A Cop just told me, "Freedom doesn't exist anymore."

[(oYo)]

Did you tell the cop that you knew freedom aint what it used to be or did you just let him talk your ear off then go back to your leaf blowing.

He didn't have much to say.  He just said that next time he comes out someone will go to jail.  Basically I have lost the right to use a leaf blower on my property.  The time of day really had nothing to do with it.  It's sad.  I own my property and I am not allowed to operate a leaf blower on it.  While his statement was shocking, it did prove to be true in this instance.

Of course the time of day had EVERYTHING to do with it. Use your blower at noon time and I'm positive NO-ONE will give you any flak for it.

I think the noise by-law is from 11pm til 8am in Toronto. If I was your neighbor I can guarantee you I wouldn't be happy with having to hear your blower at 7:30am. I wouldn't call the cops or anything, but I might mention to you that I wasn't happy waking up to your noise and ask you if you wouldn't mind doing it a bit later in the future. Personally, I think the noise by-law should be from 8pm til 10am.

[ibminer]

Your telling me a cop just walked up to you and said this without no official noise complaint from a neighbor or someone around you?

---snip---
I wasn't doing anything illegal or breaking any laws.  The police officer was 100% in the wrong.  You don't have to believe me though.  There will inevitably be those who are ignorant and short sighted who will support a police state.  I just wanted to share this story.  I guess without a clip of the cop saying it though, this is just the ramblings of an irritated citizen.

People who support police are not short sighted and ignorant. They are worried about their safety and want someone to protect them, their family, and their community from bad people. That being said, there is a correct way to have a police presence and an incorrect way, and unfortunately a lot of police departments are swaying towards the incorrect way (all with "good" intentions, but failing badly and jeopardizing freedom in the process). Politicians are a large part of the problem.

Your situation is a little hard to believe without a complaint from someone else though... unless there are details being left out, like did you forget to get dressed before you went out and started leaf blowing?    

"Hate the cops?  Next time you need help, call a crackhead"  

[gentlemand]

And others should have the freedom not to be woken up by some annoying ass buzzing first thing in the morning.

Whether we like it or not mutual consideration needs to enforced by someone or something otherwise the world would be a shower of shit. It's too densely populated to be any other way these days.

[OgNasty]

And others should have the freedom not to be woken up by some annoying ass buzzing first thing in the morning.

OK.  I should give more back story since I see the folks are getting hostile against me.  Also keep in mind it is a week day and at no point was the time of day mentioned as a factor in the conversation.

I went outside shortly after 7:30.  I cleaned up some debris, trimmed my tree, cleaned up after my dog out back, put my trash can on the curb for the trash man, and then turned on my leaf blower for 5-10 minutes (second time I've ever used my leaf blower).  The interaction with the police officer was after 8:30 and then I immediately wanted to document somewhere what I had just heard (hence the hot headed thread).  I also live in the desert.  It is bright outside by 5am and by 10am it is too hot to be working outside (according to the news, I am not scared to be outside).  That is why the noise ordinance is so early here.  Hearing leaf blowers at 7am is not uncommon in my area, nor is it illegal.  While I don't especially like it, houses here are new and built with so much insulation you can barely hear it inside anyway.  The point of the post wasn't about my unhappy yard cleaning experience, it was that a cop told me to my face that freedom doesn't exist anymore and threatened me with jail if I use a leaf blower (within 5 minutes of the cop leaving, one of my neighbors started blowing off his property).  The cop urged me to install cameras with audio all around my property and to report any of my neighbors for suspicious behavior.  It was a conversation I wish I wasn't a part of.  My comment of, "I'm more of the freedom and privacy type" is what brought out his response.

Pretty crazy morning for just wanting to do a little yard work.

