Quote:
Originally Posted by w30olds
I went through one of the GA State Patrol checkpoints last weekend. Let's just say they were not the most pleasant officers to deal with.
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So I replied "1 Mountain Dew." Obviously it pissed off the cop.
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I'm just completely spitballing here, but perhaps standing out, likely where it's not too comfortable environment-wise (i.e. likely cold) for hours and hours on end hearing smart-ass comments like this one from dozens of drivers, MAYBE that what made them "not the most pleasant officers"? Possible? I've go through checkpoints and was polite to the officers and got polite back.
Quote:
Originally Posted by w30olds
It was setup in a curve in the road with nowhere to turn off. Total ambush. so once you rounded the curve bam! Your in the roadblock with nowhere to go.
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This is the "better mousetrap" issue. Checkpoints are designed to catch drunk drivers. Drunk drivers, for obvious reasons, don't want to get caught. Where checkpoints used to set up in the open, enough drunks learned to avoid them. Now the cops have to play smarter.
Quote:
Originally Posted by w30olds
I don't mind them, but damn be a little more professional about the way you conduct yourselves!
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Again, back to the first point, maybe if you acted a little more civilly, they would, too.
A quick tale, the last checkpoint I went through was set up by the Illinois State Police, at the bottom of an exit ramp off the interstate (long ramp, lots of trees between the interstate and the cross-road). It was 2:00am, and I slowed down, rolled down my window. Wife in the right seat, child in the back, sleeping. Trooper leaned in (likely doing a sniff-test) and asked where we were coming from. I told him we'd been at the drive in movies, at which point he had the unmitigated gall to ask the intrusive question: "Whaddya see?".
Never asked for my ID - they were either looking for drunks and I obviously wasn't, or they were looking for someone specific and I didn't match the description - had about 30 seconds of conversation, and then I was gone.
Amazing what a little civility will get you.