1) She was speeding.
2) She was clearly more interested in having her say than in following the officers directions.
3) If she really had to pee that bad - why did she prolong the encounter?
4) She was PULLED out of the car ONLY because she refused to GET out of the car.
5) Do I feel bad for her? Yes, but only because she is too dumb to be driving in the first place.
kjohns - 12 years ago
I'm both senior and disabled and I have absolutely NO problem at all with the Officers actions. It is law in every state, as far as I know, that if you have committed a crime, and even a minor traffic offense is still a crime, that you MUST provide ID when asked. Even senior citizens can commit violent crimes, and for all the Officer knows she may be fleeing after having assaulted or even killed someone. Even senior citizens are involved in the drug trade and so when an Officer stops someone he or she, must always consider the driver capable of violence towards them. When the woman refuses to exit the car and begins struggling with the Officer she became guilty of obstruction, assaulting an Officer and resisting arrest. Never forget, even a frail elderly woman can pull a trigger, and if this woman had been armed she might very well have shot this Officer. As it was the Officer and his supervisor were more than kind only to cite her and let her go. It would have been entirely lawful for them to have arrested her and put her in jail.
Don't get me wrong, the police are capable of using excessive force, and should be held accountable for their actions when they do, but in this case the Officer used proper judgement and proper use of force. I only hope that this woman learns to obey lawful orders when she is in the wrong because if she doesn't the next Officer she deals with may punish her to the full extent of the law and possibly resort to use of tazer or side arm if they feel threatened by her belligerent attitude and actions.
Greg - 12 years ago
I usually don't side with the police, but this woman made statements about needing to use the restroom and took as much time to prolong her suppoed anguish as possible. Getting pulled over when committing a driving infraction means that you follow the officers instructions. Be rude, be negative, but always follow the simple commands given for everyone's safety. If she felt a bathroom was that urgent, I'm sure she could have driven to one and then stopped without being accused of failing to yield. Sorry, but showing the license would have prevented the whole thing. If the lady had followed the instructions given and was still pulled out of the car, then the cop would have been in the wrong. I would be willing to bet the officer didn't feel much like a man when all was said and done, but it's better than being dead if the women was hostile enough to pull and use a gun. Too many bad scenarios to not show your license when pulled over for a driving infraction.
Mike - 12 years ago
The cop was wrong, wrong, wrong. Watch how she hits the pavement. That had to hurt. I hope she urinated in the squad car.
BTW, the story title says the woman was combative. I saw nothing combative on her part. She was definitely uncooperative, perhaps even argumentative. But in my opinion she was not even slightly combative. Can we all pitch in and buy the author, Will C. Holden a dictionary? I'll pledge $1.00.
Perhaps he just needs to learn to use spell check and grammar check on his word processor.
Mike - 12 years ago
The cop was wrong, wrong, wrong. Watch how she hits the pavement. That had to hurt. I hope she urinated in the squad car.
BTW, the story title says the woman was combative. I saw nothing combative on her part. Uncooperative definately, perhaps even argumentative. But combative? Can we all pitch in and uy the author, Will C. Holden a dictionary? I'll pledge $1.00.
McClain - 12 years ago
FFS SHE'S 77 YEARS OLD!!! The cop is out of line and nothing more than a man with a serious self esteem (teenie weenie) problem if he has to go around beating up old ladies. Sad thing is that they cleared him. The "law" is becoming more of a joke every day. Take your aggression out on the punks that deserve it, not a 77 year old woman!!!
aler - 12 years ago
Tired of police in US! So OKAY, the lady was pushing the button but please, there has to be some gentle give and take when you deal with someone who is SENIOR. We all know that can be difficult but this makes the cop look controlling & uneducated. You are no GODs people, just because you wear a uniform, it doesn't make you always right. Would that Cop really be completely fine if one of his elder relatives was yanked out of the car? REALLY? IS THAT OKAY? Not sure what's up with the mentality of US police. Is it really your goal to humiliated people? Step back, pull your own senior parents out of their cars before you act on all that amazing training you received..
Randi - 12 years ago
Although the women was speeding, I think the officer could have given her a second and could have had a bit more patience with her. Especially when she said she had a bladder infection and needed to go to the bathroom. He could have looked at the situation before being the tough guy. He could have told her ma'am I will follow you to the nearest bathroom. What would have that hurt.
