It's a power complex.
Nowadays, anyone who "knows the law" can get all high and mighty above most other people.
Everyone thinks the courtroom or filing a complaint to screw someone else is fashionable because that's the sort of crap they see on TV.

Originally Posted by the_13th_redneck

It's a power complex.
Nowadays, anyone who "knows the law" can get all high and mighty above most other people.
Everyone thinks the courtroom or filing a complaint to screw someone else is fashionable because that's the sort of crap they see on TV.

I understand that, what I don't understand why they bother.
I tend to get up in the morning and do my days work with as little involvement in other peoples lives as possible I don't have the time, interest or inclination to spend my day measuring the length of a lunch break, who is parked where or what law someone can possibly be breaking there are just better things I can be doing to improve my lot.

Originally Posted by MontyB

Well this is a first but I really can't choose a side in this discussion, I can understand why he did it and people that have so little in their lives that they felt a need to report this guy really piss me off but on the other hand I have no doubt that if it was me or anyone else here that had done this we would have been given the fine and told off for breaking the law.

Which is why it was a bad judgement call on the officers part to park there even if he could by policy and law (Don't know what Portland PD's policy is or their law. But here I could park a marked or properly placarded unit in that space legally.) It's still a whole lot of bad PR and can end up being a pain in the rear.

You might have been ticketed. But generally not by a beat cop. Generally that's handled by nonsworn Meter Maids...... errr I mean, Tire Chalkers....oops. I mean Paper Hangers....... darn it. I mean Parking Enforcement Officers. They are a solar system all to themselves.

I actually had a PEO inform me once that he was ticketing my marked unit because it was in a Police Vehicle Only spot and My car was a Sheriffs Car. Funny thing is the sign said by Order of The ___________ County Sheriffs Office. And was outside of the Sheriffs Main Complex.

I told him he could scratch me out a ticket.....................................but then I'd have his golf cart towed to the City Chief of Police (his boss) front yard and he could explain to him why he didn't think Sheriff's Deputies were the Poo-leece.

Originally Posted by the_13th_redneck

I don't understand why they'd lower the bar. The last thing we need is a surplus of lawyers.

First of all this was back in the late 60's before there was a excess of lawyers. Secondly I am not blaming the ABA per se, they have no way of telling the good from the bad. What I am saying was people saw how much lawyers could make/the powers they had and that very smart but less-than-honest people started taking up the profession.