Would you ride with coppers?

[peasea]

I think the REAL question is: would you go for a drive in the country with them?

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=10558963

[nadroj]

Just carry a six pack in your backpack!

[vifferman]

Not only would I, but I have ridden with a policeman. While we didn't stick strictly to the speed limit, no dangerous speeds or behaviour were indulged in. We all just rode nicely and enjoyed ourselves.
Hypocrisy? I don't think so. I don't think 'the rest of us' modified our behaviour because there was a policeman in our midst, and I don't believe the policeman would've let us get away with riding like wankers - he would've told us off.
I get your point. Thinking about it, his attitude was how things used to be before the bureaucrats decided to focus on speed and introduced ticket quotas as a measurement of performance.

Heh. When we were sitting around at night, drinking and talking shit, I asked The Cop, "If you were riding in a group and someone was riding really badly, would you ticket him?"
"No."
"What about if you were riding really badly - would you ticket yourself?"
"Ah... no."

The thing is, like all of us, the police have to do some things in their job that they may not like, and may not even agree with. It's OBVIOUS from the number of tickets handed out for speeding every year that the majority of NZ motorists think speeding isn't particularly an issue. Yet somehow we've allowed our bureaucrats to enforce an unpopular law and punish us for breaking it. I was under the impression that the law was supposed to (in general and in principle) reflect the will of the people?
Another thing: cops themselves refer to those cops who seem to revel in handing out tickets as "snakes" and they are not popular amongst the police force. I think given a choice, most policemen would rather target "the bad buggers" and ignore driving except where it is potentially or actually dangerous or rude and antisocial.

[Grizzo]

Yep, got no probs with riding with a copper!

[CookMySock]

I haven't but I would. I would take hints from his good judgement. The fuzz are taught how to speed safely - they do U turns on main highways and chase offenders at speed and other types of dangerous crap, but they mostly stay alive doing it, so I would say they have a good grasp on what is safe and what is not.

Cops are humans too, and while they quite probably won't have a toke with you, it is unlikely they will wreck a friendship because someone else does.

Off duty cops are just people with families an feelings, just like you and me. On duty - thats different.. LOL

Steve

[The Stranger:Me]

Interestingly the recent commission of inquiry concurs. They also believe coppers should not be breaking the same laws they up hold when off duty.

The only other comments I would make would be: is it possible some of you are twisting your morals because these same officers are good friends?

Sure the commission of inquiry is going to draw that conclusion. What other conclusion should it come to? Laws are laws and in theory no one should break them and no one be immune from them. As we know only too well however, those that make em routinely show utter contempt for them, and get away with it too unfortunately. Hardly fair to hold others to a higher standard is it?

Do you have a problem with my morals good sir?
As I previously noted to you, we all make compromises at/for work. I know I have. I put it to you that the only ones who haven't found themselves in conflict with their morals are those that have none.
If we assume that they are on duty 24/7 and adhered to your view of morals, what would be the logical conclusion?
Well for a start, they should be compensated on a 24/7 basis.
Secondly what should one do if asked to complete a task in the line of work that one doesn't fully believe in? Refuse to do it? Resign? How would that best serve the community?

[CookMySock]

[....] As we know only too well however, those that make em routinely show utter contempt for them, and get away with it too unfortunately. Hardly fair to hold others to a higher standard is it? Do you have a problem with my morals good sir?

Nope, thats spot on. Young-uns need to get this.

It amazes me to hear do-gooders complain about how everyone else is allowed be naughty, while they have to behave all the time.

I have discovered "morals" are more about what other people want me to do so they don't feel threatened, or so that they get a better deal than me. Fuck that. "Morals" is about not hurting peoples feelings when they love me. Lots of people do love me, and I should show some care with that, but for the rest of the population - I'm sorry but I'm going to beat you to that gap in the traffic, and I'm going to compete with you for that job, and I'm going to out-bid you on that auction, and thats the way the world goes around.

Steve

[MSTRS:Me]

Not only would I, but I have ridden with a policeman. .... It's OBVIOUS from the number of tickets handed out for speeding every year that the majority of NZ motorists think speeding isn't particularly an issue.

As have I. And this particular cop was so disappointed in the performance of his 600 that he immediately dropped it in favour of a hot TL...
Oh...could you have a word with that lot and politely ask them to please use the same roads I do. Thanks.

...
Secondly what should one do if asked to complete a task in the line of work that one doesn't fully believe in?

"I was only following orders" ??

SPB - the speed thing on roads is little more than a game. The idea is to play and not get caught. We all do it.

[vifferman]

The last cop I talked to (apart from the one that gave me a ticket) rode a GSXR1000, and from what he said, it sounded like he rode it pretty much like any other GixxerRider. He was just a Regular Bloke, who enjoyed riding bikes, and happened to be a policeman. It sounded though like whatever his job was, he wasn't normally handing out tickets (just avoiding getting them himslef, if he could).

[Katman]

Where do we draw the line? Is it ok for a police officer to drink and drive/ride, as long as they aren't caught?

Hypocrisy? Of course it's hypocrisy.

The policeman who rides, outside of working conditions, at a speed at which he would ticket someone else is displaying hypocrisy. The police officer who chooses to let them off because that person is a policeman is displaying hypocrisy. The police officer pulled over for speeding is guilty of double hypocrisy for not insisting that the ticket is issued.

[ManDownUnder]

Yeah I would ride with them personally. My view on this specific issue is hugely influenced by the one or two cops I've spent time with that used good old fashioned common sense policing... on me.

Warnings where I could have rightly been ticketd, actually taking time to have a chat, showing me their side of things ... but also listening to mine. A little bit of bend and flex on their part kinda makes me think I should give a little too.

If I knew of an absolute, by the book, ticket everything copper doing that though... the answer'd be a firm no.

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

Think about the answer.

Riding with off duty copper-a good bugger and genuine motorcyclist enthusiast, the kind of person you would be happy to drink with and talk shit. Not likely to say anything unless you make a real coont outa yourself.

I ride and hang out with one quite regularly... don't see any issue...??? But Im a slow bugger anyway and don't know how to ride fast

[vifferman]

Warnings where I could have rightly been ticketd, actually taking time to have a chat, showing me their side of things ... but also listening to mine. A little bit of bend and flex on their part kinda makes me think I should give a little too.

I've NEVER had a warning. I've had occasions where I could've been pulled over and wasn't (years ago - before the quota nonsense), but every time I have been pulled over I've been ticketed.

[oldrider]

There are probably more of them riding among us than you realise!

I ride with a person because I like them for who they are as an individual not because of what they do for a living etc.

Reading your example SPB gives rise to the question of who put who in the difficult position? John.

[ManDownUnder]

I've NEVER had a warning. I've had occasions where I could've been pulled over and wasn't (years ago - before the quota nonsense), but every time I have been pulled over I've been ticketed.

Ironic innit - I've only had tickets in the car - by 4 wheels coppers. Only ever had warnings on 2 wheels... by 2 wheeled coppers.

End of the day if I do soemthing wrong then I take it on the chin... no probs there. But the cops that give a little deserve the same in kind I reckon. It's a very individual thing