British Expatriate Network

About to start on a bit of a rant.

I'm driving down the highway at 55mph, though the speed limit is 65mph.  Not much traffic around and I know that somewhere around there is a construction zone where the speed limit is 55mph.  I'm on my way to work and it's about 9pm.

Suddenly a car zooms up behind me, tailgates my back bumper for maybe half a mile to a mile.  He's very close.  I go slower as I know there is a completely free lane to overtake and I think whoever is in the car is an arsehole.

Well, I was right.  It's the Colorado Highway Patrol.  Flashy lights and I have to pull over, though as I'm in a construction zone now I'm rather careful about how I pull over.

First Question:  How much have you had to drink tonight?

Me: Nothing

CHP: Get out of the car, we're going to do a test

Me: Do I have to?  You can give a breathylzer.

I get out of the car and after five minutes say I'm not going to do this crap anymore, he's welcome to take a breathylzer.

He does the breathylzer which comes up with a big fat goose egg.

Next Question:  How much marijuana do you smoke?  (This was after shining a few penlights in my eyes)

Me: I don't smoke marijuana

He goes back to his car because he's still got my license, OUT OF DATE Insurance papers and comes back with "Do you take any prescription meds?"

Me: No

Last Nasty Piece of Advice:  I suggest you get your drug problem sorted out.  You're on something, I can tell.  I KNOW (Now shouting)

I roll up window hoping to catch his nose in it.

Now, since I have worked a night shift, I have been pulled over on silly pretexts on average every six months.  This pretext was that I was driving under the speed limit and "hugging the white line"

When I got to work I was late.  I explained the story to a couple of people who sort of told me it was almost like I was asking for trouble for doing under the speed limit.  I'm well aware of impeding traffic by going under the speed limit but there was barely any traffic on the road.  Worse still, most of my coworkers have the same problem.  I think we're just guilty of driving a lot in the hours of darkness.

I just wonder why we put up with it.  I've got some sort of "business card" where I'm entitled to complain.  But what will come of it?  And why to Americans put up with this shyte?

When I first came here, I wondered why so many law abiding citizens had a very dim view of the police.  Well I've learnt very well why.  Who wants to pay taxes to be abused and told they have a drug problem for doing nothing else but driving down the road?

Does anyone else have a problem like this?  I was never pulled over in the UK in six years.  And here three.  Until I started driving a lot at night.

I've never once caused an accident or had points on my license or been done for speeding btw.

Yank cops are great aren't they? Never let their egos run away with commonsense and basic civility.

I'm outraged to hear you were spoken to in such a disrespectful, argumentative manner. There are always a few who give the rest a bad name! :evil:
Although the HP have every right to stop you (or anyone), you have the right to be treated with courtesy and respect. I would urge you to complain. Believe me, most Americans do not put up with this treatment and complain about far lesser issues! Do you have the Officer's name and/or Unit number? Even if you do not, document time, date, location of where you were stopped and his Captain will be able to check and see who was on duty in the area at that time. Chances are this Officer's attitude and disrespect have already come into question. If you complain you'll have some satisfaction of knowing he's at least been hauled over the coals, or at best, given a written warning which will go on his permanent record. Rest assured, your complaint will be taken seriously.

That's a crappy experience. I have only been pulled over once here. I was speeding but he let me off with a warning as there was nothing on my record. I don't usually speed much, I just wasn't paying attention this one time and my foot got heavy. Anyway, that cop was pretty nice and very reasonable.
I've been pulle dover twice in the UK, once because I was driving at an odd hour (3am) through the town centre, the other time because I swerved a little while adjusting the rearview mirror because the (police) car behind me had it's bright lights on dazzling me. They were all cool too.

I would probably take US police officers seriously when they point a gun at me and order me out of the car but otherwise, I just can't do it.

Perhaps it comes from the top down? The Federal Bureau of Investigation always have been and continue to be a joke and their ability to interfere, along with the Secret Service, in various "little" local Police affairs probably does not help.

I realise this is more than just being annoyed at getting pulled over by the cops but maybe the impotent Police feel they need to make up for the interference by the "big boys" and take it out on smaller fry, like you and me?

That said, I've not been pulled over at all in the US (once in UK where I got points for speeding but that was a long time ago). I don't drive late at night very often though although I have been tailed numerous times by police cars, simply because I drive a black, high performance car I suppose.

