My experiences at Traffic Court this morning

[sneakypete]

Got a speeding ticket a few months ago. Went to court to pay it off about a month later,and after I got there I was told traffic court was cancelled until further notice due to Covid-19.

So,they rescheduled it for today. Since I have trouble walking very far due to bad knees,bad back, and breathing problems,I got there early to find a parking space as close to the door as I can find.

I go inside and discover there are already a bunch of people standing in line to go through the metal detector,so I wait until the line gets a little shorter,and stand in line. After going through it,the local cop on metal detector duty asks me if I have a cell phone. I tell him I do,and he tells me I can't take it inside the courtroom,even if it is turned off.

So,I stumble back out to the truck again to store my cell so the courtroom will be safe,rest for a few minutes,and stumble back inside again,and once again sit on a bench by a wall and wait for the line to get shorter,and when it does,I sail right through to the courtroom.

This is when the real trouble bagan. There are people standing up in lines on both sides of the courtroom,and I am directed to stand at the end of the line on the right side. EVERYBODY standing,despite all those empty courtroom benches.

Then the court sgt,who is standing maybe 30 feet away from me says something to me,but I can't understand him because he's wearing a mask. I ask him "what?" 2 or 3 times,and a woman standing next to me tells me "He wants you to take your hat off.",so I do. I then thank her and say something to her about how stupid it is to make everybody stand in line when they could be seated at the benches,which I am SURE the Court Sgt couldn't hear,but for some reason this pisses him off and he storms down the aisle and orders me to follow him outside into the hall way.

Once outside,he orders me to sit on a bench in the hallway. By this time I am a little pissed and ask him "How long am I supposed to sit out here?"

 He then says "Until I tell you that you can come in." I am an adult male,and this SOB thinks he can treat me like a little kid and make me "stand in a corner" because I couldn't understand what he was saying,and he was too "good" to explain it to me??

So naturally,I told him to "Kiss my big red ass!" and walk out of the building.

I fully expected the SOB to grab me as I was walking away,and I planned to fudge  him up if he did,but he didn't. I might not be able to walk far,run,or tap dance,but if you get within reach I can still put your ass away. If you are close enough to grab me,you are close enough to suffer.

I just called the clerk of court a few minutes ago to reschedule my court appearance,but suspect I am going to have trouble with that tinpot dictating SOB next time,and only hope I have bail money.

Not much use talking to anyone in authority at the courthouse because that buttcrack is there to protect the judge,and the judge isn't going to allow anyone to even question his bodyguard.

All this over a minor speeding ticket.

[240B]

Me too.
Was in court over going 40 in a 35.
Ignored the ticket, they issued a warrant, I actually got arrested at my home for this.
Had to wait for the judge overnight in the general seating area.

When the judge showed up they put handcuffs on me, out of fear of how 'dangerous' I was.
The handcuffs were bright pink. I asked the officer why they chose such an unusual color.
For some reason, this pissed her off and she wanted to make an 'incident' out of it.

So many Cops are so used to abuse by the public that they have developed hair-triggers.
Any real or perceived challenge to their authority, no matter how slight, sets them into a rage.
They are not actually angry at you. They are angry at all the crap that has happened to them before.
You just happen to be available.

Cops really should undergo psych evaluations every three months or so.
Their jobs are so full of stress, a lot of them go off the rails and don't even know it.

[sneakypete]

So many Cops are so used to abuse by the public that they have developed hair-triggers.
Any real or perceived challenge to their authority, no matter how slight, sets them into a rage.
They are not actually angry at you. They are angry at all the crap that has happened to them before.
You just happen to be available.

Cops really should undergo psych evaluations every three months or so.
Their jobs are so full of stress, a lot of them go off the rails and don't even know it.

@240B

You make a lot of good points.

I can only add that this is still a rural area,but I can't think of one single deputy or highway patrolman in the area that is from this area.

I think the "us versus THEM!" attitude is bestowed upon them in cop schools.

[Sled Dog]

Me too.
Was in court over going 40 in a 35.
Ignored the ticket, they issued a warrant, I actually got arrested at my home for this.
Had to wait for the judge overnight in the general seating area.

When the judge showed up they put handcuffs on me, out of fear of how 'dangerous' I was.
The handcuffs were bright pink. I asked the officer why they chose such an unusual color.
For some reason, this pissed her off and she wanted to make an 'incident' out of it.

So many Cops are so used to abuse by the public that they have developed hair-triggers.
Any real or perceived challenge to their authority, no matter how slight, sets them into a rage.
They are not actually angry at you. They are angry at all the crap that has happened to them before.
You just happen to be available.

Cops really should undergo psych evaluations every three months or so.
Their jobs are so full of stress, a lot of them go off the rails and don't even know it.

And the reality is that a lot of them like being bullies and this has always been their "normal".

Especially the losers that get assigned to be guards at the courthouse.    They know nobody can do anything to them...why oh why do you think you, the public, are not allowed to have cell phones?  The only reason is so you can't record what the New Gestapo are doing there.

That cell phone ban should be challenged...in court(?)

[DCPatriot]

And the reality is that a lot of them like being bullies and this has always been their "normal".

Especially the losers that get assigned to be guards at the courthouse.    They know nobody can do anything to them...why oh why do you think you, the public, are not allowed to have cell phones?  The only reason is so you can't record what the New Gestapo are doing there.

That cell phone ban should be challenged...in court(?)

Come on, man.

The microphones in courtrooms are extremely sensitive.  It's why talking/conversing in the gallery a no-no. 

Imagine cellphones going off in the middle of testimonies?

[skeeter]

@240B

You make a lot of good points.

I can only add that this is still a rural area,but I can't think of one single deputy or highway patrolman in the area that is from this area.

I think the "us versus THEM!" attitude is bestowed upon them in cop schools.

Sorry to hear about your experience, Pete.

The last time I was in court (for going 62 in a 55 while commuting home from work) the teenybopper in front of me, with no insurance, several moving violations, bench warrants and fix it tickets was grandfatheringly told by the judge he'd rather have her buy insurance with her money and waived all other violations while all I got from him was 'your fine is $250, pay the clerk of the court.'

&^$ em all.

[Sled Dog]

Come on, man.

The microphones in courtrooms are extremely sensitive.  It's why talking/conversing in the gallery a no-no. 

Imagine cellphones going off in the middle of testimonies?

Oh, there's a difference between not being allowed to possess your own personal property and no being allowed to take or send calls IN THE COURTROOM.

There's no reason, NONE, that a person can't go out into the hall and make a call if they want to.

The cell phone ban has to do with RECORDING, not with calls.

Just like the routine when the fascist pigs try to stop citizens from recording their actions in the streets.  Judges don't want their antics on record.

[Cyber Liberty]

And the reality is that a lot of them like being bullies and this has always been their "normal".

Especially the losers that get assigned to be guards at the courthouse.    They know nobody can do anything to them...why oh why do you think you, the public, are not allowed to have cell phones?  The only reason is so you can't record what the New Gestapo are doing there.

That cell phone ban should be challenged...in court(?)

Detention Officers are the biggest assholes on the planet.  They get off on brutalizing prisoners because they know nobody gives a crap about convicts.  They literally get away with murder.

[bigheadfred]

Detention Officers are the biggest assholes on the planet.  They get off on brutalizing prisoners because they know nobody gives a crap about convicts.  They literally get away with murder.

Who knew?

[Cyber Liberty]

Who knew?

Anybody who's ever been thrown into a "tank," even traffic violators.