So I'm a little pissed (rant about a cop)

[cougarfreak]

I'm sitting in the parking lot of a local grocery store waiting for my wife to come out. She has my 2 year old daughter, I have my 6 month old son in the car. She calls me, tell me she's in line to check out, so I pull up to the front of the store (not blocking any doors or anything), but into the "fire lane". My car is running. A local cop pulls behind me, turns on his lights, and walks up to my car as asks me why I'm not parked in the parking lot. I tell him, "I'm waiting on my wife who has a small child, she's on her way out". He takes my license. My wife comes out, while he's running my license (I guess that's what he is doing), and I load the groceries in. The son of a bitch gives me a $30 ticket for parking in a fire lane. I haven't had a ticket in 16 years. I can't fucking believe the SOB gave me a ticket. He even wrote on the ticket that I was waiting on my wife with a small child. What the fuck? With all the god forsaken crime going on in the world, he's giving me a freaking ticket??? :mad: :banghead:

[B & B]

Lawbreaker.

[DanGarion]

I'm not going to say anything about you personally, but IMO you deserved it.

Last weekend my wife and I were at the grocery store and this guy was stopped in the firelane in front of it, blocking more then half the lane making people have to go around him, also preventing people from being able to back out of their spots. All because someone was putting their groceries in the trunk of the car. He sat there for 10 minutes while the lady put in groceries, and then she went back in the store and came out with another lady who was putting groceries in the store. It wasn't like these people were handicap people either (which still isn't an excuse), they were just assholes. On top of that the guy was blasting music on his radio, and there was at least one child in the car.

You aren't above the laws. They are there for a reason.

[Suburban Rhythm]

I probably would have been semi-sympathetic, until you broke out-


What the fuck? With all the god forsaken crime going on in the world, he's giving me a freaking ticket??? :mad: :banghead:

Worst. Rationalizing. Ever.

Maybe if people weren't breaking petty laws like parking in a fire lane, they could be out there catching the bad guys.

[DanGarion]

Maybe if people weren't breaking petty laws like parking in a fire lane, they could be out there catching the bad guys.
+1

[DaddyTorgo]

Worst. Rationalizing. Ever.

Maybe if people weren't breaking petty laws like parking in a fire lane, they could be out there catching the bad guys.

:+1:

[Cringer]

Sorry cougar, I won't be on your side either. I can't stand people who stop to drop off and pick people up right in front of the store. If their legs work they should use them. I don't find it a coincidence at all that these people are a majority of the time fat. The people who drive around looking for the closest spot up front drive me nuts as well, especially the ones who stalk people walking to their car and then wait for them to put stuff in their car while blocking traffic. Meanwhile I have parked at the end of the row, and am walking in the store while they are still waiting to park up front.

I wish our cops would give out tickets to people who do this stuff.


edit: there is a big difference between stalking people and stocking them. oops

[MrBug708]

I have to agree with the rest of the posters here. He might have been a little anal about it, but you were blocking the firelane.

But the ticket won't affect your insurance rates either

[MrBug708]

Sorry cougar, I won't be on your side either. I can't stand people who stop to drop off and pick people up right in front of the store. If their legs work they should use them. I don't find it a coincidence at all that these people are a majority of the time fat. The people who drive around looking for the closest spot up front drive me nuts as well, especially the ones who stock people walking to their car and then wait for them to put stuff in their car while blocking traffic. Meanwhile I have parked at the end of the row, and am walking in the store while they are still waiting to park up front.

I wish our cops would give out tickets to people who do this stuff.

This phenomenon happens at my gym. I can't explain why they do it but they'd rather wait for a closer spot then walk an extra 50 yards from a parking spot further away from the entrance

[Suburban Rhythm]

I'm actually going to go one further.

My wife works a lot of weekends, and I often take my 4 year old daughter and 1 1/2 year old son with me grocery shopping. I do something really crazy. I find a spot near one of the cart drop offs. I unload the groceries, push the cart over to the drop off. Get my daughter out of the cart. Get my son out of the cart. We walk back to the car.

I get it's probably rough for your wife, your kids are younger than mine. But blaming the cop is a pretty sorry excuse.

I'm wondering, will this prevent you from doing this again?

[Bad-example]

I'm sitting in the parking lot of a local grocery store waiting for my wife to come out. She has my 2 year old daughter, I have my 6 month old son in the car. She calls me, tell me she's in line to check out, so I pull up to the front of the store (not blocking any doors or anything), but into the "fire lane". My car is running. A local cop pulls behind me, turns on his lights, and walks up to my car as asks me why I'm not parked in the parking lot. I tell him, "I'm waiting on my wife who has a small child, she's on her way out". He takes my license. My wife comes out, while he's running my license (I guess that's what he is doing), and I load the groceries in. The son of a bitch gives me a $30 ticket for parking in a fire lane. I haven't had a ticket in 16 years. I can't fucking believe the SOB gave me a ticket. He even wrote on the ticket that I was waiting on my wife with a small child. What the fuck? With all the god forsaken crime going on in the world, he's giving me a freaking ticket??? :mad: :banghead:

Unsure if this applies to you, but cops generally are more likely to give tickets for stuff like this to canadians.

[cougarfreak]

I probably would have been semi-sympathetic, until you broke out-




Worst. Rationalizing. Ever.

Maybe if people weren't breaking petty laws like parking in a fire lane, they could be out there catching the bad guys.

That's pretty good rationalizing as well. Cops should be waiting in parking lots for people pulling up to pick up their wife and small child, instead of looking for someone doing something that could really affect a person's life. I understand, I did technically break a "law". The store has an indented firelane, that allows someone to pull in w/o blocking the driving lane. I've already talked to a buddy of mine, who is on the same dept., and he told me I would have never written the ticket, but instead asked the person to move along. I'm just glad we've got people so anxious to protect and serve citizens from criminals like myself.

[Toddzilla]

Next time, either wait until yo see your wife walk out of the store, or park in the *loading zone*, every grocery store has them.

[DanGarion]

That's pretty good rationalizing as well. Cops should be waiting in parking lots for people pulling up to pick up their wife and small child, instead of looking for someone doing something that could really affect a person's life. I understand, I did technically break a "law". The store has an indented firelane, that allows someone to pull in w/o blocking the driving lane. I've already talked to a buddy of mine, who is on the same dept., and he told me I would have never written the ticket, but instead asked the person to move along. I'm just glad we've got people so anxious to protect and serve citizens from criminals like myself.

How do you know the police officer wasn't driving by and saw your car parks in the firelane and thought you might be the getaway vehicle for a possible robbery in progress. You are lucky he didn't walk up to your vehicle with his gun drawn.

[DanGarion]

Next time, either wait until yo see your wife walk out of the store, or park in the *loading zone*, every grocery store has them.
Yeah it's called a parking space... :popcorn:

[Castlerock]

It's called a "fire lane" not a "parking to pick up your wife and small child" lane. I would expect the cop to just tell you to move along but bottom line - you were wrong.

I have a 3 year old and a 2 year old. I use the parking lot. Not a lot of sympathy here.

[SackAttack]

No sympathy here, small child or not.

The fire lane isn't "cougarfreak's special waiting space." It's there for the use of emergency vehicles, and is not there for you to drop somebody off outside the smoke shop, park while you "run into the bank real quick" or wait for someone to come out of the grocery store. Groceries are too much for your wife to deal with? Go in there and help her. If you can't do that, the baggers will generally always ask if assistance is needed.

But don't whine about a ticket you deserved.

[DaddyTorgo]

this thread needs a poll option

[Schmidty]

I'm on cougarfreak's side. But only because I've never met a cop who wasn't power-tripping prick.

On the other hand, you broke the law, so it justified; however, the prick cop should have used common sense and just given you a warning.

[Racer]

How do you know the police officer wasn't driving by and saw your car parks in the firelane and thought you might be the getaway vehicle for a possible robbery in progress. You are lucky he didn't walk up to your vehicle with his gun drawn.

What Cougar did probably occurs far more often at a grocery store then does a robbery (at least in a typical town). At least where I grew up, a police officer drawing his gun in this situation would be way over cautious. I don't really disagree with the ticket though as this sort of stuff annoys me.

[Axxon]

Zero sympathy here either and by your last post it seems like you're saying you're entitled to break the law as long as you're not breaking a big law and that's absurd. I hate when people feel like their entitled to something that law abiding citizens can't have. It really strikes a nerve. I
I don't have kids but I'm the guy who used to park ( no car anymore ) as far away from the entrance as possible because I don't mind walking and it's a courtesy for others and an extremely easy one to grant. I've never parked in the fire lane and I've never parked in a handicap spot and I support 100% any cop who writes a ticket for either.

Of course, I was a grocery store drone when Billy Ferry decided to torch up a Winn Dixie around where I lived and if it had happened ( or any fire ) in my store I wouldn't want the fire truck to be delayed, not even for a few seconds, while some entitlement ass tried to move out of his way.

What if your car stalled? Died? What if you got hit by another car when vacating the lane? Is it really worth that risk, small as it may be when we're talking about emergency vehicle access? I just don't see it.

[Axxon]

I'm on cougarfreak's side. But only because I've never met a cop who wasn't power-tripping prick.

On the other hand, you broke the law, so it justified; however, the prick cop should have used common sense and just given you a warning.

Volunteer to work at an emergency room for a while. They need the help so you'll be doing some excellent community service, you'll probably enjoy it and I'll guarantee you'll change your opinion that all cops are power tripping pricks. Wins all the way around IMHO.

[Schmidty]

Volunteer to work at an emergency room for a while. They need the help so you'll be doing some excellent community service, you'll probably enjoy it and I'll guarantee you'll change your opinion that all cops are power tripping pricks. Wins all the way around IMHO.

Of course, you're right that not all cops are that way. The majority might even be stand-up guys/gals, it's just my handful of experiences that makes me instinctively negative when it comes to cops.

And no, I've never been to jail, or had a felony. Just traffic stuff, and some other situations (like my friend being arrested because he was playing basketball at night with a glow in the dark ball at a public park).

[Cap Ologist]

Too bad the cop didn't impound your car for evidence.

[DaddyTorgo]

hahah...FOFC-sentiment is running like 20-1 against cougar. I want a poll

[Racer]

I'm actually going to go one further.

My wife works a lot of weekends, and I often take my 4 year old daughter and 1 1/2 year old son with me grocery shopping. I do something really crazy. I find a spot near one of the cart drop offs. I unload the groceries, push the cart over to the drop off. Get my daughter out of the cart. Get my son out of the cart. We walk back to the car.

I get it's probably rough for your wife, your kids are younger than mine. But blaming the cop is a pretty sorry excuse.

I'm wondering, will this prevent you from doing this again?

I don't have any children, but I prefer to to park my car near cart drop offs as well. Less stray carts around the drop offs.

[Axxon]

Of course, you're right that not all cops are that way. The majority might even be stand-up guys/gals, it's just my handful of experiences that makes me instinctively negative when it comes to cops.

And no, I've never been to jail, or had a felony. Just traffic stuff, and some other situations (like my friend being arrested because he was playing basketball at night with a glow in the dark ball at a public park).

That's the way the human mind works. It has a hypothesis and it only registers what fits that hypothesis.

ER folks think it gets busier on friday the 13th and full moons though studies have disproven this. They think it's busy one night, realize it's friday the 13th and viola, proves their point. Other nights and you know, it's just busy, ER's are busy. Doesn't even register to them.

All doctors are jerks. I'd love that one because I'd hear staff say it and I'd always say, "how about Dr X?"

"No, not him. He's the exception."

"Well, how about Dr Y?"

"No, she's ok."

And I'd repeat until they got the point. No one noticed the nice doctors. No reason to. Everyone noticed the jerks because everyone knew doctors were jerks. It was a self fulfilling fallacy.

Same with Cringer. Fat people are lazy so when he sees a fat person in front of a store it registers. He never sees the fat guy like me parking in the back because he has no reason to look at me. I don't support his stereotype therefore I'm invisible.

I'm imagining same thing with you and cops. No biggie, it's just human nature.

[Suburban Rhythm]

If cougar had written this Friday night, saying he thinks the rule is stupid that you can't wait in the fire lane, car running, waiting for someone to come out of the store, he probably gets some agreement.

The fact that it is only after the ticket, tells me while he may have thought the rule was stupid Friday night, his gripe now is he got busted for breaking the rule.

What if the cop had been sitting there when some kid on his skateboard breezed down the sidewalk, past the 'NO SKATEBOARDING' sign, and slammed into your car sitting in the fire lane? I'm guessing you'd be waiting for the cop to penalize the kid for breaking a rule.

[Axxon]

If cougar had written this Friday night, saying he thinks the rule is stupid that you can't wait in the fire lane, car running, waiting for someone to come out of the store, he probably gets some agreement.

The fact that it is only after the ticket, tells me while he may have thought the rule was stupid Friday night, his gripe now is he got busted for breaking the rule.

What if the cop had been sitting there when some kid on his skateboard breezed down the sidewalk, past the 'NO SKATEBOARDING' sign, and slammed into your car sitting in the fire lane? I'm guessing you'd be waiting for the cop to penalize the kid for breaking a rule.

Not much agreement even then I'd wager. I think most people understand the term emergency vehicles and why we tend to like to make it easy for them to you know, fight emergencies.

Do you suppose that most people think it's stupid to pull over for emergency vehicles even if they can get around you? Same concept. It's I'm more important than the potential safety of others and I don't think the majority are going to feel this way and I certainly don't think people are willing to admit it if they do.

