Leesburg Cop
 

I am like most very respectful and appreciative of the fine work police do. It can be a thankless job. However this AM I was on my way down to Altamonte Springs via 441. I was in the left lane traveling between 40- 45 mph in a 45mph. I spotted a Leesburg cop ahead. Some drivers moved over or ahead of the cop. Bikers could be seen in every direction. some cars speeded up to beat the yellow light. I did not For some unknown reason just before this yellow light incident ,this cop slowed up then pulled behind me and followed me about 5-6 miles until I reached the city line and then pulled into the left lane and went back around. During this time my poor wife was somewhat unnerved wondering why or what we had done?

When we reached our destination I made mention to the salesman of this incident. His first question to me was what kind of a car do you drive. I told him he lauhed and said that cops love to target high end vehicles. He told me his brother was a trooper and that it was common place for traffic cops to target high end vehicles. The salesman laughed and said police enforcement seems to attract more than an average number of bully types. He said his brother is a bully. I told the salesman to tell his brother that this type of harassement is not appreciated. The salesman replied that he doesn't speak to his brother anymore.

In today's not so civilized society what are needed more than ever are law enforcement officers who have the skills set to keep things harmonious and here we have a guy acting like an antagonist and to add insult to possible injury he is allowed to carry a gun with live ammunition

I want to report the guy but I know exactly where it will end up.. I'll be the butt end of their joke. don't they do psychological tests on these guys before they hire them???? I am outraged....I feel better now..thanks

Report him for what?? You think he is bullying you because you drive a high end car?? I think you would get the paranoid award

He probbaly was runnng a vehicle or license check ...but so what. I would be glad he is doing his job....and I would, stop listening to your salesman.

I kinda think he was driving behind you. They have to drive somewhere in between when they eat donuts in the parking lot at Publix. There aren't many bad guys in TV....Plus we have all of those gun toter Villagers to watch out for us if something does get out of hand. The poor guys don't feel needed.

They sometimes follow me in my Chrysler van. But maybe it's because I am such a hot babe.:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

maybe because you were doing 40-45 in the left lane and the speed limit was 45!

Dear Rubicon,
I understand that this upset you and your bride, nobody enjoys driving in that state. With all due respect, it indeed may have happened because you were planted in the left lane. Please remember, that lane is primarily for passing and/or getting in line to make a left hand turn.
To travel along in the left hand lane without doing either of those things can really screw others up who are traveling behind you, especially at traffic lights with a left-hand turning lane. And certainly if your vehicle is a larger one.
The officer could have pulled you over (instead of dogging you) and explained that as a courtesy, but that probably would have shaken you a bit. As most people's instinct is to move to the right lane when a police car is behind them, he may have given you a few blocks to do that.
I assume he gave up and went his way.
Probably not the best way it could be handled, but better than here in Chicago where the officer pulls along side and loudly orders drivers to stop sailing the left hand lane.
For what it's worth....

... and your point is? Seriously, you want to report this guy? For what? How dare he follow your high-end car. I can see me getting upset if he followed my low-end car .... yeah, right.

Xavier

As a ret. law enforcement officer, I suggest you sign up for the "Ride along program". Anyone can do that, you spend the day or night with an Officers tour of duty, really get your eyes opened up!

Maybe should drive in the driving lane, not the passing lane.
chilout

Maybe you shouldn't leave TV. What did the officer do wrong?

Leesburg cop
 

Thank you all for your candid replies. First I am not paranoid. My professional background provided plenty of information in which to assess this situation. I moved from the left lane to the middle lane wherein the cop moved from the left lane to the middle lane and was tailgating me until we reached the city line some six miles. During this time bikers were passing left and right and two cars sped through the yellow light but this guy continued to hug my tail. It appears it is one of those situations where you had to be there to understand. Say what you will but I still don't believe his tin badge gives him the right to harass citizens. Finally I did end my post with a statement that it would do me no good to complain to officials. And that my friends was my point that his tin badge does give him license and that unfortunately negates much of the good these guys do in my mind. Many of your posts confirmed that point. I understand that force must be met with force, etc. I also understnad that respect is met with respect. Do you believe his actions garner respect. I just wonder if you really would have been as judgemental cocnerning this tale had you been the subject of this tactic? I know some of you will reply back that you would but.................?

Rubicon, I'm sure that no one who answered you meant any disrespect to you. We were all simply trying to figure out (other than being a bully) why a police officer would be following you. If you had fully explained the situation (changed lanes, others going through yellow lights, etc.) in your original post, we would not be left guessing. I assumed, as did the others on this forum, that you were inviting discussion of this incident. What else did you suppose us to do?

