To the "off duty cop" heading west on Clinton this morning.

[Dillon]

Well today the cops were doing a sting at 34th and Clinton. I saw 2 people pulled over. Coincidence?

[tonyt]

Anyone ever heard or seen of any collision at 34th and Clinton that would warrant 3 motorcycle cops?

Obsession?

[wsbob]

Originally Posted by tonyt

More than anything, I'm just fascinated by the psychological factors involved in the confrontation. I do think the guy was a cop. But I would bet hard money that he would NEVER have confronted a motorist that way, with his not so subtle threat and profanity.

I wouldn't bet money on it myself, but still, it's not hard at all for me to believe that an off-duty cop in a moment of poor judgment might do something stupid like this. Some of them get drunk and dumb on their own time despite the example they're obliged to set for the public when on duty. Remember the fool off-duty cop that gave the Rev Phil a hard time during the naked bike ride a couple years ago? That cop was completely out of line. The courts became involved in judging whose actions were right in that incident and decided against the cop.

[tonyt]

and the guy in the video is the same guy who claimed to be a cop.

[ChipSeal]

It happens down in Texas too, but this incident was with a real off-duty cop and his imaginary laws he wanted to enforce!

http://chipsea.blogspot.com/2009/04/abuse-of-power.html

[tonyt]

After he pulled the video, I'm beginning to think perhaps he realizes that he overplayed his hand and hopes that this blows over.

I do sympathize with his irritation with cyclists who blow through stop signs, but chastizing cyclists who made slow and cautious approaches, while claiming that cars which clearly had NOT stopped, had stopped, demonstrates clearly in my mind that he starts off with an ax to grind.

Add to that the fact that he claimed to be a cop and made a not so subtle threat, and we get into dangerous territory.

[wsbob]

On a main page thread, someone commenting suggested that the off-duty cop videographer got many many negative comments to his vid, and that's why he pulled it. It shouldn't be too hard to find out if this guy really is a cop. He's probably still hanging around the area at times, keeping track of what's going on. I'm surprised someone hasn't checked him out already.

[tonyt]

I've got this feeling that someone is going to be doing some checking.