My first Finnish police road block
I’ve been driving in Finland for over four years now and the other day I finally hit my first police road block and was stopped and breathalyzed. I was nervous and anxious, my heart was pounding, yet I’ve done nothing wrong.
At first I was thinking to myself “fuck the po-lice!”, but once in four years ain’t bad, I could have been driving drunk every day for four years and never got caught. The officer was polite and even switched to English after I complimented him on his blue leather, full body jumpsuit that made him look like a white Eddie Murphy Delirious.
“These figures, however, are just readings from the screening breathalysers. The more accurate results achieved by blood testing and with precision meters are usually considerably lower”, reveals Chief Inspector Heikki Seppä from the Helsinki Traffic and Special Police reveals.
The screening meters used by the police in the field work are not 100% reliable. The readings they give are too high if the person being tested has just had a drink.
My girlfriend thought I was an ass for disrespecting an officer of the law, and I’m sure most Finns would think the same. But you need to understand that I dealt with American cops for 23 years. American cops in general are corrupt and have this “out to get you attitude”. In the states it’s an “us” vs. “them” attitude between the people and the police. My parents never once did anything illegal except maybe go over the speed limit on occasion, and they disliked and distrusted the police.
A few kids in my high school became cops. In high school these same kids were picked on, made fun of, given no respect. Now they got that badge and that gun and they become they bullies, respect is given to them out of fear. There are alot of good cops out there but they’re overshadowed by the bad ones. All too many times Americans hear stories about cops raiding the wrong house, shooting an innocent guy, singling out blacks and other minorities, ignoring the real crime and going after the easy targets, or locking some kid up for smoking pot. And every American has experienced the asshole cop treating you like a terrorist as he writes you a speeding ticket.
So when you hear us foreigners talk bad about the cops (I’d bet Russians share my same phobia), think of us like battered women who’ll never be able to trust a man again cause she was beaten by her husband for years on end. Maybe after 23 years in Finland I’ll finally become comfortable with the police.
US cops do something other than use excessive force and sit on their fat asses all day drinking coffee and eating doughnuts? Huh.
Seriously. I have yet to meet one US cop who does not think he is Rambo and is not a complete dick. I’m racking my brain and nothing comes to mind.
Comment by Hold the Phone — Mon, Aug 27th, 2007 @ 10:59 pm
Best advice I can give Phil is to ALWAYS use English when dealing with a cop here. Compliment them on their Finglish if you must and just smile. Overall, apart from the jumpsuit (camp as) they’re not a bad bunch. Not too bright mind you but not a bad bunch.
Comment by Punter — Mon, Aug 27th, 2007 @ 11:17 pm
Well, it could be worse - in Germany they have green jumpsuits…
Comment by Hank W. — Mon, Aug 27th, 2007 @ 11:24 pm
Well, besides being sarcastic a**holes, they ain’t that bad!
Comment by David — Mon, Aug 27th, 2007 @ 11:54 pm
I thought you never had a car, but if you’d get one, it’d be a PT Cruiser. Guess I’ve misinterpreted a thing or two along the road
Comment by Keksi — Tue, Aug 28th, 2007 @ 12:30 am
well, I’d say wherever you are, treat people like shit and you can be sure they’ll treat you like shit…
Comment by anon — Tue, Aug 28th, 2007 @ 1:05 am
You realise of course that now that he knows where you live, your gross and net income for 2005 and possibly 2006, and probably through your medical records your penis-size and level of astigmatism, and how you are on the Rosenholz list and all, he will pass your number-plate on to all his mates from Kerava to Kuhmo to Kolari, because of course that’s what Finland’s LIKE and he has nothing better to do with his time than to look people up and make up his monthly quotas and interfere in the lives of law-abiding citizens and did I mention the car tax and the fact that the shops are always shut on Sundays and the Penfold Grange costs twice as much as it does in any other OECD country, let alone in Timbuktu, and they put transceivers in your fillings when you go to the public health dentist, and-and-and…
(Exit, foaming at the mouth and pursued by a bear).