[sterlingice]

Same with Cringer. Fat people are lazy

Man, that's kindof a mean thing to say about Cringer- calling him both fat and lazy. I mean, he looks like a big guy in his pictures, kindof scary with that beard, but no moreso than the rest of us to the point where he needs calling out :p

SI

[Axxon]

Man, that's kindof a mean thing to say about Cringer- calling him both fat and lazy. I mean, he looks like a big guy in his pictures, kindof scary, but no moreso than the rest of us ;)

SI

Heh, methinks I typed that one wrong. :)

This is a slight hijack I did come up with a joke one time. It's way better heard than read but anyway, I had a problem with a woman whose girth was amazingly impressive. We're talking pushing 500 here.

I made a few fat jokes at her expense ( not in her presence because women or not 500 lbs of pissed off anything isn't something I'm wanting to deal with ).

Anyway, people were looking at me oddly since I'd gone the fat joke route, well, people who don't know me well enough that I joke about anything.

I looked around and said. "I know what you're thinking. How can I make fat jokes? Hey, I'm fat. I know it. I'll admit it but I think there's a huge difference between fat and "GOD DAMN."

This woman really was sad. Someone once suggested she try and lose some weight because she had had an infant daughter and her daughter needed her to be around and she said "I don't care. She may have to grow up an orphan but I love to eat and there's no way I'm stopping for anyone."

Probably one of the saddest things I've ever heard someone say. :(

[sterlingice]

:(

(like my post wasn't a thread hijack ;))

SI

[Cringer]

Man, that's kindof a mean thing to say about Cringer- calling him both fat and lazy. I mean, he looks like a big guy in his pictures, kindof scary with that beard, but no moreso than the rest of us to the point where he needs calling out :p

SI

Oh crap that was funny to read.

And Axxon, I would argue against what you said. I don't think the majority of fat people try to get as close up front as possible, I think a lot of the people trying to park up front are fat though. I would say 8 out of 10 people are. I probably shouldn't have typed that at all looking back on it because it can be taken that way, my bad.

And though I like to work out, lift and run, lets face it I was a truck driver and we all know that means I am not in perfect shape. Working out when you sit 12 hours a day only does so much, especially for a guy who loves cheese. :D So I myself am a guy who will never have a 6 pack and park in the back of the lot.

[gstelmack]

With the number of times I've watched folks do this and block traffic trying to get through normally (essentially turning it into a one-lane way), and the one idiot that did this and then OPENED THEIR FREAKING DOOR WHEN I TRIED TO GO AROUND THEM, I have absolutely no sympathy. This is you putting lots of other people out and increasing the risk of wrecks all to save you a little tiny bit of work. I'm just glad there was a cop willing to do something about it.

[cthomer5000]

Well-deserved ticket.

[mauchow]

Why weren't you helping your wife shop so she wouldn't be so stressed out taking care of both the kids. And then it would be easier to bring the groceries to the car anyways.

:)

[daedalus]

ow. rant threads don't often turn out this badly.

and, of course, i'm with the pile up.

[daedalus]

Of course, you're right that not all cops are that way. The majority might even be stand-up guys/gals, it's just my handful of experiences that makes me instinctively negative when it comes to cops.

And no, I've never been to jail, or had a felony. Just traffic stuff, and some other situations (like my friend being arrested because he was playing basketball at night with a glow in the dark ball at a public park).the majority of officers i have dealt with have been great. just picturing myself in their shoes and thinking of how tough the job is and how tense every single flippin' day must be, just makes me try to be as polite and courteous as i can be to these folks.

strangely, they are typically polite right back.

[Axxon]

ow. rant threads don't often turn out this badly.

and, of course, i'm with the pile up.

No kidding. I have a feeling before it's over we're going to all be losing posts. :D

[Raiders Army]

I'm betting cougarfreak doesn't delete the thread, but doesn't post back in it either.

[Raiders Army]

dola, why didn't the wife leave the 2 year old in the car?

Four boy scouts died this week when they were in the path of a tornado. Cedar Rapids has been evacuated due to flooding. The war in Iraq is still going on. Rosie O'Donnell is still a fat loudmouth lesbian.

There are worse things in the world, y'know, than a $30 parking ticket that was your fault. ;)

[lordscarlet]

Not much agreement even then I'd wager. I think most people understand the term emergency vehicles and why we tend to like to make it easy for them to you know, fight emergencies.

Do you suppose that most people think it's stupid to pull over for emergency vehicles even if they can get around you? Same concept. It's I'm more important than the potential safety of others and I don't think the majority are going to feel this way and I certainly don't think people are willing to admit it if they do.

I suppose they do; when I see an emergency vehicle, sirens and lights on, traveling down the street, I rarely see people moving out of the way... even when they CAN'T go around.

Oh, and I'm with the pileup. I'm even someone that parks illegaly on a relatively frequent basis (I live in a row house with no parking in front or behind it -- so if I have a large load to get out of the car I will park out front to unload it), but I am fully prepared to get a ticket when I do so. For those that live in the city, it is a 4 lane road with very little traffic in the right lane, but I don't blame you if you say I'm an asshole. :)

[MrBug708]

Of course, you're right that not all cops are that way. The majority might even be stand-up guys/gals, it's just my handful of experiences that makes me instinctively negative when it comes to cops.

And no, I've never been to jail, or had a felony. Just traffic stuff, and some other situations (like my friend being arrested because he was playing basketball at night with a glow in the dark ball at a public park).

I would say they rub off poorly on you because you can tend to be an ass.

But that's just my opinion :)

[Axxon]

I suppose they do; when I say an emergency vehicle, sirens and lights on, traveling down the street, I rarely see people moving out of the way... even when they CAN'T go around.

Oh, and I'm with the pileup. I'm even someone that parks illegaly on a relatively frequent basis (I live in a row house with no parking in front or behind it -- so if I have a large load to get out of the car I will park out front to unload it), but I am fully prepared to get a ticket when I do so. For those that live in the city, it is a 4 lane road with very little traffic in the right lane, but I don't blame you if you say I'm an asshole. :)

Then I live on a different planet than you do. I certainly see people do what you're describing but it's not even the majority, much less a majority that would put the minority in the rarely category.

Of course, it;s more likely what I said. No one notices when things work how they're supposed to work and only sees when things don't.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

May a plague of locusts descend from the heavens!

[ColtCrazy]

This is one thing that irritates me about my parents. My mother is overweight and is extremely lazy which in turn makes her more overweight. If dad takes her anywhere, my mom bitches about being let off in front of the car. For years I always refused to get out, saying I would walk in with dad. Of course, I've long since moved out but today they took my wife and I out to dinner for our 5th year anniversary...low and behold, guess who asked to be let off at the front of Olive Garden. Yes, Olive Garden. The whole damn parking lot might be 200 ft long and she wants out. Apparently over the years my dad has gotten sick of it, he past the front up and parked. She walked with the rest of us. :)

I can't blame the cop, sorry. It's can be very dangerous. More than once I've seen children pop out from in front/behind of a car that's sitting by the doors letting people off or loading groceries.

[Greyroofoo]

fuck the cops

[MizzouRah]

At least you didn't do a GTA IV and back over him.. fled the scene, car jacked a trash truck, starting running over all kinds of people, police cars, and anything else that got in your way. :)

[TCY Junkie]

cougar, I think you need to just confess you made this all up. It's clear most members on here don't care for people who think they are above the law. And its a really bad message to send to visitors who might not know your joking.

[CU Tiger]

Not sure about your state, but Id check out the definiton of parking.
In SC it requires that a vehicle be unoccupied....you were incapacble of blocking a lane if you are sitting in a vehicle that can move, and its not like a fire truck would sneak up on ya.

I do what you did all the time, and I dont see it as a big deal. If you parked there to run in and grab one or two things that is different. In this case you simply paused there, not parked.

Hey what If I was intoxicated in a running vehicle in a parking lot and a cop found me, would he not give me a ticket since I was parked
...

[Schmidty]

I would say they rub off poorly on you because you can tend to be an ass.

But that's just my opinion :)

Seriously though, I'm not even remotely like I am on forums as I am in real life. I'm actually a boring, normal guy. :)

[daedalus]

is that a positive or a negative thing that someone possess the testicular fortitude to be an ass online but not in person?

[fantom1979]

Hey what If I was intoxicated in a running vehicle in a parking lot and a cop found me, would he not give me a ticket since I was parked
...

I actually got a ticket for this once. So, I know for a fact that in Michigan if I am behind the wheel of a running vehicle, whether parked or not, I can receive a citation.

[SackAttack]

I actually got a ticket for this once. So, I know for a fact that in Michigan if I am behind the wheel of a running vehicle, whether parked or not, I can receive a citation.

I've heard anecdotal stories about intoxicated folks just sitting behind the wheel receiving DUI citations, whether or not the vehicle is running.

Don't know how much urban legend is involved there, but if it's a ticket you're looking to avoid, "you" + behind the wheel = bad combination.

[Chubby]

Did you pull into the fire lane to drop your wife and kid off before they started shopping?

Are their legs broken?

Are you a lazy fuck that is only concerned about himself and not about the safety of others?


I'll let you guess which one will be answered YES.

[oliegirl]

I have to agree that it wasn't necessary to park there and wait for your wife, I'm sure she had a cart and could have just as easily wheeled the groceries and your child to the parking space. However, the cop was also going a little overboard by giving you a ticket for it. A simple warning and "move along" would have been enough. Though I'm thinking you probably still would have been bitching about that, saying, "what is the big deal if I am parked there for a couple of minutes to make my wife's life a little easier?"

I had my husband drop me off in front of the store yesterday - but it was POURING rain, we're talking thunder and lightening, people pulling to the side of the road b/c visibility was so bad kind of rain. We were on our way to a party and I had to pick something up, so I asked him to pull up in front so I didn't end up looking like a drowned rat. By the time I left the store, the rain had lightened up, so I just walked to the car. Other than that circumstance, I can't think of a time where I asked him to drop me off or pick me up in front of the store. It's just not necessary.

[Saul Goode]

Talk about bandwagon jumpers...The cop shouldn't of given you a ticket it's not that big of deal to park in the fire lane as long as you aren't blocking anything important ($3 plants and bags of salt are not important). Sadly cops are people and they forget about logic and common sense.

Like the you could of been robbing the store and been the getaway car...brilliant!

Speaking of stupid cops...i got a meter ticket that was 5 minutes over and there were 4 open parking spots (2 to the left and 2 to the right). That meter maid sure showed me...as I threw the ticket on the ground and drove off.

[hoopsguy]

I recommend watching the kids at home while your wife shops :) Seriously, she is happy because she can get in/out faster and not have to worry about the kid acting up while she is getting groceries. You are happy not to have to take part in shopping or get tickets while pulling up to the store.

[gstelmack]

Talk about bandwagon jumpers...The cop shouldn't of given you a ticket it's not that big of deal to park in the fire lane as long as you aren't blocking anything important ($3 plants and bags of salt are not important). Sadly cops are people and they forget about logic and common sense.

It's a huge freaking deal. It blocks the normal flow of traffic, makes it harder for folks to get in and out of the store, they have to watch for doors opening up. It's extremely inconsiderate to everyone else there. By your logic, why even have parking spaces, why doesn't everyone park right up front?

[-apoc-]

That's pretty good rationalizing as well. Cops should be waiting in parking lots for people pulling up to pick up their wife and small child, instead of looking for someone doing something that could really affect a person's life. I understand, I did technically break a "law". The store has an indented firelane, that allows someone to pull in w/o blocking the driving lane. I've already talked to a buddy of mine, who is on the same dept., and he told me I would have never written the ticket, but instead asked the person to move along. I'm just glad we've got people so anxious to protect and serve citizens from criminals like myself.

Actually they should be driving through parking lots quite often especially at grocery stores. They are surprisingly high crime areas even in busy and well light ones. People snatching old ladies purses and attempted abductions arent nearly as infrequent as you would think from my experience working at grocery stores during college.

[sterlingice]

I think we're just lucky that JiMGa hasn't said what the OP deserves.

:lol:

(oh, and for good measure: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: )

SI

[sterlingice]

It's a huge freaking deal. It blocks the normal flow of traffic, makes it harder for folks to get in and out of the store, they have to watch for doors opening up. It's extremely inconsiderate to everyone else there. By your logic, why even have parking spaces, why doesn't everyone park right up front?

Yes, but why concern yourself with the whole of Christendom when not looking past the nose on your face suits you perfectly.

SI

[DaddyTorgo]

Talk about bandwagon jumpers...The cop shouldn't of given you a ticket it's not that big of deal to park in the fire lane as long as you aren't blocking anything important ($3 plants and bags of salt are not important). Sadly cops are people and they forget about logic and common sense.

Like the you could of been robbing the store and been the getaway car...brilliant!

