Not flaming at all. The people there on the scene thought it was a shakedown. I lived in Germany for about three years. Europe is certainly not above police corruption. Trust me.
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SMV extorted by Spanish Border Patrol!
- Thread starter irishryno
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Not flaming at all. The people there on the scene thought it was a shakedown. I lived in Germany for about three years. Europe is certainly not above police corruption. Trust me.
The drivers knew what was going on alright. One of them was being fined for an infraction that occurred 3 weeks earlier and was recorded by a device on the bus. SMV paid the fine and then were reimbursed by the private german bus company. On Marcus Miller's website he states that the private german bus company will pursue it in the courts but I doubt it because the legal fees will no doubt exceed the fine.
With complete driving records for the past four weeks, anyone and everyone would get a fine. It was a shakedown. I'm not sure why the Spanish people are getting upset. It reflects more poorly on them for making excuses as bad cops reflect poorly on the bad cops.
I meant MY last sentence was probably flaming, not you
I'm sure there are corrupt cops everywhere (except maybe Canada, they've always been good to me). Its just that this time in particular, it really does not seem like anything shady is going on.
And I'm certain the people on the scene felt like it was a shakedown. I've been pulled over by American cops a time or two, and every time I did in fact deserve it (to greater or lesser degrees). Yet every time I felt put upon and persecuted, like the system was abusing me in particular. I believe this is a normal psychological reaction; its just not a reasonable one. It wasn't reasonable this time either.
To be honest, the incident itself doesn't seem like a big deal any way you slice it. I'll be riveted when somebody gets kidnapped; until then, its hum-drum.
This thread has way more drama in it than the actual police stop.
I guess you could take the position that all traffic control laws and fines are a "shakedown" if you wanted to.
I was fined $250 last month for turning left when I shouldn't have and I can't say that I enjoyed paying the fine.
On the other hand if you have friends and family who died or suffered injury in accidents where the driver fell asleep, was drunk or was in any other way disobeying traffic control laws, you might have a different perspective.
I know fully well that there is plenty of police corruption in Europe, especially the further East you go. twenty dollars folded up in the driving licence as you hand it over to the cops is a reality where I live, which makes me certain that what happened in this video was absolutely, no way a shakedown. Apart from numerous people posting the facts about Spanish law, I have to add that if those cops are corrupt, they are just about the stupidest bent coppers I have ever seen. writing a receipt, knowing full well that they were musicians and therefore likely to be known, and the fact that it was the bus company rather than the musicians who paid. If the cops were really corrupt they'd have to be far sneakier than they are on that video.
Did you pay it in cash to the "police" on the spot or be refused to leave the area? I doubt it. And you probably could have taken the ticket to traffic court to protest. The "on the spot or you can't walk" tickets that must be paid in cash lack judicial oversight and are subject to massive corruption.
I have no beef at all with law enforcement, but that system is setup for corruption.
JAUQO III-X
Inactive
Does any one really know if the receipts really are legit.
The officers really might not be as stupid as they may seem in the video to some.
There are many ways to make a scam look legit. It's part of the con.
One would really be surprised at how many people could care less about a group of musicians famous or not.
I was once in the business of corrupting cops.
By the way Jauqo, as I wrote in my earlier post I live in a very corrupt country and am fully aware that corruption is everywhere, but in this case, I just don't see it. Several Spaniards have been established how the system works in Spain, but it seems they're being ignored. Should we take Vic's word for it being a shakedown just because he's Vic?
Have you been to Western Europe recently by the way?
Based on the responses from the US TBers and European TBers, It seems that most US TBers assume that police are corrupt and most European TBers assume that police can be trusted.
This probably reflects the nature of the police forces in their home countries eg US police are more likely to be corrupt and untrustworthy like in the Rodney King incident and many others.
In Canada most of the sketchy police stories that I have read involve shooting, tazering or off-duty police getting drunk and being involved car accidents. I can't recall any stories of scams or shakedowns involving police.
However, my RCMP friend in Vancouver does let good looking chicks leave the speed trap without a ticket if they give him their number.
This probably reflects the nature of the police forces in their home countries eg US police are more likely to be corrupt and untrustworthy like in the Rodney King incident and many others.
In Canada most of the sketchy police stories that I have read involve shooting, tazering or off-duty police getting drunk and being involved car accidents. I can't recall any stories of scams or shakedowns involving police.
However, my RCMP friend in Vancouver does let good looking chicks leave the speed trap without a ticket if they give him their number.
JAUQO III-X
Inactive
For the record I put no human being at a God/Allah like status(code word for, I don't kiss peoples behind because they may be famous and I know a lot of famous people).
Vics experience is his experience and if he wants to express that experience from his perspective that's his right.As it should be.
I can guess for much of its written in this thread that USA people do not trust their law enforcers and they think that they are easily corruptable.
There is a Spanish saying that goes:
"Piensa el ladrón que todos son de su condición"
its translation is:
"The thief believes that everyone do his business"
Think about it
- May 30, 2000
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Quite an assumption??? They are a group on a tour bus how would they not have a discussion about the video and the merits of placing the video on the internet for everyone to see?
When you are a famous musician whose words can have influence on millions of people you MUST be careful with what you express and WHERE you express it. You can do much harm.
This is called responsability.
JAUQO III-X
Inactive
I can only speak for myself. I do not trust them.
And I also know for a fact that there are many dedicated and law abiding law enforcers out there.
A large % are.
Well is experience and perspective is his,isn't it?
No that's called,it is what it is.
Humans continuously forget that famous people are just that, a human who happens to be famous.
To be fair to Vic, you're right, and I see absolutely perfectly why to Vic it appeared like a shakedown - in his defence I can add that if I had been in his position, I too would have believed it to be just that; I know that there is a certain amount of bonding which goes on with people like bus drivers who accompany you on tours, get you to venues on time via back roads, etc., but I think that it does seem here that a bus driver had broken a law and was fined accordingly. Not saying I agree with what happened -I don't have enough background information about the effects of tiredness on drivers to say, but I do know that any laws which makes roads safer places are good laws.
'Course it is, but that doesn't give people carte blanche to post every kneejerk reaction on YouTube crying 'EXTORTION!!'.
it just makes the people involved look a bit silly.
Just sayin'.
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