Controversial Opinions (For Everything Other Than DC Comics)

[TriggerWarning]

Hardly, to avoid police is a sensible rule pretty much everywhere.

The best way to avoid the police is obey the law.

The vast majority of people will go their whole lives only dealing with the police 1-2 times at most and usually only because they got pulled over for something legit like speeding. People who claim they are constantly being harassed by police and can recite numerous encounters are doing things to bring police attention on themselves like committing crime or driving poorly all the time.

[Kirby101]

The best way to avoid the police is obey the law.

The vast majority of people will go their whole lives only dealing with the police 1-2 times at most and usually only because they got pulled over for something legit like speeding. People who claim they are constantly being harassed by police and can recite numerous encounters are doing things to bring police attention on themselves like committing crime or driving poorly all the time.

You have no idea what black people routinely go through interacting with the police. I can tell you, it's not "1-2" times in their lives.
And if you seriously think black people are pulled over because they "drive poorly", you are just lying to yourself.

[TriggerWarning]

You have no idea what black people routinely go through interacting with the police. I can tell you, it's not "1-2" times in their lives.
And if you seriously think black people are pulled over because they "drive poorly", you are just lying to yourself.

I know a lot more than you think. I also know exactly how far just being polite and complying goes instead of non compliance, launching into attacks on the officers by claiming "you only stopped me because I'm black", etc can go. You can't always talk yourself out of a ticket as sometimes you just deserve one but you certainly can talk yourself into one.

On the vast majority of stops and nearly 100% of those at night the cop has no idea the race, gender, or age of anyone in the car they are pulling over.

[ed2962]

I know a lot more than you think. I also know exactly how far just being polite and complying goes instead of non compliance, launching into attacks on the officers by claiming "you only stopped me because I'm black", etc can go. You can't always talk yourself out of a ticket as sometimes you just deserve one but you certainly can talk yourself into one.

On the vast majority of stops and nearly 100% of those at night the cop has no idea the race, gender, or age of anyone in the car they are pulling over.

Well...the police profile people all the time and I don't even have to bring race into it. You don't have to be doing anything illegal, if the officer feels you don't belong or aren't "right"...maybe you have a strange hair or your a woman alone in an isolated area...they'll invent an excuse to question you. I know of many white people who have had this happen to them by white officers.

My point isn't that race doesn't play into police harassment in some communities, my point is that it's naïve to think the police only question people who are suspicious and if you keep your nose clean take won't bother you.

[Kirby101]

I know a lot more than you think.

It's obvious you don't.

[TriggerWarning]

Well...the police profile people all the time and I don't even have to bring race into it. You don't have to be doing anything illegal, if the officer feels you don't belong or aren't "right"...maybe you have a strange hair or your a woman alone in an isolated area...they'll invent an excuse to question you. I know of many white people who have had this happen to them by white officers.

My point isn't that race doesn't play into police harassment in some communities, my point is that it's naïve to think the police only question people who are suspicious and if you keep your nose clean take won't bother you.

Of course police profile. Profiling is just using experience and knowledge to hone in on likely crimes. Won't always be correct but it will be more correct than just random stops.

They see a car weaving in its lane (which is not illegal and a reason to stop) so they profile it as possibly being a drunk driver and follow it until it commits an actual violation and then stop and check to see if it is fact a drunk driver.

They see a guy hanging out in front of a laundry mat for a long time who doesn't actually seem to be doing laundry. They profile him as being a drug dealer so they walk up and talk to him and see what they can learn. This by the way is one of the local drug buy spots in my town and where numerous busts have happened.

They see several cars parked in a secluded area of a park known as the local "gay but supressing" hangout where so called hetero married men who are gay but suppressing go to have anonymous gay sex. So they profile by walking through the area to see how many people they can find having sex in public and end up making some obscene conduct in public arrests upon finding men going at it in the park. Have these people ever heard of Grindr? No cares if your gay, just don't do it in the park, its 2019 so hook up online and do it in private.

Obviously stopping someone just because they are black, or female, or gay is wrong but the vast majority of the time this is not whats happening despite what many claim..

