Let’s play a little game, Ok? First, take a moment and picture firefighters. What image do you see? What do you think? How do you feel? Most of you probably saw a tall and vigorous man with a friendly face. Next, some thoughts that you probably had were that firefighters are young, good, gallant, skilled, helpful, friendly, kind, brave and the color red. Some emotions that you may have felt include safe, protected, trust, competent, and calm.
Let’s do that again, but this time, let’s replace firefighters with police officers. What image did you probably see this time? Some of you may have seen a middle-aged, heavyset man with a stern, sad, or mad face, shades and the color blue. A few others may have seen someone self-confident, vigilant, …show more content…
However, the patrolman’s snide remark suggested that this engagement was just beginning. I stepped into my car, started it and began to back out of the parking space. The policeman flashed his lights to stop me. Had the policeman been a traffic warden or a tow truck driver, I would have been allowed to drive away. The reason why I believe is that as long as the parking inspector has not started to write the citation, they permit the driver to leave.
The officer who stopped me did not have time to do anything other than make his comment. The cop asked my six-foot tall, two hundred and fifteen-pound friend, who was returning to the car with our beverages alone if I—at five foot seven, one hundred and forty-five pounds—had kidnapped him. My friend and I sat there for about thirty minutes being asked ridiculous questions.
The story ends with the officer handing me a two-hundred-dollar ticket for parking less than ninety seconds. The citation was for parking in the handicapped spot. In this encounter, the policeman went out of his way to stop me and harass me. Finally, he lied claiming that I parked in a handicapped designated spot. He also violated Florida Statutes. 553.5041 that states, “Only a warning may be issued for illegal parking in a space designated for persons with disabilities if there is no above-grade sign. There were no posted
Let’s do that again, but this time, let’s replace firefighters with police officers. What image did you probably see this time? Some of you may have seen a middle-aged, heavyset man with a stern, sad, or mad face, shades and the color blue. A few others may have seen someone self-confident, vigilant, …show more content…
However, the patrolman’s snide remark suggested that this engagement was just beginning. I stepped into my car, started it and began to back out of the parking space. The policeman flashed his lights to stop me. Had the policeman been a traffic warden or a tow truck driver, I would have been allowed to drive away. The reason why I believe is that as long as the parking inspector has not started to write the citation, they permit the driver to leave.
The officer who stopped me did not have time to do anything other than make his comment. The cop asked my six-foot tall, two hundred and fifteen-pound friend, who was returning to the car with our beverages alone if I—at five foot seven, one hundred and forty-five pounds—had kidnapped him. My friend and I sat there for about thirty minutes being asked ridiculous questions.
The story ends with the officer handing me a two-hundred-dollar ticket for parking less than ninety seconds. The citation was for parking in the handicapped spot. In this encounter, the policeman went out of his way to stop me and harass me. Finally, he lied claiming that I parked in a handicapped designated spot. He also violated Florida Statutes. 553.5041 that states, “Only a warning may be issued for illegal parking in a space designated for persons with disabilities if there is no above-grade sign. There were no posted