Today in tone-deaf newspaper columns

In today's America, there's a widespread unwillingness to treat other people with basic human decency, and it comes from all sides. Maybe if ALL of us stopped being dicks, everything would go much more smoothly.

 

Sure, but I think the natural dynamics of that interaction leave most people highly irked at cops. I get it's their job, but that job is to delay me, come into my space in an unwelcome manner, grill me and then assess me a potentially large fee, it's not a shock most folks come away from the interaction salty. No reason to be a dick to the cop, but it's just the outcome that'll happen.

Of course, if the cop chooses to not charge me that fee, I'm a fan. Transactional that way.

 

Most people don't like cops. Why? Because they are on the receiving end of law enforcement. When a Cop shows up, someone called them, and it probably was not you, but it may well have been because of You.
When you see a Cop, it's probably because you are perceived as having done something wrong (traffic violation, public intox., sex with a animal carcass). I'm sure you aren't happy about it - nevermind you might actually be guilty or speeding, running light, failure to indicate a turn, or consent to have intercourse with said carcass.
When a cop shows up someone is in trouble, be it heading to jail or a ticket. Whatever the issue, when Cops are called, for 99 percent of the people they are interacting with, it's going to be unpleasant. They are not firefighters or EMTs.

Keep in mind Cops on a daily basis deal with the bottom rung of human decency. Even the traffic cops. It's a lot of scumbags on a day-to-day basis.

 

I have yet to meet an 84-year-old and really be comfortable with the idea of them behind 4,000 pounds of steel with a 260-horsepower engine.

 

If every driver who failed to signal was ticketed, no city, county or state in the U S of A would ever have a budget shortfall because that's all cops would do for 99 percent of their shifts. I'd put the percentage of drivers who've ever used their turn signal at no more than 50 percent.

 

Well if you're stupid enough to be a dick to a cop and hope that he or she is not going to give you a ticket, then you're a moron.

 

You definitely got screwed there. Usually that late at night, early a.m., they obviously are looking for DUIs. When they see you are not DUI candidate they let u off. One time I got stopped about 1 a.m. for a stop sign violation and the guy admitted he was looking for DUIs then still gave me a ticket. He was kind of a dick. I used to work late and have been stopped before for whatever and they've always let me off once they see I wasn't drinking. Usually they admit they're looking for DUIs if they wind up giving you a warning.

 

It's partially the "fee" and partially the moral lecture some of them want to partake in, as if they're your parent.

Cops break traffic laws all the time, too. They can spare citizens the mock concern.

 

With all the layoffs the Trib has had in the last year-plus, that column probably got no more than a cursory glance. Editing Ol' Clark was no picnic when he was 74, so I'm sure it's even more fun now that he's 84.

 

This exactly. I've received my share of speeding tickets and part of your share too, and I'm embarrassed to admit that when I was younger, I talked my way into most of them when I should have STFU'ed.

 

The MC Manifesto.

I'm waiting until you show more appreciation for Maryland.

 

Driving around today, I made sure to use my turn signal. Don't want to get *Ol' Clarked.*