And maybe the car may have been described in some felony...a car like yours...maybe no license plate was given.

Who knows?

I know that I may have sounded insensitive and K9 is right, I sort of reacted to the post, which didn't give all of the information just given.
And I came back with a smart aleck answer. I am sorry.

But we all react according to our life experiences and I haven't had any negative dealings with police officers...so I just kinda still think that they are all Officer Friendly.

Most Police agencies outside of the Highway Patrol (their job is mainly traffic) are much more involved in robberies, shootings, rapes, you name it, ASSAULT ON POLICE OFFICERS, than stopping little old ladies or men and harassing them. Traffic was usually the last thing on our minds. Staying alive was also the main issue, I always swore I was coming home that night or day, and back in the day we didnt have safety vests to wear, working the big city was a job in itself.
Like I posted before go on the ride along program, but take in mind you have to sign a waiver before, incase you get shot at or somone tries to get away real fast, could be the ride of your life............have you got what it takes, or are you gonna pick up the phone and start crying how the police are always picking on little old me.

Gracie,

Your getting salty! I like that part of you, you hot babe.

From word one in the original post I believe the whole issue is complete nonsense. Sorry. If my teenager came home with the story and then added more details after he saw my reaction to the original story I'd think the same way (and it's been a lot of years since I've had a teenager). Maybe the officer was getting off shift and was thinking about a well deserved R & R. I believe that much of the drama is imagined.

Xavier

I find your post disturbing on several accounts. The police have more important things to do than harass elderly people from the Villages. As others have suggested you were driving in the wrong lane.

What alarms me most is your reference to bikers in both of your post. It seems your were insinuating they should have been harassing the bikers and not you. Shame on you.

In a few years we are moving to the villages and will bring our two motorcycles. We our professional people with the utmost integrity. We have worked hard in life and raised a wonderful family, and we do enjoy our motorcycle riding, it a source of freedom for us.

I hope our paths will cross when we get to the Villages, as you will love us. Not all motorcycle people are bad. It's a very expensive hobby anymore.

:BigApplause:

On target!


I am not a LEO, and haven't played one on television, and never would.

I ask that readers sonsider the following: presume on that drive from Leesburg an incident (say a road rage situation involving a gun) suddenly flared up. That same LEO would immediately flip an internal switch to police mode. He would, if necessary, trail the bad guy to wherever, run down some back, dark alley after him, and then risk his life in a fight or a shoot-out to just to protect my family and me.

One might respond, that is his job, a job that s/he freely chose. Yes, of course.

But it is because of the stressors of that job why I tend to cut all LEO some slack in most cases, even those individuals who might slightly (emphsis on slightly) push the envelop re: abuse/bully/whatever.

As with the general population, most LEO are "good", but some are "bad", and the bad paint all LEOs with a notorious brush. If anyone ever believes that a LEO has acted improperly, that person should absolutely file a complaint with the agency.

A professionally-run, accredited law enforcement agency will conduct an internal investigation on the matter. If the complaint is sustained, the offending officer will be assessed disciplinary action. Citizen complaints are valuable check/balance to monitor and ensure effective police service. An agency, as much or more than the public itself, doesn't want a bad cop on its force.

I have great respect and deep admiration for anyone- LEOs, Detention Officers, Security Guards, Soldiers...- who has, does now, and will in the future put her/himself in a postion to take a bullet to protect and/or defend me.

PS: Sparky? A LEO named Sparky...sounds like you would be a better fit in the firehouse ;) That said, I thank you for your past service.

I find it hard to believe you think this cop has a "thin badge " and was harrassing you because he was following you (and not the bikers) and most likely checking your plates. He was doing his job!

It just may be that a car similar to yours was either stolen or involved in a crime. The officer may have been searching for the info on his on board computer and was waiting for a reply. He may have had to try a number of different routes to make sure your were not what he was on the lookout for.

With the Leesburg Bikefest going on this weekend that would account for the larger number of bikes in the area.

K-9: intending no disrespect to you, I must state that rubicon's latest post caused my respect meter for him in this matter, and whatever his position and statements regarding his and his wife's experience in this matter to drop to zero.

I understood and appreciated his perception of the incident. I empathized with the feelings that his and his wife felt as a consequence of that incident.

Until the "his tin badge" comment.

I acknowledge that the comment specified "his" tin badge; however, the overriding implication of "tin badge" connotes a condescending attitude towards the law enforcement profession.

Slam that individual officer if you feel it appropriate. I get that, I really do.
Projecting negative emotions past that, not so much.

