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  #16  
Old 02-04-2006, 04:43 PM
rg2098's Avatar
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He didn't ask for registration or anything. Somewhat strange I must say.

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  #17  
Old 02-04-2006, 04:52 PM
Brandon314159
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian Carlton
.........that town??
Yeah it gets better than that...

...I emailed the fire department people becuase one of their ambulences (which I was behind on a long road...maintaining distance) had a operator that decided they were going to jump out as soon as they stopped at this accident they were responding to (I was out for a test drive). They stopped me as I was trying to get around them (they were dealing with stuff off the road and I was basically a sitting duck for anyone coming around this blind corner to smash into. Anyway the thing that bothered me the most was that they stopped me in the ONCOMING TRAFFIC lane...on a blind corner...on a road rated for 45MPH which is often traveled at about 55-65 at night.

He came up to my car, I was already freakign out becuase I was watching the road in front of me and the lack of flaggers/flares causing someone to rally around that corner and either smash into an ambulence, or a mercedes (no shoulders). The first things out of his mouth "do you realize you are in violation of the law. Not yeilding to a emergency vehicle is a serious violation" It continued from there and I just played dumb. I figured he wouldn't want to hear that he just cited the WRONG ORS law. Technically the law he was citing has to do with pulling over when they are behind you, the actual law he "should" have cited was that I was not maintiaining a 500ft following distance behind an emergency vehicle. I just sorta agreed and drove off becuase I was not in the mood to sit there and have a 30min argument with a volunteer fire fighter that didn't have common sense enough to not stop a car in oncoming traffic.

Anyway I emailed up the fire department expressing my concern (very politely) for both MY safety and the safety of their volunteers (who were wearing their black turnouts on a country road in the middle of the night). I gave an accurate account of my following distance (both visibility and by counting stripes on the road) and simply asked that they perhaps talk with the volunteers about their conduct of shutting down a major country road with two cars, no flares, no warning signals, with a civilian vehicle and a emergency vehicle.

It changed hands a few times and I ended up getting an email back from the main guy there. He simply wanted to talk on the phone about it however I had just come down with some nasty throat crap that took away my voice to the point that I could not talk to people. Even in wispers...

Anyway so eventually I get a call from my guy that runs our search and rescue team (Depty Ron Welborne) and he asks what is up and why does this guy want to talk to you? I explain it all and he was super chill about it. He realized the problem and we laughed at the stupidity of the Newberg FD.

I emailed back the main guy at the FD and told him about the throat, and that I usually have class/worok during their normal hours and my main concern was just that they figure out what is up.

Now the interesting part...at our Search and Rescue christmas party, one of the guys comes up to me and says "so I hear you hate fire fighters". It caught me off gaurd. He explained that he was talking about the situation with the ambulence that had happened 3 towns away from where he lives.

Apparently the FD cheif took it upon himself to ask people in our search and rescue team (the ones he apparently knew well) what sort of "kid" I was. Asked him, apparnetly, if I was a trouble maker and this and that. The guy from SAR put in a good word for me mentioning that I am a little "outlaw" when it comes to biodiesel and cheap fuel but other than that pretty standup.

Completely shocked, I thanked him for the good word and went home...pissed.

It REALLY upsets me that the fire department will go out of their way to check out the reputability of the person sending them information about their guys doing seriously unsafe stuff on the highway...especially when I had mentioned that I was a volunteer with the Sheriffs office as well. This seems pretty shadey and just furthur disgusts me every time I see the few people in question flying around the town "saving lives."

And yes I have friends in the fire department...but apparently they are the only stand up characters in the group. Next time I am just going to talk to the Fire Marshall (used to be my neighbor when I was growing up) and talk to him about any issues I have. These jokers at the station upset me and seriously make me loose confidence in our local fire department. I live 3 blocks from the fire station and I bet if my house was on fire I would burn to death before they FOUND my house.

...and I am not joking...
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  #18  
Old 02-04-2006, 04:52 PM
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pawoSD,

I had a good buddy, who was an engineer, married with a baby son, young out of college, was on the G.I. Bill, was a War Veteran, here in Ann Arbor. He drove a hump backed Volvo, and he was getting the cops following him home at night with the lights-off. He got to his street and floored the Volvo, in first gear. His house was mid-block and he stomped on the brakes, came to a full stop and had his turn signal-on. The Cop hit him in the rear and smashed up the Volvo, pretty good, the Police Car worse! The police asked why he stopped in the middle of the block? He said "I live here!"

The STINK, that ensued was legend, as the Cops were at fault and wrong in their actions, it was established in Court. The City of Ann Arbor, also had to repair the Volvo, and repaint it twice, because it wasn't right. Sometimes things happen to those who need it...

Last edited by pastmaster; 02-04-2006 at 04:59 PM.
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  #19  
Old 02-04-2006, 04:54 PM
Brandon314159
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pastmaster
The STINK, that ensued was legend, as the Cops were at fault and wrong in their actions, it was established in Court. They also had to repair the Volvo, and repaint it twice, because it wasn't right. Sometimes things happen to those who need it...
AWESOME!
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  #20  
Old 02-04-2006, 05:12 PM
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Location: Blue Point, NY
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Sometime you eat the bear:

Quote:
Originally Posted by pastmaster
The STINK, that ensued was legend, as the Cops were at fault and wrong in their actions, it was established in Court. The City of Ann Arbor, also had to repair the Volvo, and repaint it twice, because it wasn't right. Sometimes things happen to those who need it...