[Jason]

"Hate the cops?  Next time you need help, call a crackhead"  

[brendanjhwu]

I was blowing leaves off of my property this morning (granted 7:30am might have been a bit early) when a police officer confronted me.  He told me that I was breaking the law (where I live the noise ordinance is from 10pm-6am).  When I let him know the law and asked what law I was breaking by leaf blowing my property, he responded by saying, "This isn't the good old days, freedom doesn't exist anymore."  He had a straight face and was dead serious.  It is a sad day when not even the police believe in freedom anymore or respect the laws.  I just wish I had been recording the interaction as it would have been youtube gold.

That's why nowadays people want to be a policeman. Not to catch a villain, help society, or secure the area where you are living. They want to do anything what they like, because they think that they have right to do that. If we don't accept their wish, so they will show their gun and arrest you for "don't want to cooperate with police against crime". Their deed make the people don't like all of police officers, even to nice police that really helped society.

I don't get how people always get into these confrontations with police, they're all pretty nice. Well maybe, because I'm Canadian but still... when I got pulled over in New York, the officer was pretty chill. Where do you live?

[countryfree]

Again, this was not a noise issue.  There was no noise complaint.

Are you sure about that ?
Some neighbor may have called the cops to complain without the policeman telling you about it.
Besides that, if there's a noise regulation, you can't blame a cop for enforcing it.

Now regarding freedom, you may have heard of thousands of African migrants coming to Europe. If those people were free, there would one thousand of them lining up your street, begging for food.

[Gronthaing]

The cop urged me to install cameras with audio all around my property and to report any of my neighbors for suspicious behavior.  It was a conversation I wish I wasn't a part of.  My comment of, "I'm more of the freedom and privacy type" is what brought out his response.

That's very weird. Basically asking you to spy and report on your neighbors. Has there been a lot of criminal activity in the area? Or any reason for him to ask that? Not that it justifies it but maybe there is some investigation going on in the area?

Besides that, if there's a noise regulation, you can't blame a cop for enforcing it.

Did you read his post? That happened after 7:30. Not before 6am when it would be illegal.

Now regarding freedom, you may have heard of thousands of African migrants coming to Europe. If those people were free, there would one thousand of them lining up your street, begging for food.

Sure. Fuck freedom. Help cause the problems by bombing and robbing others, then give up liberties to stop them trying to get their lives together.

[johnyj]

Police in bad mood! Sometimes a policeman has just been upset by some criminals and want to find some ordinary guy to beat 

[freeyourmind]

I was blowing leaves off of my property this morning (granted 7:30am might have been a bit early) when a police officer confronted me.  He told me that I was breaking the law (where I live the noise ordinance is from 10pm-6am).  When I let him know the law and asked what law I was breaking along with some other discussions, he responded by saying, "This isn't the good old days, freedom doesn't exist anymore."  He had a straight face and was dead serious.  It is a sad day when not even the police believe in freedom anymore or respect the laws.  I just wish I had been recording the interaction as it would have been youtube gold.

I guess you're supposed to be happy that you didn't get the shit beaten out of you for no reason along with the many other youtube clips.  To serve and protect right?

[(oYo)]

I was blowing leaves off of my property this morning (granted 7:30am might have been a bit early) when a police officer confronted me.  He told me that I was breaking the law (where I live the noise ordinance is from 10pm-6am).  When I let him know the law and asked what law I was breaking along with some other discussions, he responded by saying, "This isn't the good old days, freedom doesn't exist anymore."  He had a straight face and was dead serious.  It is a sad day when not even the police believe in freedom anymore or respect the laws.  I just wish I had been recording the interaction as it would have been youtube gold.

I guess you're supposed to be happy that you didn't get the shit beaten out of you for no reason along with the many other youtube clips.  To serve and protect right?

"to punish and enslave..."

[pureelite]

I was blowing leaves off of my property this morning (granted 7:30am might have been a bit early) when a police officer confronted me.  He told me that I was breaking the law (where I live the noise ordinance is from 10pm-6am).  When I let him know the law and asked what law I was breaking along with some other discussions, he responded by saying, "This isn't the good old days, freedom doesn't exist anymore."  He had a straight face and was dead serious.  It is a sad day when not even the police believe in freedom anymore or respect the laws.  I just wish I had been recording the interaction as it would have been youtube gold.

