I wrote the CHP, and they called me back...

@dawnald (85129)
Shingle Springs, California
August 30, 2012 1:39pm CST
Ok, I'll be the first person to admit that I'm way too sensitive. Last week I was waiting in traffic outside Dearra's school. I was pulling into the parking lot in front of the office to pick her up. Traffic in the parking lot was at a stop. I was waiting next to a red zone, but my engine and turn signal were on and I was slightly turned toward the parking lot. A CHP office pulled up next to me. I thought, "does he want me to roll my window down", but I looked over, and he wasn't looking my direction. So I thought he was there for something else. Next thing I know, he's on the loudspeaker telling me to open the window, so I did. That's when he gave me an azz chewing for not opening my window. He said it was obvious he wanted me to roll it down (it wasn't - to me) and that not doing it was very disrespectful. So I apologized, and said that I hadn't intended any disrespect, and that I just hadn't picked up on that. That's when he told me I couldn't park there. Well, I wasn't parking, but as angry as he was, I wasn't about to speak up again, and say I wasn't parking, and ask if he would rather I was farther away from the curb, which would block the lane. So I clammed up, and when he told me he wasn't going to cite me "this time", I just thanked him. And then, because I was upset at being falsely accused, I got on their website when I got home, and I wrote to them. Basically I just told my side of the story, that I really just didn't realize he wanted me to roll my window down, and that I wasn't parking. It made me feel 1000% better just to tell me side. I thought they would just laugh their azzes off at my silliness, and that would be it. This morning a sergeant with the CHP called me, asked for a description of the officer, and asked me what happened. So we talked a little, he said the officer shouldn't have yelled, but that traffic around that school was a real problem. I said I realized that, it's just that I wasn't even parking, I was waiting in traffic, and what was I supposed to do. He said that if I was just waiting for the traffic to move, that was OK, and that he'd talk to the officer. Surprise, surprise. I hope the officer doesn't call me back too. lol
11 people like this
21 responses
@GardenGerty (157027)
• United States
30 Aug 12
I am glad you got some results with your call, because that was basically bullying. I would be concerned, however that he would hold a grudge for having been spoken to by his commander. Does he have your address and phone number? He is right not to allow parking there, but having a tantrum is not very professional.
@dawnald (85129)
• Shingle Springs, California
30 Aug 12
He did imply that he would cite me next time. I suppose he would just remember the car. He didn't ask for any info. I'm going a little later now though, so traffic is basically abated by the time I get there.
4 people like this
@GardenGerty (157027)
• United States
30 Aug 12
Inflated sense of his own importance. The after school scene around schools is a mad house. I used to drive a bus.
3 people like this
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
1 Sep 12
no kidding, GardenGerty. The idea that it would even be a SURPRISE that it's a madhouse before and after school is laughable. Also, parents really don't need to have someone with a stick up their butt harassing them during drop off and pick up. It's tough enough on a GOOD day!
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (157563)
• Boise, Idaho
30 Aug 12
Don't they have a bit of a rep for being aggressive and having a bit of an attitude. I think it was nice that the sergeant called you. I also think that the officer was very disrespectful and was jumping to conclusions which is not very professional. I hope you don't have to deal with them again.
@dawnald (85129)
• Shingle Springs, California
30 Aug 12
I think cops in general tend to think the worst until proven otherwise. Too many jerks out there that they have to deal with who are disrespectful, etc.
2 people like this
• United States
30 Aug 12
All too many of them appear to be on a power trip.
2 people like this
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
30 Aug 12
It think that sometimes they get a big head so to speak. I am glad that they responded to you. There was no need for him to yell at you.
4 people like this
@dawnald (85129)
• Shingle Springs, California
30 Aug 12
Yes, I'm the police, bow down to me. lol
2 people like this
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
30 Aug 12
Well good for you. I think sometimes they get just a bit big for their britches...and I am sure in certain circumstances it's justified...but not in this situation. We do need to speak up sometimes for ourselves...it pays off.
4 people like this
@dawnald (85129)
• Shingle Springs, California
30 Aug 12
*pats self on back...
2 people like this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
30 Aug 12
wow dawn good for you I can remember when You might not have emailed the Chp so good as it sounded to me like the Chippie 'was rude and full of himself and you were not violating anything. hope that Chippie does not call you but probably he will be tamed by the other officer.Glad you got in touch with the CHP
@dawnald (85129)
• Shingle Springs, California
30 Aug 12
I didn't really want a response either, I just wanted to tell my side, and make sure that it was OK to be waiting for the parking lot traffic to move.