Usually, the bear eats you:



Quote:
Originally Posted by Brandon314159

Now the interesting part...at our Search and Rescue christmas party, one of the guys comes up to me and says "so I hear you hate fire fighters".....................Apparently the FD chief took it upon himself to ask people in our search and rescue team (the ones he apparently knew well) what sort of "kid" I was. Asked him, apparnetly, if I was a trouble maker and this and that.
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  #21  
Old 02-04-2006, 11:41 PM
t walgamuth's Avatar
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i am no cop or firefighter hater

they do a dangerous job and i appreciate it very much.

but there is sometimes a mentality of "close the ranks and stand up for each other" that defies logic. and some have a kind of authority complex that i dont really know how to describe except to say it can be a little dangerous.

yeah, sometimes misguided folks do dumb things and probably it would be more likely from volunteer fire fighters because of (i assume but dont really know) less training. and in those cases the best thing is probably to do what you did in the first place, not argue and drive away muttering to yourself and then let it go.

but most cops and firefighters are very good in my experience.

tom w
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  #22  
Old 02-04-2006, 11:49 PM
Brandon314159
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Quote:
Originally Posted by t walgamuth
but most cops and firefighters are very good in my experience.

tom w
Hehe if you ever visit Newberg, maybe you'll get a taste of the "ew" that is our local emergency services

I've found other fire departments in the county are good...but for some reason this town is just not up to par...heh....and they are cocky about being so better than the rest of the county

I do similar volunteer work with Search and Rescue...what we are doing is not safe and usually we are not the ones playing with the fire...we are the ones out searching for the lost people or the unfortunate leftovers of someone that didn't get found soon enough.

I would say that over half of our searches/rescues end up with deceased finds/recoveries. Its not fun work, its very random hours, but its nice to get the feeling of a job well done...positive find or not.

Unfortunately I don't see the same true pride is a lot of the younger firefighters in this town heh....
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  #23  
Old 02-05-2006, 12:02 AM
t walgamuth's Avatar
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it really

doesnt seem like the kind of work that cockyness would be a good thing to have, does it?

confidence is fine but best worn quietly.

tom w
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..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.
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  #24  
Old 02-07-2006, 01:28 AM
ForcedInduction
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I got pulled over tonight. I had my fog lights on and he thought I was driving with my high beams. No ticket, no warning, just a check-for-bad-things pull over.
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  #25  
Old 02-07-2006, 01:30 AM
Brandon314159
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ForcedInduction
I got pulled over tonight. I had my fog lights on and he thought I was driving with my high beams. No ticket, no warning, just a check-for-bad-things pull over.
Wish they would do that sort of thing around here...so many people running poorly adjusted headlamps, severly overpowered lamps in aftermarket housings, or just crap lights mounted poorly...its very dangerous to be dealing with one of these idiots on the road at night...

...I do my part...I have installed sharp true Eurospec headlamps with regular 55w low beams. Cuts down the spillover light rather nicely
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  #26  
Old 02-07-2006, 01:49 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pastmaster
.... he stomped on the brakes, came to a full stop and had his turn signal-on. The Cop hit him in the rear and smashed up the Volvo, pretty good, ...
I have cured three people, one a policeman (at the time, anyway) of tailgating by shifting into second gear (on a three-speed tranny). No brake lights!
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  #27  
Old 02-07-2006, 11:01 AM
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I run with my fogs sometimes at night. It helps cut down on glare on the road especially when wet. Kind of like the amber sun glasses. At least this is my opinion.
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  #28  
Old 02-07-2006, 01:18 PM
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The first things out of his mouth "do you realize you are in violation of the law. Not yeilding to a emergency vehicle is a serious violation"



so there i was, 27, driving in my open windowed vega gt, in the 2nd of 4 lanes in downtown chgo where traffic merges on left and exits right. just before that stretch here comes chgo's finest with his turn signal on with some folks in the back seat. he keeps moving over and i move over and finally he is coming into my last lane and i toot the horn. beep. he looks over scowling. he lets me by en thhits the lights and the discourse goes like this....

'what do you think you are doing?
driving on the expressway going to a wedding, why?
don't you know what kind of vehicle this is?
yes sir it is a police car and it appears you have some folks in the back.
well it is an emerbency vehicle and you are supposed to yield.
what makes it an emergency vehicle?
i am coming from an accident scene taking these people to a hospital.
i thought an emergency vehicle had flashing lights.
i used my turn signal
....and almost ran me off the road!! if this is an emergency why do you have time to stop me and go thru this bs? you are being stupid.

well he walks around the car and discovers no city sticker even thoug my license says chicago as residence. he tickets me for it and 'failure to yield' and no sticker. 2 for one not bad. i thank him and let him know i will see him in court.

court day comes and we expiain to the judge. the judge listens and looks at the cop and says .....why did you bother to bring this case in here? this young man is correct. you did not display emergency vehicle lights and if it was an emergency you should not have stopped him.
the cop swallows hard, well your honor, what about the abusive language?
the judge looks at me then him. you deserved it! he was on his way to a wedding and you to the hospital. this is a stupid ticket and a waste of court time.
the judge looks at me again. did you get the vehicle sticker?
yes sir. i have the receipt right here.

the judge speaks, do you have anything to ask or say to the officer?
no sir.
okay court costs because of the sticker, 25$, pay outside.
thank you sir.



ahhhhhhhhhhhhh to be right once. priceless.
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  #29  
Old 02-07-2006, 05:11 PM
Brandon314159
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Around here...the judge would have said "Oh...you are Brandon Mathis...12 year prison sentence for driving after dark and causing our police department to fear that you are up to no good...no parole"

And trust me...I am not joking.
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  #30  
Old 02-07-2006, 11:14 PM
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and the chicago

judge is the type that appears in the movies.

real life is usually more like what brandon said.

i would have let him in in the first place without a thought.

he obviously was a jerk though, but i dont know, maybe that is required in chicago. a pretty tough beat i would think.

tom w

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..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.
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