What is your reflex feeling when you look in your rear view mirror and see that you’re being pulled over?
Is there a difference in your emotional reaction depending on your guilt, or are you immediately nervous, even if you genuinely have no idea why you’re being pulled over?
I’m contemplating the contrast between the idea of To Protect and to Serve and the inevitable fear & nervousness so many feel in the presence of cops, even when they’re innocent.
I imagine that if I genuinely felt protected and served by them, life would be more comfortable.
I still get nervous. Even though I remind and reassure myself I don't have any weed in the car, and haven't in a looonngg time, it's a knee-jerk reaction.
Yo... this is something I've always been afraid to talk to people about. I'm HORRIFIED of being pulled over. It's only happened once, but I'm such a nervous wreck that I avoid driving certain places if there's heavy police presence.
@AMGT A VERY negative one, and my own fault.
Most of the cops I've met have been real assholes. I know that doesn't mean all of them, or even a majority of them aren't good people, but it causes me to have a distrust of them. I can't help it, I am just very distrustful of them. I have only gotten pulled over a couple of times, but it's a scary feeling.
I have never had a bad experience with the police. I haven't had a ticket in decades, but was pulled over a couple of years ago for a traffic violation and only given a warning. Of course, I have and show respect for police officers. I realize they have a difficult job and mostly deal with law-breakers, so I try to not fit into that category when dealing with them.
Due to a horrible woman claiming false allegations against me I have a criminal record. This event pushed me to learn about this system and many of its issues.
I no longer fear those lights. Bring it on thugs with badges!! I've done nothing wrong so have little to fear. In part because I'm a white male, for one, but also because I now know how to stand up for myself. And I am not pleased!
I have, and will again, pursue a suit against any and all who try to harm me. I wish others could do the same. Empowerment is never a bad thing!
We all have been there, for one reason or another. My thought process always is based on the fact of regardless how I got to that point, the officer is the one with the gun (I don't have one). Golden rule for me "Never argue with a person that has gun". Secondly, always pull over and immediately put my hands where they can see them (top of steering wheel is fine)...why???... I usually put myself in their shoes and I understand they could be "jumpy" (specially now a days). I don't need to be the one setting things on fire because I am not going to win. Next step down my logic...like it or not, when the police request whatever, they are not asking for my approval, it is an order. Of course I have been pulled over and I have never had any problem, other than the big fat well deserved ticket. Yes, that's no fun but at times a wake up call is worth the money and inconvenience involved.
i don't drive!
if i drove, and if i were a person of color, i'd be terrified, and it would have nothing to do with a feeling of guilt.
if i drove and i was me as i am, i would probably be a bit nervous, but not terrified. if i knew i'd done something wrong, i would readily admit that. if i did not know what i had done wrong, i'd ask. if i knew that i had not done what i was told i'd done, i'd say so, and probably accept the ticket and then fight it in court. all of that is white privilege. i can't help my skin color but it sucks that people of color cannot be confident enough that they would survive such an encounter as i have described. it is not that i would prefer not to be treated reasonably. it is that i would prefer that EVERYONE be treated reasonably. being treated reasonably shouldn't BE a privilege. it should be a right.
g