Thousands are furious at a California Highway Patrol car, whose driver decided to illegally park in the disabled parking section, blocking anyone who might need wheelchair access. Shared to r/mildlyinfuriating by ripetrichomes, the photo shows a police promotional recruitment car sitting atop the striped blue lines of a disabled parking area. Ironically, several people believed this could actually be a good advertisement for cops being above authority.
“Rules for thee, but not for me!” joked ripetrichomes, who added that the picture was taken in Long Beach, California, at the annual pet fair. “That’s literally the messaging. Come be a cop. Rules don’t apply to you anymore,” agreed another. “He’s above the law and below the literacy line,” remarked a third.
Redditors Suggested Calling the Local Police or Tow Trucks on the Patrol Car
A solid handful of Redditors suggested OP call the cops on the cop for their illegally parked vehicle. Others recommended getting a tow truck to come out and take the promotional car away. However, one person argued that “no tow company is going to take that risk.”
They reasoned that emergency vehicles driven by first responders are generally exempt from “No Parking” zones because they need to be ready to drive off without issue when on call. This would include instances like parking by a fire lane curb during lunch breaks, the commenter adds.
On the flip side, another person claimed that, in their city, parking enforcement is a separate branch from the city police. As a result, some cops have had their cars allegedly ticketed, though the commenter can’t confirm whether these officers had to pay for the tickets. Likewise, they’re implying that highway patrol could get into a minor scuffle with local cops over this illegal parking job, though that’s speculation.
Regardless of whether the individual driving the promotional vehicle is in the right or would get in trouble for it, people are still outraged at what police often get away with. The top-upvoted commenter hopes that won’t be the case for this California policeman, by telling OP to “post that photo all over their social media.”
