And You Wonder Why We Bother

[sixfan]

Hmm.

I've had people park me in like that too, I just moved my car. You let the guy make you behave exactly as he wanted you to. No doubt he was a tosser and looking for trouble, no doubt you gave him what he wanted.

Next time, try this: look him in the eye, shake your head, move to a vacant park. he gets frustrated because he couldn't push your buttons. you leave without wasting 2 seconds on an obvious no-hoper.....then go back after he leaves his car and defect the bas*ard.

[dankman]

I took a stupid punt and lost on Australia day last year. My buddies and myself went out drinking. My girlfriend came along but stayed sober.

One of the stupidest things I've ever done was put her in the passenger seat and get her to drive us home. She was an 'L' plater at the time.

Dropped every one off and not 2 blocks from home she stalled it comming out of a corner in front of you know who.

The police officer was very good and didnt once rise his voice. He breath tested her, no reading, breath tested me and I blew .080

You know the rest about going back to the station etc. Lost my license for 3 months.

The thing that amazed me was that the boys looked stunned the whole way through because I was as helpful as can be, always refered to them as 'sir' and even had a joke or 2 with them. They just looked like they couldnt believe that there are people who respect them for what they are and what they do.

As far as I was concerned I was caught red handed. Ignorance wasnt pleadable because I dont believe it's an excuse. Arguing about it would never have helped.

Yes I was pissed off that I got caught, but more so that I did what I did. The guys couldnt have been more helpfull and coutious, they even apologised in the end for having to take my license (.080 is instant loss). But they had a job to do and I understood that.

Why do people make it that much more harder for them selves, by arguing and sometime getting violent because they got caught doing something they shouldnt have? Wankers as far as I'm concerned.

Plonky, VG my hat off to you and the rest of the force for doing such a great job even in the most unmitigating of circumstances.

[Turbo6man]

  sixfan said:

Hmm.

I've had people park me in like that too, I just moved my car. You let the guy make you behave exactly as he wanted you to. No doubt he was a tosser and looking for trouble, no doubt you gave him what he wanted.

Next time, try this: look him in the eye, shake your head, move to a vacant park. he gets frustrated because he couldn't push your buttons. you leave without wasting 2 seconds on an obvious no-hoper.....then go back after he leaves his car and defect the bas*ard.

I like you're style - exactly what I would do, but then I'm not in uniform (well, not a blue one anyway) and am not a "target" for this type of cretin, that obviously VG and Plonky are. Oops,I don't mean they are cretins - I mean "targets". Just thought I'd better clarify that before someone jumps in ...

[Zeke]

  dankman said:

One of the stupidest things I've ever done was put her in the passenger seat and get her to drive us home. She was an 'L' plater at the time.

Have to agee with you there! It would be much less conspicuous (not to mention easier for her) if you let her use the driver's seat.

Still, it's easy to be wise after the event!

Regards

zeke

[Velvet Glove]

  sixfan said:

Hmm.

I've had people park me in like that too, I just moved my car. You let the guy make you behave exactly as he wanted you to. No doubt he was a tosser and looking for trouble, no doubt you gave him what he wanted.

Next time, try this: look him in the eye, shake your head, move to a vacant park. he gets frustrated because he couldn't push your buttons. you leave without wasting 2 seconds on an obvious no-hoper.....then go back after he leaves his car and defect the bas*ard. :hiwelcome:

Unfortunately, as Plonky would no doubt agree, that's not the way it works in Policing. If you back down like that it only gives him the encouragement to try bigger and better things later on. This would include actually resorting to physicality. I find it better to embarass him in front of his mates verbally, than to drop to his level. Put it this way, at the start of the conversation he was fire and brimstone, at the end he was meek, mild and apologetic. I know who felt better at the end, and it wasnt him

[sixfan]

I never suggested backing down, however policing isn't a pissing contest between you and the other bloke is it? If it was you'd have just booked him off the bat. Perhaps he did feel good at the end, perhaps he wasn't lying to you and honestly did think you were a OK. Surely that's a better outcome than belittling someone and having them think they need to "get even" with the cops.

I dunno, Just my thoughts.. :hiwelcome:

P.S It's really good to hear from you and plonky, I hope you believe us when we tell you the respect we all have for you guys!

[JJ_Phantom]

  Velvet Glove said:

I find it better to embarass him in front of his mates verbally, than to drop to his level.

Isn't that really dropping to his level anyway? After all - the guy was trying to peeve you off to get a bite - you just gave him what he wanted.

[plonky]

I don't believe that it is 'belittling' someone to have them realise that the general community won't accept their behaviour.

When someone openly challenges a Policeman, they are challenging the State, the community and their peers. They are not challenging the person wearing the uniform.

The Police represent the moral and legal standard mandated by the community. To have some oxygen thief openly baiting a Policeman to get a reaction from them is the same as that same oxygen thief confronting any other person who is not a Policeman to show that the community standard doesn't apply to them.

This is totally not acceptable.

The Police have often been referred to the "The Thin Blue Line". That is the line that seperates the community from civilised society to anarchy.

By openly confronting that Thin Blue Line, miscreants are pushing beyond the acceptable standard of the majority to a level where they are unregulated and uncontrollable. Once this happens, civilisation breaks down and it is a free for all.

Could you possibly imagine how quickly it would turn to anarchy? When people no longer have the self control to do what is acceptable within the community, the only thing that prevents them breaking the law is the likelihood of getting caught. Remove that likelihood of getting caught and anarchy becomes the norm.

VG had to do something that every good Policeman would do.

Sometimes people need a reminder that their behaviour is unacceptable to the community, and the Policeman they are insulting or challenging represents the vast majority of law abiding good people, not just a guy wearing a uniform.

One of the most common thing that is said to me by oxygen thieves is "you're big and tuff in that uniform, you wait 'til I see you off duty" to which I reply " There's no difference to me whether I'm in uniform or not, if you want to have a go, don't let fear stop you"

This defines the fact that people who openly challenge the law, know that their behaviour is unacceptable to the general community.

Cheers

Grant

[sixfan]

Are police our paid bullies to keep the other bullies at bay? I won't belive that. You're better than they are, that's why you wear the uniform and have the power the community has given you. I've seen a country cop take a situation that could have turned very nasty and defuse it before it had a chance to start, Just by putting in an appearance and talking to a few blokes, no threats, no unpleasantness. everyone was smiles when he left but everyone also knew that if there was anymore trouble He'd be down like a ton of bricks. No more trouble. Talking to the blokes afterwards it was also obvious he had gotten thier respect. Smart cop, I thought.

I shouldn't try to tell VG how to do his job, he's never tried to tell me how to do mine, but hey, the story was posted for comment, so I commented :D

[cdm]

  JJ_Phantom said:

  Velvet Glove said:

I find it better to embarass him in front of his mates verbally, than to drop to his level.

Isn't that really dropping to his level anyway? After all - the guy was trying to peeve you off to get a bite - you just gave him what he wanted.

I'll second that...