Text and ride? Cops do it in Tempe!

Just saw this posted and had to share.

http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/story/2...pe-motorcycle-cop-caught-texting-while-riding

The Newsblip is right, no "cell phone/texting" laws in Arizona (unless you're a school bus driver). And apparently doing 80 in traffic is OK, too. Sets a bad example.

Maybe I am turning curmudgeonly, but the only times I approach 80mph is on the out-of-town stretches of limited access Interstate highway, and even then I'm on alert because I am traveling at high speed.

--Bill

Bill, Have you ever ridden around Tempe/Tucson.
Go 80 or you're gonna get run off the road.:eek1

I'm not siding with the texting cop, just sayin'.

Of COURSE they do... because they are smarter and have better driving/riding skills than all the rest of us. :huh Laptop PC's too.

When it comes to traffic, cops seem to do whatever the fuck they want, whenever the fuck they want. It doesn't matter if they're in a car or on a motorcycle or on their feet.

It would be nice to flash my lights and roll through an intersection instead of waiting.

They're entitled. [ To fresh donuts. ]

"While the officer did not break any law, the department says it has policies specifically banning their officers from texting while operating police vehicles."
Too bad we can't have that here. Kansas has laws that specifically allow officers to be able to text while operating motor vehicles.

One day i saw 2 cop cars with full lights and sirens hauling ass doing about 130km/h on a 50 km/h street in town. I watched them pull into the Tim hortons (donut shop) for their break. Douce bags.

Did they look like this?

Which is why I hate the bastards with a passion

So this guy gets disciplined for doing something that isn't illegal, that anyone who posted in this thread could do without consequence, and everyone lines up to bitch that the police can do whatever they want?

Probably has something to do with the tax money in their paychecks. Wild guess.

Believe it or not I didn't post the article/photo in hopes of starting a police-bashing session. My father, grandfather, and uncle have all had careers in law enforcement. I've met cops that are great stand up guys that everyone here would love, and others that live up to the negative reputation they've earned as a people group. It would appear this fellow falls into the latter category based on the story.

When you enter into a career of public service, you enter into a higher level of public scrutiny. You're in a position of authority and you are paid from tax dollars. People are watching you and waiting for you to screw up. And now, almost everyone of them is armed with a camera at all times (smartphones). Doing something stupid like this, legal or not, is, well, stupid. What he was doing was endangering the lives of others and his own. The fact that he was caught on camera and it went public has probably already contributed to the saving of lives across the country.

As for being disciplined, the statemnt from his department states he was violating specific policies that prohibit texting while operating police vehicles. That's pretty clear cut to me.

Just wait until the Hot Now neon sign lights up at the local Krispy Kreme! Better get out of their way!

Am I the only one that sees the irony of the guy both speeding and operating his cell phone as a movie camera while driving, in order to bust a cop for distracted driving? Kind of like beating your kid for hitting someone.

I never got in another fight again though

Can't wait until for the news report on "Police officer down in Tempe.. As a result of texting while riding his state issued, tax payer purchased motorcycle on duty"

Bad example or Darwin @ work?

Live and let live I say.

"the department says it has policies specifically banning their officers from texting while operating police vehicles"

Oh and just because an act is not illegal does not mean it is not dangerous and stupid.

My point was not that he should be able to text while riding, but that, at least in this instance, the cop was not able to get away with doing whatever he wanted to do as some of the earlier posters complained about.