Most cops in urban areas (not state patrol where they do have quotas) are just fishing on most of their stops. They stop lots of cars for minor violations where they really couldn't care less about the minor violation and instead are fishing for a drunk driver, obvious drugs in sight, drivers wanted on warrants, etc. If everything is fine except the minor violation they will usually let you go with a warning because the paperwork isn't worth the time. Unless you talk yourself into a ticket by verbally accosting the cop with belligerence or accusations of racism, etc. Sometimes your offense will get you a ticket regardless, if your racing and doing 70 in a 35 your probably getting a ticket no matter what but if you merely failed to signal or had a headlight out the cop will most likely give you a warning as long as your sober, have a valid license, have no drugs in plain sight, and act like a decent human being to them.

[JCAll]

People who don't live in Hell won't believe you when you complain about the temperature.

[Kirby101]

I guess people of color who give police "attitude" deserve whatever they get.

And God forbid they are holding something that might slightly resemble a gun.

[TriggerWarning]

I guess people of color who give police "attitude" deserve whatever they get.

And God forbid they are holding something that might slightly resemble a gun.

Cops are human and any human is going to get defensive if someone immediately gives attitude. But in cops case they are worried that said attitude is because the person is committing a crime or about to attack them.

A cop won't get escalated into being nervous or fearful if you don't give them a reason.

Here are some tips on how to have a pleasant reaction with a police officer when pulled over (assuming your not drunk, a criminal with a warrant, have drugs in plain site, or something else thats obviously going to get you arrested).

1. Keep hands in plain site at all times and on the steering wheel. Maybe you think your being helpful by digging for paperwork as the cop approaches but the cop has to consider if your going for a weapon or hiding something like an open container or drugs. Just chill, the cop won't mind waiting an extra ten seconds for you to get your paperwork after he / she gets there.

2. Relax. If you aren't a criminal just be calm and listen to why the cop stopped you. If you have an equipment violation or were in fact speeding, failed to signal, etc then just chill and accept that yeah you got stopped for a legit reason and remember to fix the problem so you don't get stopped next time. Realize that if its an equipment violation the cop will probably just give you a warning or a fix it ticket (fix the equipment violation and the ticket is dropped). You usually only get a ticket on equipment if you've been warned before for the same thing and aren't bothering to fix it.

3. Don't be a dick. As I said you may not be able to talk yourself out of a ticket but you absolutely can talk yourself into one. Especially in cases where the cop is just fishing for a drunk. Most times the cop couldn't care less about minor violation itself, he / she is just trying to find the big fish - aka a drunk driver, someone with a warrant, etc. But you start with attitude in the first 30 seconds like "Shouldn't you be catching murderers or rapists", "you only stopped me because I'm (insert whatever picked on demographic you feel you belong to)", "I pay your salary", etc then you because of normal human nature made the cop more inclined to want to give you ticket.

4. If you do get a ticket consider whether you in fact did do what the ticket was for. My last ticket (27 years ago now) was for going 67 in 55 mph zone. I actually thought I was going 69. Regardless I was knowingly speeding. No I wasn't happy having to pay the fine but its not the cop's fault, I chose to speed and I got caught. I'm an adult and I accepted the consequences and chose not to pout or be a dick about it to the state trooper.

5. If you have a gun and are legally carrying it then as soon as the cop get to your window you WITH HANDS ON STEERING WHEEL say "Officer, just so you know I have a gun and this is where its at, what would you like me to do?" At no point to you remove your hands from the steering wheel unless directed by the cop. The cop will appreciate you telling him and appreciate you not then reaching for it even if in your mind all you were going to do was give it him because the cop is just going to hear "gun" and then see you grabbing for a gun which is bad.

[JCAll]

No one is talking about car stops, why are you talking about traffic violations? I'm talking about people being afraid of the police. Afraid of seeing police in their neighborhoods, afraid of being tortured and left to die in a cell, so afraid that they'd rather let a crime happen than risk calling the police and making everything worse. Who gives a damn about steering wheels?

[ed2962]

Actually, TriggerWarning was valid in bringing up traffic stops...statistics show that black and brown people get pulled over more than white people ( and not just by white cops). And nothing he said was bad advice. HOWEVER, my thing is many times these stops aren't legit. They decided that you're hair is too long or that you live in a bad neighborhood so the odds are that you're just naturally up to no good. They pretend that you didn't signal so they have an excuse to pull you over and search you. Depending on how you react they might decide to search your car. If you're clean, they let you go and give you a warning about the "traffic offense" they didn't care about it in the first place. They're also banking on the the fact that even though your rights may have been violated, you're probably not going to file a complaint unless you've been either physically or verbally abused.

