Thursday, July 9, 2009

Payback!

One commenter (The Truth) in a recent article referred to the reasoning behind a $125 ticket for failing to signal a right turn within 100' of an intersection. The writer called it "payback", and he hit the nail on the head.

This is the way that a cop can "get even" with somebody. And he can do it in a way that bears the semblance of legality because, after all, a violation did occur.

The current poll on tickets/warnings in Woodstock indicates that the last time they got stopped in Woodstock, 75% of the drivers got warnings. It will be interesting to inspect the statistics at the Woodstock Police Department in the next week or so, as soon as my FOIA Request to inspect public records is approved.

Two years ago, when I got stopped for a headlight that had been out for 15 minutes, I was informed that I'd be issued a warning. Then a second officer showed up, and then the first officer changed his mind. Now, why would that happen? What did the second officer say to the first officer that caused him to change his mind? And who wrote me the failure-to-signal ticket? This very same "second officer."

Wouldn't it be interesting to know? Looking back, it's too bad that I didn't take it to trial, as I had threatened. Would Officers 1 and 2 have told the truth about why Officer No. 1 changed his mind? But the headlight had been out. I knew exactly where it had gone out (mileage and time), because I was having frequent headlight problems that the repair shop couldn't get fixed. And every burned-out headlight had been repaired the next day.

Chief Lowen has a "broken window" theory, which is a well-known theory in law enforcement. But I don't hear the cops complaining that he is making them do more work to keep Woodstock nice. But just let a citizen call attention to "broken windows". Not a good idea in Woodstock, because then you get a reputation. And when you get a reputation? Payback!

So, do I think The Truth was right? Absolutely.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Payback? If I was you, and I'm glad I'm not, I'd start wearing Kevlar and a reeeeaaal hard helmet! You have allot of people out there that would just love todeliver "payback" to you...

Zane said...

You have to remember a large part of your audience on this blog are police officers, whether they admitted it or not, so of course they are getting warnings. Let's just say I am a cop in this area and your name comes up at roll call. A LOT!

Gus said...

Wow! You don't say. For what possible reason would my name come up at roll call?

Will you please give some examples?

Unknown said...

Maybe if you weren't such a pain in the ass, cops would leave you alone, and maybe they wouldn't know who you even were. But you have to get your trap flappin and create all sorts of problems for yourself. Just stop bashin cops and it will all go away.

Zane said...

Ace is back. I missed him. What country do you live in Ace. This is the United Sates of America, police are supposed to protect your rights, not punish you for utilizing them. You better talk with your bosses before posting any more comments. You do realize that several politicians view this website now and I don't think they are going to by into the whole "I'm not a cop" thing. The more you write, the more people see the mentality of law enforcement. As Cundiff once told me "F*%k You! Shut the F@#k up! And get the F#$k out of here!" I'm sorry if that sounded angry, sometimes I fell the need to vent.

Unknown said...

ahahahahaha, you actually think im a cop just by my writing styles? You know what they say about assuming, it just makes an ass out of you!

Unknown said...

Its funny how you spend all of your time making stupid arguments on this useless blog and i bet you spend time on other sites complaining too. Unlike you, I spend my time working and not arguing to people Ive never even met!
You seem to look at the glass as half empty, always finding the negative and nothing but the negative.
And if I don't respond right away, it because I'm being productive!

Franker said...

Stop saying it was $125.00 dollar ticket. It is a 75 dollar ticket that you chose to take supervision for. YOU CHOSE TO MAKE IT 125!!!!

Karen30036 said...

"Its funny how you spend all of your time making stupid arguments on this useless blog"

If it's useless, why are you here? I'd never let something "useless" get my dander up!

"and i bet you spend time on other sites complaining too".

Now whose making ASSumptions?

"And if I don't respond right away, it because I'm being productive"!

Which hand do you use?

Unknown said...

Why do you chirp into something between two people? You and Zane are aggressors on this, shall I say "useful" blog. I couldn't care less of what you think Karen. I don't have to bicker with people like you to feel good about myself. Was anybody addressing you? I don't think so.
So unless someone addresses you, keep it shut. I don't care what your response to this is, or what anybody elses will be. It won't bother me one bit. You two are the ones who get all out of wack when someone doesnt agree with you.