This isnt about me, its about my dad but its pretty retarted. So today my dad si on the freeway and he was recently laid off and he got a call on his cell phone from one of those job counselers telling him about some job or whatever and it was improtant so my dad pulled over to take notes and pay attention (which sounds like the right thing to do, right?). So a cop pulls up behind him after a few minutes and asks him "is everything all right?" and my dad tells him the story. and all he says after that is liscense and registration. Thats the effing ****ttiest ****ingn crap i have ever heard. The cops bascially saying "******** that ****, I dont care what the ******** you were doing". He acted like it was obivious that he was doing something illegal. He said pulling over was only for emergencies. Is that true? And so my dad gets a ticket.

 

Thats BS.... I would try to fight it... I know here in michigan you would probably win in a case like that.

 

Because I am in a fantastic mood, I'm going to cut you a whole buncha slack on everything in your post except what I quoted.

Yes, stopping on the side of a freeway or interstate highway for nonemergency purposes is illegal.

While your loyalty to your father is admirable, especially during his tough times, your anger is completely misplaced. What he did is more than illegal, it is highly dangerous and I'm willing to bet a couple paychecks that you'd rather have him around and unemployed than be attending his funeral. Think about how many times you have, or you have seen another driver, hit the "rumble bars" on the side of the road due to not paying attention. Now think of what would happen if that distracted or sleeping driver hit your dad's parked car instead of the rumble bars.

One last thought: Most officers have a lot of discretion in whether they issue a ticket or not. Once again, attitude equals altitude: if he reacted the way you have, a ticket is the least of what could have happened.

 

Thats true but I took my drivers test about 2 years ago and the one thing I remember was that you are suppose to pull over if you are sleepy or tired. I mean that might be an emergency situation but still. Also i think my dads situation was pretty legit. Some states dont even allow you to use ur cell phone in the car and he pulled over to take an important call. Maybe a warning would have been fine. Do cops haave any sympathy for anyone? And there are turnouts on the freeway which are rather safe unless you run into a drunk driver.

 

Yeah...but:

-you aren't supposed to pull over and take a nap on the side of the road, you are supposed to pull into a "rest area". I think that's where they got their name.

-If it is legal to talk on the phone while driving, that does not negate the law that says you can only stop on the side of the road in an emergency. That's comparing apples to oranges. They're both fruit, but they're very different.

-Yes, cops have sympathy. How and why someone receives sympathy vs. a boot in the *** is a totally different conversation.

-those turnouts, a rest area, or an exit where he wasn't on the side of the road were the locations he should have stopped. He made a choice to break a law and put himself and others in danger. Unfortunately, that choice also earned him a ticket.

 

Despite the members who have nothing better to do than disagree with everything in sight, who also are completely incapable of empathy, I am going to side with you on this. I think that is complete and utter crap. Your dad did what he THOUGHT was best/safest for all involved, and although he may have broken a law in the process it was not an immediate or direct threat to anyone's safety (Go ahead pessimists, try and explain why im wrong there...). Not to mention NOT everyone knows that law/fact... and unlike officers who repeatedly review laws, something like that is understandable IMO.

There was no reason the officerr couldn't have simply reminded your dad of the law and let him on his way. Obviously the officer was in a ****ty mood and your dad got the bad end of the deal.

sorry for the news (on both matters), hope things turn out. I would fight it for sure..at the very least get it reduced. Also, if he pleads innocent and says that he actually was so excited about the phone call that he got flustered and couldnt concentrate it could add to the need to pull ove.r just a thought

 

Well, considering that they get paid next to nothing to be privileged enough for you to call them the "f" word, I guess they don't have anything else better to do.

Of course, that's if you don't count the lives they save, crime they help commit, and people they help (yes, even people who call them names that I wouldn't even consider calling GM vehicle owners).

Remember: cops are always the bad guys when you get caught doing something stupid. Deal with it. If you got a ticket, you probably broke the law. They don't just sit there with an open book saying "Hmm...who am I going to terrorize today?" If you somehow think that cops have that attitude to you, then don't keep breaking the law.

Keep calling them names like that and you're likely to have one turn a deaf ear to you when you really need 'em.

 

you sure about that?
I see what you are saying but for my situation (or my dads) I think they need to lay of a little. I HATE it when they assume you know what you did wrong. and that you deserve a ticket. Cops are good and all to stop crime and whatever but if you want to go that way I am sure you have heard a lot of stupid *** cops in the newspapers abusing people, racial profiling, and other chit. but anyways, i think its disrespectful when they do not listen to someones explanation even if they are not yelling or in a negative way. They should have some sympathy for people and not be such dumbasses all the time. My dad thought he was doing the right thing by pulling over to answer an important phone call. He didnt know it was illegal and im sure most people dont. He tells the cop this and hes just like "who cares". I am pretty sure my dad wouldnt pull over again for a phone call if he just informed him that that was illegal and had just given him a warning.

 

In court ignorance of the law is no excuse. So tell him not to plead that; he didn't know.

That being said... yes from your account of the events as your dad told you I would agree, the cop was being a ***** stick. However you nor I know what lead up to the ticket. It is common in any encounter with an officer along side the road for them to run your license and check your registration, even if your just broke down. That does not mean your getting a ticket, they are just looking for warrants or stolen vehicles. That is thier job.
If your dad went on the defense about this, then that could have been what made the officer decide to issue him a ticket. Law enforcment officers are people too. Human nature; if you act like an A-Hole people will be your ***** stick and stick it to you anyway they can. Officers are not exempt from human nature.
However the officer could just have been a rookie on a power trip, trying to make a name for himself, or just being an A-hole. That in no way represents all law enforcement.

Go to court, fight it, and be apologetic to the court. Should be rather easy to get it dropped as long as he uses his head and keeps his cool.

 

Only time a cop is sympathetic is toward a large cup size

 

Crime they help commit? Now that's ironic.

 

I am in total agreeance with OnBelay....your Dad was wrong.....

 

It is this type of thing that earns the police a bad name. Yes, technically the officer might be correct. But, as a human being, he wasn't. He could have pointed out what was done wrong, and asked him not to do it again, then everyone would have benefited. As it is, it goes donw as another case of a cop using his athourity because he has it and can.

 

I am thinking that the "dad" instigated the harsh response from the cop....

 

That is a possibility, I was just responding to the "facts" as presented. If that is the case, ticket was deserved.