Commstar --
Thanks for the informed viewpoint. I do appreciate it!
One of the things I like about having a scanner is that I get a very different view of what really goes down in my neighborhood. I've been VERY impressed with the officers in Seattle. Professional and practical, they really seem out to solve problems, not just earn a paycheck.
I guess that's why the traffic cops surprised me. I'm sure there are a few forces at work there - as you mentioned, they see the dickheads of society every day, and at their worst. People lie to them, try to threaten them, play dumb, spit on them, and much worse I'm sure. I've dated a couple of Metro bus drivers and heard their horror stories, so being a traffic cop must be much worse.
There is probably a bit of selection at play, too. I can imagine that if a recruit is considered promising, their supervisors likely steer them away from dead-end paths such as traffic. This would leave less promising guys on the bikes. "Leather Gods?" Sounds like a great movie title!
I will continue to drive carefully, and report drunks.
The best thing that traffic cops can do to improve their image (if they care) would be to keep busting aggressive drivers! I LOVE seeing those asshats go down!!
I'll be out of touch for a few days as I'm spending the weekend at a science fiction conference. I'll be wearing an outfit that's sort of Mad-Max-meets-Tina-Turner. I never have trouble finding a place to sit when I wear that!
|