officers, however, and they all seem very level-headed and reasonable to me. Personally, I can't stand big cities. I think they are a breeding ground for crappy personalities. My theory is that being around that many people 24/7 eventually just drains your compassion, and you learn to live for yourself - noone else.

You could not pay me enough to live in NYC, or Detroit, or Chicago, or any other big city.

brokenrobot

Personally, I can't stand the hinterlands. I think they are a breeding ground for crappy personalities. My theory is that being insulated from people of other races and from other backgrounds eventually breeds ignorance, contempt, and bigotry - you learn to respect people exactly like yourself and to loathe and fear everyone else.

I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one, huh?

LSPR_MTU

Actually, I'll agree with that notion too. In fact I don't like the suburbs either, screw'em. Seriously though, I'm probably just projecting here.

I realize my statement was a little outrageous, but when I think about the types of people who annoy me, they are either money-driven metro-sexual elitists, or dim-witted, type-a hicks. I'm sure the city and country isn't really a "breeding ground" for these personalities, but rather these personalities tend to migrate to these locations. 95% of the people I've known fall somewhere in the middle, and I generally get along well with them.

Ok, now I'm just rambling. What were we talking about again?

dlwilson42

This is the thing that annoys me more than anything else about the police. I wouldn't mind the pointless citations ("just doing my job") or the selective enforcement or the threats cloaked in authority ("leave now or you will be arrested"), if only it applied equally to everyone. But it doesn't.

Last year I got a speeding ticket for doing 35 in a 25, in an empty neighborhood that hadn't been built yet. No other traffic. The cop was hiding behind a building, making some overtime. So, you say I was speeding? I should face up to it like an adult and pay the fine? The next day I asked a cow-orker who is a police reservist what would have happened if it had been him. "He would have let me go." Even though it was a different city? "Absolutely. It might be him next time."

This double standard is what annoys me the most. They can pass the crap out, but they don't have to take it.

Dave

chipcom 

How do you figure that living in the 'hinterlands' insulates one from other races, backgrounds, etc.? I lived in a little town in NM for 10 years, 100 miles away from the nearest fair sized city. We had white folks of varying ethnicity and countries of origin, Mexicans and other hispanic origins, Native Americans, Indians, African Americans, liberals, conservatives, libertarians, greens, militias, commies, gays, even some New Yorkers and Californians. They were also much more tolerant of each other than folks are in most places I have been or lived east of the Mississippi. No offense, but your statement makes it seem that the ignorance may be your own.

substructure

You two dingleberries (brokenrobot & LSPR MTU) need to get out more. To automatically assume that the ‘hinterland’ are where crappy personalities breed, makes you a bigot. I’d really like to know where you get your information from.

slvoid

Just to clarify:

Ask any cyclist caught on 5th or 6th avenue what happened the week before the halloween CM. The cops were stalking out cyclists left and right. But I would tend to think this particular light, the cops weren't really looking for a cyclist to pull over (hopefully). On the other hand, from experience, if they were sitting easy having a doughnut, they couldn't care less if a guy on a bike rolled through a light, especially in brooklyn.

This really is one of those NYC things where there are intersections with trees and parked cars where I can't even see 50 feet down the side street in broad day light, let alone at night.
And yes, when I run red lights at night I look for car head lights; there's always a chance that a driver with no lights can come flying down the street, god forbid.
Then again, my coworker got taken out on his R1 after some drunk blew through a stop light with no lights on. So you never really know sometimes..

slvoid

AH HA!
You left out asians. As a chinese-american, I'm offended.

And how do you have "white folks of varying ethnicity"? Never seen a white african american before lol.

LSPR_MTU

Firstly, I was being sarcastic when I agreed with brokenrobot. I doubt that brokenrobot really even meant that statement as anything more than a rebuttle to my initial blatant generalization.

Secondly, if you read my next post, you'll see that I basically retracted my statement about cities as well.

There probably is a little bit of truth to both statements, however. Being around people from sunup to sundown has got to take its toll, and eventually desensitize people to a degree. Conversly, people who live out in the boonies and lead a very sheltered life (yeah, I know not everyone in the boonies is sheltered, but some are), are probably going to be more likely to resent people and things they aren't used to.

acathi_cyclist

Sure I guess I'd rather have a $238 fine and a suspended liscence, all for my first and only moving violation, as opposed to a fuve minute lecture and an ass whooping from dad. SIKE!!!

Sure you think the rath of Pops is worse 'cause you've never had to experience the court system.

brokenrobot

Thus spoke the self-described redneck!

Yes indeed. I'm glad you caught it - though I'm rather surprised so many others have taken me seriously. Interesting, though, that nobody's springing up to defend the city and so many are springing up to defend the hinterlands, given that our two assertions are equally absurd... could it be that city-dwellers have better senses of humor?

LSPR_MTU

Absolutely not! The city-dwellers are just too busy sipping on starbucks, listening to Dido, and kicking old homeless people off their front porch.

substructure

Was this statement sarcastic? Because I'm not the brightest candle, but it didn't seem so.

If not, again I ask: Where do you get your information?

I see it differently. I would think that someone who lives in a large metropolitan would be more apt to resent the human population. And someone who lives in the so-called “boonies” would love company from just about anyone. Have you been to the boonies or are you taking your facts from “picture shows” as we redneck, boonie-livin’ hicks like to call it.

rideabike

Charlize Theron is a white african american.

LSPR_MTU

No, that particular statement was not sarcastic. I simply believe that those who lead a sheltered lifestyle (where everyone has the same customs, skin color, beliefs, income, etc.) are more likely to fear or resent people and things they aren't accustomed to. Rural towns, on average, are more "sheltered" than big cities.

Now, people who live in big cities may get annoyed with humans in general, because they are around people constantly, but they are less likely to have prejudice against certain groups of people, because there is really no standard by which to compare.

By the way, I've lived in the boonies before, as well as suburban areas. I'm getting my information from my experiences, as well as inflection. I'm not claiming to be an expert, just contributing to a thread.

cheers

*Edit*
I just looked up you zip. The area I live in now is more boony than yours by a long shot. I'm guessing your area is not deprived of diversity, and hence does not apply to my concept of "sheltered".

chipcom 

You're right...and we had Japanese and Vietnamese too. My apologies. I have seen white african americans, but we didn't have any of those. OMG WE WERE A CLOSED SOCIETY!!! We did have some black Italians though and one green polack...but I think the green was from something he drank.

Edit: Might as well share this. When I first decided to take a job opportunity and move to this little town that I considered in the middle of nowhere, I did some research and discovered that it had a large Italian population. (I am a wop myself). This puzzled me, my boss and a few coworkers, why were all these Italians out in the middle of nowhere in New Mexico....then it hit me WITNESS PROTECTION PROGRAM!!
Actually, they came out there to work in the coal mines years ago, but I liked my reason better.

substructure

I guess one becomes a Tzadik by living in perfect zone between red and blue states - boonies and metros

Still I think your claims are merely propositional knowledge.

slvoid

HOTNESS! I'd hit it.

LSPR_MTU

Alright, I'm not afraid to admit I had to look up Tzaddik. If you mean righteous, why don't you just say righteous. Tzaddik pertains more to the Jewish faith. Why would you choose this word, other than to impress me with your vocabulary?

It's not even propositional knowledge, it's just a belief, or a theory. Apparently you are armed with a thesaurus and ready to argue, I'm not sure why.

TheDTrain

Dirty commie cops, show em what for.

substructure

I don't even know what a Tzaddik is. I slipped on the keyboard while I was typing with one hand and eating a jelly donut with the other.

LSPR_MTU

Why didn't you just SAY you were a cop?