@STOUTjodee (3572)
• United States
30 Aug 12
Good for you dawnald! Sometimes police officers can act "cocky." Excuse, my language,but sometimes they don't think "we" know the laws or want to hear our story. They presume we're guilty, before proven innocent. I remember when my kids were littler (they're now 25 and 24) and they were to big for their age to be in car seats.A police officer originally stopped us because we didn't have license plates on because we'd bought the vehicle and it was on the weekend and we were going to get our plates that Monday. So he saw the children in the back seat with their seat belts on and they were sleeping. He gave me a ticket,for not having my children in car seats. I told him even though they were under the age, they weighed too much to be in car seats. He argued with me that that didn't matter. Anyway, can't remember who we contacted but within a couple of hours that police officer came to our house and apologized for not knowing the laws. So it does pay when you're in the right to contact people with your ideas/complaints.
3 people like this
@dawnald (85129)
• Shingle Springs, California
30 Aug 12
Hopefully he won't be on the lookout for a mouthy middle aged woman in a red mini van from now on. :D
1 person likes this
• United States
30 Aug 12
Yeah, he'll find someone else or he'll be harassing you more, who knows?
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
9 Sep 12
Well done! Anyone who has a problem with some sort of service should always communicate the facts to the higher ups. Note, I didn't say "complain to". It's communication I'm talking about. If the higher ups don't know what goes on then they don't have a clear perspective. It's always best too, to state the facts and leave emotion out of it. Too many folk get upset and emotional and want to see the one they are dealing with hung out to dry (lose their job and maybe even go straight to he ll). No one should have that sort of power.
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
9 Sep 12
I noticed that and I was so pleased. I wasn't preaching at you . I was commending you for your sensitivity and intelligence.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85129)
• Shingle Springs, California
14 Sep 12
Thanks! (pats self on back)
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85129)
• Shingle Springs, California
9 Sep 12
And I really wasn't complaining so much as telling my side...
1 person likes this
• United States
1 Sep 12
Fantastic! I'm glad he called. That a$$hole has to get more training before he meets the wrong person. You are nice but others would just shoot the son of a b1tch! Plus all the chief needs is a lawsuit or even the wrong type of press!
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85129)
• Shingle Springs, California
3 Sep 12
He needs to be in a customer service jot. NOT!
1 person likes this
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
31 Aug 12
Thats actually a pretty funny story! I am way too sensitive also so I'd be just like you and yes...it would feel so good to just get my side of the situation out. That's half of it..no..all of it. They can be so intimidating that you just can't get your side out and when your right your right. I once came up on an accident driving home from work one night. The blue lights were so so blinding and the cop that was directing traffic was well...it looked like he was under a freakin strobe lite. I could not tell if he was directing me by or directing me to stop. There were cars everywhere. In my confusion I gave up and just backed up and pulled over. I watched the situation for a minute...still couldn't tell so I went to turn around and take a detour. All I wanted was to get home. OMG...this cop came running up and was yelling at me to stop. I stopped, rolled down my window. He gave me the third degree and thought I was suspicious for turning around. He flashed his light in my eyes and around my car and held me up asking me all kinds of questions and checking out my license..running it. I get held up for a long time. it was horrible. There was another time that I got pulled over just for glancing over at a cop in a "suspicious way". Good grief! He got me so flustered that I ran a freakin red light after he let me go and he pulled me over again. Really??
1 person likes this
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
1 Sep 12
ya, a lot of the cops around have a tendency to make situations way worse than what they need to be. We do have some "human" ones but so many of them think that badge makes them above just being polite even.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85129)
• Shingle Springs, California
31 Aug 12
Talk about making a nightmare even worse!
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
2 Sep 12
How horrible! Like you, I would rather avoid having to drive through the scene of an accident or have to wait on the street in a line if the lanes were closed for God knows how long. I would try to find a place to turn off or turn around too if I could and I would probably claim that I had to pee really bad so I'd really appreciate it if I could just GO HOME, and that's why I turned around so I wouldn't have to sit and sit and eventually pee myself waiting lol.
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
30 Aug 12
Good for you, that was totally rude of the officer to "assume" you knew what he wanted..
• United States
30 Aug 12
Yeah, one would have to be not in the right mind to ignore an officer on purpose..
@dawnald (85129)
• Shingle Springs, California
30 Aug 12
Right on! I may be absent minded,but I'm not stupid enough to deliberately ignore a peace officer.
1 person likes this
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
31 Aug 12
Oh I'd have been crying, that's how sensitive I am. I hope he doesn't call you back as well, that'd be quite an embarrassment for me. Maybe he was having a bad day, maybe he was just an irritable person...
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85129)
• Shingle Springs, California
1 Sep 12
I was crying, that's why I felt I had to go on there and tell my side!