BTW: If I were in the originally described situation and felt as rubicon did, I would have simply pulled into a populated area (parking lot of a gas station/store) and let the officer go on his way.

Other than a lost moment or two while the officer passed, there would have been no harm, no foul, no raised blood-pressure....

"High-end" vehicle, hanging in the left lane, running under the speed limit.........at a minimum, the officer was probably running your plate. If anything out of the ordinary would show up from that (plates don't match the vehicle, suspended driver's license, outstanding warrant, etc.), it gives the officer probable cause to pull you over and check things out. That's how a number of drug-related arrests occur - you fit a profile!

JMHO -

Bill :wave:

I agree , Of course he could have been texting someone...Its pretty safe behind those high end vehicles..


fumar

Leesburg Cop
 

OK OK let me try one last time. I WAS NOT DRIVING THIS ENTIRE TIME IN THE LEFT LANE. I MOVED FROM THE LEFT LANE TO THE CENTER LANE AND THE COP FOLLOWED BEHIND ME. EVEN IF I WAS TRAVELING IN THE LEFT LANE IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM. THERE WERE SEVERAL VEHICLES AHEAD OF ME ALL DRIVING IN THE LEFT LANE. I WAS TRAVELING 40-45 IN A 45 AND PEOPLE WERE PASSING BY ME AND HENCE THE COP. MY REFERENCE TO A "TIN BADGE" WAS A BAD CHOICE OF WORDS AND WAS MEANT TO EXPRESS THE FACT THAT THIS "ONE" OFFICER APPARENTLY FELT THAT BECAUSE HE HAD A BADGE HE COULD DO AS HE PLEASED. IT WAS , IN MY MIND, HIS ABUSE OF POWER THAT CAUSED THIS REFERENCE. I AM BY NATURE A VERY RESPECTFUL PERSON

IF THE COP HAD A RIGHT DO ACT IN THAT MANNER THEN I CERTAINLY HAD A RIGHT TO TAKE EXCEPTION TO HIS ACTIONS ESPECIALLY SINCE THERE OBVIOUSLY WAS NOTHING I DID WRONG. BECAUSE IF I HAD HE WOULD HAVE PULLED ME OVER.

FINALLY IF HE WAS CHECKING MY PLATE FOR WHATEVER REASON HE DIDN'T NEED TO BE TAILGATING ME FOR SIX MILES OR SO. IF ANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN IN A SITUATION WHERE THE DRIVER BEHIND YOU IS TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT THEN YOU UNDERSTAND IN PART HOW I FELT.

THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FORYOUR INPUT

rubicon - If he indeed was running your plate (for any reason - I believe they are allowed to do that), it does take a bit of time on occasion for them to get the feedback/data they're looking for. Whether or not you were in the right or wrong (or not doing anything wrong), law enforcement does this on quite a regular basis.

To your question about it happening to us:

A friend of ours had the same thing happen to him last year. Local sheriff following him fairly tight for no apparent reason, then the lights flip on for him to pull over. The problem: Our friend had 'restricted driving privileges' and the sheriff wanted to check things out. The info the sheriff received back when he ran the plate said 'Suspended License'. Fortunately, our friend was able to get it all squared away on the spot (he had all the proper and appropriate paperwork with him).........but he just about got hauled off because he kept demanding an explanation from the sheriff's deputy for why he got pulled over. He was irate but fortunately got himself calmed down enough that nothing further ensued.

I even had it happen to me once, years back. True story - - - Sandy and I were going to 'the next town over', just taking a spin in an older car we had at the time. Local police close to where we lived saw us pass by on our way out of town while he was sitting along side the road chatting with someone. He gave us the eye when we went by but nothing happened. When we came back into his town on the way back, there he was....still sitting. Sure enough, he starts following us...and kept following us for a few miles.....beyond the town's limits. Bingo - on come the lights. Uh-oh. He was not a happy camper - he'd run the plates that were on the car (a Chevy Nova) and they came back as registered to a Toyota! Granted, it was MY Toyota, but still......"Ummmm, well, uh.......I.....ahh" My bad - we only drove that car about once or twice a year and I'd never bothered to get plates for it, thinking I'd save a couple of bucks. I'm not the brightest bulb in the package sometimes, especially back then! He impounded the car on the spot - and said he had every right to take me to the lockup if he so chose to. Sandy and I ended up walking about 3 miles home - and it cost me a half-day off work, go pay for a set of plates, go to the storage lot where they'd taken the car, pay the couple hundred dollar impound/towing/storage fees..........my bad. Why did he choose to run the plates? Dunno....maybe he was a Ford guy....maybe he didn't like red cars....it doesn't matter. Moral: Things like getting your plates run for no really good reason DOES happen to people. Sometimes they turn up nothing.....and sometimes they snag idiots like me who really never thought up-front at the time about the potential repercussions. It's a part of their job. I think we'd all be surprised to see the statistics of how many criminals are turned up that way.

