Somehow, with stories like these being so common in the news, I just don't think I want to live in that country. Apart from warmer weather, I'm not sure there's anything worth moving for.
How I Ended Up In Solitary After Calling 911 For Help
471–480 of 816 posts
Re: How I Ended Up In Solitary After Calling 911 For Help
#472Earlier quoted context omitted.
What attribute of Reddit are you talking about? Is it that people here accuse other people of acting like members from some other website, rather than actually confronting their arguments?
Despite your insincerity, for those who actually care the negative trait I was talking about is sophistry: The collapsing of complex situations with many players and perspectives into single-dimensional, black and white, clear-cut projections that everyone can circle around and beat with their strawman beating sticks, all while acting enlightened. This whole thread is absolutely crowded with such positions. I love Re…
It's not "sophistry." You are way overthinking it.
It's hostility. Maybe it's been earned.
Re: How I Ended Up In Solitary After Calling 911 For Help
#473Earlier quoted context omitted.
Of course there are others. There are also many people having pleasant experiences with cops every day - they don't make it to the top of Hacker News.
Really? Who has pleasant experiences with cops besides other cops? Honest question.
I've certainly had enough negative interactions to make me very wary, but I also remember some positive ones. Off the top of my head:
* An incident where I was driving and spun across a lane of traffic and off the road in a heavy snowstorm, very fortunately hitting nothing but a reflector post in the process. A highway patrolman stopped, checked to make sure no one was injured, congratulated us on being lucky, and encouraged us to be careful out there.
* An incident where I was being followed around -- no, pursued through -- town by a car I didn't recognize, and I called the dispatcher and eventually drove to the police station.
* A few incidents where I'd pulled off highways to sleep, and officers knocked on the window just to make sure everything was OK. One, when I told him why I was there said "Smartest person I've met tonight" (I suspect any highway patrol officer has seen more drowsy driving accidents than they care to).
* Incidents where I'd been hanging out in my car, using my laptop tethered to a cell phone, in a parking lot or neighborhood long enough to make someone in the neighborhood apparently uncomfortable. In two cases I remember, the officers were gently inquisitive, explained what was going on, ran a check on my plates/ID, and said I wasn't doing anything wrong but might want to consider moving on before too long.
* Incidents where there was nothing particularly positive about the interaction but the officers simply did their jobs and either issued reasonable instructions or a citation.
I've also had a number of incidents where this has gone somewhat less well (attempts to escalate to a search of my car or a DUI investigation, weird and menacing lines of questioning, threats to charge me with illegal camping/vagrancy, occasional browbeatings, on-site detention with no explanation, and at least one encounter where an angry officer was threatening me with extralegal violence), so I understand it doesn't always go like this, so I encourage reforms and increased accountability. But I also think it's fair to remember appreciate the officers who acted reasonably, kindly, and professionally.
Re: How I Ended Up In Solitary After Calling 911 For Help
#474So sad to read stories like this.. I empathize with you..
Re: How I Ended Up In Solitary After Calling 911 For Help
#475Back in November, I was arrested in Brooklyn for running a red light on my bike while on my way to work in Manhattan. Normally you're given a ticket and let go, but in this instance, the officers took issue with the fact that I was not carrying ID. Both officers told me that I "could be arrested for not having ID." For clarification, I asked if it was a city, state, or national law, and the officers adamantly maintai…
Thanks for sharing. When I read stories like this and the original article, I genuinely wonder how long it will be before the people start to fight back. And I mean literally fight. I'm not for a second suggesting that any individual should fight or even argue with the police, but I can't imagine how an entire society can tolerate this kind of behavior from the police. As much as I hate to say it, it really only seem…
Next time you get jury duty, and a cop takes the stand (or even if not), remember how cops treat the citizens they serve.
Re: How I Ended Up In Solitary After Calling 911 For Help
#476Back in November, I was arrested in Brooklyn for running a red light on my bike while on my way to work in Manhattan. Normally you're given a ticket and let go, but in this instance, the officers took issue with the fact that I was not carrying ID. Both officers told me that I "could be arrested for not having ID." For clarification, I asked if it was a city, state, or national law, and the officers adamantly maintai…
Thanks for sharing! I believe in that situation, that you can defuse the dynamic of being accused of not having your ID, by sharing your social security number. So one response to the police in that situation is to acknowledge not having your ID, but offer to share your name and social security number so they can identify you in the database.
...or the SSN of anyone who resembles you.
Re: How I Ended Up In Solitary After Calling 911 For Help
#477Back in November, I was arrested in Brooklyn for running a red light on my bike while on my way to work in Manhattan. Normally you're given a ticket and let go, but in this instance, the officers took issue with the fact that I was not carrying ID. Both officers told me that I "could be arrested for not having ID." For clarification, I asked if it was a city, state, or national law, and the officers adamantly maintai…
Sayang, amigo.
Re: How I Ended Up In Solitary After Calling 911 For Help
#478This is a perfect example of the disconnect between "hackers" and the real world. I consider myself part of the HN community because I hope for a society shaped by its ideals, but the real world is so far removed that time spent here becomes more of a therapeutic escape than anything else. I strongly recommend people study history, and understand human nature at both scientific and societal levels. There is too much…
Understanding the problem should not make you puss out and be wary of it and act scared all the time, avoiding those problems, because that's how those problems grow until you can't fight them anymore.
Explaining society doesn't justify the issues at hand.
Understanding the problems should allow you to see your errors and rectify and communicate your best intentions, and then tell you're sorry so you can get out of the situation.
OP demonstrate that if you don't have that essential pearl of wisdom to communicate your best intention and if you're not able to keep your calm in any situation, you will fall into this police jail trap.
I think this article should point out that it's stupid to argue that you should keep your calm, because statistically, many people will get an abusive treatment if they can't keep their calm.
If the police is preying of your lack of temper management to get a chance to get you, then that's a real problem, because if it puts a distrust in the police, it's potentially dangerous for society.
Understanding nature will help individual, but won't help society, because you can only help society by setting better standards.
Re: How I Ended Up In Solitary After Calling 911 For Help
#479Back in November, I was arrested in Brooklyn for running a red light on my bike while on my way to work in Manhattan. Normally you're given a ticket and let go, but in this instance, the officers took issue with the fact that I was not carrying ID. Both officers told me that I "could be arrested for not having ID." For clarification, I asked if it was a city, state, or national law, and the officers adamantly maintai…
I find it sad that the officer could be a "joke around the precinct" - presumably incompetent and apparently eager to abuse their power - and still be an officer.
In Seattle, 120 strikes and you're out:
http://petapixel.com/2014/02/04/police-officer-threatened-ar...
Re: How I Ended Up In Solitary After Calling 911 For Help
#480Earlier quoted context omitted.
An attitude of fuck the police on the side of the citizens makes the problem worse. Both sides have to meet. Also, like hell morality is immaterial.
No, there is no requirement for both sides to meet. Police serve the citizens. That's how public service goes. Their job is hard. They deal with assholes the likes of which most of us never see, they get shot at and kicked and punched and spat at and sworn at, and still their job is to protect and serve the public without fail. No shortcuts.
Every public servant is a person. Refusing to recognize that isn't pragmatic.