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particle wrote:I was driving below the speed limit on the way home from work - about 55-60 in a 65. There was a grass fire off in the distance on the side of the road. The truck I was behind was the reason I was driving below the speed limit - he was interested in the fire, I was interested in getting home after a long commute. As soon as I had a clearing in the left lane, I moved over and accelerated around the truck. Behind me, up came racing a full-size white Chevy pickup. I wasn't seriously speeding at this point - maybe 2-3mph over the speed limit (normal traffic flow reaches 75-80mph on this stretch of highway). When I saw the truck come racing up on me, I stepped on it, then moved over into the right lane. At this point, the truck is tailgating me, so I sped up some more... By this point, we're both WELL over the posted speed limit (I honestly don't know fast we were going, I was just paying attention to the road and trying to figure out why this guy was riding my bumper). I pulled into the turning lane on the shoulder to prepare to pick up a movie for my wife, and the truck stayed right on my tail - he was so close, I couldn't safely slow down to enter the parking lot - I overshot the parking lot entrance a few feet (remember, he was riding my bumper), and (stupid, I know) I flipped the guy off. He responded by flashing his badge out his window. I pulled into the parking lot at the next opportunity, he got out and gave me heck for speeding, but never asked to see my license or insurance - he told me to put it away.

I was pretty ticked about the whole ordeal, but kept my cool. Personally, I felt like this guy acted WAY inappropriately in an off-duty, personal vehicle. I know I shouldn't have let the guy push my buttons, but (as a police officer) he should have never been pushing the buttons in the first place. I would have never sped up that much if he hadn't come racing up on my tail. I keep wondering if maybe he felt partly responsible for escalating the situation, but probably not.

I still have a great amount of respect for LEO, but guys like this don't do much for public opinion.