Bill :)

I'm not sure if someone has already mentioned this, but did it occur to anybody that there may have been an alert and they were looking for a vehicle of similar description that was reported being involved in some kind of incident?

I know it happens because many years ago I was followed and stopped in the Adirondacks then question by a New York State Trooper, and I was told before I was allowed to move on that it was because they were looking for a vehicle that had the same description as mine. A few days leter a Trooper friend of mine verified that they were looking for a similar vehicle in the area I was in.

Okay I think I must be the Villages idiot. I've reread the original post several times and I honest to God still do not see anything to get excited about. What am I missing?

This just keeps going on and on with more information added as we go. I still don't see the big deal. I really think the policeman was just doing his job.

Xavier

Use of CAPS
 

Just a quick note that using all capital letters in an email or post signify that the writer is yelling and I am sure that was not your intention.

On another note, after reading your original and follow on posts and also based on prior employment as a Police Officer for 5 years prior to moving over to the Feds, I would suggest that if this situation would ever occur again rather than feeling like you are being tailgated by the officer for 5 - 6 miles, use your turn signal and pull into a gas station or well lit public area. If the officer is interested in you and your vehicle he will turn with you and you can at least determine what the problem is. If he is not he will continue and you can return to the road.

Most importantly, stay safe and I am impressed that you were aware of what was going on behind you because most people never use the rear view mirror for other than fixing their hair or makeup. Have a great day.

[QUOTE=jack

I would suggest that if this situation would ever occur again rather than feeling like you are being tailgated by the officer for 5 - 6 miles, use your turn signal and pull into a gas station or well lit public area. If the officer is interested in you and your vehicle he will turn with you and you can at least determine what the problem is. If he is not he will continue and you can return to the road.
[/QUOTE]

BINGO! :thumbup:

I know that one of things that attracted me to law enforcement was that it was a place where psychologically unfit bullies like me would be welcome. Ah, I remember the many hours we spent in the police acadamy learning how to seperate the high end vehicles from the rest of the herd and then just following them for no reason other than the plain and simple joy of knowing we were harassing them. Everyday when I pinned my little tin badge on I felt the enormous god like power that I possessed. We would have contests to see how many retired folks we could send right over the edge with our Gestapo type tactics of follow and harass. I won many a toaster oven over the years as the contest winner. Of course there were many real bad guys out there we could have targeted, but what's the fun in that? I mean the real joy of police work is targeting the blue hairs and their high end cars. My only regret is that I never got to patrol an area like The Villages, it would have been like hunting ducks with a machine gun.

:popcorn: This is gettin' good!

I love sarcasm. I guess you all knew that.:clap2:

I really get the point r Foye.:ho:

Some struggle always with issues about authority.

I can't stop laughing out loud! :clap2:

Hey, pass some of that on down here........

Bill :)

JackZ

Since you are in Rome, I surprised you did not indicate that you would have expected a "proper hand signal" to be forth comming!!

If one gets that bent out of shape because a law enforcement
 

vehicle was behind them, there musta been a reason for such concern!!??
Maybe they were tailing the car in front of you.
I can honestly say the only time I get nervous when the police are behind me is when I KNOW I was speeding and I just may be the one he is after.
When they are behind me any other time, they are just another vehicle.
I don't have a "high end" vehicle, but I do not note they behave any differently when they are behind me when I am driving my Vette!!

The incident is only an incident in the eye of the beholder. Since you were not pulled over apparently the officer had no interest in you. I fully understand the police paranoia. I have a brother in law when he is driving...if a police car happens to come up behind him, the first thing he says is..oh-oh there is a police man behind me! And every single time I always ask...what did you do wrong. He always says nothing. And I always ask the what's the concern? His response....I just don't like police "following me". And the we skew into the discussion about being followed...and on and on and on.

We should be glad where ever and when ever there is an appearance of an officer of the law.

btk

Drivers in Rome
 

Don't get me started on driving in Rome..... I was once posted to Bangkok and thought traffic was out of control, that is until this posting in Rome...

:1rotfl:

I'm a humorous person, but I fail to see any humor in taking sarcastic pot-shots at all law enforcement when there is no valid reason for doing so. I not only found it to be humorless, but also disrespectful and insulting. Can someone explain to me why it's funny or what's so funny about it, or where I might be wrong about this?

go down to naples...