Speaking of stupid cops...i got a meter ticket that was 5 minutes over and there were 4 open parking spots (2 to the left and 2 to the right). That meter maid sure showed me...as I threw the ticket on the ground and drove off.

so you got a ticket because the meter ran out and you didn't think that was valid because there were open spots??

the meter isn't there to ensure that there are parking spots - it is there to raise revenue idiot. you could be the only car in the lot and you'd still get a ticket, or the lot could be completely full and you'd still get a ticket.

and i'm sure the DMV will show you when you go to renew your registration and you have a hundred dollar parking ticket (since it will have escalated cuz you didn't pay it).

g'bye...thanks for playing :lol:

[Raiders Army]

so you got a ticket because the meter ran out and you didn't think that was valid because there were open spots??

the meter isn't there to ensure that there are parking spots - it is there to raise revenue idiot. you could be the only car in the lot and you'd still get a ticket, or the lot could be completely full and you'd still get a ticket.

and i'm sure the DMV will show you when you go to renew your registration and you have a hundred dollar parking ticket (since it will have escalated cuz you didn't pay it).

g'bye...thanks for playing :lol:

Somewhat weird since Saul registered in March and this was his first post. Must be a lurker or an alt.

[MrBug708]

Actually they should be driving through parking lots quite often especially at grocery stores. They are surprisingly high crime areas even in busy and well light ones. People snatching old ladies purses and attempted abductions arent nearly as infrequent as you would think from my experience working at grocery stores during college.

I went on a ride along a few months back and one of the calls was a grab and go by some teenagers of a couple bottles of alcohol. The manager bitched to the deputy that it would have been prevented if she came around more because he said they hardly see them around. After we left the deputy told them they can't be expected to always wait in parking lots to prevent 10 dollars worth booze to be taken.

It seems to be conflicted POV because the police can't be there all of the time but the stores sure like them there as an image of protection

[BYU 14]

Of course, you're right that not all cops are that way. The majority might even be stand-up guys/gals, it's just my handful of experiences that makes me instinctively negative when it comes to cops.

And no, I've never been to jail, or had a felony. Just traffic stuff, and some other situations (like my friend being arrested because he was playing basketball at night with a glow in the dark ball at a public park).

Hmmm, you ever think your experiences may have been dirven by you actions towards the police??

I can honestly say I have only had one bad experience my whole life with the police and that was because my ex-wife wouldn't shut her mount. I have even avoided a couple of tickets by merely smiling and being polite.

[korme]

My buddy parks in the fire lane at Meijer just about every other day to pull out money from their ATM (he uses US Bank)... never had a problem.

[Karlifornia]

How many of the holier-than-thou in this thread have never driven above the speed limit?

[korme]

How do you know the police officer wasn't driving by and saw your car parks in the firelane and thought you might be the getaway vehicle for a possible robbery in progress. You are lucky he didn't walk up to your vehicle with his gun drawn.

lol thats the most outrageous, stupid fucking response i've ever heard out of anyone here at fofc

[DaddyTorgo]

How many of the holier-than-thou in this thread have never driven above the speed limit?

that's not the right question. The right question is "how many of the holier than thou's in this thread have ever complained about a ticket they got for driving above the speed limit?"

i've gotten speeding tickets (a few when I was younger), but I never complained about it.

[Karlifornia]

that's not the right question. The right question is "how many of the holier than thou's in this thread have ever complained about a ticket they got for driving above the speed limit?"

i've gotten speeding tickets (a few when I was younger), but I never complained about it.

Well, fair enough. I'm trying to keep the jackals from piling on at least a little bit. I gave it a shot.

[korme]

It's a huge freaking deal. It blocks the normal flow of traffic, makes it harder for folks to get in and out of the store, they have to watch for doors opening up. It's extremely inconsiderate to everyone else there. By your logic, why even have parking spaces, why doesn't everyone park right up front?

I don't know about you but at our (and all Meijer's I've been around) store, the fire lane is fuckin' huge and if you slide your car in there you aren't blocking anything but open space... you aren't blocking any type of traffic, just the middle between one of the sliding doors and the other - and still, there's like a ten foot gap between said car and the building for plenty of people to walk by.

I don't know why everyone at FOFC is pretending to be saints and has never done anything wrong... lighten up people.

[gstelmack]

that's not the right question. The right question is "how many of the holier than thou's in this thread have ever complained about a ticket they got for driving above the speed limit?"

i've gotten speeding tickets (a few when I was younger), but I never complained about it.

Me, too.

[Draft Dodger]

it's a fucking fire lane people. lighten the fuck up.

[korme]

Thank you DD.... can I get a Hell Atlantic in here? I feel like sometimes the people at FOFC need to take the sticks out of their asses.

[molson]

That's pretty good rationalizing as well. Cops should be waiting in parking lots for people pulling up to pick up their wife and small child, instead of looking for someone doing something that could really affect a person's life. I understand, I did technically break a "law". The store has an indented firelane, that allows someone to pull in w/o blocking the driving lane. I've already talked to a buddy of mine, who is on the same dept., and he told me I would have never written the ticket, but instead asked the person to move along. I'm just glad we've got people so anxious to protect and serve citizens from criminals like myself.

Routine traffic infractions are a very underrated part of an officer's duty. It's how most people get arrested for warrants, DUIs, drug possessions. He had cause to approach, and at that point, he can legally see if you're drunk, have a warrant, whatever.

At that point, why shouldn't he get you for the $30? Traffic infractions are like a tax on people who don't obey minor traffic rules. Sure it's not the crime of the century, but better you pay that $30 than the taxpayers as a whole who actually obey the laws. It's a funding stream for the department, and in some cities, it's a necessary one for which quotas are established.

[gstelmack]

I don't know about you but at our (and all Meijer's I've been around) store, the fire lane is fuckin' huge and if you slide your car in there you aren't blocking anything but open space... you aren't blocking any type of traffic, just the middle between one of the sliding doors and the other - and still, there's like a ten foot gap between said car and the building for plenty of people to walk by.

I don't know why everyone at FOFC is pretending to be saints and has never done anything wrong... lighten up people.

Good for you, and I agree many places have set this up to act like a loading dock area for loading and unloading, and in those cases more power to you. But those who are pretending that people don't cause a boatload of problems when they do this just don't pay any attention to what's going on around them because they could care less about the other people out there. It's the same attitude that has people holding up traffic because they missed a turn instead of driving on to the next light one block up, or pulling in front of you and slamming on the brakes to make a turn when there was no one behind you, or any of a number of other driving habits that save you 30 seconds but cost everyone around you far more time and risk wrecks.

[BrianD]

I don't see what the big deal is. Somebody standing in the fire lane (isn't 'standing' the proper term here rather than 'parking') is going to be able to move out of the lane long before any emergency vehicles get to that part of the parking lot. A "move along" might have been appropriate, but I don't think a ticket was necessary. This seems like someone enforcing the law on the books and not trying to avoid a situation that the law is intended to help avoid.

[gstelmack]

it's a fucking fire lane people. lighten the fuck up.

I still love the story about the firefighters that broke the driver's and passenger's window in a car parked in a fire lane and ran the hose right on through...

[Karlifornia]

it's a fucking fire lane people. lighten the fuck up.


:+1:


I feel like I logged onto the FOFPD forum accidentally.

[molson]

I don't know why everyone at FOFC is pretending to be saints and has never done anything wrong... lighten up people.

I violate traffic laws constantly - I also pay up when I'm caught and don't whine about it.

He's admitting guilt, he just doesn't like the consequences.

[Karlifornia]

I still love the story about the firefighters that broke the driver's and passenger's window in a car parked in a fire lane and ran the hose right on through...

Where was the fire in this guy's story?

[gstelmack]

Where was the fire in this guy's story?

In the store that the fire lane was in front of. Sorry, I don't remember the details of this story, it's been a long time. May even have been in here I heard the last time we had this discussion about inconsiderate driving habits.

[molson]

I don't see what the big deal is. Somebody standing in the fire lane (isn't 'standing' the proper term here rather than 'parking') is going to be able to move out of the lane long before any emergency vehicles get to that part of the parking lot. A "move along" might have been appropriate, but I don't think a ticket was necessary. This seems like someone enforcing the law on the books and not trying to avoid a situation that the law is intended to help avoid.

It's not the officer's job to interpret the "spirt" of laws.

In reality though, officers don't give tickets like this 99% of the time - unless you're being a huge jerk.

[MrBug708]

I violate traffic laws constantly - I also pay up when I'm caught and don't whine about it.

He's admitting guilt, he just doesn't like the consequences.

Well said. This wasn't a subjective ticket like reckless driving, it was a clear cut violation. The officer probably could have gotten away with just giving him a move along, but based on his attitude in this thread, I came across two thoughts that are probably pretty accurate. The first being Coug probably thought he was the best driver out there with his driving record. That's the only reason I could see him bothering to post a 30 dollar infraction on a message board. The second being he probably rolled his eyes and gave attitude to the cop. He probably got the 30 dollar fine for being a jackass about it, not for actually parking in the firelane

[MrBug708]

it's a fucking fire lane people. lighten the fuck up.

It's fucking thirty dollars. Some of us pay more for buggy sports sims :)

[gstelmack]

Ah yes, here we go: http://operationsports.com/fofc/showthread.php?t=22057
You can also look at post 44 in there (http://operationsports.com/fofc/showpost.php?p=391168&postcount=44) for when I first broached this subject.

[Draft Dodger]

It's fucking thirty dollars. Some of us pay more for buggy sports sims :)

and we never, EVER post a rant about those buggy sports sims.

[cougarfreak]

Well said. This wasn't a subjective ticket like reckless driving, it was a clear cut violation. The officer probably could have gotten away with just giving him a move along, but based on his attitude in this thread, I came across two thoughts that are probably pretty accurate. The first being Coug probably thought he was the best driver out there with his driving record. That's the only reason I could see him bothering to post a 30 dollar infraction on a message board. The second being he probably rolled his eyes and gave attitude to the cop. He probably got the 30 dollar fine for being a jackass about it, not for actually parking in the firelane

Whoa............I never did any of the above. Your two thoughts are way off base. I told him I was waiting on my wife with a small child. I had my six month old in the car, and I am surely not a holier than thou. No way would I EVER give a cop lip. I respect what they do, moreso than most people I would guess. What bothered me the most was (and I didn't post it), was I coached the guys kid in soccer in my early days of coaching at my high school. Dedicated countless hours to the kid, wrote him letters of recommendation to get into the police academy (ironically) at EKU. And NO, I don't expect a free pass because of that. I would expect about about 99.5% of the time a "sir, you're blocking the fire lane, can you move along" to anyone who was doing what I was doing. And like someone mentioned on here, it was a Meijer's, and the firelane is about 100 yards long, and about 15 yards deep. I was in no way blocking traffic. I was more like...........WTF? after I got home. It's something I see done every time I go to a Lowe's, Walmart, Meijer's, Home Depot, etc., and I've never seen anyone told to move, much less ticketed for it. Just my lucky day I suppose.

[cougarfreak]

Did you pull into the fire lane to drop your wife and kid off before they started shopping?

Are their legs broken?

Are you a lazy fuck that is only concerned about himself and not about the safety of others?


I'll let you guess which one will be answered YES.

Well, since I can't answer yes to any of the above, I'll just post, is Chubby a rude obnoxious poster? The answer would be yes.

[Chubby]

it's a fucking fire lane people. lighten the fuck up.

It's not like people are saying "OMG he parked in a fire lane, let's hand him!"

it's more like "Shut the fuck up and pay your ticket you whiner."

[MrBug708]

Whoa............I never did any of the above. Your two thoughts are way off base. I told him I was waiting on my wife with a small child. I had my six month old in the car, and I am surely not a holier than thou. No way would I EVER give a cop lip. I respect what they do, moreso than most people I would guess. What bothered me the most was (and I didn't post it), was I coached the guys kid in soccer in my early days of coaching at my high school. Dedicated countless hours to the kid, wrote him letters of recommendation to get into the police academy (ironically) at EKU. And NO, I don't expect a free pass because of that. I would expect about about 99.5% of the time a "sir, you're blocking the fire lane, can you move along" to anyone who was doing what I was doing. And like someone mentioned on here, it was a Meijer's, and the firelane is about 100 yards long, and about 15 yards deep. I was in no way blocking traffic. I was more like...........WTF? after I got home. It's something I see done every time I go to a Lowe's, Walmart, Meijer's, Home Depot, etc., and I've never seen anyone told to move, much less ticketed for it. Just my lucky day I suppose.

Can't catch everyone or be anywhere I guess

[Chubby]

Well, since I can't answer yes to any of the above, I'll just post, is Chubby a rude obnoxious poster? The answer would be yes.


Good one.

You start a thread looking for sympathy over something 100% your fault and come off sounding like a whiny baby then what did you expect?

[cougarfreak]

Good one.

You start a thread looking for sympathy over something 100% your fault and come off sounding like a whiny baby then what did you expect?

You certainly have the right to disagree, as most have. But to call someone a lazy fuck because he pulls up to the fire lane to pick up his wife and kid? All I can say, is man, you are cool.

[Chubby]

You certainly have the right to disagree, as most have. But to call someone a lazy fuck because he pulls up to the fire lane to pick up his wife and kid? All I can say, is man, you are cool.

What else would you call it? Was the 30 second walk with a cart too much? Were you too inconvienced to actually, you know, get out of your car and walk her (god forbid you go in with her).

[korme]

He had his fuckin kid with him, too, Chubby. It's not like he did anything other than to pull up to the side so they could get in... you are stretching this and making it sound like he was thinking 'man i could walk in with her but fuck that im gonna do something crazy instead and see what happens'

[Shkspr]

Well, since I can't answer yes to any of the above, I'll just post, is Chubby a rude obnoxious poster? The answer would be yes.

