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OT - Legality of cussing out a cop


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Wondering if it's legal to cuss out a cop. I'm serious. And if it IS illegal to say "You sonofabitch, I hate your filthy, rotten ass," could you tone it down and it would be legal? Like, you tell him what a slimeball you think he is but you don't use "bad" words. Is that legal? Or are you supposed to "respect" the law? I've thought about this before and just yesterday, it was close. There is a small town I drive through several times per week. Every stinkin' time I go through, the cop is waiting like a vulture, ready to nab someone. I am NOT a speeder; I do everything possible to ALWAYS drive the speed limit or not more than three or four over. Anyway, this cop is always there somewhere, usually on the main drag. Yesterday, I had to turn down a side street and out of nowhere, he suddenly appeared. Speed limit was 25 and I was going about 30. Only reason I wasn't going 25 is because it is damn near impossible to drive 25MPH and I hadn't slowed down enough yet. I saw the 25MPH sign and was attempting to do it. When he suddenly appeared. And then the road opens up later to 35MPH for like, TWO FRIGGIN' MILES. It's also damn near impossible to drive 35MPH for two miles. He tailed me, no more than ten feet from my bumper, for about a mile and I had to turn off. Thank goodness, he didn't pursue. I was fightin' mad. If he would have stopped me, I was ready to tell him what a slimeball I've always felt he is. I was also wondering... if a dog ran in front of me and I slammed on the brakes, he WOULD have hit me because he couldn't have stopped, he was so close. Trying to intimidate me, I guess. I'd like to do it and make a "citizen's arrest" like Gomer Pyle used to do on The Andy Griffith Show. For endangering me by tailing me so close. Mofo.

> > > [ Live! ] < < <

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[quote]Originally posted by DC: [b]Seems like all cops tail gate. What's up with that? Anyway, swearing at a cop is not a good idea since you're at their mercy. They can run you in for just about any reason and ruin your day at the very least. I always 'sir' the sh*t out of em.[/b][/quote]I can understand tailgating for a brief time. So he can read your tag number. As for being at their mercy, what I would do is I would be as nice as I could stomach and then after he wrote me the ticket, that's when I'd tell him how I really feel. And I'd like to know if that's legal. Does freedom of speech provide for me to express my curiousity as to why he feels the need to hang around like a vulture and catch citizens who try to be law-abiding when he could be out doing something a helluva lot more beneficial like visting an old folks home? And then to tell him that by the way, I actually think he's a sorry, lowlife motherfucker. In reality, I wouldn't use the bad words because I'd figure he nail me and then those words would be used in court. What I'd really like to know is if I could tell him how I feel with no uncertainty but with no curse words.

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I believe it's called "disrespecting the uniform" and comes with a nice fine and/or arrest. Now, if you could get him to take the uniform off.... :) -- Rob
I have the mind of a criminal genius.....I keep it in the freezer next to mother.
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Ever notice how you never see off duty cops in, say, the hardware store, grocery store, restaurants, etc.? It's cause they know there are a lot of very capable people who are just waiting for them to take that fucking badge off. Don't EVEN get me started beyond that.
"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine"
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A couple of weeks ago, two officers had gone to check out a burglar alarm in the north end of our city. After finding evidence of a breakin, but no suspects, they went to another alarm call further north. Driving an estimated 53 mph in a 30, the first car ran a stop sign and hit a 62 year man, on his way to work at 5:30 AM. He died. He was on a thru street and going an estimated speed of 34 - one less than the limit. It took over two weeks for the department to arrest this guy, who is still on paid leave. Neither the cop nor the victim were wearing seat belts, and the police cruisers were not operating their lights or sirens. The second alarm was false. I hate tailgaters. When I was eighteen, I got rear-ended by a drunk woman who the officers thought must have been doing nearly ninety. She popped over a hill and I didn't even have time to swerve or say "Oh shit" when I saw her headlights huge in my mirror. I was probably doing thirty or so. The impact launched my glasses into the rear window and bent my seat back six to eight inches. It pushed the rear end of my new Dodge Dart almost to the rear window and totaled a brand new Buick Skylark she had borrowed to pick up her boyfriend from the VA in Topeka. Broken whiskey bottles were on her floorboards, and to tell the truth, I was probably legally drunk, too, but the cops didn't arrest anyone. This was 1967. She had no insurance, and I had to go to court for my insurance company to testify. I was told the chances were slim to none that they would recover the money and I'd get my deductable back, as she had no insurance and was indigent. Tailgating is, to me, every bit as intentionally dangerous as driving somewhat impaired. You not only place yourself in a situation where you can't stop, but you make for a huge distraction for the car in front, increasing the probability that that driver will have to make a panic stop. To what avail? You can't drive thru the car in front of you, and you pump up the road rage to boot. I drive a big slow phone truck and have to plan my moves in traffic. I usually get there almost as fast at the tailgaters and lane divers who don't know how to use a turn signal. For all the hazard in tailgating, I'd bet you could check court records and find precious few tickets for following too close, compared with other violations that are easier to prove, i.e., speeding and DUI. Duke, don't cuss out the cop. The momentary satisfaction would not be worth the resulting harassment. "Cool Hand Luke" may have been fiction, but it was based in factual experience. You might consider using your talent with words to write to his superiors if he has any, or the local government body that pays his salary. A letter to the editor sometimes works. If you know anyone else who objects to his behaviour, there is credibility and strength in numbers. Namaste Henry