1) She was speeding.
2) She was clearly more interested in having her say than in following the officers directions.
3) If she really had to pee that bad - why did she prolong the encounter?
4) She was PULLED out of the car ONLY because she refused to GET out of the car.
5) Do I feel bad for her? Yes, but only because she is too dumb to be driving in the first place.
I'm both senior and disabled and I have absolutely NO problem at all with the Officers actions. It is law in every state, as far as I know, that if you have committed a crime, and even a minor traffic offense is still a crime, that you MUST provide ID when asked. Even senior citizens can commit violent crimes, and for all the Officer knows she may be fleeing after having assaulted or even killed someone. Even senior citizens are involved in the drug trade and so when an Officer stops someone he or she, must always consider the driver capable of violence towards them. When the woman refuses to exit the car and begins struggling with the Officer she became guilty of obstruction, assaulting an Officer and resisting arrest. Never forget, even a frail elderly woman can pull a trigger, and if this woman had been armed she might very well have shot this Officer. As it was the Officer and his supervisor were more than kind only to cite her and let her go. It would have been entirely lawful for them to have arrested her and put her in jail.
Don't get me wrong, the police are capable of using excessive force, and should be held accountable for their actions when they do, but in this case the Officer used proper judgement and proper use of force. I only hope that this woman learns to obey lawful orders when she is in the wrong because if she doesn't the next Officer she deals with may punish her to the full extent of the law and possibly resort to use of tazer or side arm if they feel threatened by her belligerent attitude and actions.
I usually don't side with the police, but this woman made statements about needing to use the restroom and took as much time to prolong her suppoed anguish as possible. Getting pulled over when committing a driving infraction means that you follow the officers instructions. Be rude, be negative, but always follow the simple commands given for everyone's safety. If she felt a bathroom was that urgent, I'm sure she could have driven to one and then stopped without being accused of failing to yield. Sorry, but showing the license would have prevented the whole thing. If the lady had followed the instructions given and was still pulled out of the car, then the cop would have been in the wrong. I would be willing to bet the officer didn't feel much like a man when all was said and done, but it's better than being dead if the women was hostile enough to pull and use a gun. Too many bad scenarios to not show your license when pulled over for a driving infraction.
The cop was wrong, wrong, wrong. Watch how she hits the pavement. That had to hurt. I hope she urinated in the squad car.
BTW, the story title says the woman was combative. I saw nothing combative on her part. She was definitely uncooperative, perhaps even argumentative. But in my opinion she was not even slightly combative. Can we all pitch in and buy the author, Will C. Holden a dictionary? I'll pledge $1.00.
Perhaps he just needs to learn to use spell check and grammar check on his word processor.
The cop was wrong, wrong, wrong. Watch how she hits the pavement. That had to hurt. I hope she urinated in the squad car.
BTW, the story title says the woman was combative. I saw nothing combative on her part. Uncooperative definately, perhaps even argumentative. But combative? Can we all pitch in and uy the author, Will C. Holden a dictionary? I'll pledge $1.00.
FFS SHE'S 77 YEARS OLD!!! The cop is out of line and nothing more than a man with a serious self esteem (teenie weenie) problem if he has to go around beating up old ladies. Sad thing is that they cleared him. The "law" is becoming more of a joke every day. Take your aggression out on the punks that deserve it, not a 77 year old woman!!!
Tired of police in US! So OKAY, the lady was pushing the button but please, there has to be some gentle give and take when you deal with someone who is SENIOR. We all know that can be difficult but this makes the cop look controlling & uneducated. You are no GODs people, just because you wear a uniform, it doesn't make you always right. Would that Cop really be completely fine if one of his elder relatives was yanked out of the car? REALLY? IS THAT OKAY? Not sure what's up with the mentality of US police. Is it really your goal to humiliated people? Step back, pull your own senior parents out of their cars before you act on all that amazing training you received..
Although the women was speeding, I think the officer could have given her a second and could have had a bit more patience with her. Especially when she said she had a bladder infection and needed to go to the bathroom. He could have looked at the situation before being the tough guy. He could have told her ma'am I will follow you to the nearest bathroom. What would have that hurt.