Yeah, but we knew Chubby was a rude, obnoxious poster ten years ago. We're just finding out about your parking habits this week. :p

[MrBug708]

He had his fuckin kid with him, too, Chubby. It's not like he did anything other than to pull up to the side so they could get in... you are stretching this and making it sound like he was thinking 'man i could walk in with her but fuck that im gonna do something crazy instead and see what happens'

Don't hate the cop, hate the law

[Karlifornia]

Yes, maybe it was unnecessary, and yes, it was a violation of the law. How about "letter of the law vs. spirit of the law"? He was in his car. It was not like he parked the car and let it hang out in the red as he bought his cold cuts.

Cop must have had a quota to meet. Even meter maids around here, whose sole purpose is to write tickets for parking violations give you a little bit of time to move your car. Even when *gasp* parked in a fire lane. Either the cop had a quota, he's bored, or he's an asshole. He could even be all three.

[cougarfreak]

What else would you call it? Was the 30 second walk with a cart too much? Were you too inconvienced to actually, you know, get out of your car and walk her (god forbid you go in with her).

No, or course not. That's somethink I would expect of from a tough guy like you. I did go in with her (that's why I didn't drop her off to answer one of your previous questions), but the six month old staring going ballistic, so I took him to the car and started it, because the vibration in the car seat makes him go to sleep. But hey........I'm over it, you should get over it too. If I pay an extra $30, will it make you happy?

[molson]

People would be more sympathetic for you if you didn't:

1. Call the officer (who's doing his job) a "son of a bitch"
2. Contend that your minor violation should be ignored and officers should only trouble themselves with "real crime"
3. Claim that you've never seen anyone else get a ticket for this, and your buddy cop friend says he wouldn't have given a ticket.
4. Highlight your flawless driving history

Really, you can't see how this kind of stuff rubs people the wrong way? That you're expressing a sense of entitlement? Nobody cares that you stopped in a fire lane.

[cougarfreak]

People would be more sympathetic for you if you didn't:

1. Call the officer (who's doing his job) a "son of a bitch"
2. Contend that your minor violation should be ignored and officers should only trouble themselves with "real crime"
3. Claim that you've never seen anyone else get a ticket for this, and your buddy cop friend says he wouldn't have given a ticket.
4. Highlight your flawless driving history

Really, you can't see how this kind of stuff rubs people the wrong way? That you're expressing a sense of entitlement? Nobody cares that you stopped in a fire lane.

I could definitely agree with that. I was a tad miffed when I made the post. That's why it was a rant on a message board, I'd rather express some frustration on a board than express it somewhere else.

[molson]

I could definitely agree with that. I was a tad miffed when I made the post. That's why it was a rant on a message board, I'd rather express some frustration on a board than express it somewhere else.

Good point, maybe we shouldn't be tearing apart a brother who wants to rant......:)

[Axxon]

I don't know about you but at our (and all Meijer's I've been around) store, the fire lane is fuckin' huge and if you slide your car in there you aren't blocking anything but open space... you aren't blocking any type of traffic, just the middle between one of the sliding doors and the other - and still, there's like a ten foot gap between said car and the building for plenty of people to walk by.

I don't know why everyone at FOFC is pretending to be saints and has never done anything wrong... lighten up people.

Maybe some of us have had to work closely with EMT's and emergency personnel and realize that it's not as trivial a thing as those who've never done it seem to think it is.

As for the cop giving a warning it is a bad idea. Cougarfreak already believes he's entitled to break the law if he wants to. A warning just sends the message that it's ok and he'll keep doing it expecting warnings. A ticket just may make him realize there's some risk there and he might rethink his behavior.

For the record I got a speeding ticket a few years ago and one of the cops I worked for asked me why I didn't bring it to him to fix it. I went off on him about that. I didn't want to get the ticket but I did the crime and it doesn't sit well with me to have a system where anyone is above the law. Yep, I've broken some but on this I am very consistent. I would expect the ticket and wouldn't mind a warning for some things but a fixed ticket, never, and I've had the opportunity.

The cop didn't agree with me btw but he was still a good guy.

[Axxon]

No, or course not. That's somethink I would expect of from a tough guy like you. I did go in with her (that's why I didn't drop her off to answer one of your previous questions), but the six month old staring going ballistic, so I took him to the car and started it, because the vibration in the car seat makes him go to sleep. But hey........I'm over it, you should get over it too. If I pay an extra $30, will it make you happy?

You really should check on the law though. Most cities have a no parking or standing in fire lane law but Florence doesn't seem to add the standing part so unless they define parking to include standing, which I couldn't verify though again, some municipalities do, then you may legally be entitled to do what you did.

[Axxon]

Dola, just remembered you posted that you got out and helped your wife load groceries before he wrote the ticket. That would be parking and maybe the only reason you got the ticket.

[Axxon]

Doubla Dola.

That seriously took some stones getting out of the car when you're in a fire lane with a cop running your license. Sounds like you were asking for him to give you the ticket. :)

[Draft Dodger]

As for the cop giving a warning it is a bad idea. Cougarfreak already believes he's entitled to break the law if he wants to. A warning just sends the message that it's ok and he'll keep doing it expecting warnings. A ticket just may make him realize there's some risk there and he might rethink his behavior.


wow, this is just...wow.

[RendeR]

I could definitely agree with that. I was a tad miffed when I made the post. That's why it was a rant on a message board, I'd rather express some frustration on a board than express it somewhere else.

And while I agree (and have in the past done so myself) that its just a rant, You just as I, have to accept the backlash you get here. Frankly you really had no excuse to sit in the firelane, wether it was 20 minutes or 20 seconds. It was wrong. You got a ticket for violating a civil statute. The fact that you had to make a point of your record, called the cop names and really made it out as if you were some sort of victim simply ensured the flaming you got would happen.

While subby is an inconsiderate fucktard most of the time, he has a point. Parking there was simple laziness. Your wife is I'm certain a wonderful person, but she certainly could have managed to walk to a nearby parking space where you could have assisted her and avoided the whole thing.

As someone else said, it was the way you wrote the rant that got you fried here, not the act itself, you simply got what you deserved there.

Good point, maybe we shouldn't be tearing apart a brother who wants to rant......:)

I can agree in principle, but again, its the way he posted it and the tone of his message that earned him the shredding. I've experienced it myself so I know its frustrating to be on the receiving end, but when you sit back and really read what you write and the ensuing shit slinging that you receive or it. Then you start to understand why you got it.

I also want toa gree with the recent comment that you have some serious nuts getting out of a car while a cop is processing you. In most states that is now grounds for arrest. Its a safety issue for the officer(s) involved.

[Axxon]

wow, this is just...wow.

He admits he breaks the law and then complains because he's given a ticket for it. I don't see any other way to look at it. I've stated this since post one and he hasn't denied it either.

I'm not going to flip flop on this. Lots of people feel entitled to break laws they don't like. I don't see why calling them on it is a bad thing.

[Axxon]

wow, this is just...wow.

Of course, coming from someone named Draft Dodger, I can see where the defensiveness comes in. ;)

[LoneStarGirl]

Since y'all are against cougar so strongly on this one, I am going to threadjack with a story of my own.

A couple of months ago I was dropping off one of my softball players at her apartment (I coach softball at Central High School) I pull into the apartment complex, she sees her mom, jumps out and runs to her. I have to make a three point turn in order to get out of the parking lot of the apartment complex and in doing so I see 2 teenage looking men with guns in the back of their pants. They are literally 5 feet away from my window, which is down and it freaks me out. They see me look at them and they start making cracks, 'hey pretty momma' blah blah. I haul ass out of hte complex, take a left and run a red light that just turned red. Of course a cop is there and he pulls me over. I am shaking, and I point at the complex and tell him that those two men (literally three blocks away, you could still see them) and the cop just laughs at me. He gives me a 150 dollar ticket for running the light, which i admited doing. I called his boss and filed a report against him and I am giong to court July 3rd. I hate cops.

[Axxon]

Since y'all are against cougar so strongly on this one, I am going to threadjack with a story of my own.

A couple of months ago I was dropping off one of my softball players at her apartment (I coach softball at Central High School) I pull into the apartment complex, she sees her mom, jumps out and runs to her. I have to make a three point turn in order to get out of the parking lot of the apartment complex and in doing so I see 2 teenage looking men with guns in the back of their pants. They are literally 5 feet away from my window, which is down and it freaks me out. They see me look at them and they start making cracks, 'hey pretty momma' blah blah. I haul ass out of hte complex, take a left and run a red light that just turned red. Of course a cop is there and he pulls me over. I am shaking, and I point at the complex and tell him that those two men (literally three blocks away, you could still see them) and the cop just laughs at me. He gives me a 150 dollar ticket for running the light, which i admited doing. I called his boss and filed a report against him and I am giong to court July 3rd. I hate cops.

Just out of curiosity. Had someone tboned you and there had been a fatality would you have blamed it on the guys who talked to you but didn't pull their guns on you or otherwise threatened you and were three blocks away on foot?

I can understand being scared and hoofing it but running a red light when you're three blocks away? Not so much.

[molson]

He gives me a 150 dollar ticket for running the light, which i admited doing. I called his boss and filed a report against him and I am giong to court July 3rd. I hate cops.

If you bring witnesses that saw the guys with guns, maybe a sympathetic judge cuts you a break....But do you seriously expect the cops to let everyone off the hook that has a story like that? Why should he believe you?

The random hatred of cops really puzzles me....These people would risk their lives for you without blinking, and people bitch about paying tickets...Give me a fucking break.

[LoneStarGirl]

Just out of curiosity. Had someone tboned you and there had been a fatality would you have blamed it on the guys who talked to you but didn't pull their guns on you or otherwise threatened you and were three blocks away on foot?

I can understand being scared and hoofing it but running a red light when you're three blocks away? Not so much.

Well he turned the lights on right when i was leaving the apt complex. It just took me two blocks to pull over into a vacant bank parking lot.

[LoneStarGirl]

If you bring witnesses that saw the guys with guns, maybe a sympathetic judge cuts you a break....But do you seriously expect the cops to let everyone off the hook that has a story like that? Why should he believe you?

The random hatred of cops really puzzles me....These people would risk their lives for you without blinking, and people bitch about paying tickets...Give me a fucking break.

Oh I had nothing against cops, until this happened. He basically laughed in my face, and you could still see the guys at the apartment. He didn't bother to call it in or look into it.

[Axxon]

Well he turned the lights on right when i was leaving the apt complex. It just took me two blocks to pull over into a vacant bank parking lot.

So he was close enough to see the guys and make a determination on how much of a threat they appeared to be? If they weren't running after you or pulling out the guns then the fear, though understandable, wasn't enough to risk your life for and you did risk your life running a red light. It's a hard call to make on that one.

[MrBug708]

Oh I had nothing against cops, until this happened. He basically laughed in my face, and you could still see the guys at the apartment. He didn't bother to call it in or look into it.

Just curious, but what did you want the cop to do?

[LoneStarGirl]

You must be accustomed to guys having guns 5 feet away from your face. I for one am not and reacted the way any normal female would. I wanted to get the hell away from the situation and disregarded a traffic signal as it was turning red. It wasn't like it was red for 2 minutes. It was yellow as I approached it and turned red as I was turning left.

[LoneStarGirl]

I wanted the cop to go to the apartment and check the guys out. I dont think its acceptable for two guys to have guns out in a neighborhood with children. The cop should have at least took my license, to assure I would not run away, then went and frisked the guys or something.

[MrBug708]

I wanted the cop to go to the apartment and check the guys out. I dont think its acceptable for two guys to have guns out in a neighborhood with children. The cop should have at least took my license, to assure I would not run away, then went and frisked the guys or something.

You are aware of the Second Amendment right?

[cougarfreak]

Maybe I'll just change my views on life. For example, I had 2 kids fail my class this past semester in high school. One had a 68.3, and one had a 67.5. Failing is a 70. Since I teach summer school and I was there a week later than "official" school ran , I called them, and gave them a chance to turn in an assignment to make up a zero on a previous assignment. This allowed them to earn their credit. But hell, a 69.9 technically isn't a 70, so I should automatically fail all kids that get below that grade. No reprieve, no warning shot, no 2nd chance.

[Axxon]

You must be accustomed to guys having guns 5 feet away from your face. I for one am not and reacted the way any normal female would. I wanted to get the hell away from the situation and disregarded a traffic signal as it was turning red. It wasn't like it was red for 2 minutes. It was yellow as I approached it and turned red as I was turning left.

Hey, I understand the fear but you put your life in worse danger than if you'd waited. If you'd stopped at the light, saw them approaching you still and had a clear road then turn, preferably right if you're in a right on red state. I'd support you in that case if you were pulled over.

[Axxon]

Maybe I'll just change my views on life. For example, I had 2 kids fail my class this past semester in high school. One had a 68.3, and one had a 67.5. Failing is a 70. Since I teach summer school and I was there a week later than "official" school ran , I called them, and gave them a chance to turn in an assignment to make up a zero on a previous assignment. This allowed them to earn their credit. But hell, a 69.9 technically isn't a 70, so I should automatically fail all kids that get below that grade. No reprieve, no warning shot, no 2nd chance.

Totally irrelevant to compromising public safety but hey, it's your class.

[LoneStarGirl]

You are aware of the Second Amendment right?

I am aware of the right to bear arms. But i am not 100% sure that amendment means you can show them off in a setting with children.

[cougarfreak]

Hey, I understand the fear but you put your life in worse danger than if you'd waited. If you'd stopped at the light, saw them approaching you still and had a clear road then turn, preferably right if you're in a right on red state. I'd support you in that case if you were pulled over.

