Police above reproach?

**Expert** · 22nd October 2010, 14:53

I've done some stupid things in my life,felt i've come close to death a number of times, but earlier in the week i almost got hit by a copper in a police pursuit and i shit my pants (nearly).
I was in st helliers and the cops were chasing a guy in a lowered mercedes.
I don't care what this guy had done, nothing justified the reckless driving by the popo trying to stop him. They had a helicopter out, all they had to do was sit and wait.
Their reckless disregard for public safety was astonishing, it was the worst driving i have ever seen by anyone, ever, in the world.
I don't think i'm being sensationalist when i say i was suprised i didn't see dead people that day.
i can see how innocent people get killed by the cops, or the bloke getting chased by the cops.
i don't know what the answer is to the chase or not to chase question, but nothing in my mind justified what i saw, right past a school, those lollipop girls out practising their crossing procedure with the swinging lollipop things. frightening.

I had little love for the cops before but that's gone now, disgusted.

.

**Taz** · 22nd October 2010, 14:58

Runner was probably 5km over speed limit....

Or got the last donut?

**Murray** · 22nd October 2010, 15:02

Did the lowered mercedes face past the lollipops???

**Rych** · 22nd October 2010, 15:20

Yea the fleeing driving / police pursuit thing is a tough one and there have been a lot of incidents as of late. All the deaths have been caused by the fleeing driver rather than the police themselves but if police abandon possibly lives could be saved. Depends on the severity of the crime committed by the fleeing driver to be honest. If it were a minor speeding offense let them go, if they just ran someone over or committed an armed robbery then sometimes pulling out is not an option.

All comes down to time, place, circumstances etc ah. That sucks that you were in a position where you feared for your life because of the actions of the police vehicle though.

Even though police have an option to pull out, the public needs to realize the dangers of running from the police, just pull over. It's worth it in NZ to run from police in terms of punishment, we are far too soft, it should be a jail time offense like in the states. There is no defense for failing to stop it's blatant disregard for the law, you don't fail to stop by accident.

**shrub** · 22nd October 2010, 15:30

Originally Posted by Rych

Even though police have an option to pull out, the public needs to realize the dangers of running from the police, just pull over. It's worth it in NZ to run from police in terms of punishment, we are far too soft, it should be a jail time offense like in the states. There is no defense for failing to stop it's blatant disregard for the law, you don't fail to stop by accident.

if it was jail time, even more people would run. In my opinion, the main reason people run from cops is because of the high penalties (loss of license, big fines, confiscation etc). I know a guy who is a bit of a boy racer. He's generally a normal, main stream guy with a good job, a home, a partner and a kid, but as he told me: "If i get pinged for something that will result in me losing my license, I'm better off trying to get away - what's the worst that will happen? I've already lost my license and probably my car, but if I do a runner the odds are good i'll get away scott free".

If jail was a probability even more people would do a runner. It all comes down to the blunt stick mentality of "tougher sentences = better behaviour". Tough sentences only impress people who don't break the law.

**Expert** · 22nd October 2010, 15:48

Originally Posted by Murray

Did the lowered mercedes face past the lollipops???

No! That's what's even worse! He pulled off and half the cops chased him down a side road and then the cops that were either lost or were trying to head him off zoomed past the lollipops! and they were fucking flying! Not even chasing anyone!
Totally, utterly wrong.

**hayd3n** · 22nd October 2010, 15:48

Originally Posted by shrub

if it was jail time, even more people would run. In my opinion, the main reason people run from cops is because of the high penalties (loss of license, big fines, confiscation etc). I know a guy who is a bit of a boy racer. He's generally a normal, main stream guy with a good job, a home, a partner and a kid, but as he told me: "If i get pinged for something that will result in me losing my license, I'm better off trying to get away - what's the worst that will happen? I've already lost my license and probably my car, but if I do a runner the odds are good i'll get away scott free".

If jail was a probability even more people would do a runner. It all comes down to the blunt stick mentality of "tougher sentences = better behaviour". Tough sentences only impress people who don't break the law.

i beleive what he was implying was that if you get caught doing a runner you should get jail!!!

**shrub** · 22nd October 2010, 15:51

Originally Posted by hayd3n

i beleive what he was implying was that if you get caught doing a runner you should get jail!!!

Ah, OK. No, not a good move. It would mean backing off and giving in would NOT be an option so you'd see people doing even stupider shit. Think about it, if you get caught you go to jail, so you'll do whatever you can to avoid being caught, and if that means running red lights etc, hey the risk will seem worth it if you can lose the cop.