Having seen how they drive, I can't take them seriously, the whole lead by example thing seems to have missed them by!

dianey - if this ever happens again, don't get out of the car and don't wind your window all the way down. You take the policeman's badge and details and call him in to check that he is realy (seriously). and while you are on the phone, make sure you let them know that you are fightened because he came right up your backside with his lights brightly on, while you were driving carefully and well under the speed limit because it was dark and you were being careful after just finishing your shift as a nurse.

There was a news article on our tv months ago telling women to never get out of a car when asked, even by a cop, until you have checked that they are real by calling them in. Apparently some women were raped by what they believe to be bogus cops pulling women over for offenses that could be serious and so frightening women into panicking and doing what they are told to do.

Use it to your advantage. They tape every call and you can make sure you make a point of telling the person on the other end of the phone that the cop is being rude and obnoxous! grin You could also make sure that the cop hears what you are saying on the phone.

I hate driving in the dark over here. The roads as so badly lit and car lights just seem to dazzle that I can't see anything! If I was ever on a quiet road, I would drive under the speed limit too.

Perhaps Pilgrim. Perhaps they claim to have stressful jobs. However, I too have a stressful job. I also have to persuade people to do examinations/take medications/invasive procedures on a daily basis that they really don't want to do. I also see people die that I don't want to. Yet I help their body onto a gurney and don't feel like I need to bully my husband/daughter afterwards because I've had a hard day. After all, I signed up for it. I can't think that these people are anything other than overweight small penised scum.

The last thing I do is feel like I want to bully people, which is what these people do. And that's what these people do on the public payroll.

BTW, I daren't mention to this arsehole that I was a nurse. Then there would have been a full car search, which happened to one of my colleagues (Bulgarian born - Green card but not a citizen so who is she going to complain to type of attitude)

With the job of a piece officer comes the authority to stop any citizen if they have a reason to believe that person is breaking the law.

With the job of police officer comes the oblication to be polite, treat the citizen with respect and treat all suspects the same .

I would without hesitation get in touch with the officers chief to file a complaint , if you dont get satsfaction go higher until you do. an apology is warrented make sure you get it .

These things happen nobody is perfect and you didnt suffer any physical harm ,so it could have been worse , this could be a officer on the brink of a breakdown nip it in the bud before somebody ( usually the officer ) get hurt .

The police have the authority to stop you if they have probable cause, travelling under the limit is not probable cause. They are not allowed to search a car unless given permission or they have probable cause. Speeding does not give them probable cause to search your car.

You've met Vegas Metro then?

/state guys are cool

My only experience of U.S cops is watching 'Cops'. In this they are always completely hysterical, paranoid, unbelievably moralistic and generally over-the-top. Sorry to hear about your experience Dianey.

Yeah, that sounds about right for local cops. Part of the reason is the whole state /county / federal police thing. No matter where I've been in the States, the smaller the law enforcement fish the bigger the tosspot. I've dealt with a lot of federales and they've been nothing but cool. State guys are also not a problem to deal with but the small-town sheriffs, the metro units, Swat guys, all nothing but arseholes, all with the same annoying moustache.

my wife used to be married to a cop (a compelte arsehole, but I think this is a coincidence) and she worked for a Sherrif's department. I have worked for a small city and worked for a police department. With all that experience I have come to this conclusion..

Cops are dysfunctional aresholes. They DO NOT get into law enforcement because they want to serve the community. They get into law enforcement because they can carry a gun and hopefully shoot it, they want to boss people around. A pysche profile was taken of career criminals and officers in the county where my wife worked and guess what...they matched.

I have met a lot of officers and there are certain things they believe.

1. Everyone is guilty of something.
2. There is no such thing as rape (trust me..they do think this)
3. They can do whatever the hell they want.
4. They don't get paid enough.

On a trip to London my wife was absolutely astonished to find Bobby's on the beat curteous, friendly and helpful. It is extremely sad and I am sure there are exceptions, but they are definitely that...exceptions.

Well I got ticketed today for speeding by a right officious, smarmy young State Trooper with nowt better to do. Said I was doing 70 in a 35 then came back to tell me he'd put that I was doing 60 on the ticket as if to do me a favour! Cheeky sod. I admit I was going a bit fast but certainly nowhere near what he's trying to pin on me. I'll have to go back up there as I'm pretty sure it is a 40 zone where he got me and I can get off on a technicality. Whichever, I'm pleading not guilty as I'm not paying $201.

So there.

Debs x 8)