Now, how in the hell can YOU make that determination? She didn't have an accident, so obviously she didn't put herself in any danger by making the choice she made. If she'd have stayed, no one knows if she would be here typing what she is typing.

[MrBug708]

Maybe I'll just change my views on life. For example, I had 2 kids fail my class this past semester in high school. One had a 68.3, and one had a 67.5. Failing is a 70. Since I teach summer school and I was there a week later than "official" school ran , I called them, and gave them a chance to turn in an assignment to make up a zero on a previous assignment. This allowed them to earn their credit. But hell, a 69.9 technically isn't a 70, so I should automatically fail all kids that get below that grade. No reprieve, no warning shot, no 2nd chance.

I can't believe you serious made this post...

[Axxon]

I am aware of the right to bear arms. But i am not 100% sure that amendment means you can show them off in a setting with children.

Does tucked into their pants count as conceiled for conceiled weapons permits? I have no idea but I'd imagine this is an important consideration.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Maybe I'll just change my views on life. For example, I had 2 kids fail my class this past semester in high school. One had a 68.3, and one had a 67.5. Failing is a 70. Since I teach summer school and I was there a week later than "official" school ran , I called them, and gave them a chance to turn in an assignment to make up a zero on a previous assignment. This allowed them to earn their credit. But hell, a 69.9 technically isn't a 70, so I should automatically fail all kids that get below that grade. No reprieve, no warning shot, no 2nd chance.

You gave them a 2nd chance. It still didn't get the job done.

What you should do...is have them go pick up your groceries all summer--keeps them out of trouble, and saves you $30 a trip.

[LoneStarGirl]

Well it was tucked in their blue jeans, but when you have white wife beaters on, and the guns are on the outside of the wife beaters... they had them to show them off. They werent there to protect themselves. they were trying to be tough.

[Axxon]

Now, how in the hell can YOU make that determination? She didn't have an accident, so obviously she didn't put herself in any danger by making the choice she made. If she'd have stayed, no one knows if she would be here typing what she is typing.

Because no one was chasing her. The cop saw her at the moment she was leaving the apartment. The guys were at least a block from her as she stated she pulled two blocks and at that point they were three blocks away.

I'm taking it that the cop didn't feel they were a threat and running a red light is always a threat even if you don't get hurt this time.

[cougarfreak]

You gave them a 2nd chance. It still didn't get the job done.

What you should do...is have them go pick up your groceries all summer--keeps them out of trouble, and saves you $30 a trip.


Touche' :D

[MrBug708]

I am aware of the right to bear arms. But i am not 100% sure that amendment means you can show them off in a setting with children.

*shrugs* From what you wrote in your post, they didn't do anything wrong, so what should the cop do?

[Axxon]

Well it was tucked in their blue jeans, but when you have white wife beaters on, and the guns are on the outside of the wife beaters... they had them to show them off. They werent there to protect themselves. they were trying to be tough.

The issue is concealment not intent but that does sound like there wasn't an effort for concealment made in this case. Again, I don't know the laws but I'd agree that the cop should at least have checked them out. Not frisked them but at least talked to them and take a closer look.

You still deserved something though; at least a warning. ;)

[molson]

It's hilarious to me how anti-cops and anti-government people get when they get a freaking traffic ticket.

I used to work in a prosecution office that unfortunately had the duty of traffic court once or twice a week.....everyone has a story, and they're generally the most horrible people I ever met.

What do you think a judge is going to do when you tell him about these mystery people with guns - throw the case out?

[Logan]

I meant to chime in with a "this isn't going to end well" somewhere around post #3, so now that we have a second story, let me go with it this time at post #137.

[sterlingice]

It wasn't like it was red for 2 minutes. It was yellow as I approached it and turned red as I was turning left.

In Lawrence, near as I can tell, a light turning red signals it's time for the last 3 cars to go through it :rant:

SI

[Cringer]

Here is why police should continue patrolling parking lots, you never know what they might find....

Police investigate sale of tigers in Wal-Mart parking lot
Comments 4 | Recommend 0
June 15, 2008 - 3:51PM
Ryan Holeywell

McALLEN - Police and federal authorities are investigating the sale of six Bengal tiger cubs in a Wal-Mart parking lot Sunday afternoon.

The animals appear to have been bound for Mexico and neither the buyer nor seller had the permits needed to legally transport the endangered species across national borders, a federal agent said.

A group from Spring Hill Widlife Ranch in Bryan was selling the cubs - four white ones and two orange ones - in the parking lot of the Wal-Mart near Jackson Avenue and Expressway 83.

Authorities believe the Spring Hill employees were selling the tigers to a pre-arranged buyer via an intermediary, and that the animals' final destination would be in Mexico.

"The people who were picking up the tigers and taking possession of them... were Mexican nationals in a Mexico-licensed vehicle," said Special Agent Alejandro Rodriguez of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. He said tigers have been smuggled into Mexico through the Rio Grande Valley before.

Rodriguez said some people involved in the transaction said the tigers were to be taken to a Mexico City zoo, while others said they would be going to Roma.

Under federal law, it's illegal to transport an endangered species across national borders unless both buyer and seller have what is known as a CITES permit.

Those involved in the transaction could face federal conspiracy charges if authorities determine the animals were, in fact, Mexico-bound.

Police said ranch employees were selling the white cubs for $5,500 per animal, and the orange ones for $900 per animal. The buyers' vehicle lacked air conditioning, police said, which also raised concern about the animals' safety.

Rodriguez said the cubs are healthy and would be transported to the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville as authorities continue their investigation.

The orange tigers are about 10 weeks old, Rodriguez said, and the white ones are about two weeks old.

Rodriguez said it appears Spring Hill has sold tigers in the Rio Grande Valley at least two other times in the last 18 months.

Police arrested the co-owner of Spring Hill Wildlife Ranch for interfering with public duties, authorities said.

The woman, whose name police have not released, attempted to barricade herself in the truck containing the tigers after Monitor staff began photographing the animals from the parking lot. She is expected to be arraigned Monday.

Two people who had been questioned by the police about the transaction declined to comment on the case to The Monitor.

Police learned of the transaction when a McAllen Police Department patrol officer became suspicious of the truck with Mexican license plates in the Wal-Mart parking lot, police said.

When the officer approached, the group moved to the parking lot of the nearby Mervyn's department store, prompting him to follow and ultimately discover the tiger cubs.

"The basic premise of this transaction in a parking lot - it doesn't seem right," said McAllen Police Sgt. Eddie De La Rosa.

Bengal tigers can grow to 9 feet long and weight more than 550 pounds. There are about 2,000 Bengal tigers living in the wild. The cats can be found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar and Nepal.

Jerry Stones, facilities director at Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, said Bengal tigers are an endangered species. There are thousands of large cats including tigers, leopards and lions owned privately - and legally -in Texas, Stones said.

He said he thinks some tiger owners may not realize the effort that goes into caring for the cats. "They buy them as babies," Stones said. "They don't realize it's going to get to be hundreds of pounds, eat an awful lot of food and become dangerous."

[lighthousekeeper]

Well it was tucked in their blue jeans, but when you have white wife beaters on, and the guns are on the outside of the wife beaters... they had them to show them off. They werent there to protect themselves. they were trying to be tough.

They were Canadian weren't they. In that case you were justified.

[Chief Rum]

I'm sitting in the parking lot of a local grocery store waiting for my wife to come out. She has my 2 year old daughter, I have my 6 month old son in the car. She calls me, tell me she's in line to check out, so I pull up to the front of the store (not blocking any doors or anything), but into the "fire lane". My car is running. A local cop pulls behind me, turns on his lights, and walks up to my car as asks me why I'm not parked in the parking lot. I tell him, "I'm waiting on my wife who has a small child, she's on her way out". He takes my license. My wife comes out, while he's running my license (I guess that's what he is doing), and I load the groceries in. The son of a bitch gives me a $30 ticket for parking in a fire lane. I haven't had a ticket in 16 years. I can't fucking believe the SOB gave me a ticket. He even wrote on the ticket that I was waiting on my wife with a small child. What the fuck? With all the god forsaken crime going on in the world, he's giving me a freaking ticket??? :mad: :banghead:

Same thing happened to me. I backed my big ass SUV right up to the only exit of the store, so that it tripped the door sensor. I rolled the back window down and hollered for the wife to giddy up. Some folks were close to the door and started to get bent outta shape, but, WTH, they can jump the little metal guardrails around the exit. Or heck, it's a busy store, wait until someone walks into the Enter door and go out that way! I'm only gonna be there for a minute, and my kid's screamin' at me, apparently sick of watching the same damn Backyardigans' DVD, or maybe he dropped a load in his Huggies.

[Chief Rum]

I actually got a ticket for this once. So, I know for a fact that in Michigan if I am behind the wheel of a running vehicle, whether parked or not, I can receive a citation.

In CA, the car doesn't even have to be on. If you're behind the wheel and intoxicated, even sleeping at the side of the road, you can get a DUI ticket. Of course, that may be because it takes a difficult or at least irresponsible set of circumstances to result in someone sleeping in their car, intoxicated, on the side of the road, most of which likely include actually driving said car while intoxicated.

[Karlifornia]

I would just like to say that I am not anti-cop. I am actually pro-cop, but I don't see things in black and white. That's redonkulous. If someone is sitting a running vehicle in the red zone at a GROCERY STORE...not a hospital, but a grocery store, and no emergency is taking place, why can't you say to the driver "I'm sorry, sir, but you can't wait for your wife and kids here. This is not a loading zone. Please move aside"?

I could understand if the guy had parked there and left his car unattended. I advocate giving him a ticket. Hell, make a car cover with a giant ticket attached to it and drape it over the car.

I actually have thought about going into law enforcement at times. I think firm warnings can work in many situations. "Sir (or Ma'am), you're wasting my time by having me stop to make sure you're not sitting in a fire lane. If you have a life-threatening issue, would you rather the police help you, or the servers and protectors be delayed because they are shooing someone out of a restricted parking area?"

I see both sides of it. I tend to lean towards the less by-the-book vigilance side, but maybe that's because I don't have a badge. I just didn't like the piling on and name-calling in this instance.

[daedalus]

In Lawrence, near as I can tell, a light turning red signals it's time for the last 3 cars to go through it :rant:

SIin lawrence, 3 minutes after the light turned red, there still isn't any car to come through that intersection making it perfectly okay for those 3 cars to go through. :D

[Schmidty]

This thread is making me feel better about myself. I never realized that there were so many more angry, sanctimonious, uptight people on this board than me. :)

[DanGarion]

lol thats the most outrageous, stupid fucking response i've ever heard out of anyone here at fofc

Yeah and it was supposed to be. Give me a stupid fucking post to respond to and receive a stupid fucking response in return.

[DanGarion]

I don't know why everyone at FOFC is pretending to be saints and has never done anything wrong... lighten up people.

It's not that the people here have never done anything wrongs, it's that most people don't do someone wrong and then bitch when they get a ticket. In most cases laws are in place to protect the public. This is one of those such laws.

Assholes that park like morons are a big pet peeve of mine. It's like these people think they are better then everyone else and just park wherever the fuck they want.

[SirFozzie]

You know? I can't decide what the Parody thread should be...

So I Pissed a little (Rant about a cock)

or

So I'm a little pissed (Rant about a booze-up)

[DanGarion]

Maybe I'll just change my views on life. For example, I had 2 kids fail my class this past semester in high school. One had a 68.3, and one had a 67.5. Failing is a 70. Since I teach summer school and I was there a week later than "official" school ran , I called them, and gave them a chance to turn in an assignment to make up a zero on a previous assignment. This allowed them to earn their credit. But hell, a 69.9 technically isn't a 70, so I should automatically fail all kids that get below that grade. No reprieve, no warning shot, no 2nd chance.

How many month long was the class? Honestly it doesn't matter. If you presented to them at the beginning of the year/semester that under 70 wasn't passing. And you throughout the semester/year you kept them up to date on their overall score, it's their own fault for failing the class (unless you blame yourself instead). I mean why don't just just automatically give everyone a 70 if you don't want to be a dick teacher? The fact that they failed and weren't allowed to get out of it by some BS extra credit that the passing kids didn't get to take might just be the swift kick in the ass they need to change their act when it comes to school.

[Schmidty]

Dan. It's time to let it go.

Maybe you can start a thread expressing your outrage about people who have 16 items in the 15 or less aisle at the Safeway. That would be sweet. I'd totally comiserate with you.

[Dr. Sak]

The random hatred of cops really puzzles me....These people would risk their lives for you without blinking, and people bitch about paying tickets...Give me a fucking break.

Random hatred? I respect the cops that work in rough cities, but it is the rural cops who are on power trips.

How about seeing a local cop parked in a parking lot of a mini golf course sleeping day after day. How do I know he was sleeping? It's a 20 mph zone and he was parked close to the road that you could easily see into the car. After a week of it I decided to call his boss. Did anything happen...nothing to the cop but the sleepy cop tailed me for 2 weeks waiting for me to go 1 mph over the speed limit.

Two years ago my house was getting vandalized. Egged and rocks thrown at my house and my shed was broken into. There were footprints of the assailants, but our townships' finest decided to be careless and step all over the footprints. They were probably mad because I had call 3 times in a 4 day period to get them to finally show up. Same thing happened when a few neighborhood kids stabbed my parents above ground pool with a knife.

