Thread started by jericho1ne at 06.6.08 - 2:27 am

Well, in a civilized country, it would probably count as attempted-something-bad, but in LA, we usually let it slide cause police harassment is commonplace.

---

Between 12 or 12:30am on (early) Friday morning - June 6, 2008, three of us were heading back home from CubCamp, through Beverly Hills.

We each had at least one headlight and rear light, and one of us was lacking a functional front light.

We were roughly at Charleville, before it hits Santa Monica, Two BHPD cars were stationed across the street, one SUV and a sedan. The officers seemed to be conversing. Suddenly, the SUV sped up towards us, turned off its lights, then breaks hard within feet of our group. The officer then proceeds to lecture us _as a group_ about one of us not having a headlight.

Dumbfounded, shocked, and maybe a little afraid yet glad we were
unhurt, we continued on our ride home. I was honestly scared for my life when the SUV headed towards us. When a "law enforcement officer" does the opposite of protect you, all I could think is the Rampart Scandal type shit. My life hasn't flashed before my eyes like this, not even on previous scrapes I've had in LA.

Is this the way that BHPD officers handle an incident when, let's say, a car's headlight is out? Do they turn off their lights, floor the gas pedal and head dead for the vehicle in question?

Anyone with law experience please educate us on what we can do other than just file a fucking complaint. Is this just good old intimidation, or can we call it something worse?

reply

I prefer either "asshattery" or "douchebaggery".

But yeah, that's what it was. Glad you guys are aight, at least.



bananaphone
06.6.08 - 5:35 am

reply

you really should go to the station and file a formal complaint.



barleye
06.6.08 - 9:02 am

reply

I want to know if these guys will actually do this to the real criminals.
You know, the meth-addicted, burnt-out brain, psychopaths with an AK-47 that could kill us all.
Everytime I envision going into law enforcement, it's all about taking down the mass-murder/mass extortion types.
But, if there's some department directive that leads to a bonus for stopping certain people for certain things, I don't know if I could partake in that.

A good, recent example of cops getting fired for doing things right could be found right here.....
whistleblower



bentstrider
06.6.08 - 9:41 am

reply

definitiely file a formal complaint!

we should start a file (paper trail) and gather all of the incidents of police activity and try to put together a strategy for how to deal with it.

there is absolutely NO REASON for cyclists to be harrassed.
every single incident should be on the books.

then you will have a stack of examples to turn to if, let's say, the cyclists of L.A. banded together in a class action law suit!

YOWZA!



ingipet
06.6.08 - 9:48 am

reply

DID SOMEBODY SAY "MONEY"?????



eddieboyinla
06.7.08 - 12:43 am

reply

it's like many have said here before. we are breaking the mold of what they are used to having control over. they seem to feel they have control over society via cars. and intimidating people in their cars. it seems that with us they have to act like a corrupt medieval soldier lynch mobbing to scare u or something. we are so harmless that it drives them nuts. we are only harmful to ourselves on a bike really. they don't like what they cannot control.





Eddie GOpez
06.7.08 - 1:14 am

reply