Good news RAIN! Bad news, LEO's disappoint

[VUPDblue]

well there is that....

 

[Benny]

well there is that....

I tried to rep you but I have to spread it around first.

 

[Frank_N_Stein]

Aren't you supposed to use lights when responding to a call?

Depends on the call. If it is an emergency that requires immediate response then yes, we are allowed to use lights/sirens. If it is a call where we need to head straight there but it isn't an emergency we are not allowed to use them.

I think you've read enough of my posts to know I don't paint with a broad brush, but there are plenty of lazy officers out there that would rather get to their break than to help a stranded motorist.

I know you usually don't, and thats why I said something. There are plenty of lazy officers out there, but there are many more hard-working officers that bust their asses to "serve and protect" their community. As far as getting breaks, I have lost count of how many meals or drinks I have had to pitch in the trash because I got an emergency run in the middle of it.

I guess the "getting wet" comment was moot, since there was nothing those officers could have done to get her out, but parking behind her with lights on would have been a nice gesture.

Yes, it would have. But if we don't have personal knowledge of what they were doing that made them pass her up then we can't pass judgement.

BTW, I don't mean to "pile on" anything, but I don't (personally) know one single person that has ever been pulled over on suspicion when it is raining. That's probably where my comment stemmed from.

Come ride with me on a rainy night. Unless theres a hurricane or tornado I'm enforcing the traffic code when needed.

 

[lovemachine]

Hey, when did Frank come back to INGO?

 

[Benny]

I know you usually don't, and thats why I said something. There are plenty of lazy officers out there, but there are many more hard-working officers that bust their asses to "serve and protect" their community. As far as getting breaks, I have lost count of how many meals or drinks I have had to pitch in the trash because I got an emergency run in the middle of it.

And you won't get an argument out of me about that.

Yes, it would have. But if we don't have personal knowledge of what they were doing that made them pass her up then we can't pass judgement.

You are very correct, sir. I did pass judgement when I didn't know everything. My apologies (not necessarily to you, because I don't paint with a broad brush and didn't lump those officers with you.)

Come ride with me on a rainy night. Unless theres a hurricane or tornado I'm enforcing the traffic code when needed.

I already said I'm going to hit you up next time I'm in Indy, I just haven't made it there yet.

 

[findingZzero]

I dont understand where you think she was entitled to ANY taxpayer assistance.

Entitled? She's a taxpayer, Grinch.

[/QUOTE] And I will go ahead and say it. [/QUOTE]

Why the apologetic preamble? Is it because you know you sound like a jerk?

[/QUOTE] If she totaled her car in ankle deep water, or even a foot deep for that matter, she deserved every bit of it for making the decision to drive into it that fast in the first place.[/QUOTE]

She has a low riding car and was forced to drive slowly by the vehicle in front of her. She thought she was supposed to go faster (my bad as a dad).
Do you have any children? Do they like you? Did your father beat you much as a child? Is the world you live in a cruel, unfair, unforgiving place? Were you one of the cops that ignored her?
If you answered 'yes' to any of these questions, you may be interested in my new newsletter "How to Let Go of that Longstanding Anger and Learn to Love Again."

 

[phylodog]

I've stopped a handful of times for people who drove into standing water and flooded their vehicles. Every single one of them rolled down their window and wanted me to walk up to their door through the standing water to talk to them. I always stood at the edge of the water and asked if they needed anything. Every one of them wanted me to get their car out of the water. How I was supposed to do that I'll never know. Most of them were upset that I wasn't willing to wade into the water (none of it more than 18" deep) and do something so they could keep from getting their feet wet. For the record, none of them were elderly, disabled or pregnant. They just wanted me to magically protect them from the consequences of their decision.

I will admit that I do not stop for stranded motorists unless it is extremely hot, extremely cold or they attempt to flag me down. Last time I was at the homeless shelter the vast majority of them had cell phones. It's a pretty safe bet that 99% of the people driving cars do as well. Short of the aforementioned safety concerns there isn't much I can do for them that they can't do themselves.

 

[vitamink]

Aren't you supposed to use lights when responding to a call?