Finally, I got an underage drinking at 19 years old, along with 200 other people at a party. The cops ran out of breathalyser tubes for us to use so they just reused them from other people that night. Yes I drank and yes i should've gotten in trouble. I go to court to try to plea so I don't lose my license. I tell the lawyer about having to use a reused tube and he tells the judge. The judge then asks the cop if that is true and the cop says "no we had fresh tubes for everyone." Walking outside to the car I say to the cop "I hope you feel good about yourself lying like that." The cop respond "well I knew the judge would believe me over you so I could basically say what I want." Way to set an example.

There are many great cops out there, but just like everything in life, it is the few bad ones that spoil it for them all and give them a bad name.

[Apathetic Lurker]

If you hate the ticket fight it....go to court and let the judge decide...

I once got a ticket for parking in a handicaped parking spot. I got out of it. But my reason was valid...

[Apathetic Lurker]

People would be more sympathetic for you if you didn't:

1. Call the officer (who's doing his job) a "son of a bitch"
2. Contend that your minor violation should be ignored and officers should only trouble themselves with "real crime"
3. Claim that you've never seen anyone else get a ticket for this, and your buddy cop friend says he wouldn't have given a ticket.
4. Highlight your flawless driving history

Really, you can't see how this kind of stuff rubs people the wrong way? That you're expressing a sense of entitlement? Nobody cares that you stopped in a fire lane.

Don't forget to tell that nice officer that YOU pay his salary and that he/she works for YOU so they better stop harrasing you and go and arrest some real crooks

[larrymcg421]

Don't forget to tell that nice officer that YOU pay his salary and that he/she works for YOU so they better stop harrasing you and go and arrest some real crooks

"Now, listen to me, Cop. I pay your salary."

"All right, sit down. I'm gonna earn it."

"You already have, the kind of money you make. What do they pay you to carry that badge around, 40 cents an hour?"

"You sit down! That badge pays 464 dollars a month. That's what the job's worth. I knew that when I hired on. $67.40 comes out with withholding. I give $27.84 for pension and 12 bucks for widows and orphans. That leaves me with $356.76. That badge is worth a dollar 82 an hour so Mister, better settle back into that chair because I'm about to blow about 20 bucks of it right now "

[Bonegavel]

I'm a paranoid fuck and prowl the parking lot until I see my wife come out and then drive up so it's just a grab-n-go.

[Suburban Rhythm]

I'm a paranoid fuck and prowl the parking lot until I see my wife come out and then drive up so it's just a grab-n-go.

What a coincidence, I prowl the parking lot for your wife too!
:D

[Bonegavel]

What a coincidence, I prowl the parking lot for your wife too!
:D

Do you want her?!

[Suburban Rhythm]

Do you want her?!

Only if you take mine in a trade.

[Bonegavel]

Only if you take mine in a trade.

Hmmm, I'll might have to put her on waivers.

[gstelmack]

Well he turned the lights on right when i was leaving the apt complex. It just took me two blocks to pull over into a vacant bank parking lot.

This is where I think you got into trouble. Frankly, when he turns his lights on, stop right there. You got what you wanted: a cop nearby. And he's much closer to these guys to decide what to do. You drove 2 blocks AFTER he turned his lights on, now you've got him thinking you're trying to escape HIM.

But I'm on board with the whole "freaking out when there are two guys with guns next to my car" bit.

[Cringer]

Damn, I just found myself be extremely hypocritical. I went to post a joke about not liking state troopers because they were my arch-enemy for so long. They wouldn't have been if I obeyed the law 100% of the time when on the road. I never argued a ticket though, and only had 3 in 9 years. And I only parked in front of a store when it was part of the job. :D

[molson]

That's redonkulous. If someone is sitting a running vehicle in the red zone at a GROCERY STORE...not a hospital, but a grocery store, and no emergency is taking place, why can't you say to the driver "I'm sorry, sir, but you can't wait for your wife and kids here.


Something tells me that this would have pissed him off almost as much. (Maybe not in retrospect after he received a ticket, but at the time, he would have been annoyed if he had to go back to the parking lot)

Small infraction, small fine. And I bet he won't do it again (and I bet people on who read this thread will think twice).

[DanGarion]

Dan. It's time to let it go.

Maybe you can start a thread expressing your outrage about people who have 16 items in the 15 or less aisle at the Safeway. That would be sweet. I'd totally comiserate with you.

Doesn't appear like it's time to let go if people are still posting in here...

[DanGarion]

If you hate the ticket fight it....go to court and let the judge decide...

I once got a ticket for parking in a handicaped parking spot. I got out of it. But my reason was valid...

Oh man this is opening up a can of worms...

[molson]

Oh man this is opening up a can of worms...

I'd love to hear what grounds a judge used to throw this out rather than being handicapped, or a REAL emergency situation (not that he was in a really big hurry or something).

[cody8200]

This is really nerdy but I cannot believe how many people here would be considered "lawful good" (I just finished playing Neverwinter Nights 2) on this board. Every person here is so nit-picky about small laws. Personally I would be annoyed by the first poster's stopping in the fire lane and using it as a temporary parking space. However, I cannot imagine myself as a cop, thinking of giving someone a ticket for something so petty. I tend to think that little crimes be damned but then again I am a non-drug user (never) that thinks we should get rid of the war on drugs entirely.

[Kodos]

But what gives these apparently "special" people the right to park in a fire lane, or go flying by a traffic jam on the shoulder? Shouldn't they have to play by the same rules as everyone else? It's marked as a fire lane for a reason. If he was so concerned about his wife, he could have taken both kids back to the car and then let her shop by herself while the rest of them waited in the parking lot.

[Schmidty]

Doesn't appear like it's time to let go if people are still posting in here...

You're no fun.

[Dutch]

Agreed. *After* you get a ticket for being illegally parked is probably a bad time to hold a referendum on how petty the enforcement of the law is.

[Axxon]

I'd love to hear what grounds a judge used to throw this out rather than being handicapped, or a REAL emergency situation (not that he was in a really big hurry or something).

Improperly marked zone. Missing or obscured sign. Actually has sticker but cop missed it or it was improperly displayed.

[Axxon]

This is really nerdy but I cannot believe how many people here would be considered "lawful good" (I just finished playing Neverwinter Nights 2) on this board. Every person here is so nit-picky about small laws. Personally I would be annoyed by the first poster's stopping in the fire lane and using it as a temporary parking space. However, I cannot imagine myself as a cop, thinking of giving someone a ticket for something so petty. I tend to think that little crimes be damned but then again I am a non-drug user (never) that thinks we should get rid of the war on drugs entirely.

Thing is, I don't think blocking an fire zone as a petty crime thus that blows your theory where I'm concerned.

[cuervo72]

Good one.

You start a thread looking for sympathy over something 100% your fault and come off sounding like a whiny baby then what did you expect?

You're right, he should have expected you to be the dick you always are.

[Subby]

Bad break, cougarfreak.

[BrianD]

Thing is, I don't think blocking an fire zone as a petty crime thus that blows your theory where I'm concerned.

Do you think it is not petty if he is blocking it during an actual fire/emergency, or also when there is nothing going on?

[Racer]

I haven't read the last two pages of this thread, but you should play werewolf again sometime Cougar.

[KWhit]

Are you really bitching about $30??

I mean, seriously?

[Axxon]

Do you think it is not petty if he is blocking it during an actual fire/emergency, or also when there is nothing going on?

Honestly, I've worked jobs where split second timing matters. I've actually saved a persons life in a situation where time was critical but I violated a hospital rule for it and could have been fired. It was suggested that I be at least reprimanded though the fact that the doctors came to my rescue because I literally made the choice that saved his life pretty much made that impossible. In an emergency, every second matters.

To me, there's no difference in the question you asked. You simply don't risk the mundane becoming the emergency if you don't have to. No justification can explain to the deceased's family that it didn't seem like an emergency. I've seen people have to do that though granted, not from this scenario. I'll admit my opinion is colored though by my experiences but I take the side of emergency personnel every time when it comes down to it because again, only hindsight can tell if the situation was an emergency or not. If it wasn't, screw it, hold a concert there, who gives a flip. If it was though...

[judicial clerk]

It is funny how intense and "hot and cold" our society's attitude is towards cops.

Cougerfreak and Lonestargirl feel that the enforcement against them was out of line, but I bet that there were people who witnessed Cougerfreak's and lonestargirl's actions and were positively stoked that the cops were busting them.

BSAK16 was pissed that his local cops were so careless and unresponsive about investigating people throwing rocks and eggs at his house and getting into his shed. And yet there are probably a lot of people who would criticize the cops if they spent too much time investigating crimes that they might consider amount to harmless adolescent hijinks.

I am not saying that Cougerfreak, lonestargirl, or bsak16 are wrong or right, but I would say that somebody always thinks the cops did the wrong thing.

Also I notice that lonestargirl and bsak16 lodged complaints against cops. Nothing wrong with that at all, but I bet this happens more to cops than it does in a lot of other jobs.

[Axxon]

Honestly, I've worked jobs where split second timing matters. I've actually saved a persons life in a situation where time was critical but I violated a hospital rule for it and could have been fired. It was suggested that I be at least reprimanded though the fact that the doctors came to my rescue because I literally made the choice that saved his life pretty much made that impossible. In an emergency, every second matters.

To me, there's no difference in the question you asked. You simply don't risk the mundane becoming the emergency if you don't have to. No justification can explain to the deceased's family that it didn't seem like an emergency. I've seen people have to do that though granted, not from this scenario. I'll admit my opinion is colored though by my experiences but I take the side of emergency personnel every time when it comes down to it because again, only hindsight can tell if the situation was an emergency or not. If it wasn't, screw it, hold a concert there, who gives a flip. If it was though...

BTW, brought up the story not to toot my own horn but to show that I am most definitely not LAWFUL GOOD.

[BrianD]

Honestly, I've worked jobs where split second timing matters. I've actually saved a persons life in a situation where time was critical but I violated a hospital rule for it and could have been fired. It was suggested that I be at least reprimanded though the fact that the doctors came to my rescue because I literally made the choice that saved his life pretty much made that impossible. In an emergency, every second matters.

To me, there's no difference in the question you asked. You simply don't risk the mundane becoming the emergency if you don't have to. No justification can explain to the deceased's family that it didn't seem like an emergency. I've seen people have to do that though granted, not from this scenario. I'll admit my opinion is colored though by my experiences but I take the side of emergency personnel every time when it comes down to it because again, only hindsight can tell if the situation was an emergency or not. If it wasn't, screw it, hold a concert there, who gives a flip. If it was though...

I agree that seconds matter, but I don't see how a guy sitting behind the wheel of a running car can't get out of a fire lane between the time a fire truck is seen/heard and the time it gets to the fire lane. The only way it could be tough is if the driver is outside the car with an arm full of groceries. If this was the point where the cop showed up, or this was the point where the lights went on, I'd have no problem. With someone sitting behind the wheel of the running car...I wouldn't see that as a big deal.

[DanGarion]

I agree that seconds matter, but I don't see how a guy sitting behind the wheel of a running car can't get out of a fire lane between the time a fire truck is seen/heard and the time it gets to the fire lane. The only way it could be tough is if the driver is outside the car with an arm full of groceries. If this was the point where the cop showed up, or this was the point where the lights went on, I'd have no problem. With someone sitting behind the wheel of the running car...I wouldn't see that as a big deal.

The point is that he was breaking the law, regardless of it being an emergency situation. How hard is it for people to accept that the law was broken? People want to keep saying it's not a big deal, but where do you draw the line? I'm not lawful good, I'm chaotic good if anything, I speed at times, but that's just about the only law I break nowadays and even then I usually am only going the flow of traffic, but if a cop gave me a ticket for it would be pissed but I would know I deserved it because I was breaking a law.

You people that think it's not a big deal, also probably think it's not a big deal to steal things from large companies. You probably are the same type of people that have black boxes and stuff for your cable and dish services, and feel you are obligated to having as much free service as you can possibly obtain, because they owe it to you. It disgusts me.

[Fidatelo]

Laws and fines aside, people who park or sit in fire lanes/loading zones (except under exceptional circumstances) are douchebags. Why not just park in a handicap spot while you're at it?

Stop being a lazy douche and walk like the rest of us.

[Axxon]

I agree that seconds matter, but I don't see how a guy sitting behind the wheel of a running car can't get out of a fire lane between the time a fire truck is seen/heard and the time it gets to the fire lane. The only way it could be tough is if the driver is outside the car with an arm full of groceries. If this was the point where the cop showed up, or this was the point where the lights went on, I'd have no problem. With someone sitting behind the wheel of the running car...I wouldn't see that as a big deal.

But he was outside the car, with an armful of groceries before he was ticketed and it's likely in his city that standing wasn't illegal.

Also I have to object with the rest of your premise. He may have his stereo blasting loudly. He may not be paying attention. He may not see the ambulance behind him. There may be traffic trying to avoid the emergency vehicle and he may not be able to pull out. There may be victims running around him a la the Billy Ferry incident that he simply can't run over. His car may stall. A tire may go flat. He may run out of gas. He may panic. Anything can happen even if everything seems routine ( you know, thus the word emergency ) and I just can't see why you'd want to risk it when moving a few feet down could avoid trouble.

Another consideration. The fire marshall may well fine the store owner if he caught the guy. It was a major concern at the hospital I worked at. We had a circle out front that was a fire zone and everyone wanted to stand there. The security people had to constantly move people because the hospital did get fined when the fire marshall saw it and he was there often which granted he wouldn't be at a store.

