--edit--Sorry about the poor structure of my post. I will re-edit when I get some time this weekend.
For now if you are bothered with eye strain, cliffs are a long scroll below.
Today was crappy. It rained. Great, we needed it in so cal. But it just added to the 'funk' factor in my life.
On my way to work, I came to a stop at an intersection. I had to make a right turn on to another street. An older lady (or one that just moved slow) was crossing the intersection. She had the right of way. By law, I had to wait until she cleared the intersection, even though I was running late, it didn't bother me to wait.
The full size van behind me seemed to think it was going to ruin their day, so they decided to ruin mine. They laid into the horn, and I turned around and jestured towards the slow lady in the crosswalk with the most expressive puzzled look I could give.
The lady crosses, I turn right onto the other street and go on. I keep looking in the rear view mirror, and sure enough they are following my every move. I start to make lane changes to see how interested they were, they matched it exactly. I also noticed that it there were more occupants then the driver and front passenger, couldn't tell, it was raining.
I came to a stop at an intersection a few blocks from the freeway. The driver door opens, then the light turns green before anything happens, it closes and the chase is on. We both come to the freeway on ramp. Their are two lanes to turn left, I nail it since there a few closely spaced stoplights in between me and the onramp. I hope to lose their interests. It almost worked.
I barely made it under two lights under yellow, and they were stuck at a red for a few seconds. Problem is that the light was red to turn on to the freeway on ramp. I am sitting in one of those left turn lanes, hoping it would go green in time. It didn't. They managed to weave in and out and they pull up next to me. Again, more honking, the side door starts to open...again saved by the light. Green. I get on the freeway, accelerate like crazy to get out of the slow lanes. I think they are behind me.
I have a ways to go, but I am unsure of where they are at. I have a couple of minutes to think. I remembered that the van said "VanPool", and it had nearby airport's insignia on it. Now I know what to look for. I decided that there was an exit near my next freeway interchange. I'll pull out, get some milk or something settle my stomach, and wait it out.
Miles later, I get to the offramp, I take the exit. The van's airport is much further down the freeway. They will sail by, and everyone gets to work happy, and in one piece.
And there was the van, just waiting at the light. It was green, I could see the van not moving, crap it must be them. It's a long off ramp, and I still didn't come to a stop behind them, by that time, the light went red. I kind of froze. Nothing happened. They didn't get out, and I sure heck wasn't either. I get the pad and pen ready to jot down the plate and the fleet number thingy. I was looking for the 1800-IDRIVELIKESHIT number bumper sticker, but their was none.
The light went green, it was okay to turn right from the offramp, and onto the street. They didn't. I shifted into reverse, so I could get room to move around. Then they finally moved. I had to follow, people were behind me. I look for a place to turn around but it lead to no choice but to follow for a few blocks. I get their plate, and the ID sticker. Time to move on and loose them again. They pull into a parking lot, turn around and they are now behind me.
I made strange turns to see what they were up to. I moved inbetween shopping centers and go back and forth for a couple of minutes. I speed up, they do to.
Time to call the dispatcher. I call 411, since I don't think this is threatening yet. I have them route to the local cities PD dispatcher, and I tell them what's going on.
She recommends for me to pull into a local substation only blocks away. I was trying to keep an eye out for it, but I couldn't remember where it was at. I finally see it as I come to a stop at a red.
The van screeches to a halt behind me and a guy in plain clothes jumps out and starts yelling. Not a few seconds after that he starts to pound on the glass. He even made sure to cover his fists with the sleeves of his sweatshirt in case it broke. He starts to kick the door. I don't know if he trying to intimidate me, leave a mark, or just get to get me to pull me out.
I tell the dispatcher what is going on, and she is in disbelief for a second. She said she has the plates, just make a run for it. Then the guy gets back in as he notices I was trying to get a picture of him in the act.
He puts a hand up to try to hide his face. Unfortunately, it's the first time I tried to use the camera on my 5 day old phone, dammit, I couldn't find the button under the stress of it.
The driver points to the parking lot ahead to settle this. I look over and it's the police station!!!
Okay, I tell the dispatcher, i am okay, we are pulling in now. The van peels in, all pissed occupants get out, and they start talking to the first uniformed officer in site. By the time I pull up, the driver is yelling at me to get out. He states he is a cop. Shit. I tell him to F off, I am talking to a uniformed officer, he can go to hell.
I park the car, and approach the scene. A squad car that was dispatched pulls right up, and asks if I was the caller. I said yes. The van guys were yelling at me, I started to yell at them. I asked them if they thought it was right to vandalise a car, harrass and chase a single person into fear.
I offered to take the window smasher wannabe one on one.