It's even worse if you're not driving. Again, the police will stop and search you for the hell of it and then invent a reason afterwards. And of course you're the problem if you question them. In my old neighborhood, I'd been stopped many times in the middle of the day minding my own business. I was given reasons like I looked like someone else and I looked "suspicious" because I had my hands in my pockets. One time I was put in handcuffs ( by a black cop) on my way to catch the bus to go to the library.

Look, I'm not anti-police and I realize that they have a hard job. And I don't want to make it seem like I think the problem is that it's only white cops or that certain types of white people don't also get harassed. My point is that police harassment is a real thing, it's not as simple as if you've done nothing wrong you don't have to worry.

[Moon Ronin]

Actually, TriggerWarning was valid in bringing up traffic stops...statistics show that black and brown people get pulled over more than white people ( and not just by white cops). And nothing he said was bad advice. HOWEVER, my thing is many times these stops aren't legit. They decided that you're hair is too long or that you live in a bad neighborhood so the odds are that you're just naturally up to no good. They pretend that you didn't signal so they have an excuse to pull you over and search you. Depending on how you react they might decide to search your car. If you're clean, they let you go and give you a warning about the "traffic offense" they didn't care about it in the first place. They're also banking on the the fact that even though your rights may have been violated, you're probably not going to file a complaint unless you've been either physically or verbally abused.

It's even worse if you're not driving. Again, the police will stop and search you for the hell of it and then invent a reason afterwards. And of course you're the problem if you question them. In my old neighborhood, I'd been stopped many times in the middle of the day minding my own business. I was given reasons like I looked like someone else and I looked "suspicious" because I had my hands in my pockets. One time I was put in handcuffs ( by a black cop) on my way to catch the bus to go to the library.

Look, I'm not anti-police and I realize that they have a hard job. And I don't want to make it seem like I think the problem is that it's only white cops or that certain types of white people don't also get harassed. My point is that police harassment is a real thing, it's not as simple as if you've done nothing wrong you don't have to worry.

Police act differently in different areas. In a neighborhood that is high in crime they are more prone to be more aggressive. I don't know about your old neighborhood but in mine I had an interactions with the police at least once a month and have been cuffed for "my own safety" a few times. It wasn't until I moved and also talked to a few cops (that did not suspect me of anything) that that I realized that it had more to do with the climate of the location then them harassing me because of who I am.

[JCAll]

Actually, TriggerWarning was valid in bringing up traffic stops...statistics show that black and brown people get pulled over more than white people ( and not just by white cops). And nothing he said was bad advice. HOWEVER, my thing is many times these stops aren't legit. They decided that you're hair is too long or that you live in a bad neighborhood so the odds are that you're just naturally up to no good. They pretend that you didn't signal so they have an excuse to pull you over and search you. Depending on how you react they might decide to search your car. If you're clean, they let you go and give you a warning about the "traffic offense" they didn't care about it in the first place. They're also banking on the the fact that even though your rights may have been violated, you're probably not going to file a complaint unless you've been either physically or verbally abused.

It's even worse if you're not driving. Again, the police will stop and search you for the hell of it and then invent a reason afterwards. And of course you're the problem if you question them. In my old neighborhood, I'd been stopped many times in the middle of the day minding my own business. I was given reasons like I looked like someone else and I looked "suspicious" because I had my hands in my pockets. One time I was put in handcuffs ( by a black cop) on my way to catch the bus to go to the library.

Look, I'm not anti-police and I realize that they have a hard job. And I don't want to make it seem like I think the problem is that it's only white cops or that certain types of white people don't also get harassed. My point is that police harassment is a real thing, it's not as simple as if you've done nothing wrong you don't have to worry.

Yeah, that all makes sense. I need to work on being less miserable and bitter with everyone all the time.

[Falcon16]

Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa sounds like Kwame from Captain Planet

[Kirby101]

AG report: Black Missouri drivers 91% more likely to be stopped by police

But the police don't know the drivers are black? So are we to assume black people are worse drivers than whites?
We've been told here it has nothing to do with Police targeting black people.