"You shouldn't be riding at night"
11-01-09, 04:54 PM
#26
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tough*guy*? Try tough*girl* and I'm 35 awesome years old and I aint dead yet. I come from the school of "take no ****." including from you.
11-01-09, 05:01 PM
#27
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Glad you don't generalize 
The incident you described is pretty extreme, however I don't think it sets a pattern to the point where you can say that all cops are stupid. I'm sure there are plenty of cops on these boards, along with those that are not on this board, that contribute positively to society. Heck, there may even be some that are advocates of cycling ... like the police patrolling on bikes 
The incident you described is pretty extreme, however I don't think it sets a pattern to the point where you can say that all cops are stupid. I'm sure there are plenty of cops on these boards, along with those that are not on this board, that contribute positively to society. Heck, there may even be some that are advocates of cycling ... like the police patrolling on bikes tl;dr someone I cared about who was only a freaking kid, came within a 1 cm or 2 of being dead, because COPS wouldn't show up.
I've hated cops since I was 19 years old, and there's been incidents of injustice I've witnessed since that time.
Don't call the above "extreme" it's all too common. Ask anyone living in an inner city with high crime if the cops ever show up at all. What happened to my friend was in a quiet somewhat upscale suburb, not a dangerous area.
Last edited by CbadRider; 11-01-09 at 05:09 PM. Reason: removed derogatory term
11-01-09, 06:11 PM
#31
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Wow...and by the way thanks for the support. Sorry I have been away but I had to watch the Cleveland Browns lose again
There is a bit more to the story. When I caught up to them...which was inevitable giving the lights, he started revving the engine and chirping the tires. The cop was one car ahead in the left turn lane and they were in the right lane. The way I see it revving and chirping the tires is an act of intimidation and or agression. Also they were two young men in their 20's... I WILL NOT be intimidated. I am not trying to be a tough guy but we have rights as cyclists. Finally the officer who lectured me showed up and really had no first hand idea of what had happened. He just wanted to blame everything on me for riding a bike while the guys in the car admitted to the other officer that they yelled at me. No admission of buzzing. For the record I am not Ghandi nor do I get angry at every incident. Ocassionally someone has to make the statement that enough is enough. Anger and or intimidation is not tolerated if the anger is directed at ones creed color or sexual orientation so why is it ok to direct it at someone just because they ride a bike? Don't get me wrong Hate crime is a strong word so I wouldn't go that far. But every now and then enough is enough. By the way thanks Luddite
There is a bit more to the story. When I caught up to them...which was inevitable giving the lights, he started revving the engine and chirping the tires. The cop was one car ahead in the left turn lane and they were in the right lane. The way I see it revving and chirping the tires is an act of intimidation and or agression. Also they were two young men in their 20's... I WILL NOT be intimidated. I am not trying to be a tough guy but we have rights as cyclists. Finally the officer who lectured me showed up and really had no first hand idea of what had happened. He just wanted to blame everything on me for riding a bike while the guys in the car admitted to the other officer that they yelled at me. No admission of buzzing. For the record I am not Ghandi nor do I get angry at every incident. Ocassionally someone has to make the statement that enough is enough. Anger and or intimidation is not tolerated if the anger is directed at ones creed color or sexual orientation so why is it ok to direct it at someone just because they ride a bike? Don't get me wrong Hate crime is a strong word so I wouldn't go that far. But every now and then enough is enough. By the way thanks Luddite
11-01-09, 06:12 PM
#32
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11-01-09, 06:13 PM
#33
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11-01-09, 06:28 PM
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I live about 25 miles east of Cleveland Ohio. What I mean by small number is that most people ride the local bike trail and or parks. The bike lane/trail is about 5 miles away from downtown. I use this route almost daily. I see the same few people traveling this route. I rarely drive and never drive within a 10 mile radius of home. Maybe I am overstating the few term but I earely see people who ride that route.
11-01-09, 07:12 PM
#37
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These two seem to go together. Just sayin'...
Still, Cop had no more business telling a cyclist to not ride at night as he would have to tell the same cyclist to stay on the sidewalk. Most cops have only a little better handle on understanding traffic law than the average cager, which is to say they've probably never been completely through the applicable traffic codes. The cop needs to be educated, and telling his supv is the only way it'll happen.
Still, Cop had no more business telling a cyclist to not ride at night as he would have to tell the same cyclist to stay on the sidewalk. Most cops have only a little better handle on understanding traffic law than the average cager, which is to say they've probably never been completely through the applicable traffic codes. The cop needs to be educated, and telling his supv is the only way it'll happen.
11-01-09, 07:34 PM
#38
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You can't do much to that ignorant cop. He gave you his opinion is all. It's not illegal for a cop to give you his opinion as long as he doesn't cite you for riding at night. The only time you can report a cop or press charges against one is if he breaks the law. In this case, the cop has done nothing wrong except say something stupid. Just because they're cops does not make them smart!