Comment by Mad Max in the Maroon Maserati — Tue, Aug 28th, 2007 @ 1:34 am
I only ran into a roadblockonce as well. Although I was the first and as I blew, the HS photographer was busy taking picture.
Even better, we had just stopped at a station and had tow (unopened) beers in the cupholders.
Comment by Fred Fry — Tue, Aug 28th, 2007 @ 1:58 am
Well I routinely amaze for example my polish friends with facts like “I can walk on a street with an open beer in my hand and pass a pair of cops without any problem” or “oh when they see you passed out in a park they will probably just wake you up and send you home, ticket? ticket for what?”.
Now I’m not saying .fi police can do no wrong (and they have from time to time).
But in general (based on experience and comparing with friends living in other countries) they carry out their work with great patience and seem to be very connected with the agenda of being a public servants.
Comment by philtard — Tue, Aug 28th, 2007 @ 2:16 am
“My girlfriend thought I was an ass for disrespecting an officer of the law”
I don’t understand how you disrespected him. Did you say: hei, nice sininen yöpuku?
Keeping drunks off the road is good, but hasn’t technology progressed so that it can be automated? Sensors in the car or something?
America’s tackle & rope ‘em, Wild West style of policing doesn’t really appeal to me. Then the moralizing speeches of the cops afterwards. I think many in the US like to think they are on moral high-ground and then demean those who supposedly aren’t. That’s my impression when I watch US cop shows.
Anyway, I think they got you on tape during your last vacation to the states…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46RGjXOOotU&mode=related&search=
Look, German police have sense of humor…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgwyWSjw98k
Comment by Kristian — Tue, Aug 28th, 2007 @ 2:31 am
The problem is that US policemen are all those guys who were nothing growing up and want to wear the uniform just to boss people around. They all have this attitude that everyone is a criminal and they have all the power and they are going to show you who is the boss.
I have been stopped two times for sppeding and once for a breathalizer and payed somethink like €500 in fines for speeding.
I never drink and drive.
I am always amazed how nice the cops are. Even when I was speeding they asked me if I wanted to accept the charges even when they had clocked me and had a photo of me. They “invited” me to have a seat on the van and allowed me to go back to the car to get my papers several times. They always treated me like as someone who was driving a bit too fast but never as a criminal.
I agree that I was a bit anxious when I was stopped for a breathalyzer mostly becasue I did not know what they were going to do but that only took a few seconds and then they apologized for stopping me and told me to go and drive safely.
Comment by unlce sam — Tue, Aug 28th, 2007 @ 7:48 am
Our cops could be worse, but I’d like a second opinion on them from someone who isn’t white. Or some kid belonging to a subculture that dresses silly and annoys authority figures.
@11,
How would the sensor in the car tell the difference between a drunken driver and a sober driver with four drunken passengers?
Comment by prince of dorkness — Tue, Aug 28th, 2007 @ 9:56 am
Haven’t they already start mounting breathylazer-key switches in cars of convicted drunk drivers in Finland? I remember something like that, experiment atleast.
Well, you always find some sober pal to blow in it for 20€…
Comment by issi — Tue, Aug 28th, 2007 @ 11:33 am
Hell, what’s going on here? A police boot licking contest?
Why do these usually quite critical (saatanan herrat) Finns turn horribly innocent when das Polizei is mentioned? Punter I understand but Finns always and in every poll just keep licking.
But honestly, of course the rotten apples are in Finland too - and of course the American policemen are not all rotten. Of course all policemen abuse power sometimes, but, then again, few do it regularly neither in Finland nor in the US. It’s in the nature of the job and institution that a bit rodney kinging is alwyas in danger of happening.
