Quote: Original post by Moe

Quote: Original post by Talroth

Quote: Original post by Yann L
making them an annoying 110kmh max.

What the hell is it with Europeans and the desire to drive at insane speeds in really small cars? You can't go anywhere there without being in spitting distance of something interesting, and yet you still want to go faster? In Canada we can fit half a dozen European COUNTRIES between points of interest, and still get along fine with 110/120km/h high ways. (I can't remember what the 4 lanes are on the mainland, we're stuck even slower than that here.)

I don't think I've ever seen a 120 km/h limit anywhere in Canada. I mean, everyone on the 401 does 130 km/h, but the posted limit is still 110 km/h.

I've hit 280kph on the 401, once in a cop car, once in my friends car! I was not under arrest or arrested in either scenario lol :P

[Edited by - Buttacup on January 25, 2010 9:43:27 PM]

Quote: Original post by tool_2046
If you are talking to a law enforcement officer, it is because he suspects you of committing a crime. Its very easy to have your words twisted into an admission of guilt and it is very hard to convince a judge that an officer is incorrect in his recollection. [...] Swallow your emotion, don't rise to the bait and you'll likely experience a minor inconvenience. Mouth off or verbally/physically resist and you could face life destroying consequences.

Sounds like great advice - if you live in a fascist police state, that is.

Police officers in a democratic society aren't all powerful 'I put you in jail just because you said something I don't want to hear' Gestapo type people. Every single action they do, the way they interact with you, is very strictly regulated by very explicit laws. If they overstep these laws, even the slightest little bit, then this can indeed have very serious consequences - for them. Of course, your behaviour towards them is also regulated by law, you can't just do anything either. However, saying that you should let them do whatever they want with you without any type of resistance is incompatible with a free society. If some officer tries to pull something on me that I know is illegal, then they damn well will hear my opinion about it, followed by the one of my lawyers. I don't know how things are handled in the US, but over here you can even legally kill an officer, if he does something that threatens your life.

If an officer oversteps his boundaries and abuses his powers (which has never happened to me, but you never know), then I will do everything in my possibilities to get him removed from his position. While it is often said that it is hard to convince a judge that an officer is wrong, that's not always correct. Never underestimate the power of a good lawyer combined with a private investigator digging in the dirt.

I really, really don't like people abusing a position of power.

Oh, and anyone should make a habit out of using the voice memo record function of your cell phone to record any conversation you have with a police officer. This might be important in court later on, if something goes wrong. Do it without the officer noticing, so that you can delete the recording if you said something you shouldn't have.

Quote: Original post by Yann L
However, saying that you should let them do whatever they want with you without any type of resistance is incompatible with a free society.

But it is compatible with reality. I think the point was "shut-up and don't resist until you get a lawyer and only then try to fuck them". Which to me sounds like a pretty good advice.

Quote: Original post by owl
But it is compatible with reality. I think the point was "shut-up and don't resist until you get a lawyer and only then try to fuck them". Which to me sounds like a pretty good advice.

Well, you shouldn't insult them, pull your gun, and start shooting everything that moves, obviously. But if they do something they shouldn't, I personally think you should calmly but firmly protest, inform them that they are on legally shaky grounds, all while (secretly) recording the conversation on your cell phone. If a judge listens to the recording afterwards, the fact that you calmly protested against an unjustified or illegal action of the cops can even help you. It will clearly demonstrate that the cops acted in full knowledge that their action was illegal, making it much easier for you to ruin them.

Physically resisting is almost always a bad idea, I agree. Unless your life is really in danger, and you are acting in pure self-defense.

Quote: Original post by Moe

Quote: Original post by Talroth

Quote: Original post by Yann L
making them an annoying 110kmh max.

What the hell is it with Europeans and the desire to drive at insane speeds in really small cars? You can't go anywhere there without being in spitting distance of something interesting, and yet you still want to go faster? In Canada we can fit half a dozen European COUNTRIES between points of interest, and still get along fine with 110/120km/h high ways. (I can't remember what the 4 lanes are on the mainland, we're stuck even slower than that here.)

I don't think I've ever seen a 120 km/h limit anywhere in Canada. I mean, everyone on the 401 does 130 km/h, but the posted limit is still 110 km/h.

Yeah, it has been awhile since I've driven on the main land, and 120 km/h is just the speed everyone drives on the four lane through NB.

Quote: Original post by Binomine
Heck, I wouldn't even inform them they are on shaky ground. When you are suspected by the police, it's not time to play amateur lawyer.

It's probably a country difference. From what I seem to gather, US police is almost Gestapo-like. Over here, arguing with the police over whatever they want from you is common practice. Often people get upset and loud at the officer, usually over minor things like traffic violations. In this case, police is normally required to do their best to calm the situation, instead of getting "brutal", as it seems to be the case in the US. So YMMV.

Quote:
I had a HS friend who was positive that a male couldn't do a pat down search on a female. She fought and they ended up being more rough with her than they probably had to. OF course, it's completely legal to do it, so now instead of a minor misdemeanor charge, she had resisting arrest and looked fairly bad in front of a judge.

Isn't a sexual harassment lawsuit the usual way to deal with these situations ?

Quote: Original post by Yann L
It's probably a country difference. From what I seem to gather, US police is almost Gestapo-like. Over here, arguing with the police over whatever they want from you is common practice. Often people get upset and loud at the officer, usually over minor things like traffic violations. In this case, police is normally required to do their best to calm the situation, instead of getting "brutal", as it seems to be the case in the US. So YMMV.

It's a bit of both here. I used to hang out in a "government housing" suburb during my HS years so I saw a lot of police confrontations. Most of the time they *are* extremely calm, even while being confronted by drunken, amphetamine fuelled rage.
However, there's been other "US style" cases, like when the police were trying to question someone and their (leashed) dog wouldn't stop barking, so the cop pull out his Glock and killed the dog on the spot... Nothing happened to the officer in that case, but perhaps that's because people in that suburb can't exactly afford legal help (or even know it's an option). They just had a little riot instead.
There was also the chief of police / deputy mayor, who raped and killed a young woman and then made himself lead-detective on the case so he could destroy all the evidence. When Sydney finally realised that the main suspect was the investigator, they discharged him, but it was too late...

Quote: Original post by Hodgman
It's a bit of both here. I used to hang out in a "government housing" suburb during my HS years so I saw a lot of police confrontations. Most of the time they *are* extremely calm, even while being confronted by drunken, amphetamine fuelled rage.

The only experience I ever had with an Aussie police officer was years ago, and I found him very cool. They stopped me because I was going to fast (ahem [grin]). I played the "I'm a tourist, I just looked at the awesome landscape, and completely forgot about my speed" card. He laughed and let me off, but not after telling me about all the best scenic spots along the road :)

Quote: Original post by Hodgman
However, there's been other "US style" cases, like when the police were trying to question someone and their (leashed) dog wouldn't stop barking, so the cop pull out his Glock and killed the dog on the spot...

I don't even dare to imagine the incredible scandal that would create here. AFAIK, an officer is automatically suspended and investigated if he simply draws his weapon without a valid reason (like being threatened by an armed individual). Actually shooting it opens another can of worms. There have been cases where officers were killed, simply because they were afraid of the legal consequences of drawing their own weapon and shooting back.

Quote: Original post by Hodgman
There was also the chief of police / deputy mayor, who raped and killed a young woman and then made himself lead-detective on the case so he could destroy all the evidence.

Things like that can happen anywhere and don't say much about a countries police force. You can never guarantee that you won't unknowingly get a psycho into a position of power.