Reply #63: I've been in the same situation myself. The cop threatened to beat me up!

[Ian David]

I was trying to get off at an exit, and this cop kept boxing me in to keep me from getting over into the exit lane.

It was pretty heavy traffic, and even under the best of circumstances, it was hard to get into the exit lane after coming off the merge where I was.

I'd speed-up, and then he'd speed-up to stay right next to me.

Finally, I gunned it, shot ahead of him and (this is where I was stupid) I flipped him the bird.

Well, of course the lights came on and he pulled me over.

He was mad as hell and had his hand on his gun the whole time.

He was furious that I gave him the finger. I said, "Well, maybe I was waving to thank you for letting me get over?"

That didn't help.

He asked to see my license, etc. I took off my seatbelt to give it to him. He looked it over and he was yelling in my face the whole time.

He yelled at me, "I should give you a ticket for not wearing a seatbelt!"

I said, "I just un-buckled it to get my license out."

He said, "No, you didn't. Why do you think I pulled you over?"

I said, "I just un-buckled my seatbelt right in front of you when you asked to see my ID. You pulled me over because you thought I gave you the finger after you kept deliberately maneuvering to keep me from getting off at my exit because you didn't like my anti-Bush bumper stickers."

"Is that what you're going to tell the magistrate?"

"Yes, absolutely."

Then he told me that he wanted to meet me later without his gun and badge to fight it out. I told him no, thanks.

He was pink and angry and screaming and threatening the whole time.

Eventually, he let me go without ever calling in my license or documenting our contact in any way.

I got his license plate though, and the next day the cops got a letter from my lawyer. My lawyer and I met with the chief of police a few days after that.

My attorney's advice was that unless I could show damages, I couldn't sue.

But the point I made to the chief was this: The guy's partisan politics affects his job. He abuses his position to play games that put others in danger. And if he flies off the handle like a nut job over a middle finger, imagine what he would do to someone who resists arrest or REALLY mouth's off!

I hope to god they fired the bastard.

And yes, I admit, giving a cop the middle finger was a bad idea.

But he DID deserve it.