***3:10 if you get bored easily***
DENVER -- A motorcyclist caught a confrontation with what he thought was a distracted driver. It turns out, it was a Denver police officer behind the wheel.
The motorcyclist's helmet camera captured the nearly seven-minute exchange with the officer.
Devin Jones said he started recording all his rides because of how often he comes across distracted drivers. He said he never expected it to be handled like it was.
Out for a morning ride around West 48th Avenue and Zuni Street in Denver on Wednesday morning, Jones said he got behind a car stopped at a roundabout. He said the driver, distracted by his cellphone, was impeding traffic.
So he honked.
“Put the *** phone down," Jones is heard on the recording saying to the driver. That's when the driver, a Denver police officer in uniform, got out to confront him.
Officer: “That’s road rage,”
Jones: "No, I was honking because you were on the phone and I needed you to get off so we could travel smooth.”
Officer: “Sometimes I’m required to be on my phone.”
Jones: “All I could see was this” (motions his hands to put phone down).
Officer: “That’s none of your business.”
Officer: “Honking a horn at a vehicle is road rage.”
"He was extremely aggressive, his body language, everything he was doing is what I would classify as road rage," Jones said of how the officer acted toward him.
For nearly seven minutes, the exchange continued.
Officer: “Why don’t you pull over your bike and we’ll write you a ticket.”
Meanwhile, traffic on the one-lane roundabout was at a halt behind them.
Jones: “I’m used to seeing drivers on their phone and it causes quite a few …”
Officer: Hold on (officer motioned to honking traffic backed up behind them).
A Denver police spokesman said the department is unaware of a complaint regarding the officer in the video, so it is not investigating the situation. Police also said it is not considered road rage to use your horn in Colorado.
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I was always under the impression that, barring calls for personal issues, officers have a radio to use for police business. Colorado doesn't appear to have a law like Austin that prohibits adults from using cell phones to call while driving, just texting, but they also don't have a law that says using your horn to notify a distracted driver is road rage.
23 Comments
eric3579What a fucking overreacting pos power tripper. Now i need a klonopin. I gotta stop watching videos like these.
effin98says...What a prick.
nanrodI found it hard to believe that simple honking is considered road rage in Colorado, so I found a lawyers web site that quoted that road rage is "assault with a motor vehicle or other dangerous weapon by the operator or passenger(s) of another motor vehicle or an assault precipitated by an incident that occurred on a roadway”. They went on to list some actions that are considered aggressive driving. One was excessive use of your horn, another was "Exiting the car to attempt to start a confrontation."
So not only is the cop a colossal prick, he doesn't know the law in his own jurisdiction. Either that or he was willing to blatantly lie on camera.
mxxconWhy "or"?
So not only is the cop a colossal prick, he doesn't know the law in his own jurisdiction. Either that or he was willing to blatantly lie on camera.
nanrodGood point!
Why "or"?
vilCompare that to Germany. Now go make America great again. Sorry to invoke Trump on this one, but my expert US advisor tells me it is her biggest worry about Trump, that his success will make more people feel like its OK to behave like an asshole.
Also the call obviously must have been something really important and time-critical.
kingmobsays...Never never argue with a cop.
Poor foolish kid.
TheFreakHa! That's my neighborhood.
Worst rondelle ever. No one knows how to use it. It's not unusual to see drivers sitting there, unsure of what to do.
Oh, and, cop's a colossal prick. Although, he is not lying that they use their phones for police business.
eric3579Do you know if this got picked up by local news. I looked but didn't see a news station carrying it on the interwebs. Even if they wanted to probably hard to edit without having the PoPo criticize them.
Ha! That's my neighborhood.
TheFreakIndeed, local news coverage:
http://kdvr.com/2016/06/09/motorcyclist-records-road-rage-exchange-with-denver-officer/
The rider didn't complain so the incident isn't being investigated.
Do you know if this got picked up by local news. I looked but didn't see a news station carrying it on the interwebs. Even if they wanted to probably hard to edit without having the PoPo criticize them.
eric3579Douchebag cop exposed in his community. Hooray!
Indeed, local news coverage:
TheFreakThe irony is that, the moment that cop left his vehicle to start an aggressive confrontation involving threats and intimidation...he was guilty of road rage according to colorado law.
Douchebag cop exposed in his community. Hooray!
newtboyThey should certainly be required to park before using their phones for ANY reason. They can't drive drunk, so why could they commit another illegal act that's just as dangerous? That's INSANE.
What a complete liar and douchebag. Name and address of the officer please. I think he needs to be honked at at all times of day and night.
They have the evidence now, they don't need a complaint. He needs to be reprimanded, ticketed, have his license removed for dangerous driving (parking in the street to scream at someone) and road rage, and then be harassed and ridiculed until he quits. This is why cops get shot by random people now...and why it will happen again, some of them deserve it.
Ha! That's my neighborhood.
Worst rondelle ever. No one knows how to use it. It's not unusual to see drivers sitting there, unsure of what to do.
Oh, and, cop's a colossal prick. Although, he is not lying that they use their phones for police business.
newtboy*promote exposing the douchebaggery of this fecant and feculent waste of skin.
I'm getting a dash cam.
siftbotPromoting this video back to the front page; last published Monday, June 13th, 2016 7:39pm PDT - promote requested by newtboy.
littledragon_79As much as I'll defend police, this guy can ram his entire head up his shit-doesn't-smell ass. The rider can subpoena his phone records to verify that it was in fact a police related call, not sending dick picks to teenagers. And the goings on of a public official are abso-fucking-lutely the business of citizens.
I'd say reprimand and remediate the officer, but this may be the behaviors the bosses want exhibited. I think a lot of problems with law enforcement today need to be addressed from the top down...not always reacting to the end result.
Lukiosays...Great demonstration on how to escalate a completely harmless situation. Some cops seem to be particularly good at that.
JanuariI have to be honest i stopped watching at, "Beeping your horn at a vehicle is called road rage".
That is just... ugh. No words.
dagComment hidden because you are ignoring dag.(show it anyway)
Well the cop is a dick, but he's being punished through the court of social media. So there's that.
ravioliI so hope someone finds out if the phone call was indeed work related.
Jinxsays...Somebody here is road raging.
hint: It's the guy with 4 wheels and a badge.
Briguy1960Like how the cop says about how it will go in court implying that the police are believed to be telling the truth over the citizen..
Great job of not even trying to see it from the riders perspective as he was in an unmarked car.
The cop seems to be acting like someone caught red handed and embarrased about it.
bobknight33Utter BS from the cop.
So If I'm driving in my work van and have a work related call them I'm good ?
But If I'm just talking to my wife then big trouble.
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