Do You Have the Right to Flip Off a Cop? (Yes You Do!)

reply to post by abecedarian


That is not true. It is the job of the federal government to make sure the states do not infringe on the basic rights. That is the purpose for listing them to begin with.

They are not a list of things the government can't do, it's a list of things the government is supposed to protect. The general welfare clause in Article 1, Section 8 is the part of the constitution which gives them the power to do so, as required by the 10th amendment.

reply to post by tothetenthpower


I'm not saying it's right, I'm just saying that's how it works. I'll bet your brother went through a bit of unneeded things having to deal with the situation.

Just saying sometimes you gotta pick your battles. In the end, I totally agree it's legal to flip off a cop, but is it really worth doing it? Probably not.

Originally posted by Chadwickus
reply to post by tothetenthpower

 

The quoted article above mentions an incident in Pittsburgh then cites a case from Los Angeles, surely state laws are different and can't be used as a defence can they?

I'm thinking that some states you can flip off a cop (why anyone would want to escapes me) and others you can't.

It's a US Supreme Court case interpreting the Constitution's 1st amendment right to Freedom of Speech. Therefore, it supersedes state law.

Originally posted by tothetenthpower
reply to post by LiveForever8

 

Nah I'm CIA not police, so I can't arrest you for that.

Oops..I must be in trouble now

.

~Keeper

Knock, Knock.

reply to post by tothetenthpower


do the cops have the right to shoot and kill you?
yes they do!!!

so long as they can prove it was justified, not that it changes the fact you are still dead.

just a thought.

While you may or may not have the legal right to do so, flipping off a police officer is not going to help your situation in any way.

You can get a ticket for going 1 mph over the speed limit.

You can get a ticket for drifting in your lane without over crossing into the other lane in any way.

While the US Supreme Court may over turn your guilty verdict for flipping off a cop, that costs allot of money to take it that far. Not to mention your time that you invest.

Is it really worth it?

If your polite and cooperative, that helps. Your lights aren't burnt out and your plates are attached correctly, that helps. You have a valid drivers license, don't have warrants, your tags are in order,and you have proof of insurance, that helps.

At this point, you can politely ASK for a warning citation. If you have a problem with a police officer, you have a better chance of winning in court then you do on the side of the road.

Common sense and a level head can go a long way sometimes.

If a cop is acting like a moron and you are acting like a morn, it greatly increases the chances of the end result not being good.

Have I tried this tactic?
Yes.

Has it got me out of a ticket?
Yes, about 50% of them. Including speeding tickets.

Do we have any police officers watching this thread that can provide some input?

I have a friend who is a police officer. He received a call about a bank robbery. Suspect demonstrated a gun and somebody got a description of the getaway car.

My friend spots the car and lights it up.

The bank robber pulls over. Okay, he is going to prison for bank robbery. But he gets to live, right?

Wrong.

The bank robber jumped out of his car with gun in hand. The bank robber was shot, slumping back into his car to die. My friend's, the police officer, dash-cam show exactly that however, that is not available on the internet.

SLPD kill bank robber

2 videos back to back about same bank robber

While this is an extreme example, it does demonstrate that if you fight the police, nothing good will come of it.

(The facts vary slightly from article to article but they get fairly close to the truth. Here is another link to the same bank robber if your interested. I was also stuck in the traffic jam.)

Same story, different website

[edit on 9/18/2009 by Genfinity]

Since we are talking about cops, may I suggest you watch this video about why you should NEVER talk to the cops.

www.youtube.com...

There are two parts.

One with the lawyer and one with a cop.

As the cops says, "You can't beat me."

I honestly don't understand why people have so many issues with authority.

I know that someday I might need them, so why don't I have some respect for them all the time, just in case?

And about the case in quotation, it just shows how people can be stupid with cops, and the reasons why I understand why some cops just don't have patience.

Why couldn't the guy just wait for the other guy to pass him, or something like that? Why the attitude?

And honestly, you guys (american citizens) need to learn about your police, and actually feel lucky.

Your police has nice cars, all equiped, and all police officers have their training and all that stuff... In dangerous situations they have the power to stop it and they aren't hurt for doing their job.

Thats not the case in my country, for example.

A few months back, 2 guys were stealling stuff out of some construction yard. They were in a van, without rear windows.

The police officer gave them a warning to witch they didn't reply... The van speeded up and tried to run over the officer. He rolled over and he tried to shot the tires of the van...

The problem was, that one of the suspects was a father, and had actually taken his child (around 10 years old) to the robbery. The kid was on the back of the van (impossible to detect) and didn't had much luck...

One of the bullets that the officer shot hited the rim of the wheel, and bounced into the rear of the truck...hiting the kid.

The child died a couple of hours later in the hospital.

