City in Upstate New York to Impliment Martial Law?

When I first heard about this I nearly fell over. These cops have always been corrupt, and they have always found ways to bend the law. I should know, I have spent my fair share of time as a younger man in the back of their cars. Never trust a Schenectady police officer any farther than you can throw his/her cruiser.

Let me illustrate a reality here… In no way shape or form am I saying they are all corrupt, but so many of them are, how on earth do you know who isn’t? An article posted by Capital News 9, a subsidiary of Time Warner Cable illustrates 5 new cases of corruption in the city of Schenectady. What Capital News 9 is not telling you is that the Schenectady police force has been under federal investigation for many years. Recently the highest paid officer on the force ($168,000 last year, mostly from overtime) was cited for sleeping while on duty to collect overtime. Officer Dwayne Johnson was suspended for 30 days without pay. It was proved that officer Johnson spent several hours on Tuesdays at an apartment while on duty.

Many years ago, officer Jeffrey Curtis was put in prison for four years for drug possession, one to three years for tampering with evidence, and one year probation. (He sold drugs that he stole from the evidence locker). Another officer who’s name cannot be located at this time was charged for exchanging confiscated drugs to prostitutes for information and sexual favors. Yet another officer, Michael Brown, was recently suspended for 30 days without pay for driving while intoxicated and leaving the scene of a personal injury accident.

This list goes on and on…

Aside from all of the corruption in the Schenectady police force, what makes us any different than WW2 Nazi Germany, the Cold War Era USSR, or any other socialist regime if we allow a city on US soil to do this because of police corruption? Is this serious? Martial Law is for riots! Martial Law is for thousands of people on a murderous rampage, not to lock down a city because its police force can’t be trusted! This action will cause riots, and protests on a national scale.

Or maybe… Schenectady is just a guinea pig to see how citizens will react to this type of future government control.

       

11 Ways To Avoid Being Pulled Over.

It is no secret that I have a driving record that looks like a career felons rap sheet. With all of this experience i have compiled a host of ways to avoid the law. All you really have to do is exercise some common sense, but as it seems most of us only learn from experience, you can learn from mine.

1. Bumper stickers.
   Ok, you are a pro-lifer, good for you and whoop tee doo. The only people that really care are your fellow fetus preachers and a few select politicians. What if you are pulled over by a female officer that has had an abortion? Maybe you are a deer hunting country man that supports the NRA and the trooper that just pulled you over has a son that was killed by an unsecured rifle  at a friends house? Rainbow triangle? You may as well put a sticker on your car that says “I welcome hate crimes from bigots.” Everyone has demons that haunt them, and everyone has things they hate… Keep em off your car you idiot.
2. The baseball cap.
   Style is something in our country, it is a something that lives and breathes and walks the streets next to you. I’m not saying you cant wear a hat, rock whatever hat you want, but be aware… A baseball cap is a sign of youth and a red flag to anyone with a badge.
3. The Hooded sweatshirt.
   Next time you are driving and you see someone with their hood up while driving a car ask yourself, seriously, how does that look? It does not matter who is under that hood, they look like a punk. Aside from the clear social implications as to why you would be pulled over you are thinking, “They cany just pull me over for wearing a hoodie.” Unfortunately, you are wrong, it is considered and obstruction of view. Just put it down while you are driving.
4. Anything hanging from your rear view mirror.
   Not to sound redundant, but this is also an obstruction of view and all the probable cause an officer needs to pull you over. Another thing to remember, especially the ladies, those mardi gras beads are a sign that says “I drink alcohol and love it!”
5. Window tint.
   Window tint is legal in some states, and at varying percentages of darkness in others, but there is one bottom line; the police can’t see into the vehicle. This makes police nervous, if the tint is dark enough, they cant see if you have a gun on the other side. Your state has some kind of window tint law, and checking to see if your tint is in compliance with that law, is probable cause.
6. Cell phone.
   “But my state doesn’t have a cell phone law.” AND? Think about this for a second, law or not, you look at your phone to dial, you swerve a mere six inches and you have still swerved. You are now driving erratically. You didn’t go over either of the lines? A swerve is a swerve and that… is probable cause. We all talk on the phone when we drive, just use your head and don’t dial until you are at a red light and use the speaker phone feature. Did a lightbulb just go off in your head?
7. Bangin’ your system as you drive by a cop.
   Are you stupid? Seriously? You know your girlfriend can hear you when your four blocks away so that means… Thats right, the cop can hear you four blocks away too. This isn’t rocket surgery, see the cop hit the mute button or turn it off.
8. Speeding.
   Simple answer is, don’t speed, right? None of us follow the speed limit like we should, but again, a little common sense and a wide open pair of eyes can help you tremendously. Watch all the places a patrol car can hide, or come from. This means watching turn arounds AND on ramps, especially in places you do not normally drive. If you don’t know the area, don’t speed.
9. Did he catch me speeding?
   Maybe he did, but you just don’t know. So, you were right next to another guy who was going the same speed as you, the officer sees a high speed on his radar, what do you do? Chances are the “other guy” hasn’t read this and he will slam on his brakes sending his car into a nose dive and all you do is come off the throttle and let the car gently slow down. You are still going faster than the other guy, however he just got on top of his car with a big giant red flag that says “I WAS THE ONE SPEEDING” by slamming his size ten on the brake pedal. Come off the throttle, downshift if you can, but don’t ever admit guilt by letting the nose of the car dive or your brake lights come on with no one in front of you.
10. iphone speed trap app.
    I love this more than sushi. iphone speed trap app.
11. Watch the flow of traffic.
    Do not, and I mean ever, just drive along in the “fast” lane or passing lane. New York State law dictates that the left two lanes on a three lane highway are for passing only. Most New York State troopers think it is the far left lane only, so you can get away with driving in the middle lane. When they say this lane is for passing only, they mean it, so unless your in gridlock, use it to pass and get back to the middle when your done no matter how fast your going. If you forget, and some ticket happy badge monster is having a bad day he will pull you over.
    

In the event that you need to research a law in New York, you should look to the vehicle and traffic law website. Anything you need is immediately available, and if you need a great traffic lawyer, send me a message.