Bored cops. Nice.

I slowed down while passing because it looked like there must be a huge accident.

Turns out, just bored cops.

You can’t quite see all of them in the picture, but there are 7 cars pulled over at one time (actually 6 cars and 1 scooter). While I was sitting there, 3 more were pulled over before my eyes.

Here’s the scenario: an unmarked police car (black Dodge Charger) is parked along a side road at the bottom of a hill (where of course gravity naturally makes you go slightly over the speed you were going unless you slam on the brakes [which can be dangerous because the person behind you is likely to rearend you]) with a radar gun. He radios ahead to his group of 4 or 5 squad cars on another side road further up and says “pull this car over.” When you get there, one of the 6 or more cops standing around points at you to pull off the road.

I was going the same speed as the two cars ahead of me, and the car behind me. Why I got the luck of the draw I don’t know… (Must be cause I’m white.)

When the cop finally came back with my license he asks “What are you taking pictures of?” I just sort of gesture and say “all this” — but in my head I’m like “Seriously? Look around you, pal — this is insanity — I’ve never seen anything like this in my life. Who authorized this bullshit?” (The guy on the scooter was actually taking pictures with his phone as well.)

To top things off, I wasn’t wearing my seat belt. Yeah, this is going to cost me some rubles…

Since apparently cops have nothing better to do than this, if I hear one more person say “there aren’t enough cops on the street” I’m gonna punch them in the ear.

(But, then, I should really just shut my bloody trap. Shouldn’t I.)