I'd see people argue, curse at, and otherwise challenge the security guys and sometimes even get taken away because the police would end up being called and their car toed. It was truly insane.

I don't know if there's some kind of hospital rule or not but I doubt it. Fire marshals close down and fine for other issues such as overoccupancy etc. Again, why take the chance?

No one yet has given one compelling reason for cougarfreak or anyone else in the world for doing what he did. It's always simply done for convenience and sorry, to me that's not compelling.

[Axxon]

Laws and fines aside, people who park or sit in fire lanes/loading zones (except under exceptional circumstances) are douchebags. Why not just park in a handicap spot while you're at it?

Stop being a lazy douche and walk like the rest of us.

Or, what he said. :D

[BrianD]

The point is that he was breaking the law, regardless of it being an emergency situation. How hard is it for people to accept that the law was broken? People want to keep saying it's not a big deal, but where do you draw the line? I'm not lawful good, I'm chaotic good if anything, I speed at times, but that's just about the only law I break nowadays and even then I usually am only going the flow of traffic, but if a cop gave me a ticket for it would be pissed but I would know I deserved it because I was breaking a law.

I'm not arguing that a law wasn't broken. Doing what he did has the potential for a fine and he received a fine. Fair enough. I just think that having the cop walk up to the car and tell him to move along would have been a reasonable outcome as well. What I don't get is the vitriol this guy gets for even thinking that something other than a fine might be possible.

You people that think it's not a big deal, also probably think it's not a big deal to steal things from large companies. You probably are the same type of people that have black boxes and stuff for your cable and dish services, and feel you are obligated to having as much free service as you can possibly obtain, because they owe it to you. It disgusts me.

And here is the asshat strawman comment. This situation has nothing to do with theft and assuming you know how people feel about theft based on comments about standing in a fire lane shows your ignorance. Keep your comments to the topic at hand and realized that you are being disgusted by a situation and resolution you just fabricated.

[TCY Junkie]

Cougar its attitudes like yours that make me wonder how all cops aren't dicks. I thought you were joking on the first page. If you leave you driver seat while in a fire lane with a cop behind you and your car doesn't move are you really suprised to get a ticket.

Cops are cool. They let you speed, not use turn signals, and sometimes catch really bad people, but when you get busted people act like spoiled kids.

Now that I posted that I will probably get pulled over for going 40.5 in a 40. If I do I will be back in here, but not to call him an sob. Well I will try not to.

[molson]

I just think that having the cop walk up to the car and tell him to move along would have been a reasonable outcome as well. What I don't get is the vitriol this guy gets for even thinking that something other than a fine might be possible.


That's the thing though, he certainly wasn't posting that "something other than a fine might be possible". He said that the cop was a son of a bitch, and he absolutely should NOT have to pay a ticket, and he implied that there was no reasonable option other than telling him to move along. He wasn't speculating on options. That's the reason for the backlash.

[DanGarion]

I'm not arguing that a law wasn't broken. Doing what he did has the potential for a fine and he received a fine. Fair enough. I just think that having the cop walk up to the car and tell him to move along would have been a reasonable outcome as well. What I don't get is the vitriol this guy gets for even thinking that something other than a fine might be possible.



And here is the asshat strawman comment. This situation has nothing to do with theft and assuming you know how people feel about theft based on comments about standing in a fire lane shows your ignorance. Keep your comments to the topic at hand and realized that you are being disgusted by a situation and resolution you just fabricated.

Part #1 - The reason why is because people think they deserve to get other treatment instead of a fine, that's my problem with it. My problem is people think they are privileged and deserve special treatment. It's the "Don't you know who I am!" and "But I'm waiting for my wife and baby" people that piss me off. No one is special, and no one deserves special treatment, period.

Part #2 - You are right. I still feel there is a correlation, but I'll back away from it.

[BrianD]

But he was outside the car, with an armful of groceries before he was ticketed and it's likely in his city that standing wasn't illegal.

This is the point where I could see the ticket being issued. But this was also the point where the cop was behind him with the lights on (if I remember properly). Seems like the process was already in motion.

Also I have to object with the rest of your premise. He may have his stereo blasting loudly. He may not be paying attention. He may not see the ambulance behind him. There may be traffic trying to avoid the emergency vehicle and he may not be able to pull out. There may be victims running around him a la the Billy Ferry incident that he simply can't run over. His car may stall. A tire may go flat. He may run out of gas. He may panic. Anything can happen even if everything seems routine ( you know, thus the word emergency ) and I just can't see why you'd want to risk it when moving a few feet down could avoid trouble.

And he may be sitting silently with his windows down to make sure he is aware of his surroundings. We can both add details to better fit our point. In general, I'm not disagreeing with you. A ticket was a definite possibility of this action and there is no right to be upset at the cop. I still think a simple "move along" would also have been appropriate. This story also wouldn't prevent me from pausing in a fire lane long enough to pick up my wife coming out of the store assuming she was already on her way out before I stopped there.

No one yet has given one compelling reason for cougarfreak or anyone else in the world for doing what he did. It's always simply done for convenience and sorry, to me that's not compelling.

There is no compelling reason, and it is done for convenience. I know any time I've done something like this, I would have been standing in the zone for less time than it would take for an emergency vehicle to drive the length of the parking lot. It may not be legally allowed, but I'm also not going to get too worked up about it.

[BrianD]

Part #1 - The reason why is because people think they deserve to get other treatment instead of a fine, that's my problem with it. My problem is people think they are privileged and deserve special treatment. It's the "Don't you know who I am!" and "But I'm waiting for my wife and baby" people that piss me off. No one is special, and no one deserves special treatment, period.

There is a difference between deserving other treatment and finding other treatment equally appropriate. I don't think the OP deserved something other than a fine, but I would find other treatment equally appropriate...at least until he got out of the car...that was probably too much.

Part #2 - You are right. I still feel there is a correlation, but I'll back away from it.

How about this. You quoted me and exclaimed that people who don't see a big deal with standing in a fire lane also don't see a big deal with stealing from large companies. I don't see a big deal with standing briefly in a fire lane and I do see a big deal with stealing from a large company. There, assertion refuted.

[Mustang]

I was at this casino minding my own business, and this guy came up to me and said, "You're gonna have to move, you're blocking a fire exit." As though if there was a fire, I wasn't gonna run. If you're flammible and have legs, you are never blocking a fire exit.

- Mitch Hedberg


STOP BREAKING THE LAW ASSHOLE!

- Jim Carrey, Liar Liar

[Axxon]

And he may be sitting silently with his windows down to make sure he is aware of his surroundings. We can both add details to better fit our point. In general, I'm not disagreeing with you. A ticket was a definite possibility of this action and there is no right to be upset at the cop. I still think a simple "move along" would also have been appropriate. This story also wouldn't prevent me from pausing in a fire lane long enough to pick up my wife coming out of the store assuming she was already on her way out before I stopped there.


Yes, sure the odds are lower that something bad would happen but they'd be zero if he wasn't there.

Another little story. When I was working air traffic, we had a bad helicopter crash on the runway. 3 died. If you want to look it up, it's online.

Anyway, the helicopter caught on fire and stopped spinning right in front of the fuel island where the crash truck was. The helicopter was still on the runway.

The guys jumped in the fuel truck sped over to the helicopter and two guys jumped out. They started screwing with the fire hose. Nothing came out. They kept screwing with it. NOthing.

Now, I don't want you to think the guys in the helicopter were alive at that point because odds are they weren't but it was ghoulish to watch. I'll never forget it.

They did this for well over 2 minutes. An off duty fireman was in a bonanza doing his preflight checklist and he had time to see this, get out of the bonanza and run over. At this time, the driver had gotten out of the crash truck and went to help.

What had happened you ask? The only one of the three guys on duty who knew how to operate the hose was the driver. The other two were new and weren't trained so had no idea how it worked.

My point is three guys, trained to handle emergencies and when one happened they all panicked and no one realized what to do. If guys that are trained to handle emergencies can panic you're not going to convince me that some guy in the fire lane ( and you're definitely not about to convince me that his attention was on looking for firetrucks and making sure that he had a clean escape route should he see one ) couldn't panic when confronted with an emergency.

Like I told you, my opinon is based on my experiences and I've worked in many situations where emergencies happen and people lose their cools. I rarely lose mine that's why I got those jobs but I can remember a time where I lost mine albeit it wasn't a bad emergency and no one got hurt but my mind couldn't wrap around the fact that there even was an emergency as it was dark and it didn't look like one though the pilot declared it.

Only for about 30 seconds did I freeze, and my supervisor too who was working local control but we were both embarrassed about it and I still am and again, I was trained and inclined not to lose my cool. Stuff happens.

[cougarfreak]

1. My original post was intended to be something like..........this is something I would have never expected to be ticketed for, but instead told to move along.

2. It was about 20 minutes after the fact, and yes I was pissed.

3. I know now that because I pulled up to a fire lane to pick up my wife and small child I:

a. Should have been approached by a cop with his gun drawn, as I obviously am a getaway car for a robbery, and am lucky I didn't get shot.

b. Feel as though I am entitled to break the law.

c. Obviously steal from large companies. I need to check my directv, I should have every channel now, as I am a thief.

d. Am also obviously a lazy fuck.

e. I think I'm the best driver in the world.

f. I give attitude to cops, and got the ticket for being a jackass, not for pulling into the fire lane.

g. I'm lucky I didn't get eaten by tigers when I got out to get the groceries, as was the cop who walked up to my car.

h. I would have been just as mad had a the cop asked me to move to the parking lot.

i. Hate all cops, am anti cop, and am definitely chaotic evil.



That is all, have a great day. :D I guess I should add..........I'm shocked people are talking about it.

[DaddyTorgo]

well, given (1) cougs, I think we all just didn't cut you enough slack on your venting. or maybe the OP wasn't quite "WTF i got a ticket for this? Wow that sucks but of course I deserved it and i'll pay it" enough...

[Axxon]

This is the point where I could see the ticket being issued. But this was also the point where the cop was behind him with the lights on (if I remember properly). Seems like the process was already in motion.


He was running his particulars which they do even if they give you a warning. Again, I'm not even sure he'd broken a law yet as my googling shows that the law in Florence only says parking, not standing, and I can't find where parking is defined. I've seen it defined to include standing in some statutes and not in others. If Florence doesn't consider it against the law, far be it from me to consider what he did illegal but I still think it's the wrong move.

[Axxon]

b. Feel as though I am entitled to break the law.


You already had that one covered champ and others here feel the same way. Hey, I have no problem with fighting against laws you disagree with generally. I'm currently reading "Parting the Waters: America in the King Years 1954-63" an excellet book btw which could never have been written had everyone been lawful good and no one felt entitled to break a bad law.

I just don't think in this situation it's a bad law.

Now, had the cop given you a warning and you hadn't ranted I wouldn't think it was a bad option either but your rant kinda convinced me that you would have done the same thing again in that case. If I'm wrong there, which I may be, given how the rant came about, then I'd change my tune on that particular.

[Kodos]

Also, your personal hygiene is questionable at best.

[BrianD]

My point is three guys, trained to handle emergencies and when one happened they all panicked and no one realized what to do. If guys that are trained to handle emergencies can panic you're not going to convince me that some guy in the fire lane ( and you're definitely not about to convince me that his attention was on looking for firetrucks and making sure that he had a clean escape route should he see one ) couldn't panic when confronted with an emergency.


You don't see a difference in people panicking while running toward an emergency that they have to respond to, and running away from one they don't have to respond to? Someone experiencing a mental blank could easily forget the procedure for properly attaching and operating a fire hose. I don't see how one could blank sufficiently to forget how to take the foot off the brake and roll forward.

I've never had a situation where I didn't know how to pull over on the highway when an ambulance appeared behind me with his lights on. I have trouble picturing how leaving a fire lane would be any more difficult.

[BrianD]

He was running his particulars which they do even if they give you a warning. Again, I'm not even sure he'd broken a law yet as my googling shows that the law in Florence only says parking, not standing, and I can't find where parking is defined. I've seen it defined to include standing in some statutes and not in others. If Florence doesn't consider it against the law, far be it from me to consider what he did illegal but I still think it's the wrong move.

Yes, I'm sure the particulars would have been run in either case. One thing I find interesting that nobody mentioned is that the cop pulled up behind him (also in the fire lane?) and sat behind him while running everything. I don't know about you, but if a cop has taken my license and is sitting behind me, I'm certainly not going to go anywhere. Had this really been such an unbelievably horrible situation like some are arguing, why didn't the cop instruct him to move somewhere specific out of the fire lane to run everything?

[Axxon]

You don't see a difference in people panicking while running toward an emergency that they have to respond to, and running away from one they don't have to respond to? Someone experiencing a mental blank could easily forget the procedure for properly attaching and operating a fire hose. I don't see how one could blank sufficiently to forget how to take the foot off the brake and roll forward.

I've never had a situation where I didn't know how to pull over on the highway when an ambulance appeared behind me with his lights on. I have trouble picturing how leaving a fire lane would be any more difficult.

Nope, no difference at all. Lights, horns, sirens tend to disorient. Also, peoples first reaction is almost always to find out what the emergency is before reacting. It's human nature.

As a controller we had to work with this. We had what is called the controller voice, affectionately called the voice of God. It's the voice you use when you absolutely have to have someone do your instruction NOW and not wait. It's the voice that cuts through the bullshit and forces action without thought. You'd be surprised how strong human nature is.

