Really? I thought that was unique to the US. - Edit 1
Before modification by Joel at 08/11/2011 01:04:31 PM
Not even all of the US, I'm told; like many things, it varies by state (or so said my 8th grade US history teacher who got ticketed while vacationing out of state. 
) I should note that when I was getting my license transferred here a few weeks ago I had to do at least one driving lesson with the place who rented me the car for the test, and discussed this with the instructor; once I explained that right on red is basically the same as a stop sign (you MUST stop, but once you verify nothing is coming you can turn right) he understood. What surprised him was something that surprised me when I heard about it, and that I think most Americans do not know: Assuming you are in a state where right on red is legal, LEFT on red is legal onto a one way street (because no traffic can (legally) come from the left.)
I am very ambivalent about that, 'cos the fact is: You very well might, and the cop has no way to know beforehand. I am actually more surprised cops here are not more cautious in that respect, because every time they pull over a speeder they roll the dice, plain and simple: They could get to the window and find a little gray haired old lady who can barely see the road through her cataracts, or the Hells Angel who has that little old ladys dismembered body in the trunk: Luck of the draw.
That said, caution is one thing and confrontational quite another. I have had good experiences with US cops (e.g. the officer who saw me and my dad walking to the gas station after we ran out on the freeway and drove us there and back) but have also had unpleasant ones, and can relate many more secondhand. I think a lot depends on where you are; most of the bad experiences I know about, directly or otherwise, involved small town cops or rural sheriffs. In those cases you're often dealing with someone operating under several unfortunate dynamics: 1) Great local authority on which there are few immediate checks, 2) deep resentment the better paying big city police forces to which they applied did not want them and 3) similar resentment of non-residents as unwelcome "outsiders" (but lucrative revenue sources LAPD has no need to target.) Sometimes you get people who are just
s because they enjoy it so much, but the nature of small time life is more conducive to that sort of thing than society elsewhere; when the patrolman who pulls you over is also the mayors son-in-law, there is little chance local authorities will take your side in any dispute.
I have had my vehicle searched multiple times for no good reason, but never by a cop in a decent sized city; the worst experience I have had in that environment was an Austin cop who pulled me over for doing 70 mph in a 65 zone (while people zoomed past me at 80) and proceeded to lecture me about how awful it would be if I got my fiancee killed in a wreck and had to tell her parents (the best part is that I was probably at least ten years older than my lecturer.
) Big city cops usually have enough problems with real criminals that they do not look for trouble with random citizens. You will rarely have cause to fear them if you need help with something--but they always have cause to fear anyone encountered in connection with their duties. It is less that every jaywalker is willing to commit murder than that anyone who IS willing to murder will not think twice about jaywalking. I have heard that cops consider random traffic stops the most dangerous part of their job, because anyone could be lurking in that front seat. If you are careful (but not so much it seems suspicious) and polite you should have few problems, but, unfortunately, my impression is that, once you leave the city, YOU are the one rolling the dice when you meet a cop.
) I should note that when I was getting my license transferred here a few weeks ago I had to do at least one driving lesson with the place who rented me the car for the test, and discussed this with the instructor; once I explained that right on red is basically the same as a stop sign (you MUST stop, but once you verify nothing is coming you can turn right) he understood. What surprised him was something that surprised me when I heard about it, and that I think most Americans do not know: Assuming you are in a state where right on red is legal, LEFT on red is legal onto a one way street (because no traffic can (legally) come from the left.)If there is a green arrow next to it and you checked if no one's coming. Seems like that UK guy didn't get that.
Personally, I was surprised about the disappointingly low variety of decent chocolate in the US, and the incredible amount of commercials during shows or movies. Most other things were pretty much like I actually anticipated.
Like that other guy from the UK living in LA I also have the impression (from TV, not my experience) that you really have to fear the cops. They are not there to help or be asked for directions but to be nervous you could have a gun and ticket you for ridiculous crap like jaywalking.
Personally, I was surprised about the disappointingly low variety of decent chocolate in the US, and the incredible amount of commercials during shows or movies. Most other things were pretty much like I actually anticipated.
Like that other guy from the UK living in LA I also have the impression (from TV, not my experience) that you really have to fear the cops. They are not there to help or be asked for directions but to be nervous you could have a gun and ticket you for ridiculous crap like jaywalking.
I am very ambivalent about that, 'cos the fact is: You very well might, and the cop has no way to know beforehand. I am actually more surprised cops here are not more cautious in that respect, because every time they pull over a speeder they roll the dice, plain and simple: They could get to the window and find a little gray haired old lady who can barely see the road through her cataracts, or the Hells Angel who has that little old ladys dismembered body in the trunk: Luck of the draw.
That said, caution is one thing and confrontational quite another. I have had good experiences with US cops (e.g. the officer who saw me and my dad walking to the gas station after we ran out on the freeway and drove us there and back) but have also had unpleasant ones, and can relate many more secondhand. I think a lot depends on where you are; most of the bad experiences I know about, directly or otherwise, involved small town cops or rural sheriffs. In those cases you're often dealing with someone operating under several unfortunate dynamics: 1) Great local authority on which there are few immediate checks, 2) deep resentment the better paying big city police forces to which they applied did not want them and 3) similar resentment of non-residents as unwelcome "outsiders" (but lucrative revenue sources LAPD has no need to target.) Sometimes you get people who are just
s because they enjoy it so much, but the nature of small time life is more conducive to that sort of thing than society elsewhere; when the patrolman who pulls you over is also the mayors son-in-law, there is little chance local authorities will take your side in any dispute.I have had my vehicle searched multiple times for no good reason, but never by a cop in a decent sized city; the worst experience I have had in that environment was an Austin cop who pulled me over for doing 70 mph in a 65 zone (while people zoomed past me at 80) and proceeded to lecture me about how awful it would be if I got my fiancee killed in a wreck and had to tell her parents (the best part is that I was probably at least ten years older than my lecturer.
) Big city cops usually have enough problems with real criminals that they do not look for trouble with random citizens. You will rarely have cause to fear them if you need help with something--but they always have cause to fear anyone encountered in connection with their duties. It is less that every jaywalker is willing to commit murder than that anyone who IS willing to murder will not think twice about jaywalking. I have heard that cops consider random traffic stops the most dangerous part of their job, because anyone could be lurking in that front seat. If you are careful (but not so much it seems suspicious) and polite you should have few problems, but, unfortunately, my impression is that, once you leave the city, YOU are the one rolling the dice when you meet a cop.