From: chuang@micro (Michael Chuang)
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles
Subject: Re: Bad Accident (warning, cycling-free post)
Date: 29 Jul 92 21:47:31 GMT

boop@cbnewsi.cb.att.com (joseph.a.lapenta)
[stories of law-breaking police deleted]
> Not all cops behave like this, but from my own experience, I don't
> know one who is completely straight.  It is beyond me why they
> hold us mere mortals to higher standards than they hold themselves.

> I have now donned my Nomex suit, so let the flames fly.

No flames. However, I don't know anyone who is completely
straight.  Certainly the majority of us on the net using university
or government funds to talk about bicycles or other non-work related
topics are not quite straight.  And the few people I have met who *are*
99 and 44/100 percent straight are pretty much intolerable.  Look at
Robespierre.  On the other hand, abuses like the ones you describe
(e.g. driving in excess of 100 mph) set my teeth on edge too.  Hmmm.
I seem to be playing at semantics here, sorry.  You are pointing out
offenses much more severe than say, photocopying something for personal use
on the office machine while I appear to be saying "both are wrong, so
we are all guilty."  Virtually all issues of morality in real life are
analog (or at least quantized to many bits) and not yes-no.  That's
what makes it such a pain.  (Boy, original, deep observation or what ?)

lars@craycos.com (Ron Larson) adds:
# I firmly believe that any generalization drawing from the actions of a
# few members of a group (in this case police) to form an opinion of all
# members of that group is erroneous.  However, I have often found it
# interesting how opposites attract.  The "toughs" from high school ended
# up either as petty criminals or police officers (legalized head
# busting!!!!)

Yeah, read or watch _A Clockwork Orange_ (Well well well well well well well,
if it isn't little Alex!) for legalized headbusting.  Some psychological
studies claim that those who were toughs in their youth and cops in
adulthood are people who are obsessed with authority and hierarchies.
In their youth they feel the need to rebel, yet eagerly accept positions
of "authority" when it becomes possible.  I personally think these are
weak personalities that define themselves solely in terms of other people,
either to boss around or otherwise react to.

Some security (?) guards really scare me.  From observation, guards
tend to fall into three categories: 1) retired cops, 2) wanna-be's,
3) the others.  Retired cops generally know the score and don't let
the blue shirt and badge go to their heads, while the last category
realize that it's just a job pretty much like any other.  The wanna-bes,
however, are scary.  These are usually swaggering young men who seem
to think that their rentacop suits and hats give them license to
push other people around.  I find them scary because it's likely that
many of them tried to apply for police school but were rejected,
possibly for psychological reasons.  Based on the apparent psychology 
of a few of the cops I've seen, this is frightening.

As for cops, most of the ones I've encountered are fairly decent.  Some
do feel a need to swagger a bit, but then when you consider what they're
paid, I can understand a need to "get back" at those who spend most of
their time looking down at cops and even vilifying them, but then come
running when there is trouble.  ("It's Tommy this and Tommy that, throw
the bugger out , But thin [blue] line of heroes when the guns begin
to shoot."  Apologies to Kipling for messing up the quote.)

chuang@micro.ll.mit.edu
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles