Sinister
pari animositate
Iowa has become a police state.
For several weeks before the last 72 hour blitz this past June I'd noticed that they were yanking guys and inspecting them -- creepers and all -- right there on the shoulder of I80. One of the busiest highways in the nation, and these assholes are rolling around on creepers not three inches from 70 mph traffic. Then, when an "officer is killed in the line of duty" -- we're all supposed to feel bad.
Bull****.
Today, on a SATURDAY on the south side of Des Moines, there were a bunch of DOT roving patrols doing that same thing. They were yanking anyone and everyone. I saw flats and vans and tankers alike. They were staring at me as I went by. I avoid eye contact whenever possible. I'm superstitous like that. I really am.
I hate it, and it makes me not want to drive trucks anymore. Not because I'm always doing something wrong...those days are pretty much gone for me...but because I know it's not for "safety". It's because governments at every level are broke, and need money. So they prey on the citizenry for revenue. So they start with big trucks. Meanwhile I'm starting to think that the Iowa DOT HAS to be the largest employer in the state. They have trucks and workers and projects EVERYWHERE.
But let's extend that thinking down to local police departments.
There will never be a public backlash no matter how heavy enforcement of trucks gets. After all, they're enforcing "safety"...and who is against that?? But within me, this behavior of law enforcement is causing an ire. I'm losing respect for these people in a hurry. Who the HELL grows up wanting to check logbooks anyway? Are the guys in the scalehouse the "C" students from the trooper academies? Seriously. Who the hell wants that job to begin with? It's not about safety...it's about control, money and malevolent power.
But what about when the government starts using it's police to prey upon it's citizenry at random in this way? What's to stop them? Why wouldn't they do this? Local police stopping citizens out of nowhere. It's already happened to me come to think of it. I was dispatching nights, and going home at 1230 at night. I was the only car on the road, so the trooper stopped me. He told me I had a "loud exhaust". We have NO vehicle inspection in my state, and this was not any reason to stop me. He was looking for a drunk to nail. It was 1230 Saturday night. I got a seat belt ticket. At the time that was 10 bucks, no points. Pretty slim "probable cause" if you ask me.
They WILL do this. It's just a matter of time. Will the people wake up then?
I said in BYP's thread that I've been inspected, ticketed and fined more in the last 14 months or so that in the past 16 years combined, and that's real. I'm SERIOUS about that. It's gotten ridiculous out there.
"When injustice becomes law, rebellion becomes duty." --Henry David Thoreau
For several weeks before the last 72 hour blitz this past June I'd noticed that they were yanking guys and inspecting them -- creepers and all -- right there on the shoulder of I80. One of the busiest highways in the nation, and these assholes are rolling around on creepers not three inches from 70 mph traffic. Then, when an "officer is killed in the line of duty" -- we're all supposed to feel bad.
Bull****.
Today, on a SATURDAY on the south side of Des Moines, there were a bunch of DOT roving patrols doing that same thing. They were yanking anyone and everyone. I saw flats and vans and tankers alike. They were staring at me as I went by. I avoid eye contact whenever possible. I'm superstitous like that. I really am.
I hate it, and it makes me not want to drive trucks anymore. Not because I'm always doing something wrong...those days are pretty much gone for me...but because I know it's not for "safety". It's because governments at every level are broke, and need money. So they prey on the citizenry for revenue. So they start with big trucks. Meanwhile I'm starting to think that the Iowa DOT HAS to be the largest employer in the state. They have trucks and workers and projects EVERYWHERE.
But let's extend that thinking down to local police departments.
There will never be a public backlash no matter how heavy enforcement of trucks gets. After all, they're enforcing "safety"...and who is against that?? But within me, this behavior of law enforcement is causing an ire. I'm losing respect for these people in a hurry. Who the HELL grows up wanting to check logbooks anyway? Are the guys in the scalehouse the "C" students from the trooper academies? Seriously. Who the hell wants that job to begin with? It's not about safety...it's about control, money and malevolent power.
But what about when the government starts using it's police to prey upon it's citizenry at random in this way? What's to stop them? Why wouldn't they do this? Local police stopping citizens out of nowhere. It's already happened to me come to think of it. I was dispatching nights, and going home at 1230 at night. I was the only car on the road, so the trooper stopped me. He told me I had a "loud exhaust". We have NO vehicle inspection in my state, and this was not any reason to stop me. He was looking for a drunk to nail. It was 1230 Saturday night. I got a seat belt ticket. At the time that was 10 bucks, no points. Pretty slim "probable cause" if you ask me.
They WILL do this. It's just a matter of time. Will the people wake up then?
I said in BYP's thread that I've been inspected, ticketed and fined more in the last 14 months or so that in the past 16 years combined, and that's real. I'm SERIOUS about that. It's gotten ridiculous out there.
"When injustice becomes law, rebellion becomes duty." --Henry David Thoreau