The problem is, in USA, the police couldn't possibly know that a parent could be that irresponsible, and the use of force was justified.

Here...it seems that the criminals are more important than cops, so the cop that shot the tires of the van, is now in jail, with his life ruined because he did his job, and the people who were commiting a crime, and let the child die are free. Spent two days in the jail and got out.

This is just an example.

I would rather have a police like in the US and feel safer, knowing that a criminal is stopped when the police sees him, that the joke that we have here. The problems aren't the cops. I know some, and they do the job as far as they have to... The problem is the law and their power.

I honestly don't see why in the US every little fart a cop makes is news. I would rather have a police that sometimes abuses its power, but keeps me safe, than a police that doesn't have power and I have to run the streets thinkind when my car is going to be stolen.

[double post, sorry]

[edit on 18/9/09 by Tifozi]

reply to post by tothetenthpower


I would hope that people wouldn't need ridiculous laws such as these, but instead would have better civil judgement and not use such foulness in public. It really bugs me to walk through town and pass by some otherwise good looking people and have them cussing like sailors and being rude. Who wants to hear that? Who wants their children to see that?

Should these expressions be constitutionally protected? Maybe. But so should a persons right not to be subjected to such assaults and that is exactly what this kind of behavior is. It is an assault, either indirectly or directly.

Of course you have the right,But don't cry when they beat,or taser your ass.

[edit on 18-9-2009 by greydaze]

Originally posted by tothetenthpower
However, you can say. I think you are a pig. That's a thought, which you can't be prosecuted on a thought. They can't fine you for "thinking" something now can they?

Yet. Wait for it.


I agree, that we ought to be able to freely express ourselves to LEOs. After all, we pay their salaries. However, that doesn't give us license to be rude or disrespectful just because we can. And, at some point, it may very well become disorderly conduct. We've all seen at least one episode of cops...

Truth be told, this country is seriously lacking in civility and decorum. From Kanye West to Joe Wilson, people somehow feel emboldened by our culture to do and say anything without fear of social repercussion.

Free speech is a double-edged sword that people occasionally impale themselves upon.

[edit on 18/9/2009 by kosmicjack]

I remember a professor of mine telling my class that you can legally state your opinion about that cop to his/her face without fault. ie: I think you are a **** bag. Totally acceptable. Your allowed to give your opinion.

[edit on 18-9-2009 by Odessy]

Wow... I am now official amazed by some posters on here. The "right" to do it and yet you hate attention from the police? Why not cover yourself in honey and run around a massive beehive. You have the right to do that. How about sticking your arm into snake holes? You have the right to do that. What do you get out of acting on your "right"? Attention and usually more off it then you want. So you can do this but don't be upset when you get some attention and it isn't what you were looking for.

Cool so now every time a cop gives me a ticket or pulls me over the first thing I'll do is give him the bird. I'll let you know how that turns out for me. =D

You can say whatever the hell you want to a cop. You just can't touch them like try to fight them or whatever lol.

[edit on 18-9-2009 by jeasahtheseer]

Last time I gave a cop the finger I was arressted for inciting a riot.

2.

reply to post by tothetenthpower


This happened to me in Massachusetts a few years back. I was backing out of a space and some one came in the lot. As I was almost out of the space, I kept going and she laid on her horn. I gave her the finger, and it turned out to be an unmarked car...she pulled me over and was a real biznitch about it. She did not cite me though, because she could not...but still...she was a loser.

Swearing, profanity, abusive language, vulgarity,offensive. ok lets not say swear words because they are against the law???
What is a swear word? if its offensive then the book publishers have contributed to spreading swear words by not only putting them into print but also giving younger people very poor education. the book publishers are under liscence ,so have they broken the law and should they be fined?
The government body,they are irresponsible for not prosecuting them ,so are they just as bad for not enforcing a law?
maybe a swear word is not a word and so should not be in the dictionary, if its not, a swear word is not a word, then its not offensive so no law has been broken ,what is the answer.
We hear words that we don,t like, so obviously we know the meaning , so by knowing the words and not using them.
Actions or gestures, Sir Winston Churchill would seperate his first and second fingers and with his thumb would hold down the other two fingers,meaning victory and not only was it acceptable but its use was promoted, the same signal with your hand facing yourself is classed as extremely insulting, so is it , a rule for one and not another?
I agree, that which offends is bad but surely all of the public should be taught that saying XYW swear words is offensive BUT to say that to others IS offending them , SO WHAT IS THE ANSWER?
The government MAKE the laws ,so if they expect, the people to obey ,those in authority should make the situation more obvious to all.

Hmm.. my brother flipped off a cop a few years ago and spent a bitter, cold night locked up in the county jail.

I wonder how legal it was then.. haha.. (poor brother! )

- Mea