British Expatriate Network

To be honest I haven't had any bad experiences myself. But I am a lot more aware of the police here in the US. they do just follow you for no valid reason other than waiting for you to not come to a complete stop and give you a ticket.

Same here and ditto on the awareness thing.

I usually count to 2 after I'm at a complete stop before moving off - it would be hard to prosecute such a stop. That said, there are a couple of stop signs the back way home that you can go through at about 40-50 mph on a clear day.

That's what we call a California Stop - on approaching a stop sign, ease off the gas while saying "S-T-O-P" (which gives you time to make sure there's nothing gonna hit you) then tromp the loud pedal through the junction.

The system over here is bizarre and I find it quite frightening. From a resident point of view, the police in my town are generally nice and helpful. I've called them about a neighbor's barking dog and about a suspicious car on the street. However, they've also ticketed me for parking on my own property...

The police officers I've met out of uniform have generally been really nice people. I worked with a retired officer and he was lovely. A couple of my clients right now are officers and they are nice, straightforward people.

As a driver in this country, I find officers to be terrifying. Their behaviour is erratic and their "rules" very flexible. I couldn't believe it when I first learnt that you could bargain down an offence or ticket. The idea of going to court and having a little "chat" with the officer is repugnant to me.

When I got the parking ticket on my own property I was outraged as the rule they accused me of breaking was not written anywhere, was not posted anywhere, was not made clear or disclosed in any way that could have led me to avoid the ticket. I decided to go to court to fight it as I knew the brother of the officer who wrote it and thought I might be able to use the common sense approach.... I was not prepared for how regimented, rude and demoralising the court process would be. I was made to explain to the prosecutor why I was fighting the ticket and he spoke to me so harshly that (much to my embarassment) I started to cry from anger and frustration.

I ended up sitting through an entire evening of court and then having to return again a month later to argue the point. At that time the officer was in the court so he and the prosecutor (who said "I can't believe you've wasted our time coming back here again") told me they would dismiss the ticket. It blows my mind that me contesting something that was blatantly unfair results in me being publicly humiliated and chastised like a child. I was glad I didn't have to pay the $60 for the ticket, but I was so upset by the "system" that I am seriously considering whether I would want to raise children in a country that condones this type of behaviour. evil

Sadly, you have to play by their rules in court. It's like a secret boys and girls club - this is why people who represent themselves in court are off to a poor start before anything happens - not being part of the club. I know my attorney used to play golf with a few of the judges in two neighbouring counties and saw how both he and a judge ridiculed an opposing attorney from out of county who did not understand the procedures "in their court".

Well done for fighting the ticket though - and the prosecutor was just pissed when he said that to you because they actually might have had to do some "work" outside of herding the "cattle" through the money-collecting system.

Oh dear that sounds pretty awful Stel. I can believe you when you say "chastised like a child".

Our local public access television has nothing better to do than show coverage of traffic court. I don't know how watching ordinary joes who have had the temerity to go to court to fight traffic tickets is somehow entertainment but there you go. They do talk down to the defendant as if they were a smell under their noses.

Call the main police station and ask for the internal affairs department. They're the most hated people in the police service because they police the police. In Plano a complaint against an officer goes up to the chief. You have a right to complain.

That's where I am right now, I've known Americans most of my life, but until I moved here I had no idea just how un educated or closed minded they could be.
We are now talking seriously about leaving the US once our baby is born, because I don't want her going through the joke that is the education system here, and I certainly don't want her being subjected to the kind of abuse that the system dishes out.
I had realy high hopes when we moved here, but the more I read/see and hear, the more I see what a complete waste of time it was.
I'll miss the very few decent ones we've made friends with of course, they are just as appauled at how their country is going as we are.

:shock:

So everybody in the UK is highly educated and open minded? Sure as hell wasn't like that when I was there. Brits can be just as closed minded and uneducated too.

Would you still call him out if you knew he lived in Arkansas or somewhere equally (un)godforsaken in the midwest? Or just comment on his choice of dwelling area?

He didn't say all Americans are like that. Nor that no Brits are. Note the use of the word "could". :roll:

Home schooling might be an option? At least this way you avoid the brain-washing.

State brainwashing anyway......

Home school was a thought, but I'm not sure I have the skills required to properly educate a child either, which is probably why I don't do it as a job,lol
Your right I did not say all, and I never meant all, but a damn big proportion are.
Certainly the UK is no nirvana, but I do know for a fact that the education system, while not 21st century is a lot better than here!
The thread was about cops, so we'll stick with that example, they are not well trained in thus US, they don't all do the job for the right reason, and sorry to say, a lot of them should be allowed to carry a gun or a tazer, let alone be issued one, they simply don't have the social skills or self control required.
But it's a general thing, not just education, Of course the oppotunities here are great for a well educated child. But I'm not sure about the social apptitude(one or two Ps,lol)
The US is too insular, even getting into a conversation with people at work, shows a very basic understanding of how the world works, and they do genuinely get upset if you dare point out that the US is not the center of it. Even with home school, it would be difficult to not have that influance.
All that said, I have a damn good job here, that pays very well, and despite the things I disslike, there is a hell of a lot to be said for the place,lol.
C+, could do better,lol

No he didnt say EVERBODY and like a lot of stuff thats posted here ( NOTICE I SAID A LOT AND NOT ALL ) its sometimes taken diferantly for reasons best known to the replyer .

you noticed that and i noticed you like to take a poster who replies in a way that changes what the oringinal poster said * to task * we are not at school here and you are NOT in charge although at times you may kid yourself you are .


Im sure the oringinal poster can * call out * VRB himself if he feels inclined to do so .

there how does being* called out* yourself feel * ???


same thing happened last week with Rita