I haven't told anyone this story. Frankly, I was kind of afraid to retell it. About a month ago, after I dropped my kid off at school, I was driving through a very affluent part of town on my way home. The streets are rather narrow, with traffic going both ways, one lane each, no divider. Just my luck, a school bus turned in front of me. A half a block down there as a small bit of unattended construction in the middle of the road, at which clueless bus driver stopped in front of it. I slowed, then after realizing that he was stopped and probably think what to do, I passed him on the left as he had no lights flashing indicating that cars must stop as children are entering exiting the vehicle.
I get lit up nearly immediately by a cop in a cruiser that I (obviously) had not seen, but that I would find out was following the bus looking for cars breaking traffic laws near the bus. He asked for license and registration, but not insurance, which I thought odd. I asked, and was told, that I had made an illegal and reckless move around the bus. He went back to the cruiser. Now, I know they don't like you getting out of your car during a traffic stop, but I wanted to step out and see the construction from the front as well as where the bus was. He immediately shouted at me to get back into my car. When he came back, he said: "You never get out of your car during a traffic stop. I could have shot you, and I would have been totally justified in doing so!"
Fucking shocked.
I could feel my heart racing and I was slightly trembling. He went back to the cruiser and began writing more on the ticket pad. When he came back, he told me he was going to charge me with running the stop sign (which was a lie as I always stop for a 2-count), reckless driving, and excessive speed for the area. I looked at him and said: "Did you...you just threatened to shoot me. You just threatened my life. I don't appreciate that. You had no reason to say that."
At that point, he tried to backtrack and say some shit like he was talking about police in general and that he didn't say anything about shooting me. I told him that isn't what he said, and I repeated exactly what he said back to him. He then started with the: "part of my job as a police officer is to educate the public." He asked me if I knew what I had done wrong, and I said that I should have waiting patiently behind the bus. He said that's right and ripped up the ticket. At this point I actually started to cry a little bit, which seemed to surprise him (for what reason I don't know as he had just threatened my life). I said that this were tough for me, the only thing I could think of rather than calling him an abusive prick stepping way past his legal purview. I drove home and was oddly quiet the rest of the day.

A bit overdramatic there, no? Put yourself in a cop's situation. Simple traffic stops are among the most deadly encounters for police. You can google police car mounted camera video of people getting out of the car with weapons and firing into the cop car stopped behind them. There is also a lot of such video showing the irate drivers getting out of their cars and attacking and beating the shit out of the cop who didn't think to shoot quick enough. What he told you was valid. If you were to have gotten out of your car and moved toward him, he might very well have shot you. It's a split second decision that could be the difference of life and death for either of you.

In the UK you get out and walk to them....but we haven't got guns in every household...but I said it before and will say it again USA COPS SUCK......

Soi Dog wrote:A bit overdramatic there, no? Put yourself in a cop's situation. Simple traffic stops are among the most deadly encounters for police. You can google police car mounted camera video of people getting out of the car with weapons and firing into the cop car stopped behind them. There is also a lot of such video showing the irate drivers getting out of their cars and attacking and beating the shit out of the cop who didn't think to shoot quick enough. What he told you was valid. If you were to have gotten out of your car and moved toward him, he might very well have shot you. It's a split second decision that could be the difference of life and death for either of you.

Wow...your insights are brilliant. It is like you didn't reads my post. Reread the post and don't let the voices in your head add anything this time.

This is the sort of fear that permeates any country foolish enough to permit anyone and everyone to have any gun they want in any quantity. And where they are sold like candy bars in a large number of States.

Any policeman in say Japan, England, or Holland wold be considered insane for saying what this American cop said. And would be considered a murderer for shooting a civilian with a generalized "he made a motion that put me in fear for my life." justification. In America, BECAUSE OF THE VAST NUMBER OF GUNS, IT CAN BE MADE TO SOUND REASONABLE TO A JURY.

The whole gun NRA-promoted gun thing in America is Chuck Norris machismo gone wild. And a very heavy price is paid for it.

Otis: I just love it when some serf from another country (not the US) spouts BS, about us in the US being able to keep and bear arms as there isn't squat any of you serfs that lost your civil rights can do about it except jack your jaws and wring your hands. Just think, your government(s) believe you are not adult enough to have certain rights, but criminals and islamofascits will have guns and kill a defenseless population.

My nephew in America just went though the cop "I could have drawn down and shot you" thing. All for going in the entrance to a public park and committing no crime.

As I have said before and from personal experience, cops in America are being trained by the federal government to shoot/kill first. As for police and justifying shooting our sons, daughters, wives, grandfathers, grandmothers, there is no justification and they need to be in jail with the rest of the criminals/thugs. Being a cop in America is now a license to kill. They knew the job was dangerous when they took it so they can talk to the hand and WAH, WAH, WAH!

BTW, It is a civil right to get out of your car in America as long as you don't show intent to harm the cop and/or don't show a weapon. I can site court cases if you want.

"some serf from another country (not the US)"

How might you know I'm from, sir? Please tell me. Though an effete aristocrat [really, I'm not a serf] like me could not possibly be an American, right?

'Being able to keep and bear arms" has nothing whatever to do with civil rights unless you consider having the streets running in blood as frequently as they do in the US rather than as frequently as they do in, for example, Holland to be a civil right. Well maybe it is if you simply cannot live without real life being turned into a playground for Quick Draw McGraw. Non, mercie.

phuketrichard wrote:after a cop asks for license and registration, ( never heard them ever ask for insurance)
they tell you

Wherever vehicle insurance has become mandatory (a state by state decision, Wisconsin made it a law in 2010 - it's not a law in New Hampshire yet), the police ALWAYS demand proof of insurance with every traffic stop.

phuketrichard wrote:Sailor its getting old ur hatred of america and their police force

Yep. One trick pony. I'm sure he's enjoying Cambodia, the land of the free, much more than living in the US.