No, the majority of calls don't, do a ride along sometime. Citizens are often shocked at the stuff they'd think requires lights and don't. Chances are if you see IMPD in their cars, they are going to a call.

I think you've read enough of my posts to know I don't paint with a broad brush, but there are plenty of lazy officers out there that would rather get to their break than to help a stranded motorist.

IMPD getting a break is about the funniest think i've ever read. they have steadily lost officers since 2007. They used to have multiple officers on individual beats, 4 beats make a zone, so you could have 8 officers to one zone. Today there aren't enough officers for 1 per beat leaving open beats. Enter the ZONE POLICING concept in which you remove beats and give a larger zone to cover...which is exactly as you had before only instead of 8 officers in a zone you have 2. Foutain Square is no exception. Those guys are running so short it's silly. As mentioned before it's a "bad" area, therefore tons of people are dialing 911. A friend of mine who works that district just told me the last time he got to eat while at work was over a month ago.


I guess the "getting wet" comment was moot, since there was nothing those officers could have done to get her out, but parking behind her with lights on would have been a nice gesture.

Again if they weren't so busy it would be great.

BTW, I don't mean to "pile on" anything, but I don't (personally) know one single person that has ever been pulled over on suspicion when it is raining. That's probably where my comment stemmed from.

 

[Indy317]

This eve (Thursday Aug 9) about 10:30 pm I got a call from my daughter saying her car died driving through about a foot of water in a rainstorm on the south side of Indy near Fountain sq. There she was in the middle of the street near Shelby and Morris. She said 2 squad cars ignored her waving for help and a third fire safety vehicle did the same. None of the vehicles had lights or sirens going. She thinks that because of the downpour they didn't want to get wet. I know that a few LEO's read this group. Come on guys. I'd like to know that in a pinch I can count on you guys offering more than traffic tickets. Especially to a young female in a spotty neighborhood. What have you to say for yourselves and to my daughter??
There's no law against doing something stupid (driving through a flooded street), but if there was would they have stopped to write a citation?

Not enough info here to make a good comment. Did she roll her window down or did she do a wave from inside the vheicle? Just because lights and sirens aren't on doesn't mean they weren't on runs, maybe something more important than a non-life threatening car that stalled out in water. If one wants to play the "bad neighborhood" card, why even drive through such a neighborhood in the first place? Obviously isn't that bad, otherwise one would avoid such an area.

I've gotten out plenty of times, we have rain gear. I'm not as busy as IMPD, they get run after run after run. Where I work, it isn't like that. We have a couple of spots, one big one, where folks constantly stall out. We go, turn on the lights and sit until barricades arrive. Then we will leave if need be. Nothing can be done outside of that. The floods I've seen are about three feet tops, minimal current. If you want to get out of the vehicle, open the door or climb out the window, walk through the water to the dry area. I wouldn't advise doing that if there is lightning and/or strong winds, wait for those things to pass. I'm not getting out of the car if there is strong winds blowing stuff around, or lots of lightning. In most city/urban flooded out situations, there is no threat to life. Stay in your car, there is nothing I can do for you anyway outside of calling a wrecker.

I saw a guy yesterday driving down Morris on the rim. No tire just a rim. He drove right past an IMPD car. The officer pulled into Manns grill, got out of the car and went inside.

I feel that he should have been stopped ticketed, and his truck towed away.

Then the owner would post on INGO about how they lost a tire, don't have a job, meaning money is tight, and were driving at a safe speed, but now they have a $150 ticket, and will get suspended because they don't have money to pay it...blah blah blah. Then the heartless LEOs will be blasted by other posters on INGO.

She was soaking wet and standing in ankle deep water while trying to flag down someone. What an LEO could do would be to help her be safe on the road by deploying behind her with lights and maybe helping her to push the Scion off the road.

If she was outside the vehicle, they should have stopped. Maybe they didn't see her, but if they did, and they were on a more urgent run, they should have at least rolled down the window and gave some suggestions. Mine would have been "Call for a tow truck. I'll be back after I get done doing x, y, and/or z."