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
30 Aug 12
Seriously, I think they need to realize you weren't INTENTIONALLY blocking traffic! Schools are so hard to get into and when there's a procedure for a pickup line and all the signage says you have to STAY in your car and SIT there as the line moves forward, what choice do you have after the fact, especially if there's someone ahead of you and someone behind you and not enough room to squeeze around anywhere?! I would have written or called or something, either way filed a complaint explaining that I was NOT doing whatever I was accused of because I think it's rotten for people who we pay for in tax dollars treat us this way! Some cops are very decent and nice and come help you out, but I really have issues with any of the ones who rove around, just 'looking' for people to ticket and scream at!! In my opinion, they should be here to help in safety and security things, not writing traffic tickets for things that aren't harming anybody. If the CHP would like to find a way around the horrendous pick up lines at school by making the schools release the kids a different way, I am all for that. Until such time as the schools and CHP work together with parents to find a better less hassling way to do this, I think all parties need to just let it go the way it is because nobody is coming up with anything better, and citing parents who are waiting to get into the parking lot is stupid, in my opinion. If my car could fly, I'd be set!
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85129)
• Shingle Springs, California
30 Aug 12
I wasn't EVEn blocking traffic, I had moved over far enough that I wasn't. Apparently that was a problem, since it was a red curb. I kind of feel like damned if you do damned if you don't. The other two schools have great traffic plans that are communicated to the parents, with teachers monitoring both before and after school. Maybe I should suggest it to the high school.
1 person likes this
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
2 Sep 12
You probably should. What happens at school in the pickup line is that people just get in it and you can't get out, so things like red curbs shouldn't exist, it's not like you can possibly avoid sitting next to a red curb lol. Obviously you can't just park there and walk away and leave your car there for 10 hours but when sitting in a pick up line, red curb should not apply.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
1 Sep 12
I would hope that the officer doesn't call you back either. I do have to say that traffic around schools is very much a problem. It is something that I had to experience every day when my daughter was in kindergarten because of the fact that we took her to school in the morning and picked her up after school in the afternoon. I finally just got wise and started parking on a side street and walking her around the corner and up to the school so that I could avoid as much of the school traffic as possible.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85129)
• Shingle Springs, California
1 Sep 12
And this school is the worst of the three in the area. The elementary and middle schools have teachers directing traffic and a crossing guard. At the high school it's a free for all.
• Sri Lanka
31 Aug 12
awfull, but jolly. tasty meal ahhhh ha ha
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85129)
• Shingle Springs, California
1 Sep 12
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
30 Aug 12
MAybe to say he was sorry for hollering?
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85129)
• Shingle Springs, California
30 Aug 12
It wasn't that same officer that called me back.
@ElicBxn (63194)
• United States
31 Aug 12
only if he sends chocolates and an apology!
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85129)
• Shingle Springs, California
31 Aug 12
hahahahaha Yeah, right!
1 person likes this
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
31 Aug 12
Good for you dawnald! You did the right thing by turning his ugly behind in! Some cops think they own the world just because they were issued a badge and it takes us citizens to put them in their place by turning their behinds in to their boss! He's darned lucky it wasn't me that he did this to or I'd have given him a piece of my mind! In fact, while living in Arkansas, I was pulled over for supposedly speeding which I was not. I got into an arguement with the jackass and still he wouldn't budge so I went to court and fought it and won! But while in court, the cop lied and I called him out on it right in front of the judge! I was so darned nervous but damn that made me mad! Don't lie on me or hell's fire will come out of me! I guess the judge saw this and dismissed the case. My husband nearly dragged my butt out of the court room so I wouldn't say anything more to the cop. lol Make me mad and I'll have a lot more to say! lol
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85129)
• Shingle Springs, California
1 Sep 12
I'm glad I didn't have to go to court to argue anything!
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
31 Aug 12
I am amazed that you were contacted and more importantly, wwere listened too. I am also glad that you got results. It is annoying to be stopped; happens to me all of the time in JA. And sometimes, I am inncent! Reminds me of a story that happened to me last January. I should really post about it. On second thoughts, I won't. People may think that I have gone a bit whacko and this took place before surgery
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85129)
• Shingle Springs, California
31 Aug 12
Oh, you have to tell... Pretty please?
@much2say (53658)
• Los Angeles, California
30 Aug 12
Argh! Well, it's good in the end you were able to tell your side of the story and it DID count. The officer should have noticed why you were at that spot at that time . . . I mean, surely this must be an everyday occurrence at the school parking lot??? He made some assumptions there - and wrong ones at that - and my gawd - did have to get so "angry" about it? Sheesh! Dude was abusing his powers!!
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85129)
• Shingle Springs, California
30 Aug 12
yup, it's an every day occurrence, that's why he was there!
@koopharper (7422)
• Canada
31 Aug 12
Good for you for standing up and saying something. You were wise as well. Not a good idea to talk back to an officer. I had a run in with a bicycle path patrol while living in Quebec. He rode up and demanded I stop so he could talk with me. His "patrol" sign was clear plastic, small with black lettering, same color as his pants. Honestly didn't see it till he pointed at the thing. I started off with "Who the h3ll are you?" Not a good way to start. I should've actually ignored his accusation that my homebuilt trailer violated rules of the road. He didn't really have any authority just thought he did. I checked with the police and found out he was wrong. Just was a little too full of his own importance.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85129)
• Shingle Springs, California
31 Aug 12
A fake officer?