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wnylib

(26,575 posts)
26. It happened back then, too. It happened to me
Sat May 30, 2026, 04:30 PM
9 hrs ago

way back in the mid 1980s. It was in the summer. A tavern about 7 blocks from my home was having a contest of local bands. I drove alone to meet some friends there. I drove an old Plymouth Fury.

I arrived early, around 5 pm, had a cheeseburger and fries and a vodka and tonic with my meal. I did not have another alcohol drink the rest of the night. Switched to only coke bc I would be driving myself home I was there for the music and my friends, not for the drinks.

Thee bands stopped playing around midnight. I stayed to talk with a friend who sang in one of the bands. I left around 1 am. When I turned the corner at the end of the block, a police car stopped me. There were two male cops. One asked, "Do you know that you ran up over the curb when you turned the corner?" I knew that I had not. My low hanging Fury would have had muffler or tail pipe damage if I had.

But I was alone. NO witnesses. I said that I had no knowledge of going over the curb and would have heard and felt the scrape.

The other cop said that I did not know about the curb because I was intoxicated. He said that my car reeked of beer. I said that nobody else was in my car and I do not drink beer because I am allergic to it. He and his partner were clearly trying to fake a DUI case.

He got angry and asked if I was claiming to spend an evening in a tavern without drinking. I said that I had one vodka drink at 5 pm. With a meal, then drank coke. He ordered me out of the car for a sobriety test. Heel to toe for 10 paces. Touch my fingertip to my nose. I aced it. I requested a breathalyzer test bc I knew I would pass it. He ordered me to do the heel to toe again, then touch my toes, etc., etc. No breathalyzer.

Finally his partner said to let it go. He said he would let me off with a warning but would ticket me next time. They followed me to my home and watched me go inside, then drove away.

I am a White female. If I were a POC, I am sure it would have been worse. It was scary enough being alone with 2 lying cops and no witnesses.

Recommendations

6 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Little piggies. Dawson Leery 12 hrs ago #1
I was thinking about this song the other day ... Intractable 11 hrs ago #8
It's getting harder to find good cops. gulliver 11 hrs ago #2
For cops, we need to raise the bar. Shipwack 11 hrs ago #4
European countries train cops for far longer than the US does... Wounded Bear 11 hrs ago #5
Also raise the bar on how citizens judge cops gulliver 11 hrs ago #9
Better qualifications, better training and better pay. paleotn 11 hrs ago #10
You are exactly right Buckeyeblue 11 hrs ago #11
The crux of it relogic 10 hrs ago #15
A Lot of Departments Prefer Hiring Vets lavoosh99 6 hrs ago #38
Problem is not just them Jilly_in_VA 7 hrs ago #31
Pay them more, and you will get better people... Gymbo 5 hrs ago #43
ACAB. nt Shipwack 11 hrs ago #3
totally agree gopiscrap 11 hrs ago #6
And you're quite wrong. paleotn 10 hrs ago #14
The only "all" I know are death and taxes. paleotn 10 hrs ago #13
The blue wall of silence makes every cop a criminal. spike jones 10 hrs ago #19
Back before the Reagan tax cuts this did not really happen. The reason was that the states got money from LiberalArkie 11 hrs ago #7
It happened back then, too. It happened to me wnylib 9 hrs ago #26
It happened to me also back in the early 70's in Texas. A cop saw my Arkansas plates and a LiberalArkie 7 hrs ago #35
Sure did. Top cop in Chicago for arresting "DUI's" making a fortune, and stealing electronics to boot lostnfound 10 hrs ago #12
I think in England the traffic police cksmithy 10 hrs ago #16
This same thing just happened to my son. Blue Full Moon 10 hrs ago #17
"Mandatory psychology exams and background checks would be in place." Jedi Guy 6 hrs ago #39
The DUI quota bothers me too FullySupportDems 10 hrs ago #18
Too many facets of our society have incentives that are are negative and counterproductive to the greater good. Fil1957 10 hrs ago #20
An 82 y/o friend of mine was detained and handcuffed BeneteauBum 10 hrs ago #21
Cops lie because they can. happybird 9 hrs ago #22
I've never trusted police. GoodRaisin 9 hrs ago #23
FTP. The institution cannot be reformed. WhiskeyGrinder 9 hrs ago #24
I had a case with DUI. no_hypocrisy 9 hrs ago #25
That happened to me back in 1980. Dr. T 9 hrs ago #27
They legally cannot "force" you to take the test. You can refuse, and should, considering what can (and did) happen. AZ8theist 8 hrs ago #30
I was young and easily intimidated. Dr. T 5 hrs ago #41
That's the secret cops use.... AZ8theist 2 hrs ago #45
The quota system of law enforcement is the root cause. Dr. T 9 hrs ago #28
My late Father in law swore tickets went up when Republicans were the Governor underpants 8 hrs ago #29
This will never stop unless police departments are barred from using fines and seizures for their budgets. pecosbob 7 hrs ago #32
They don't need more funding SunImp 7 hrs ago #33
Yes, the Uvalde TX police had a toughass "tactical" team, thanks to taxpayers . . . hatrack 7 hrs ago #34
I heard about this story locally AZProgressive 6 hrs ago #36
There needs to be a stop in quotas Figarosmom 6 hrs ago #37
Increasingly Militarized Too 2na fisherman 5 hrs ago #40
Long ago, in a country far away . . . Aussie105 5 hrs ago #42
Pressure to fill ticket quotas? I guess the departments need the income Rocknation 4 hrs ago #44
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