above the law?

Above the Law?

are police officers above the law?
do the police need to drive the speed limit, make complete stops at stop signs, and drive with hands free technology on their phones?
do the laws of the road apply to our officers of the law?

it seems that police all over the country fail to see that these laws apply to them just as they apply to everyone else

in DC I fear the negligence of those behind the wheel of the police vehicles of the various agencies to the same degree as I fear anyone else
maybe more!
as it appears that they feel that they are above the law
the police are not above the law!

on Sunday a tragedy occurred in California where a police officer struck and killed several cyclists on a training ride
a third rider is still in critical condition

Sports Illustrated article by Austin Murphy


the issue is not so much that the driver was a police officer
but that variable brings up that sideline that police officers need to get the message that they are not above the law
that police officers should set the standard which is the law
not drive about like bullies who are above the law

car drivers need to slow down
car drivers need to be more alert
car drivers need to be aware of the world around them
car drivers need to be aware of cyclists and pedestrians
car drivers need to give pedestrians and cyclists a safe amount of space and pass at a rational speed

so often a car passes me too fast and too close
the issue is not so much the law
law is not my main concern
my concern is courtesy and respect for others
but if the law were considered the car drivers would behave differently

the standard law is for a car to pass a cyclist no closer than three feet
that seems like a given
as far as the speed limit goes
well... the speed limit is set for how a car should behave around another car
so common sense would extend such that a car should be going a speed less than the speed limit when encountering a bicyclist or a pedestrian

The riders killed were Kristy Gough, 30, of San Leandro and Matt Peterson, 29, of San Francisco
the third rider was a 20 year old male from Germany who remains in critical condition
they were elite athletes on a training ride

my heart goes out to the friends and family of these riders
it saddens me that their lives were cut short
there is no penalty that will right this wrong
accident?
negligence!
I say check his cell phone records...
if he was texting or making a call convict for manslaughter

all Police Officers should ride a bicycle in traffic for several hours a month in plain clothes to give them insight into how things work on the street
sort of like walking a mile in my shoes
this would not only give some empathy to the cyclist
but it would also let them see how this excessive bending of the law is actually breaking the law and creates a dangerous world of chaos

Police are not above the law!
even if they act like it
recently in Montgomery County Maryland there has been issue with police officers refusing to pay the tickets for running red lights... article in the Washington Post
looks like there needs to be a return to THE POLICE ACADEMY!
no this is not a comedy... this is a reality

WE ALL SHOULD SLOW DOWN BEHIND THE WHEEL
POLICE OFFICERS SHOULD SET AN EXAMPLE ON HOW TO BEHAVE
RATHER THAN ACT LIKE SKOFF LAWS