But the Bobbies, they are something else: “could you please put the bombs away, sir…” Bang. Not to mention mention the German ones. Some British - or Finnish or whoever - prick is yelling ‘fucking Nazi’ whatever they do. And yet, or perhaps exactly because of that, they are reasonable, not nice, but reasonable.
Comment by anaynimus — Tue, Aug 28th, 2007 @ 11:47 am
The difference between Finnish and American police is education. Three years here and only about 10 months in the US (even night courses!). For more, Finnish cops have graduated from Lukio (roughly college in the US) and for men, the compulsory military service (or civil service) is also required before applying to police school. There are also quite difficult psychologial evaluation tests for applicants. I’d say average US cop is not much more than mall guard at rookie level.
Comment by tim73 — Tue, Aug 28th, 2007 @ 11:52 am
In general, Finnish cops are great especially if they are dealing with sober beautiful damsels in distress. Once, a shining knight in blue uniform helped me unlock my car door when I left the car keys inside..at no cost…rather than calling a locksmith that would cost me over 100e! It does not always work that way…I was stopped in Keha 1 for slightly overspeeding and begged to be pardoned because it was my birthday! but to no avail. There are of course exceptions…those that practice police brutality with immigrant youths…and haven’t we read somewhere in Hesari that some of the most notorious wifebeaters are cops? Still, everybody are individuals and must be treated as such…innocent until proven guilty!
Comment by damsel — Tue, Aug 28th, 2007 @ 12:11 pm
American police work in a much more dangerous environment than Finnish police, which could help to explain some of their dickheadishness. Its taken me few years of living in Finland to get over the sweaty palms on the stearing wheel reaction that I always had when I saw a cop in America.
And Phil, you’re from the hood otherwise known as Baltimore, right?
Comment by Unit — Tue, Aug 28th, 2007 @ 12:38 pm
American police work in a much more dangerous environment than Finnish police, which could help to explain some of their dickheadishness.
Yeah I think that’s one big difference. American cops deal with gangs with guns. Finnish cops deal with passed out drunks.
And Phil, you’re from the hood otherwise known as Baltimore, right?
Yup.
Comment by Phil — Tue, Aug 28th, 2007 @ 1:05 pm
American cops do have a tough job. One the one hand they will give you a break if you tell the complete truth, but fib a little, and they slam you.
An 18 year old with a gun, is a cowboy, a older 25 yr old is a cop.
Comment by winter “Yea, Proton Power, now in remission†— Tue, Aug 28th, 2007 @ 1:30 pm
“graduated from Lukio (roughly college in the US)”
Ha! Not quite
“only about 10 months in the US (even night courses!).”
Well yes, but it’s even faster if you do it through the mail.
Comment by Kristian — Tue, Aug 28th, 2007 @ 1:51 pm
Kristian, I just wish the lotto numbers were as predictable as Tim73
Comment by Punter — Tue, Aug 28th, 2007 @ 2:35 pm
When cops are used to collect money (speed traps set just to collect $) for spending by the welfare state, you will get the population mad. Now if they are used for crime prevention, a novel concept to a money spending liberal, then the population likes them.
It is up to how they are used. Nothing else matters.
Comment by winter “Yea, Proton Power, now in remission†— Tue, Aug 28th, 2007 @ 5:16 pm
Bad driver, no donut!
Solitary Espoo drivers keep Länsiväylä motorway congested
http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Solitary+Espoo+drivers+keep+L%C3%A4nsiv%C3%A4yl%C3%A4+motorway+congested/1135229832047
Comment by Hank W. — Tue, Aug 28th, 2007 @ 6:18 pm
Kristian, I just wish the lotto numbers were as predictable as Tim73
But fortunately we have your and Kristian’s broken records repeating the same few lines over and over again … and if only they had been original lines to begin with! No to mention hfb whose record doesn’t even turn anymore without heavy medication. Is that a song, by the way?
Comment by animus — Tue, Aug 28th, 2007 @ 6:46 pm
Sorry Kristian, come to think of it, you should be playing in a better league than that of Punter’s and hfb’s.
