“I’m with you.”
I was taught to be respectful and cooperate with the police. My respectful demeanor never got me out of a ticket...but I also never got a beatdown.
The colonists chose not to respect the authority of King George. That's how change happens. One individual standing alone against an oppressive government doesn't accomplish much, but if ten percent of the population puts up a resistance they can make a difference.
Two times I deserved to get SLAMMED but didn't.
1. In Mexico City I was driving at night in the rain on their "Periferico"--freeway. I ALMOST missed a turnoff and in doing so DRENCHED a motorcycle cop.
He came after me and had me follow him to a dark, quiet part of the city. Yikes. I WAS scared.
The first mistake I made was LYING about not speaking English. After that I said to myself: I was wrong 100% and I'm just going to EAT it.
But I decided that I wouldn't use tears. He was the one in the right and I wasn't going to try to "cry my way out of it" like some women do.
So I agreed with him and said I was sorry in Spanish umpteen times. No tears and all apology. He yelled and threatened. I nodded and apologized.
FINALLY he yelled: ¡VAYASE! or Get outta here!
Yep, he let me go, no bribe (mordida), nothing. Whew. I dodged a very big, dangerous bullet.
I sometimes think that I got out of it BECAUSE I didn't try to cry my way out of it.
2. In my neighborhood I cut off two pedestrians trying to cross the street. A local cop stopped me. I asked what I did wrong. He told me. I had NOT been paying attention.
I apologized profusely--noting my stupidity in my own neighborhood, that he was right and that I deserved the ticket.
He said: "You've been so nice. I can't tear up the ticket because I already wrote it. When your ticket turn to pay comes up I will show up and tell the judge that I made a mistake."
TWO months later I showed up and so did he. He kept his word and walked out of the courtroom. I JUMPED out of my chair, charged out of the courtroom and yelled: "THANK YOU, OFFICER!!!"
He kept walking but raised his hand in acknowledgement.
Another bullet, less dangerous, dodged.