Cop gets parking ticket

[Eireann]

I love the sentence about halfway down the story: "The law says nothing about sushi."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/odd_police_parking_ticket

[Plaidman]

That happened in Portland. I'm iffy. I can see the police side of it. But still, it wasn't an emergency. But he had to keep his car in view to see if anyone breaks into it. They do have shotguns in those babies.

[JLRodgers]

I'd actually side with the officer I think.... if they are allowed to use the bathroom, get food, etc while on duty that is -- and as long as the officer's there for whatever amount of time is considered acceptable for a food break.

After all, I sure would hate to have a officer being hungry or needing to go to the bathroom -- but have to circle the block a half a dozen times waiting for a space to open up, then have to walk a distance to get to the place. And if someone were to break into the car, steal the car, etc -- the officer would be responsible....

And couldn't you just imagine the "service" you'd get if a hungry cop needing to go to the bathroom would give you if you needed them? A few minutes parked in a no parking zone... worst thing that'd happen is if a fire were to break out - and then the officer would be the first responder.

[crazylegs]

I'm agreeing with the court on this one, we are supposed to be an example and show people the acceptable way to behave. How can you give a ticket for someone parking illegaly if you do so yourself?

[smileyeagle1021]

I've given a cop a parking ticket once

that was the highlight of my job in parking enforcement... this wasn't a cop in a no parking zone... he was in a pay parking zone, I issued the ticket, he confronted me on it later and I asked, "sir, were you responding to an emergency", he said no, then "sir, were you on duty" he said, no he was on break, so I said, "then sir, if you are not responding to an emergency or even on duty, official vehicle or not, you have to pay for parking like everyone else, surely as an officer of the law you know that you should be setting an example, if you would like to contest the ticket the number for appeals is on the back, have a good day sir"

I checked, he never did contest it.

[edible_hat]

Parking inspectors can be arseholes... one ticketed an ambulance that parked in a no parking zone while attending one of my grandmother's many heart attacks (before she got her pacemaker)... you'd have thought that the unloading of medical equipment, stretcher, etc. would have tipped him off but no...

Also last night at the anime convention I'm volunteering at, one of our vans got ticketed for parking in a loading zone, never mind the fact that we were unloading a bunch of TVs...