Yes, we all know that your fact average is poor, not to mention the prejudice average, but clearly you are trying to get better, unlike Punter and the rest. Keep up the not-altogether-disastrous work on car taxes and the like and one day somebody in his right minds will take you seriously. It’s not impossible! Go for it, man!
Comment by animus — Tue, Aug 28th, 2007 @ 6:58 pm
Sorry to upset your apple cart but I ACTUALLY PRAISED the Finnish Police. Now granted that isn’t normal in my writings on this page, praising Finland but I think you should read the post before opening your trap.
As for Tim73 (and just to get back to what I do best here) does your insistance on a well educated Finnish police force (3 yrs) V poorly educated US police force (10 mths) run with your military?Does that mean it is a useless waste of taxpayers money? I mean come on, 6-10 months training with toy weapons, weekends home etc etc etc. Using your logic would explain the short fallings in your military, something I’ve long suspected but until your enlightening information surfaced, was never totally sure of. How long do professional army soldiers train for? Now that makes a difference. Can’t have it both ways
Comment by Punter — Tue, Aug 28th, 2007 @ 8:36 pm
Police Recruit Basic Training
Since 1975, Monroe Community College, through its Public Safety Training Center, in conjunction with the Monroe County Law Enforcement Council, has offered the New York State Basic Course for Police Officers to those men and women who have chosen Law Enforcement as a career. Our mission is to prepare Law Enforcement practitioners for exemplary service to their agencies and communities. We offer both part-time and full-time courses in Basic Police Training that are fully accredited by the New York State Bureau for Municipal Police, which awards a New York Basic Police Certificate upon completion. Course requirements for completion of the basic recruit program are:
- PLE 101 - Fundamentals of Policing 13
- PLE 102 - Police Proficiencies and Procedures 20
- PLE 103 - The Community and Policing: Serving Special Populations 13
- PLE 104 - Practicum in Policing 1
Total credits = 47″
Comment by tim73 — Tue, Aug 28th, 2007 @ 9:06 pm
Taken from the Finnish Army handbook and translated into English? So does the same logic apply to the under trained poorly equipped Finnish Military or are they different because they’re Finnish (which we all know makes them the best in the world……)
Comment by Punter — Tue, Aug 28th, 2007 @ 9:52 pm
“Taken from the Finnish Army handbook and translated into English?”
Read again: “Monroe Community College, through its Public Safety Training Center, in conjunction with the Monroe County Law Enforcement Council”
Comment by tim73 — Tue, Aug 28th, 2007 @ 11:36 pm
It’s the eternal question of how the crazy should be met. Is it okay to go along with their fantasies? Or should we make them to face the reality?
In this series we are going to face the most stupid, the under-privileged and even those who are not sure anymore if they want to be unintelligent assholes anymore.
Comment by animus — Tue, Aug 28th, 2007 @ 11:55 pm
Part one
“I actually like your police, so what’s the matter”.
Well, mate, as a typipicl Australian nazi you don’t understand what the police is as an institution prone to violence (can you say so in English?). Try some critical thinking, you might even like it.
Comment by animus — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 12:02 am
Phil: First lesson of good socialism: Like firemen, police do take their job seriously.
Yes, there is never the superbalance between common good and individualism but today Scandinavia is pretty close to it.
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 12:30 am
You should tone down the abuse a wee bit if you want to come across as something other than an ‘unintelligent asshole’ (your words).
Comment by aet75 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 1:04 am
yep, we the Scandinavia are full of Roman Legion fighters, if given the change. Nuke the fuckers, if necessary.
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 1:11 am
Winter is right in a way except if we have really have to form a militia out of here, Doors of Rome will be burning…
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 1:14 am
But ONLY IN THE CASE OF EMERGENCY. NO MORE OR LESS.
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 1:18 am
I have to say, the series Jericho.
Anyway, I will be there.