Of course it doesn't. You are on internet, you are accepting that everytime you log on to some social network, or search something. We are slaves, that's the truth.

[freeyourmind]

I was blowing leaves off of my property this morning (granted 7:30am might have been a bit early) when a police officer confronted me.  He told me that I was breaking the law (where I live the noise ordinance is from 10pm-6am).  When I let him know the law and asked what law I was breaking along with some other discussions, he responded by saying, "This isn't the good old days, freedom doesn't exist anymore."  He had a straight face and was dead serious.  It is a sad day when not even the police believe in freedom anymore or respect the laws.  I just wish I had been recording the interaction as it would have been youtube gold.

I guess you're supposed to be happy that you didn't get the shit beaten out of you for no reason along with the many other youtube clips.  To serve and protect right?

"to punish and enslave..."

lol that's amazing.

Since it is "public service", it would be interesting if the tax payers were able to pick the slogan for government services.

[Beliathon]

And others should have the freedom not to be woken up by some annoying ass buzzing first thing in the morning.

This!

[Beliathon]

And others should have the freedom not to be woken up by some annoying ass buzzing first thing in the morning.

What if I work nights and sleep days? Do I get the same rights or am I a second class citizen because I have a different shift?

Also banks, post offices, and most other businesses will be closed when you're not working. You're a second class citizen because you have a nightshift. That's life.

[gentlemand]

And others should have the freedom not to be woken up by some annoying ass buzzing first thing in the morning.

What if I work nights and sleep days? Do I get the same rights or am I a second class citizen because I have a different shift?

You are a second class freak. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.

I'm almost completely nocturnal too but the majority of the world isn't so I just have to suck it up.

[Beliathon]

So... you are comparing a sound ordinance enforced by the local authorities with businesses' hours of operation?

I'm not comparing them, I'm only pointing out that the rest of society doesn't alter itself to suit your personal convenience.

Some of you guys have a weird understanding of "rights".

Mine is pretty clear.

[Beliathon]

I'm not comparing them, I'm only pointing out that the rest of society doesn't alter itself to suit your personal convenience.

We weren't talking about "personal convenience", we were talking about freedom. If you just want to lump them into the same category... well, never mind.

Well, you're the one conflating the two.

[gentlemand]

Absolutely not. The dude said that people have the freedom to not be assaulted by noise pollution in the early morning.

I asked if the same freedom applies to those on a different schedule.

You respond with some silliness about banking hours.

What's the potential solution then? I work all night and sleep until the afternoon. I know perfectly well that the majority of humanity doesn't operate with those hours. Because of that I have to put up with their noise and me moaning about it isn't going to wash because my lifestyle choice doesn't fit. That's just the way it is.

[hedgy73]

I was blowing leaves off of my property this morning (granted 7:30am might have been a bit early) when a police officer confronted me.  He told me that I was breaking the law (where I live the noise ordinance is from 10pm-6am).  When I let him know the law and asked what law I was breaking along with some other discussions, he responded by saying, "This isn't the good old days, freedom doesn't exist anymore."  He had a straight face and was dead serious.  It is a sad day when not even the police believe in freedom anymore or respect the laws.  I just wish I had been recording the interaction as it would have been youtube gold.

Its understandable you we're 'told off' for operating a leaf blowing machine much earlier than the time allowed 'to make noise' where you live. 10am is pretty late though, is it like an old peoples retirement complex that you live in?

I've also been 'told off' for using my work equipment before 8am which is the time in the UK where I live that you are allowed to start making noise. However this doesn't seem to apply to the dustbin men who regularly make lots of noise outside my house at 7am. Still I'd rather that than not have my rubbish collected .