I'm not pushing a car in the water, and the older I get, the more I don't want to push any vehicles. I throw my back out, I get five days normal pay off, then a % of my regular pay. That is the thanks I get for "doing my job." I don't change tires either. Of course the main complaints to this stems from money. People don't want to pay the wrecker service. So while they have $200 cell phones, paying $75-$150/month for service, they don't think they need to pay $100 to deal with their broke down vehicle.

I drove through high water myself, after seeing two other vehicles drive through. I blew my engine, so we left it (very rural county road). County called and said it was a hazard (it was), so they towed it. Engine had to be replaced.

Do you mean certain codes (or whatever) don't allow them?

Do you have any idea what criteria a call must meet to use them?

IC 9-19-14-3
Audibility requirements for sirens, whistles, and bells; use of siren
Sec. 3. An authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped with a siren, whistle, or bell capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance of not less than five hundred (500) feet and of a type approved by the state police department. The siren may not be used except when the vehicle is operated as follows:
(1) In response to an emergency call.
(2) In the immediate pursuit of an actual or suspected violation of the law. In this case, the driver of the vehicle shall sound the vehicle's siren when reasonably necessary to warn pedestrians and other drivers of the vehicle's approach.

And no, running escorts with the siren doesn't meet either (1) or (2), so if someone gets t-boned by an Indy 500 or Brickyard emergency vehicle giving an "escort," ask them what emergency call they were responding too, or who they were pursuing. When they don't give an answer, ask them why they were using their siren in violation of the law.


Still surprised no one asked the big question here: Is your daughter hot? (Disclaimer: That was a joke, as there is a running belief among some that attractive young women don't get arrested, don't get tickets, and get immediate help from male LEOs).

 

[Hawkeye]

As a rookie, I once made the mistake of driving to my mom's (in the squad), in Cumberland, for dinner during a pretty bad snow storm. I stopped for at least 6 different times for stranded motorist, and arrived 2 hours late..... yeah, lesson learned.

What was the lesson you learned?

Don't drive to your mom's in the squad?

Don't stop to help when you are off duty?

Don't stop to help in a snow storm when you are out of Carmel?

Don't visit your mom?

So many potential lessons, so little time....

 

[Hawkeye]

Had two situations arise over the years.

Once years ago in merrilville on 30, well flew off the suburban due to a mechanics error. We called AAA and they said they'd send a truck but it would be an hour... Cop ( local) stopped by and took off as soon as I told him I'd called AAA. I presume he had higher priority stuff to deal with... Even though we were on the side of a busy highway. Ok.

More recently, had another disabled vehicle iss come up with one of my daughters. Another mechanics error. Close to home so I had driven over to help. Called AAA again with the hour to 90 minute wait. Off duty ISP pulls up. I explain the situation to him. We chat. He calls a tow truck because it's sort of a traffic hazard I guess. (not that much difference from the merrilville incident though. And why does AAA always take at least 90 minute? ).

ISP officer stays with me and we have a nice chat. In the meantime he asks me why the plates are showing expired (little year tag not showing on plate)? I thinking WTF! I said I had no idea as I had reregistered all 4 of my vehicles at the appropriate time last year and he could certainly run that to see (maybe he already had?). Told him I'd have to ask my daughter what she did with the registration and sticker - did he want me to go get the registration fron the car? He was cool with it. Had a teaching moment with the girl later at home.

So one really good experience with ISP. ONe so-so with a local years ago and miles away. I've really got to give the ISP guy kudos for hanging with me and getting the tow when he was off duty. Don't know how much time it took but he definitely got home late tht night.

I know I've had a couple of other roadside incidents over the years and 4 kids droning. Flat tires, out of gas, fuel pumps, etc. usually all they wanted to know was that the situation was under control. A few have stayed with lights on for road safety. That's usually been they Vounty Sheriffs police - wonder if that has to do with their boss being elected?

 

[NapalmFTW]

My daughter ran out of gas the other day on west 38th st. She had left her cell at home and was with the gran-daughter. Officer stopped and checked on her, lights on for traffic, called me and I brought 5 gals to the scene. He was still there talking to my gran-daughter. Good guy.

