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Yesterday I made a lane change and then had to slam on the breaks because the entire lane of cars just stopped. Several cars almost hit eachother, including the car in front of me who had to swerve onto the median a little to avoid the car in front of them. No harm no foul.
So this morning my doorbell rings and its a Meck Police Officer asking me if I was in this car on that road at a certain time and if I almost got into an accident. I said yes. So the officer then tells me that he was the car in front of me (civilian car, not a police car). He then went on to lecture me about aggressive driving and that he could give me a citation but decided not to.
Is this legal? Can an off-duty cop write down my license plate, go to work the next day, look me up, and then, while on-duty, drive to my home to harrass me?
I was so angry I wanted to blow my top, but I wanted a ticket less, so I clammed up, said thanks and have a nice day. I have been fuming ever since because I am NOT one to keep my thoughts to myself, I wanted to tell him to get the f**k off my property and get back to patrolling the neighborhood and actually doing police work.
Yesterday I made a lane change and then had to slam on the breaks because the entire lane of cars just stopped. Several cars almost hit eachother, including the car in front of me who had to swerve onto the median a little to avoid the car in front of them. No harm no foul.
So this morning my doorbell rings and its a Meck Police Officer asking me if I was in this car on that road at a certain time and if I almost got into an accident. I said yes. So the officer then tells me that he was the car in front of me (civilian car, not a police car). He then went on to lecture me about aggressive driving and that he could give me a citation but decided not to.
Is this legal? Can an off-duty cop write down my license plate, go to work the next day, look me up, and then, while on-duty, drive to my home to harrass me?
I was so angry I wanted to blow my top, but I wanted a ticket less, so I clammed up, said thanks and have a nice day. I have been fuming ever since because I am NOT one to keep my thoughts to myself, I wanted to tell him to get the f**k off my property and get back to patrolling the neighborhood and actually doing police work.
Thoughts?
If you would have spoken your mind.YOU WOULD have quickly found out if he could still charge you..To answer your question.Yes. Lets be careful out there
Eh sounds like power tripping to me too. If he was the car in front and driving there's no way in my mind he can know exactly what was happening behind him, especially if he had to stop hard suddenly...which might have been a brake check the more I think about it but you did say it was an entire lane of cars so probably not.
He probably could write a ticket, but if you took him to court to argue it, I'd imagine he'd have more explaining to do than anything. At the same time, he could just sit on your road till you back up out of a driveway and hit you with a list of legit citations too.
I think you played it right just being polite and sending him on his way but certainly don't blame you for being angry.
I am totally servile and sniveling in the presence of law enforcement. I would have been ingratiating and resorted to boot-licking in about a nano-second of finding out why he was at my door. I have lived long enough to know that there is nothing to be gained by acting otherwise, especially if I suspect I am dealing with a power-tripper.
Don't feel bad about your shuffle and jive act. It was the wise thing to do.
Ani's Life Survival Rule # 23: If something negative must be discussed with law enforcement, hire an attorney to do it.
My thought is this... It may be worth following the chain of command and talking to whomever he answers to. Having it documented out there that he felt the need to come hunt you down might prevent any future harassment. Then again it might provoke it. Good Luck...
Similar experience here many years back. I pulled out of my old neighborhood off Carmel Rd. right by a private school. Literally just pulled out of the neighborhood. The school always had deputies directing traffic and this guy points at me to stop. I almost didn't as I thought he was making a "hey I like your car" gesture at me. When stopped in the middle of school traffic he says I was speeding and being wreckless. After being completely thrown off guard as I literally had traveled about 200 ft out of the neighborhood he starts to yell at me. I just drove off and while looking into the rear view I could see the deputy spitting something into his radio. He called my home about a day later stating he was going to come over and arrest me if I didn't meet him to speak. I then called an attorney I knew that was well versed in traffic court and he told me that technically he could do whatever he wanted and I would have to deal with court, etc..
I called the deputy back, arranged a place to meet him, took a witness, and listened to him talk about absolutely nothing for all of 5 minutes.
Put a really bad taste in my mouth for a long time especially since I was going about 5 mph under the speed limit if anything. I was a young man driving a sports car and completely within the legal limits. Pissed me off but after a while it meant nothing for there to be ONE bad apple out of the many officers that go above and beyond their duties for us.
Yesterday I made a lane change and then had to slam on the breaks because the entire lane of cars just stopped. Several cars almost hit eachother, including the car in front of me who had to swerve onto the median a little to avoid the car in front of them. No harm no foul.
So this morning my doorbell rings and its a Meck Police Officer asking me if I was in this car on that road at a certain time and if I almost got into an accident. I said yes. So the officer then tells me that he was the car in front of me (civilian car, not a police car). He then went on to lecture me about aggressive driving and that he could give me a citation but decided not to.
Is this legal? Can an off-duty cop write down my license plate, go to work the next day, look me up, and then, while on-duty, drive to my home to harrass me?
I was so angry I wanted to blow my top, but I wanted a ticket less, so I clammed up, said thanks and have a nice day. I have been fuming ever since because I am NOT one to keep my thoughts to myself, I wanted to tell him to get the f**k off my property and get back to patrolling the neighborhood and actually doing police work.
Thoughts?
Good cops dont abuse their power like this-ever. An officer of the law is ALWAYS an officer of the law- on duty or off, and is expected to act to prevent/ stop crime in any circumstance. This is different. Congrats on having the intestinal fortitude to bite your tongue, and take solace in the fact that the guy is probably trying to compensate for a "short coming"- if ya know what I mean!
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