He not busy being born

Is busy dyin'.

 

...Bob Dylan

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Pretty sure that there is a clause about "showing lack of respect for the law". I wouldn't advise doing this.
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guess no one saw that video of a guy in a red suv getting pulled over for speeding and totally flipping out on the cop, threw the ticket out on the ground and the cop just stood there and told him he would give him a ticket for littering if he didnt pick it up. everytime i get a speeding ticket, after i sign the damn thing, i always say "hope i helped you meet your quota" :rolleyes: last speeding ticket, i HAD to go to court... couldnt just mail in the fine and be on my way. what fuckheads. i sat in court and counted all the fines up and they did $11k before lunchtime. judging from the rest of the room, they probably pulled in $25k that day. and that was a small town, i haved looked at the docket postings in town and counted over $500k in fines just on one day [averaging the fine to $130... i paid $145 for my fine]... and that wasnt including all the drug posession charges under 14g's, thats a whole other cash cow.
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[quote]Originally posted by WEWUS KHAN: [b]Guns don't kill people. Cops kill people. -Tommy Chong[/b][/quote]Egg-fucking-zactly. There are three groups of people in the world: The general populace, who generally want to leave everyone alone and be in turn left alone. The criminals and other generally rude assholes. The cops and the legal system. The last two groups prey mainly upon the first. Scary thing, if a criminal preys upon you, you have some legal recourse against him. If you can get the cops, who are usually busy harassing the general populace, to do anything about it. If a cop somehow, through negligence of duty or something, screws up and kills an innocent, there is no legal recourse against them. You can't sue or bring criminal charges against a cop. And that is plain fucking scary.
"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine"
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[quote]Originally posted by midispaceho: [b]Don't mess with the man. Most cops really have a god complex anyway so I never push my luck.[/b][/quote]Psst midispaceho, please check your private message as your email address is bouncing back...
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<> well this was is in backwoods delaware where legality is kind of a non-issue, but: years ago, my girlfriend got a ticket for passing a stopped school bus. (she told me she didn't, but hey, i wasn't there)... anyhow for some weird delaware reason, they take her to the station and i meet her there. after they write her up, we're walking out of the station, past the receptionist (whose behind a glass partitionon with a microphone like burger king.) as we leave the cop sarcastically says, "have nice day." well my girlfriend replies under her breath, "you too, you big fat dick." unfortunately, this was picked up by the mic and broadcast throughout the station. long story short, i still have framed the second $200 ticket she quickly received which says on the back: "did call said officer, quote: 'a big fat dick.'" -d. gauss
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Legal? Depends what state your in... But bad idea. Being rrreally friendly and respectful will get you out of a lot. I work for County govt, supporting our Sheriff's office, and in most places, speeding tickets are issued for one of the following reasons. 1. Small-town cops making money. (No way out of these) 2. Organized speed traps to address a 'problem' area. 3. Addressing a complaint from a citizen. 4. Stopping someone going way the heck too fast. I know our patrol officers are _way_ too busy to stop someone going 5 over. 25 over?? different story. ohh, Tedster, you can sue a cop, (happens here all the time) Unfortunantly there are bad eggs in any group...And assaulting an officer is assulting an officer, on duty or off.
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it shouldnt be any more of an offense for assaulting an officer than assaulting anyone else. the cops are a fucking gang with license to kill without consequence [aside from a paid vacation] as for speeding. those cops suck even more ass. they suck so much ass because they are a bunch of fucking pussies. its almost a sure bet someone is getting robbed, raped, or killed within a 20 mile radius at any one time of them issuing a ticket... do your REAL job. another thing about speeding. speed limits are WAY too low. they NEED to be @ 70-80 mph on the highway. some areas are 70 now, most are not. i got a ticket recently where he claimed i was doing 83 down a freaking mountain. i drove back down that mountain on the way to court and im pretty good at judging my speed. i would say i was doing 75 tops. still speeding but my fine would of been $50 less. i think they add on MPH to increase revenue. [not to mention it was 7:30am on a saturday morning and NO ONE was on the road except him facing the wrong direction, uphill, on a 4 lane highway going down the mountain... i almost shit on my self when i came around the corner thinking some idiot was going the wrong way on the highway... something that actually happened to me a few weeks earlier. anyways. he then proceeded to do a uturn across both lanes on a blind curve... woulda sucked for him if someone was behind me coming down the mountain, i can dream right?]