PLEASE give the PD a call and hopefully you got the officer's name. Let his superiors know he did good and you're very grateful.

A lot of us who serve the public in any shape or form (I work in a store, natch) never get praise for doing good but we're the first to hear about when we messed up.

 

[IndyGunworks]

Entitled? She's a taxpayer, Grinch.

And I will go ahead and say it. [/QUOTE]

Why the apologetic preamble? Is it because you know you sound like a jerk?

[/QUOTE] If she totaled her car in ankle deep water, or even a foot deep for that matter, she deserved every bit of it for making the decision to drive into it that fast in the first place.[/QUOTE]

She has a low riding car and was forced to drive slowly by the vehicle in front of her. She thought she was supposed to go faster (my bad as a dad).
Do you have any children? Do they like you? Did your father beat you much as a child? Is the world you live in a cruel, unfair, unforgiving place? Were you one of the cops that ignored her?
If you answered 'yes' to any of these questions, you may be interested in my new newsletter "How to Let Go of that Longstanding Anger and Learn to Love Again." [/QUOTE]


My parental status is not even a consideration in the conversation. Long story short, she (and you) felt entitled to government assistance for a situation that your own decisions and actions got you into. There was not emergancy, so you did not need emergency assistance, and if there was some sort of safety hazard, then 911 should have been called to get the assitance needed.

If you eliminate the whole entitled to help by public safety passing by thing, then she would have walked out of the water and away from traffic, and called for a tow truck. Then she no longer would have been in harms way because of the traffic, and the car would have been taken care of also, no police or fire needed. I fail to see where the assitance of law enforcement was needed in this situation.

 

[IndyGunworks]

Oh, by the way, would you like some gov't cheese with your whine. You seem to think your entitled to it.

 

[findingZzero]

Oh, by the way, would you like some gov't cheese with your whine. You seem to think your entitled to it.

I find you've fallen into a well because you were texting while walking. "Dumbass has no one to blame but himself." I figure, let him die and decrease the surplus population. Oh where have I heard that before. If I saw your daughter in trouble on the road, I would stop and help her. They are 'entitled' to be helped by all fathers of the world (unless they have a tramp stamp ). I would expect an LEO to assist because that's their job (to serve and protect). Entitled has nothing to do with it.
I prefer Parmasana Reggiano. Does that make me unamerican?

 

[Frank_N_Stein]

I would expect an LEO to assist because that's their job (to serve and protect).

It is our job. But there should be a fee that people that put themselves into bad situations only to have to be served and protected by the police. Maybe after they have to pay that fee one or several times they will think before they act.

 

[IndyGunworks]

think before they act.

I think thats asking to much of a majority of the population, right alongside of accepting responsibility for their own actions.

 

[findingZzero]

It is our job. But there should be a fee that people that put themselves into bad situations only to have to be served and protected by the police. Maybe after they have to pay that fee one or several times they will think before they act.

If everyone 'thought before they acted' there would be no need for gov't's, borders, laws, gods, (not necessarily in that order) or police. If everyone acted like Jesus, there'd be no need for Jesus. Until that day, we pay folks to serve and protect the weak and dumb asses amongst us (did I mention that marvel of evolution-the teenage brain). We already pay a fee for service. It's called a tax.

As far as calling 911, I reserve that for heart attacks, strokes, spurting blood, and shootings, and would rather flag down a passing (protect & serve) patrol car. Are we more 'entitled' to use 911 than the police? If you want to continue this argument, I will have to charge you a fee. You are not 'entitled' to my excellent responses.

 

[findingZzero]

""Don't argue with an idiot; people watching may not be able to tell the difference.""

Good quote, but it would do away with all discussions on the web....

 

[churchmouse]

PLEASE give the PD a call and hopefully you got the officer's name. Let his superiors know he did good and you're very grateful.

A lot of us who serve the public in any shape or form (I work in a store, natch) never get praise for doing good but we're the first to hear about when we messed up.

My daughter took care of that......