Helping people.
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 2:03 am
jep
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 2:09 am
Anyway
get down
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 2:11 am
jep test
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 2:12 am
van halen and…?
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 2:13 am
Hello all civilations…there will be
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 2:14 am
Muumi Muumi..nuuska..
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 2:17 am
Muikkunen
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 2:19 am
Nuuska Muikkunen!
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 2:20 am
So…give it up, punk! We need meat.
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 2:21 am
Nuuska Muikkunen… onneksi olkoon, sininen pilleri!
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 2:22 am
Väinämöisen Serkun Kuuloo Ahvenen Sintin Spritin?
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 2:25 am
Phil tosin on ulkolaisia…ei tosin pahoja, jos et halua. Mersut lentää tai spitfiret. Sen tarkemmin en osaa.
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 2:29 am
jep jep jep
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 2:32 am
and?
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 2:33 am
AND you?
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 2:35 am
Russians going to over run us.
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 2:36 am
jep, sattuuhan sitä
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 2:40 am
Poholanmaalla tähän on varauduttu.
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 2:41 am
Ydinase on siellä jossain.
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 2:42 am
laukaiskaa helsinki!
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 2:45 am
JEP! NO MORE EUROVISION! UND WHATEVER! DDR SUCKS!
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 2:47 am
Shit, Universum! Eurovision! Ti..Tidi…tidiidididizadadadadazum…! FUCK, WHAM BAM AND….AMERICAN!!!!
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 2:51 am
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 2:53 am
“police is as an institution prone to violence ”
lets see, they get shot at, run down, spit on, and yelled at for discrimination. But heck, lets give them all “nice guy” training and see how long they last.
Until they are all 6 feet under, i mean.
geeeeee
Comment by winter “Yea, Proton Power, now in remission†— Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 2:54 am
Leftttttiiiii and irrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrhg
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 2:54 am
winter: this is finland. And I am going to be that Finland.
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 2:56 am
Young girls biking and not locking their bikes, THAT is what I am going to raise my guns, if it needs to be done.
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 2:59 am
THAT is my childhood FInland!
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 3:03 am
WTF! tim73, you have outdone yourself. Wow.
Comment by Passer-by — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 3:22 am
Actually, geiger meter panic.
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 3:36 am
Imagine, those DDR armed forces were ready to DO THat shit with 300 000 and all With about one million tanks attacking to BDR. Super Insane. And attacking with nukebazookas. Yeah, shit.
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 3:40 am
Tzar Bomba is of course different class but We here at Pohojanmaa, we would like to have those to Titans and whatever FIRST STRIKE capabilities here like…Montana!
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 3:43 am
My GrandMama Aino said bad things about Ryskies and that is the way it is gonna be. Pohojanmaa gonna be independent.
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 3:44 am
You should not mix liquor with those blue and red pills, man…
Comment by aet75 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 4:00 am
aet75: Yep. Anyway, when you heard that familiar PING, duck and cover.
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 4:13 am
Tim, I rest my case. As for animus, “A typical Australian Nazi?” Now you should be in the bed next to Tim73.
Comment by Punter — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 9:49 am
tim73, you are shitting on this blog in your darkest hours. This forum is for an adult audience who at least strive to talk about grown up issues. Please take your wasted self somewhere else or sober up…you need help, man, and fast…go and visit the shrink or something…
Comment by Nice and Wise — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 11:02 am
The Finnish cops in general aren’t that bad, but I’ve heard stories of them occasionally beating up people they don’t like, such as junkies and hip-hoppers. But yeah, those are unproven stories only and should thus be taken with a grain of salt of course…
Comment by AnonyMeaCulpa — Wed, Aug 29th, 2007 @ 5:56 pm
Did Phil not post the picture of the Donut shop? Cop cars everywhere.
Comment by winter “Yea, Proton Power, now in remission†— Thu, Aug 30th, 2007 @ 3:47 am