alphajerk

FATcompilation

"if god is truly just, i tremble for the fate of my country" -thomas jefferson

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A lot of the world's problems would disappear if people felt respected. Cursing someone undermines their self-image. You may think that they "deserved it," that that's always subject to interpretation, which is why they'll curse you back, you "ASSHOLE FOR DISRESPECTING THEM BY CALLING THEM AN ASSHOLE!" You get the idea. What possible good can ever come from such an escalation? Respect others. When you feel like cursing someone, try charming them, or better yet, befriending them. Maybe they act like an idiot out of frustration and will act more cordially toward others if they feel that they're respected. If the person is dangerous or engaging in criminal activity, report their sorry ass to the police. But if they're just being obnixious, remember the words of Zig Ziglar: "Every obnixious act is a call for help." Think about it. Think about the last time you saw somebody do something obnoxious. Is it possible that they were just really down on themselves and really hating their life? Could a kind word and a smile from a stranger have made the situation better? Probalby better than a sharp retort like "Well, SCREW YOU, MOTHERFUCKER!" Now think about the last time you really wanted to tell someone off. That cop, for example. Is cursing someone out not an obnoxious act? You were feeling hurt, cheated, DISRESPECTED (see the pattern). Your curses were your own cry for help. HELP! I'M STUCK IN A REALLY UNFAIR SITUATION AND I'M DESPERATE FOR A WAY OUT THAT WILL MAKE ME FEEL BETTER. I'm reminded of a great story that I once read. I don't remember the author's name, but he's very famous, so you may have heard this before. The author was riding the subway in New York one morning on the way to an important meeting with his publisher. He was trying to get his thoughts together, but it was difficult, because some young children were jumping around and carrying on loudly. Amazingly, their father just sat there and made no attempt to settle the kids down. He seemed oblivious. The author tried to surpress the urge to get angry, but the kids were relentless. Everyone on the train was annoyed. Still, the father did nothing. Finally, the author decided to say something diplomatic to the man. "Boy, they're sure full of ENERGY this morning, aren't they?" The man looked startled, then a little stunned. "Oh, yes, I...I'm sorry, I guess I hadn't been paying attention. We're just coming back from their mother's funeral, and I guess they're a little wound up." The author felt his heart sink. The man wasn't being knowingly inconsiderate of the other passengers. He was in shock, and so were his kids. Now think for a minute how the experience might have been different if the author had lost his cool and yelled something like, "Can't you quiet those little bastards down?" Next time you have the urge to tell someone off, take a deep breath, count to ten, and blow those obnoxious thoughts up own ass. That's the only place where the won't do more harm than good.

The Black Knight always triumphs!

 

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I heard a great example of why angry displays don`t work... you`re going down the road speeding, you pass a cop and he starts jumping up and down and yelling at you. Within seconds he`s in your rearview mirror. What do you do? probably laugh and turn up the radio. you`re going down the road speeding, and you see the lights in your mirror. The cop pulls you over, he`s about seven feet tall and he walks up to your window and asks calmly for your I.D. you, of course, are soiling the upholstery. When confronted by cops behaving badly-provided things aren`t getting physical-inform them calmly that either a. this little chat is being faithfully copied onto a recording device and will be available at the local record store or b. you value their opinions so much that you want to share them with the people who pay their salary, and would they be so kind as to give you their badge and precinct number. One of these will probably shut them up.
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My best friend is a state trooper and you would not believe some of the things they have to take from motorists on the verge of road rage. Cops are like any other group of people. Some are great and would do anything to help a stranger. Some are total but holes. When you curse a cop you may be making a bad day worse for a very nice individual. The best way to voice your opinion on a situation like this is through a letter to the local newspaper. Maybe do a bit of research first. If there is a rise in crime in the area, ask why the police are more interested in catching speeders than bringing crime back in line. Chris made some good points. Police are frequently assigned to patrol problem spots and agencies get federal grants to pay overtime for officers to reduce accident rates in some areas. Perhaps in the area you are speaking of the residence are complaining about the dangers they face just trying to pull from their driveways onto the road with people speeding. Maybe a child was hit by a car in the area. Maybe there is just a school around the block. Becoming a parent usually changes one’s view on how fast someone should drive through the neighborhood. Of course, if a cop stayed on your bumper for a mile or more you could always “see a dog” running out in front of you and slam on the brakes. :cool: Robert

This post edited for speling.

