Welcome to the Peoples Republic of Royal Oak!
Perhaps some readers will remember my experience at the 2010 Woodward Dream Cruise.
I was given an unlawful ticket and fined by an incompetent magistrate — Ken Roy — who not only did not know the law but never the less created made-up offense plus a hefty fine for participating in a pre-Dream Cruise event.
The entire experience at the Royal Oak courthouse was like something out of “ Alice in Wonderland.”
But it seems that heavy handed police work was not confined to just the Woodward Dream Cruise.
The good folks who attended the Arts, Beat & Eats Festival in downtown Royal Oak this past summer also were treated to back-country hillybilly justice.
How’s that, you wonder?
Just ask one of the patrons who had the misfortune of parking within walking distance of the event.
The Royal Oak Police Department — in full costume many on motorbikes and sporting Jodfer paints and big boots, were on the hunt.
Any slight infraction of their perceived violation of newly issued parking laws would be dealt with by a hefty ticket and fine.
Go ahead, write the ticket and then put up the NO PARKING sign. That’s the way to do it.
All the policing added up to a total of 1,900 tickets during the four-day event.
That’s a rich infusion of $71,565 to the corrupt court system’s treasure box.
At the 2010 Dream Cruise, the Royal Oak police chief said he had give orders to his little army to go easy on the cruisers for infractions such as displaying legal historic license plates.
Either the Chief, Chris Jahnke is a liar, or his numerous motorbike officers were thumbing their collective noses at him. The Chief has since moved on.
What we have here is a failure to communicate.
Someone pinch me. Even Oakland County Emperor L. Brooks Patterson is outraged at the amount of tickets issued at the Arts, Beat & Eats Festival. He suggests that the event be relocated to a friendlier locale.
I have an idea: Return it to Pontiac where it all started and was very successful for everyone involved.
I do not recall any bullying by the Pontiac cops. No, you can’t park in front of a fire hydrant, but small infractions that caused no problems were overlooked as far as I can recall.
Personally, I would not participate in any event that is within the boundaries of the People’s Republic of Royal Oak .
I have witnessed the harassment by Royal Oak cops of peaceful families gathered on private property watching the cruisers on the summer evenings before the weekend official event.
Example: Move 50 feet to the north and sit in back of the sidewalk in Berkley or even the snooty Birmingham and you are safe from a Royal Cop pointing a nightstick at your family, commanding “Time to go home.” Hey! this is America, I'll sit here all night if I choose to.
If you have not seen this or experienced this sort of action, I suggest you were not there for the evenings leading up to the Dream Cruise.
As Sylvester Stallone said in “Judge Dredd”: “I can’t break the law; I am the law.”
This would be the appropriate motto over the Royal Oak courthouse.
Hope to see you in Pontiac for the 2011 Woodward Dream Cruise.
I was given an unlawful ticket and fined by an incompetent magistrate — Ken Roy — who not only did not know the law but never the less created made-up offense plus a hefty fine for participating in a pre-Dream Cruise event.
The entire experience at the Royal Oak courthouse was like something out of “ Alice in Wonderland.”
But it seems that heavy handed police work was not confined to just the Woodward Dream Cruise.
The good folks who attended the Arts, Beat & Eats Festival in downtown Royal Oak this past summer also were treated to back-country hillybilly justice.
How’s that, you wonder?
Just ask one of the patrons who had the misfortune of parking within walking distance of the event.
The Royal Oak Police Department — in full costume many on motorbikes and sporting Jodfer paints and big boots, were on the hunt.
Any slight infraction of their perceived violation of newly issued parking laws would be dealt with by a hefty ticket and fine.
Go ahead, write the ticket and then put up the NO PARKING sign. That’s the way to do it.
All the policing added up to a total of 1,900 tickets during the four-day event.
That’s a rich infusion of $71,565 to the corrupt court system’s treasure box.
At the 2010 Dream Cruise, the Royal Oak police chief said he had give orders to his little army to go easy on the cruisers for infractions such as displaying legal historic license plates.
Either the Chief, Chris Jahnke is a liar, or his numerous motorbike officers were thumbing their collective noses at him. The Chief has since moved on.
What we have here is a failure to communicate.
Someone pinch me. Even Oakland County Emperor L. Brooks Patterson is outraged at the amount of tickets issued at the Arts, Beat & Eats Festival. He suggests that the event be relocated to a friendlier locale.
I have an idea: Return it to Pontiac where it all started and was very successful for everyone involved.
I do not recall any bullying by the Pontiac cops. No, you can’t park in front of a fire hydrant, but small infractions that caused no problems were overlooked as far as I can recall.
Personally, I would not participate in any event that is within the boundaries of the People’s Republic of Royal Oak .
I have witnessed the harassment by Royal Oak cops of peaceful families gathered on private property watching the cruisers on the summer evenings before the weekend official event.
Example: Move 50 feet to the north and sit in back of the sidewalk in Berkley or even the snooty Birmingham and you are safe from a Royal Cop pointing a nightstick at your family, commanding “Time to go home.” Hey! this is America, I'll sit here all night if I choose to.
If you have not seen this or experienced this sort of action, I suggest you were not there for the evenings leading up to the Dream Cruise.
As Sylvester Stallone said in “Judge Dredd”: “I can’t break the law; I am the law.”
This would be the appropriate motto over the Royal Oak courthouse.
Hope to see you in Pontiac for the 2011 Woodward Dream Cruise.
posted by Edward Noble at
11:23 AM
5 Comments:
Hey Ed ~ I'm not sure that I will be able to come up with enough Krugerrand for your bond, so please stay out of the PRORO !!! Pontiac would be a great place for the Cruise & Arts. Beats & Eats...they just need to have free parking!!! The Pontiac Police aren't about to sweat the small stuff...oh, that's right, hat police! Are there any left???
I love Ed Noble. He tells it like it is. Time for everyone to boycott the PRofRO. Leave their streets empty and yes, move the Cruise to a more friendly location. If I was a member of the Royal Oak Chamber of Commerce I'd be protesting to my elected leaders that they are about to kill business. Real police don't have time to sweat the little stuff. Flint has a big "Back to the Bricks" and the police there get in the spirit along with the rest of the community. Too bad the security guards in Royal Oak don't see the advantage of making their community an attractive place to visit.
Royal Oak is very corrupt and every effort should be made to aviod this city. It is in the news even this week with an individual charged with the same. The feds need to investigate this city and its leadership.
Nice one post..
How can i get latest collection of private plates?
Unpleasant Evening in Royal Oak
You are eligible for a parking ticket in the city of Royal Oak even after paying to park in a public garage. I learned this the hard way in March of 2014 when I returned to my vehicle after a night on the town. Imagine my surprise at receiving a parking ticket on my window in a public garage that I had paid to park in.
I have since learned that the city of Royal Oak makes it a priority to issue as many parking tickets as it can to fund the city due to declining property values. It's sad to see a municipality so desperate for revenue. Don't believe the hype about how great a place it is to visit. I doubt if I will ever feel the desire to return.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home