[Axxon]

Yes, I'm sure the particulars would have been run in either case. One thing I find interesting that nobody mentioned is that the cop pulled up behind him (also in the fire lane?) and sat behind him while running everything. I don't know about you, but if a cop has taken my license and is sitting behind me, I'm certainly not going to go anywhere. Had this really been such an unbelievably horrible situation like some are arguing, why didn't the cop instruct him to move somewhere specific out of the fire lane to run everything?

I thought of that but again, I'm not sure again if any laws had yet been broken.

[cougarfreak]

Yes, I'm sure the particulars would have been run in either case. One thing I find interesting that nobody mentioned is that the cop pulled up behind him (also in the fire lane?) and sat behind him while running everything. I don't know about you, but if a cop has taken my license and is sitting behind me, I'm certainly not going to go anywhere. Had this really been such an unbelievably horrible situation like some are arguing, why didn't the cop instruct him to move somewhere specific out of the fire lane to run everything?

Ohhhhhhh, believe me, I thought it, but I sure as hell wasn't going to post it here, me being the all knowing, evil chaotic lawbreaker I am. ;) My next door neighbor, who I explained it to as well, works for the Lowe's that's on the same street as the Meijer's where this occurred. He drives a delivery truck for Lowe's. He told me that corporate from Lowe's just changed the rule for them, they HAVE, to pull in front of the store (where the fire lane is), to get their trucks inspected before they go out on delivery (They used to do it behind the store, not sure why it changed).

[molson]

Had this really been such an unbelievably horrible situation like some are arguing, why didn't the cop instruct him to move somewhere specific out of the fire lane to run everything?

This kind of hyperbole is why this conversation is dragging on forever. Nobody's saying this was "unbelievably horrible situation". Nobody. Using that phrase to make your point is just obnoxious, and it completely invalidates what you're trying to say.

(Same thing with cougerfreak saying he's being portrayed as an "evil chaotic lawbreaker". (Though the more I read this thread, I think that 3b on his list is absolutely true, and I have a hunch that 3d, 3e, 3f, and 3h probably have some truth to them as well)

It's a $30 friggen' fine!! The odds that there was going to be any kind of actual emergency here are almost non-existent. If it was an "unbelievably horrible situation", the officer damn well would have moved and written the ticket somewhere else. If it was an "unbelievably horrible situation", he'd probably be looking at criminal charges. But this wasn't that. It was hardly anything at all.

If you're driving 75 in a 65, the odds that that 10 mph will cause an accident are pretty slim. And an officer is allowed to drive 75 - even 85, in order to catch up to you to.

How about we all pitch in $1 for the big baby and move on with our lives? I'm in for $2.

[Raiders Army]

I'd say you're not evil....chaotic, sure, but not evil.

[Subby]

Driving up to pick up your wife in front of the store = nice gesture.

[Kodos]

That's fine, as long as they get a ticket.

[Raiders Army]

Driving up to pick up your wife in front of the store = nice gesture.

What if you have your girlfriend in the car? Is it still a nice gesture?

[Subby]

What if you have your girlfriend in the car? Is it still a nice gesture?
Is she dressed like a pirate?

[Subby]

That's fine, as long as they get a ticket.
Maybe in Dumbfuckistan.

[Fidatelo]

Driving up to pick up your wife in front of the store = nice gesture.

Actually going in and helping her = nicer gesture.

[BrianD]

This kind of hyperbole is why this conversation is dragging on forever. Nobody's saying this was "unbelievably horrible situation". Nobody. Using that phrase to make your point is just obnoxious, and it completely invalidates what you're trying to say.

Fair enough, it isn't unbelievably horrible, though it is apparently not petty, akin to theft, and disgusting.

[BrianD]

Actually going in and helping her = nicer gesture.

And apparently going in and helping her and ultimately leaving with the screaming child (or at least somehow unruly) = nicest gesture?

[Subby]

Actually going in and helping her = nicer gesture.
From what I have read here, you and I have different situations. That might be a nicer gesture in your family, but it isn't even close in mine or, I am guessing, cougarfreak's.

[LloydLungs]

3. I know now that because I pulled up to a fire lane to pick up my wife and small child I:

a. Should have been approached by a cop with his gun drawn, as I obviously am a getaway car for a robbery, and am lucky I didn't get shot.

b. Feel as though I am entitled to break the law.

c. Obviously steal from large companies. I need to check my directv, I should have every channel now, as I am a thief.

d. Am also obviously a lazy fuck.

e. I think I'm the best driver in the world.

f. I give attitude to cops, and got the ticket for being a jackass, not for pulling into the fire lane.

g. I'm lucky I didn't get eaten by tigers when I got out to get the groceries, as was the cop who walked up to my car.

h. I would have been just as mad had a the cop asked me to move to the parking lot.

i. Hate all cops, am anti cop, and am definitely chaotic evil.

We are FOFC!

[Fidatelo]

And apparently going in and helping her and ultimately leaving with the screaming child (or at least somehow unruly) = nicest gesture?

Maybe I missed something in the thread? If there is a reason it was not smart for him to leave the car/enter the store then ok, don't do it. But in that case, while fire-lane parking might be a nice gesture to her, it is a giant F-U to the rest of the people in the parking lot.

[Fidatelo]

From what I have read here, you and I have different situations. That might be a nicer gesture in your family, but it isn't even close in mine or, I am guessing, cougarfreak's.

Weird. K.

[Kodos]

And apparently going in and helping her and ultimately leaving with the screaming child (or at least somehow unruly) = nicest gesture?

Nicest gesture is to take BOTH kids to the car, and then park in a nice and legal spot close to the front.

[cuervo72]

I wonder - have any of you ever picked up/dropped off someone in front of a restaurant/store in the rain, rather than making them walk?

[Axxon]

I wonder - have any of you ever picked up/dropped off someone in front of a restaurant/store in the rain, rather than making them walk?

Rarely, but yes. Never in a fire lane though.

[Kodos]

I usually park in the farthest away spot. That way, we're the first ones in, and at the end of the day, we're the first ones out.

[DanGarion]

There, assertion refuted.

Yes, but you are just a sampling of one. :)

[DanGarion]

1. My original post was intended to be something like..........this is something I would have never expected to be ticketed for, but instead told to move along.

2. It was about 20 minutes after the fact, and yes I was pissed.

3. I know now that because I pulled up to a fire lane to pick up my wife and small child I:

a. Should have been approached by a cop with his gun drawn, as I obviously am a getaway car for a robbery, and am lucky I didn't get shot.

b. Feel as though I am entitled to break the law.

c. Obviously steal from large companies. I need to check my directv, I should have every channel now, as I am a thief.

d. Am also obviously a lazy fuck.

e. I think I'm the best driver in the world.

f. I give attitude to cops, and got the ticket for being a jackass, not for pulling into the fire lane.

g. I'm lucky I didn't get eaten by tigers when I got out to get the groceries, as was the cop who walked up to my car.

h. I would have been just as mad had a the cop asked me to move to the parking lot.

i. Hate all cops, am anti cop, and am definitely chaotic evil.



That is all, have a great day. :D I guess I should add..........I'm shocked people are talking about it.

Regardless of what you said or people had said about you in here, none of us really care that much. You are still a cool guy that we can all talk to on the message board. Just be ready for the every once in awhile ribbing you will get. It's all good man. :devil: :cool: :D :banghead: :rant: :popcorn: :D

[BrianD]

Yes, but you are just a sampling of one. :)

True, but in my mind, the most important one. :p

[Axxon]

Regardless of what you said or people had said about you in here, none of us really care that much. You are still a cool guy that we can all talk to on the message board. Just be ready for the every once in awhile ribbing you will get. It's all good man.

+1

[cougarfreak]

Regardless of what you said or people had said about you in here, none of us really care that much. You are still a cool guy that we can all talk to on the message board. Just be ready for the every once in awhile ribbing you will get. It's all good man. :devil: :cool: :D :banghead: :rant: :popcorn: :D

Oh, trust me, I can take it. I'll dish some out too. :p

[Fidatelo]

I wonder - have any of you ever picked up/dropped off someone in front of a restaurant/store in the rain, rather than making them walk?

Depending on the level of rain and the situation (wearing fancy clothes or something) I would say that falls under the extenuating circumstances provision which excludes one from douchebagginess.

[fantom1979]

I usually park in the farthest away spot. That way, we're the first ones in, and at the end of the day, we're the first ones out.

Yes, but did you have to punch the moose when you found out Wallyworld was closed?

[Draft Dodger]

Depending on the level of rain and the situation (wearing fancy clothes or something) I would say that falls under the extenuating circumstances provision which excludes one from douchebagginess.

ah, yes. wearing fancy clothes is definitely more important than helping someone with a toddler

[Apathetic Lurker]

I'd love to hear what grounds a judge used to throw this out rather than being handicapped, or a REAL emergency situation (not that he was in a really big hurry or something).

well, my car blew a tie-rod. i and my friend pushed the car out of the way. The only spot was a handicapped spot. it was either block the whole drive (very busy time) or block a handicapped spot temporarily while AAA came by to tow. The officer did not care for the reason even though he could see the wheel sitting at a weird angle.

[molson]

well, my car blew a tie-rod. i and my friend pushed the car out of the way. The only spot was a handicapped spot. it was either block the whole drive (very busy time) or block a handicapped spot temporarily while AAA came by to tow. The officer did not care for the reason even though he could see the wheel sitting at a weird angle.

And that's a darn good reason and and officer who was having a bad day.

[BishopMVP]

ah, yes. wearing fancy clothes is definitely more important than helping someone with a toddler...everytime I think this thread is dead, they keep pulling me back in. :popcorn:

[BishopMVP]

well, my car blew a tie-rod. i and my friend pushed the car out of the way. The only spot was a handicapped spot. it was either block the whole drive (very busy time) or block a handicapped spot temporarily while AAA came by to tow. The officer did not care for the reason even though he could see the wheel sitting at a weird angle.Up on my island in Maine, almost everyone drives golf carts and most adults are extremely anal about them (there's actually lawsuits going between the two sides over where people can drive them). One night my battery died and I was pushing it back. As I was finally nearing home, my neighbor, the fire marshal came out and yelled at me for not having the lights on. He went into a huge diatribe about how I could get a ticket and have my license suspended as I stared in disbelief. The best part was my parents were on the porch watching it happen, so we laughed for months about what a power-tripping asshole the guy was.

[DanGarion]

And that's a darn good reason and and officer who was having a bad day.

Completely agree. Now that is a cop being a unreasonable.

[Suburban Rhythm]

...everytime I think this thread is dead, they keep pulling me back in. :popcorn:

I'm with you...I love that every time I come back, there is a page of new posts.

[gstelmack]

Completely agree. Now that is a cop being a unreasonable.

A cop does not judge guilt. A cop judges probable cause and lets the court decide guilt. In this case the system worked as it should have.

[DanGarion]

A cop does not judge guilt. A cop judges probable cause and lets the court decide guilt. In this case the system worked as it should have.
Ok.

[Raiders Army]

Is she dressed like a pirate?

No, she's dressed like a hooker to the nines.

[DanGarion]

No, she's dressed like a hooker to the nines.

It might be worth the ticket.

[Fidatelo]

ah, yes. wearing fancy clothes is definitely more important than helping someone with a toddler

Do toddlers get ruined if they have to go through the parking lot? If so then good point.

[Axxon]

Do toddlers get ruined if they have to go through the parking lot? If so then good point.

Yes, I believe they do.

[sterlingice]

Also, your personal hygiene is questionable at best.

:D

SI

[NoMyths]

Even state senators aren't immune to the temptation. (http://www.charleston.net/news/2008/jul/19/senator_finds_easy_parking_near_front48088/)

[Draft Dodger]

Even state senators aren't immune to the temptation. (http://www.charleston.net/news/2008/jul/19/senator_finds_easy_parking_near_front48088/)

heh.

now, what he did - park in the fire lane and then go inside the store (twice) - is definitely something he should get ticketed for.

speaking of, I just got pulled over on my lunch break for speeding. the cop was nice enough to let me off with a warning.

[Mrs. Schmidty]

I'm on cougarfreak's side. But only because I've never met a cop who wasn't power-tripping prick.

On the other hand, you broke the law, so it justified; however, the prick cop should have used common sense and just given you a warning.

I read this post before I saw the author and I thought, "Man, sounds like my husband!"

I know him so well. ;)

As far as the ticket, ya, it's a petty one and I'd be ticked too, but in reality, the cop did his job although he could have just told you to move along. The only thing with that, at least for me, I didn't really stop speeding until I got a few tickets - the warnings just made me think I could get away with it.

[Mrs. Schmidty]

Seriously though, I'm not even remotely like I am on forums as I am in real life. I'm actually a boring, normal guy. :)

is that a positive or a negative thing that someone possess the testicular fortitude to be an ass online but not in person?

Not sure what it is, but it's true. I'm new to the boards and am always laughing at how he portrays himself on here. I don't want to ruin anyone's picture of him as an ass because it's something I think he's become quite proud of, but it's like living with Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde. ;)

[MrBug708]

I dont think any of us believe that he isn't whipped at home :)

[fantom1979]

the warnings just made me think I could get away with it.

I was the same way. The first three or four times I got pulled over, I got a warning. When I got my first ticket, I was shocked. I was like... this is the part where you let me off with a warning. The cop didnt seem to think so.