My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page

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I agree with the first part of Alpha's statement. However, I also agree with cops patrolling problem areas. I live on a residential street, and people are constantly driving too fast down it. Generally, I respond in kind. If I'm stopped (by anyone other than the highway patrol)...I'm usually as courteous to them as they are to me, unless I sense that they're just pulling me over to have some fun. Which happens. One of the things the cops need to do is pull people over for driving too slowly on the highway. Lane blocking is a common problem here, and it leads to frustration and road rage. 70 mph zone, dickweeds in both lanes doing 60, not letting anyone pass. I rarely do more than 5 over the limit. But, I've got more stories than I could shake a stick at about incompetence here in the Kansas City area. I'm sick of it. I used to respect "law enforcement". But, now I think they're generally as bad as the crooks. Oh, and Chris, the only way you can sue a cop here in Missouri is if they do something so "horrendous it shocks the conscience" and it can be proven that they were doing it out of malice and not negligence. Lawyers won't take your case here. Believe me. I know. I've been fighting this battle for almost four years now.
"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine"
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Ted, I live in KC as well, and have liven in Toronto, Chicago, Dallas and have spent time in Montreal. KC has by far the WORST drivers en masse that I have ever seen. It sucks to drive here! It's like they are stuck at 60, 60 on the hwy, 60 on the side streets..
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[quote]Originally posted by LiveMusic: [b]He tailed me, no more than ten feet from my bumper, for about a mile and I had to turn off. Thank goodness, he didn't pursue. I was fightin' mad. If he would have stopped me, I was ready to tell him what a slimeball I've always felt he is. I was also wondering... if a dog ran in front of me and I slammed on the brakes, he WOULD have hit me because he couldn't have stopped, he was so close. Trying to intimidate me, I guess. I'd like to do it and make a "citizen's arrest" like Gomer Pyle used to do on The Andy Griffith Show. For endangering me by tailing me so close. Mofo.[/b][/quote]Seems to me, in most states, if someone rear ends you, it's THEIR fault. Slamming on the brakes would have been good. "Man, didn't you see that cat was going to run out in front of me?" or "I had to brake for that pothole". Damn...
"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine"
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Cops are people. Some are cool, some are dicks. My band has a ratty, dented, oil-leaking and -burning old van. We stuff it with gear and ourselves, and we happen to be a multi-national mixture of Korean, African-American, Jewish (and dreadlocked -- that's me) and Italian/Irish. We drive long distances at late hours. Needless to say, the police tend to find us somewhat interesting, especially when we're out of state. However, there are ways to deal with police "interest." First off, be polite, no matter how upset you are. The main phrases I use when addressing an officer are: "Yes sir," "No sir," "Please" and "Thank you." Have your shit together. Licenses, insurance, registration -- all that shit must be wired tight, or you shouldn't be driving. Period. You're just asking for trouble if you don't have that shit straight. Never drive when you're impaired -- at all. That's a definite. If you're drinking (or doing anything else -- puff puff) you don't drive. Game over. We've been pulled over/harrassed a bunch of times. I am usually driving, so I deal with the police. I'm always sober and respectful -- even if the cop is mean to me, which has been known to happen. If the cop thinks I'm drunk or high, I usually tell them I'll take a breathalizer test or urinate in a cup for them whenever they wish. I keep my answers short and simple, and don't elaborate unless they ask for details. This has served me well -- no tickets or arrests after five years of national touring through every backwater, pissant town we can find. I don't think you stand to gain anything by mouthing off or getting nasty. Just be polite and bear it. If you're not doing anything wrong, chances are you'll get off with a warning, which is basically nothing.

\m/

Erik

"To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting."

--Sun Tzu

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[quote]Originally posted by CMDN: [b] Just be polite and bear it. [/b][/quote]For the ladies, [b]Just be polite and bare it.[/b]
There are two theories about arguing with a woman. Neither one works.
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Most of the law enforcement folks I know are cool as hell, but look what they have to put up with. I'd be kicked out quickly cause I'd want to bust a few heads. I do agree that some take the job a bit too seriously, or overstep the boundaries of being a public servant. But thats like indicting an entire group of folks for the actions of a few. I was also surprised at how many cops favor legalization of pot and other drugs, but have to enforce the law when push comes to shove. They see the real side of illegal drug traffic, which is really the problem, not the use (in my opinion). But if you wanna shoot the messenger who is enforcing whatever law your state has, to me that ain't a smart idea. Lobby your state government, start a grassroots organization to champion your beliefs, and be a part of the solution rather than get mouthy with an equally beligerant and more powerful beligerance at that, police officer.
Down like a dollar comin up against a yen, doin pretty good for the shape I'm in
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