derBayerische September/October 2021 - 3

TheSteeringColumn
In light of recent events, including but not limited to the death of George Floyd,
I thought it might be good to share some thoughts on surviving your next
encounter with the police. While an adverse encounter with the police is never
pleasant, it doesn't have to be life-threatening. Here's what I've learned firsthand
from the school of hard knocks.
First, don't behave in a manner that attracts negative attention from the
police, including excessive speed, weaving in and out of traffic, and running red
lights. Society has rules for a reason, even if we don't always agree with every
rule; the rules facilitate living together harmoniously and safely. I respect
that you're a person who has rights, and vice versa. No, we don't get to decide
which rules we're going to follow and which ones we're going to ignore.
That way lies anarchy. None of us are " special " .
On the same point, attracting negative attention from the police means that
you're turning control over your life to someone else. Once you're a case in the
justice system, you're not even a person anymore. You're just a file to be
processed by the police, a prosecutor, a judge. At that point, they have a
significant measure of control over your future. That's not what any of us wants.
Second, if you do attract negative attention from the police, then
cooperate. There by the side of the road is not the time or place to argue your
case or become uncooperative and resist. The instinct for " fight or flight " is
powerful; it evolved over millennia as a survival mechanism. In the case of an
adverse encounter with the police, suppress that instinct. You won't win.
The police employ a protocol known as the model of force. The more you
resist, the more counterforce they're going to apply. They're trained to use
however much force is necessary to ensure that they prevail in an encounter.
That means that they're actually trained to escalate the situation if they perceive
it to be necessary, not de-escalate it. Whatever you do, don't do anything that
the officer may perceive as threatening, including getting out of the car, trying
to get back into the car (without their consent) if you've already gotten out of the
car, or reaching under the seat or reaching for the glove box (without their
consent). You know that you're just reaching for your license or registration;
they may think that you're reaching for a weapon.
The place to argue your case is in court. If you're accused of anything
more serious than a minor traffic violation (resulting in a fine and a couple of
points on your license), then get a lawyer. A good attorney will advise you and
help you navigate your way through the legal jungle. Your attorney will also get
more respect from the court system than you will. Having an attorney infers to
the court that you're taking your case seriously. Finally, if you find yourself in
court, having a clean record will help.
Lest you think that all this is just bloviating from a WASP male who
doesn't know what he's talking about, or that these encounters only happen to
persons of color - do you remember the Habits articles for Autocross and HPDE
in which I discussed " Drive it like you stole it, to the limit of grip, squealing the
tires around the corners. But not on public roads. The police will not be
amused, nor will they be understanding. Ask me how I know. " ? Trust me.
And thank you for allowing me to share.
v/r,
Jack Raymond
Co-editor
September I October
3
https://www.hagerty.com/
derBayerische September/October 2021

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