Having said that, I just got a ticket for speeding while riding my motorcycle. This cop truly lied about my speed (he was following me for a mile and I was doing 55 and he accused me of doing 65! WTF? I'm not stupid enough to break the speed limit when I knew he was following me!). Yet this cop got away with it because I can't prove in court that he was lying. On the contrary! The court believes I am the liar and the cop is always telling the truth!
So yeah. Even when the cop is wrong you MUST have proof for it to stick. So dont expect too much sympathy from them.
Having said that, I just got a ticket for speeding while riding my motorcycle. This cop truly lied about my speed (he was following me for a mile and I was doing 55 and he accused me of doing 65! WTF? I'm not stupid enough to break the speed limit when I knew he was following me!). Yet this cop got away with it because I can't prove in court that he was lying. On the contrary! The court believes I am the liar and the cop is always telling the truth!
So yeah. Even when the cop is wrong you MUST have proof for it to stick. So dont expect too much sympathy from them.
11-01-09, 07:57 PM
#39
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Ok, you think that's "extreme?" When I was 19, my friend was stabbed, I called 911 no less than 3 times, it took the cops something like 30 mins to arrive (ambulance wasn't allowed to come until the cops showed up) should have taken the cops 10 mins or less to get there. It come out during the trial against the idiots that stabbed him, that the nearest available cops would not come to my (hysterical) phone calls because we were slightly outside their area. This meant cops from much further away had to come (30 + mins) and my friend was something 1 cm being dead, ie: if the idiot that stabbed him had better aim, my friend would have been dead in minutes. He still lost a lot of blood, and he was only 17 years old. If the cops had come in time, he might not have even *been* stabbed.
tl;dr someone I cared about who was only a freaking kid, came within a 1 cm or 2 of being dead, because COPS wouldn't show up.
I've hated cops since I was 19 years old, and there's been incidents of injustice I've witnessed since that time.
Don't call the above "extreme" it's all too common. Ask anyone living in an inner city with high crime if the cops ever show up at all. What happened to my friend was in a quiet somewhat upscale suburb, not a dangerous area.
tl;dr someone I cared about who was only a freaking kid, came within a 1 cm or 2 of being dead, because COPS wouldn't show up.
I've hated cops since I was 19 years old, and there's been incidents of injustice I've witnessed since that time.
Don't call the above "extreme" it's all too common. Ask anyone living in an inner city with high crime if the cops ever show up at all. What happened to my friend was in a quiet somewhat upscale suburb, not a dangerous area.
As you can tell, I've got a lot of respect for the Policing profession. It's a thankless job that I'm sure both you and I would not want to do. Just be glad that your mistakes on the job are not under the same microscope.
Hate is a powerful emotion that is best reserved for vegetables
11-01-09, 08:16 PM
#41
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Well, you've undoubtedly had some bad experiences. However by painting all police with the same brush, you are discrediting all the good that most police do. They are people just like everyone else, and yes, like everyone else they at times make mistakes.
As you can tell, I've got a lot of respect for the Policing profession. It's a thankless job that I'm sure both you and I would not want to do. Just be glad that your mistakes on the job are not under the same microscope.
As you can tell, I've got a lot of respect for the Policing profession. It's a thankless job that I'm sure both you and I would not want to do. Just be glad that your mistakes on the job are not under the same microscope.
Do I need to list EVERY stupid cop incident I've ever had? How much time ya got?
'sides, I'm too much in like with DJ to get all fired up over this.
11-01-09, 08:19 PM
#42
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11-02-09, 06:58 AM
#43
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11-02-09, 08:06 AM
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"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey
"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey
11-02-09, 08:16 AM
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I live about 25 miles east of Cleveland Ohio. What I mean by small number is that most people ride the local bike trail and or parks. The bike lane/trail is about 5 miles away from downtown. I use this route almost daily. I see the same few people traveling this route. I rarely drive and never drive within a 10 mile radius of home. Maybe I am overstating the few term but I earely see people who ride that route.
Sadly, here in NE Ohio, most cops are pretty clueless about the state statutes concerning bikes.
Are you sure he didn't just say that riding on Halloween night isn't a good idea? That's what I would have told you...it's one of those nights that anything that looks like a target is fair game to become a target. Even I try to avoid riding after dark on Halloween.
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"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey
"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey
Last edited by chipcom; 11-02-09 at 08:20 AM.
11-02-09, 10:16 AM
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Hey, we are all anonymous. That other poster could be a penguin posting from Pittsburg for all we know. He doesn't sound like any "woman" I've ever met. I think it's possible he's simply running some jive by us. This is Ok. We all have our shtick. If you want to be offended, be my guest. I can't control your emotions and he obviously cannot control his.
11-02-09, 10:38 AM
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I thought I was your girlfriend? Two-timer! 
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"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey
"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey
11-02-09, 10:41 AM
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