**hayd3n** · 22nd October 2010, 15:55

Originally Posted by shrub

Ah, OK. No, not a good move. It would mean backing off and giving in would NOT be an option so you'd see people doing even stupider shit. Think about it, if you get caught you go to jail, so you'll do whatever you can to avoid being caught, and if that means running red lights etc, hey the risk will seem worth it if you can lose the cop.

NO!!!!!!!
just pull over and take the fine / loss of licence
why run when you could risk jail time?
do the crime do the time
it aint worth the risk

**scumdog** · 22nd October 2010, 15:56

Originally Posted by shrub

I know a guy who is a bit of a boy racer. He's generally a normal, main stream guy with a good job, a home, a partner and a kid, but as he told me: "If i get pinged for something that will result in me losing my license, I'm better off trying to get away - what's the worst that will happen? I've already lost my license and probably my car, but if I do a runner the odds are good i'll get away scott free"..

But if the odds are bad he'll end up dead - or worse, get somebody else killed - like his own partner and kid.

Tell him not to do dumb-fuck shit that will get him 'pinged', especially if it's like the penalty for doing 62 kph is what he is running from..

I bet that post by shrub is a troll, it has to be - surely NOBODY is as as dumb a fucking drongo as this supposed 'generally normal, main-stream guy with a good job, a partner and a kid'

**hayd3n** · 22nd October 2010, 16:02

Originally Posted by scumdog

But if the odds are bad he'll end up dead - or worse, get somebody else killed - like his own partner and kid.

Tell him not to do dumb-fuck shit that will get him 'pinged', especially if it's like the penalty for doing 62 kph is what he is running from..

I bet that post by shrub is a troll, it has to be - surely NOBODY is as as dumb a fucking drongo as this supposed 'generally normal, main-stream guy with a good job, a partner and a kid'

yup a troll
[youtube]ZP7MyQbYPUA[/youtube]

**saxet** · 22nd October 2010, 16:07

I bet that post by shrub is a troll, it has to be - surely NOBODY is as as dumb a fucking drongo as this supposed 'generally normal, main-stream guy with a good job, a partner and a kid'[/QUOTE]

I was under the impression you spend alot of the day dealing with people like this.

**James Deuce** · 22nd October 2010, 16:22

My recent experiences with them would suggest that your interaction with the Police is dictated entirely by individual personalities and situations.

I got a my first ticket ever recently for failing to give way to cop on a roundabout. The cop didn't indicate, but did me anyway, because her senior sergeant was in the car.

28 years driving & riding, no tickets, no warnings and it's meaningless in the courts because a lying cop's word is worth more than mine. My beef is with her though, not the entire Police force. I took a great deal of satisfaction in making her stand in the rain with no coat while I lectured her about public responsibility vs. self interest.

I was very annoyed though, and I have to say that I am now less likely to go out of my way to do anything for the Police as a result.

I recently had a run in with a checkpoint set up on SH2. They put it 100m down the road from a blind corner and were horribly put out when I dodged through the cones to avoid being rear ended by the guy behind me who locked up and slid sideways at me while I slowed just past said blind corner.

Half a dozen cops descended on me like rabid dogs and my explanation was barely accepted. Obviously members of the public are all dishonest drink-driving scumbags to be treated with suspicion, but no way am I going to sit in one place and let my fabulous little Ka with it's awesome stereo (with all the major components in its truncated boot) get rear-ended because some cops thought that putting a checkpoint in a dangerous location on a 100kph section of SH2 that gets traversed by people in commuter autopilot was a great idea. Pointing at the sideways car and the tyre smoke and listening to all the squealing tyres was barely enough of a hint for them.

I gave my name as "Prince Humperdinck the Unimpressed" and when asked where I worked I told them I "worked for the Sicilian" and I was "on my way to storm the castle". That didn't go so well, so I gave my name as Nicko McBrain. That seemed to work as I think the cop administering the breathalyzer was unique in that he was a Maiden fan AND had a sense of humour. Probably not a local.

My point is that they're human, and they feel beleaguered at present and some of the blame rests squarely with them but a lot of it lies with a public persona that they foolishly trust the media to portray. Then one cop in 20 does something utterly brain-dead and we're shallow enough to think that they're all like that.

**Taz** · 22nd October 2010, 16:27

Originally Posted by saxet

I was under the impression you spend alot of the day dealing with people like this.

That would make this guy mainstream then Scummy

**sinned** · 22nd October 2010, 16:30

Originally Posted by scumdog

I bet that post by shrub is a troll, it has to be - surely NOBODY is as as dumb a fucking drongo as this supposed 'generally normal, main-stream guy with a good job, a partner and a kid'

I thought the definition of a drongo was a "normal, main-stream guy with a good job, a partner and a kid" and KB is drongo troll land.