For a while, I lost some credibility for that line. It made me look violent, while they were giving a sob story about ME CHASING THEM.
The police separate us out to get our stories. They don't take me seriously until they get the part where they figured out I was on the phone with their dispatcher when the guy got out to pound my car.
They said they will have a recording of the call (which meant it was the last chance to get my story straight). I didn't budge with my description of events. He noticed I was serious and probably an honest guy. He has me walk inside the lobby. I sit down, and he asks me of I was okay. He picks up the lobby phone, and has the dispatcher route the replay of the call to his phone.
From then on, it got to filing a report, and if I want to claim I was a victim. They looked at me sincerely instead of skeptical. He said either way, a report was going to be filed. Another cop went to take pictures of my driver's door.
Here is where I don't know what to do. I really don't want to go to court. These guys by now know where I live, and one of them probably lives near me since it started around my house.
All I want to do is speak to their supervisors and whoever is in charge of the vanpool. They are all responsible for this (3 occupants). I just want the report to be filed. That way there is documentation, and I can pursue talking to their supervisors.
On the other hand, I can get the attention of the supervisors or watch commanders a little easier if the detectives can devote enough of this to see this to trial.
I called some freinds, and the wheels started to move. A mutual acquaintance is a cop in the same county, but not the city. He knows who talk to talk to. I might get to talk to Internal Affairs if everything goes right.
Another friend got me the person in charge of the vanpool, but she is out until Monday. One of the ladies that answered the phone was shocked. She told me call her first thing, and the lady would sure enough look into this.
I asked if was something trivial to the vanpool people. But she re-assured me that they would see to this on Monday. She pleaded me for not to forget to call, and not to think they were skeptical.
cliffs:
-three guys in a van chase me around town.
-one gets out in attempt to break the glass of my driver's window, and dent up my door.
-we pull into a police station to settle it out.
-turns out they were off duty cops from another town. (airport police perhaps)
-not sure if I should claim to be a victim and I guess in other word's 'press charges'. Or see if the detective will alert the off-duty cop's supervisors with just filing a report.
I am calling a friend's family attorney on Monday. I don't know what advice he can legally give, or if I can afford to keep as my council. I am also looking at my employee benefits, I recall something about insurance for legal consultation.
--edit-- 12-15-07
When to the police station to pick up the report. It turns out I need to fill out a form to get approval. So it's another week to wait for the report. However the bright side is that an investigator will at least glance at this due to my application.
For now if you are bothered with eye strain, cliffs are a long scroll below.
Today was crappy. It rained. Great, we needed it in so cal. But it just added to the 'funk' factor in my life.
On my way to work, I came to a stop at an intersection. I had to make a right turn on to another street. An older lady (or one that just moved slow) was crossing the intersection. She had the right of way. By law, I had to wait until she cleared the intersection, even though I was running late, it didn't bother me to wait.
The full size van behind me seemed to think it was going to ruin their day, so they decided to ruin mine. They laid into the horn, and I turned around and jestured towards the slow lady in the crosswalk with the most expressive puzzled look I could give.
The lady crosses, I turn right onto the other street and go on. I keep looking in the rear view mirror, and sure enough they are following my every move. I start to make lane changes to see how interested they were, they matched it exactly. I also noticed that it there were more occupants then the driver and front passenger, couldn't tell, it was raining.
I came to a stop at an intersection a few blocks from the freeway. The driver door opens, then the light turns green before anything happens, it closes and the chase is on. We both come to the freeway on ramp. Their are two lanes to turn left, I nail it since there a few closely spaced stoplights in between me and the onramp. I hope to lose their interests. It almost worked.
I barely made it under two lights under yellow, and they were stuck at a red for a few seconds. Problem is that the light was red to turn on to the freeway on ramp. I am sitting in one of those left turn lanes, hoping it would go green in time. It didn't. They managed to weave in and out and they pull up next to me. Again, more honking, the side door starts to open...again saved by the light. Green. I get on the freeway, accelerate like crazy to get out of the slow lanes. I think they are behind me.
I have a ways to go, but I am unsure of where they are at. I have a couple of minutes to think. I remembered that the van said "VanPool", and it had nearby airport's insignia on it. Now I know what to look for. I decided that there was an exit near my next freeway interchange. I'll pull out, get some milk or something settle my stomach, and wait it out.
Miles later, I get to the offramp, I take the exit. The van's airport is much further down the freeway. They will sail by, and everyone gets to work happy, and in one piece.
And there was the van, just waiting at the light. It was green, I could see the van not moving, crap it must be them. It's a long off ramp, and I still didn't come to a stop behind them, by that time, the light went red. I kind of froze. Nothing happened. They didn't get out, and I sure heck wasn't either. I get the pad and pen ready to jot down the plate and the fleet number thingy. I was looking for the 1800-IDRIVELIKESHIT number bumper sticker, but their was none.
