[syntheticgerbil]

I don't think I've given any thank-yous. I did ask one to help me because it was my first time downtown ever and I was lost and in being lost I was confused in the construction area I ended up in, not knowing I ran a red light.

Didn't prevent a ticket at all, but he did help me get home.

I did go to court and plead guilty.

[pinkgothic]

Pride? Functually worthless? I disagree. It has a lot of functual worth, but it tends to be a longterm investment. If you have no pride, you won't defend your views because you don't consider them worth it, hence you have no backbone, hence you will quickly turn into a push-over. Okay, exaggeration here, but maybe I can get my point across.

There are numerous occasions where pride is counterproductive, though (as with almost every emotion), and regarding the one addressed here, that's a definite match. So I'm assuming perhaps you were referring to that, in which case, I wholeheartedly agree.

Honestly said I fret a lot, inwardly, over cops who hide behind their status - some seem to think because they wear a badge they can approach you with any amount of rudeness they see fit. Of course this is the minority (at least, around here it seems to be, I can't vouch for elsewhere). But if I see one of those, and I have, once in my life, it takes a lot of my concentration not to snap right back at them.

Anyway, I don't think I'd ever dish out a thank you, except to an exceptionally kind and explanative type of cop. Then even the worst fine, if it's given to me, becomes something I will look past and at the personality of the person who has obviously tried to put a genuine effort into convincing me it is neccessary. That sort of thing.

So... nope But then, I don't commonly get pulled over, for the simple reason that I don't drive. So this is all theoretical at best.

[Sage]

Ah, the "Barney Fife/John Wayne" syndrome rears it's ugly head. A lot of young cops, fresh out of the academy, feel it is their job to save the world from itself. The see themselves as tough, benevolent John Wayne, but most just wind up coming off more like strident and reactionary Barney Fife. As cops become more seasoned and experienced, they usually get over this syndrome.
If you want to experience real humiliation, just wait until a cop who is noticably younger than you writes you a ticket. I got one from a cop who still had acne, who couldn't have needed a shave more than once a week, and whose voice actually cracked when he said "Sir, can I see your license?". I felt like saying "Not until I see yours, kiddo!", but I restrained myself.

ScottMate

[lakerz]

I got pulled over about a month ago for speeding. I was a bit upset because I just sped up to facilitate merging onto a new freeway from the right lane to the left. Anyways, the cop had a bit of an attitude right off the bat which I hate. Interesting side note, it was a motorcycle cop. Am I the only one who thinks they are always more aggressive? Asking me things like, "Why are you in a hurry?" and "What's so important that you have to speed to get there?" Basically trying to goad me into talking back. I totally bit my tongue so as to not make things worse for me. Just signed and accepted the ticket, gave a fake smile. Then started my car up, and wide opened throttled my way back onto the freeway, hopefully spraying a pebble or three onto him.

But in general I respect policemen a great deal. I believe the majority of them do a great public service, so I always try to go out of my way and treat them nicely and with respect. There's always a few bad apples in any group.