The light went green, it was okay to turn right from the offramp, and onto the street. They didn't. I shifted into reverse, so I could get room to move around. Then they finally moved. I had to follow, people were behind me. I look for a place to turn around but it lead to no choice but to follow for a few blocks. I get their plate, and the ID sticker. Time to move on and loose them again. They pull into a parking lot, turn around and they are now behind me.
I made strange turns to see what they were up to. I moved inbetween shopping centers and go back and forth for a couple of minutes. I speed up, they do to.
Time to call the dispatcher. I call 411, since I don't think this is threatening yet. I have them route to the local cities PD dispatcher, and I tell them what's going on.
She recommends for me to pull into a local substation only blocks away. I was trying to keep an eye out for it, but I couldn't remember where it was at. I finally see it as I come to a stop at a red.
The van screeches to a halt behind me and a guy in plain clothes jumps out and starts yelling. Not a few seconds after that he starts to pound on the glass. He even made sure to cover his fists with the sleeves of his sweatshirt in case it broke. He starts to kick the door. I don't know if he trying to intimidate me, leave a mark, or just get to get me to pull me out.
I tell the dispatcher what is going on, and she is in disbelief for a second. She said she has the plates, just make a run for it. Then the guy gets back in as he notices I was trying to get a picture of him in the act.
He puts a hand up to try to hide his face. Unfortunately, it's the first time I tried to use the camera on my 5 day old phone, dammit, I couldn't find the button under the stress of it.
The driver points to the parking lot ahead to settle this. I look over and it's the police station!!!
Okay, I tell the dispatcher, i am okay, we are pulling in now. The van peels in, all pissed occupants get out, and they start talking to the first uniformed officer in site. By the time I pull up, the driver is yelling at me to get out. He states he is a cop. Shit. I tell him to F off, I am talking to a uniformed officer, he can go to hell.
I park the car, and approach the scene. A squad car that was dispatched pulls right up, and asks if I was the caller. I said yes. The van guys were yelling at me, I started to yell at them. I asked them if they thought it was right to vandalise a car, harrass and chase a single person into fear.
I offered to take the window smasher wannabe one on one.
For a while, I lost some credibility for that line. It made me look violent, while they were giving a sob story about ME CHASING THEM.
The police separate us out to get our stories. They don't take me seriously until they get the part where they figured out I was on the phone with their dispatcher when the guy got out to pound my car.
They said they will have a recording of the call (which meant it was the last chance to get my story straight). I didn't budge with my description of events. He noticed I was serious and probably an honest guy. He has me walk inside the lobby. I sit down, and he asks me of I was okay. He picks up the lobby phone, and has the dispatcher route the replay of the call to his phone.
From then on, it got to filing a report, and if I want to claim I was a victim. They looked at me sincerely instead of skeptical. He said either way, a report was going to be filed. Another cop went to take pictures of my driver's door.
Here is where I don't know what to do. I really don't want to go to court. These guys by now know where I live, and one of them probably lives near me since it started around my house.
All I want to do is speak to their supervisors and whoever is in charge of the vanpool. They are all responsible for this (3 occupants). I just want the report to be filed. That way there is documentation, and I can pursue talking to their supervisors.
On the other hand, I can get the attention of the supervisors or watch commanders a little easier if the detectives can devote enough of this to see this to trial.
I called some freinds, and the wheels started to move. A mutual acquaintance is a cop in the same county, but not the city. He knows who talk to talk to. I might get to talk to Internal Affairs if everything goes right.
Another friend got me the person in charge of the vanpool, but she is out until Monday. One of the ladies that answered the phone was shocked. She told me call her first thing, and the lady would sure enough look into this.
I asked if was something trivial to the vanpool people. But she re-assured me that they would see to this on Monday. She pleaded me for not to forget to call, and not to think they were skeptical.
cliffs:
-three guys in a van chase me around town.
-one gets out in attempt to break the glass of my driver's window, and dent up my door.
-we pull into a police station to settle it out.
-turns out they were off duty cops from another town. (airport police perhaps)
-not sure if I should claim to be a victim and I guess in other word's 'press charges'. Or see if the detective will alert the off-duty cop's supervisors with just filing a report.
I am calling a friend's family attorney on Monday. I don't know what advice he can legally give, or if I can afford to keep as my council. I am also looking at my employee benefits, I recall something about insurance for legal consultation.
--edit-- 12-15-07
When to the police station to pick up the report. It turns out I need to fill out a form to get approval. So it's another week to wait for the report. However the bright side is that an investigator will at least glance at this due to my application.