Have you ever been told by a cop to not visit the town ever again?

Question

Today I was going through a small town, checking out the farmers markets, taking a scenic drive, etc. and a cop told me to stay away from his town.

Is that normal?

Answer 1

No, it absolutely is not normal. At least, it wouldn't be normal in the Midwest. There are some places (eg.Marin County north of San Francisco) that are notorious for not welcoming visitors, but judging from my own (admittedly limited) travel experiences, and the collected travel experiences of my very large extended family, those are the exception, not the rule.

Yes, as somebody said, small towns tend to be protective of their way of life, but if you're taking in the sites, you're appreciating something about that way of life, showing some respect for the local culture, and if you're dropping by their markets, you're bringing money into the town. Most small towns wouldn't mind seeing a little extra cash flow.

What I would do if this came up again is nonchalantly try to remember the cop's badge number, and then when I was safely away, put in a call to the chief of police or the sherriff (depending on which force he was with), and without any expressed hostility, just politely ask if the officer had correctly conveyed the feelings of the town regarding visitors, because you were considering your future travel plans and you surely would not wish to impose on those who don't wish to be imposed on. That puts the ball back in his court without putting him on the defensive, because you haven't accused him or his town of anything. You're just asking a question.

I think you'll find more often than not that somebody like that officer spoke for nobody but himself, and that both the town and the force are going to regret the incident. If the local folk seem a little defensive sometimes, just think about how small town folk tend to be viewed. One guy steps out of line, and you see a lot of people here looking for reasons why his town might see things the way he does, but practically nobody considering the possibility that maybe the whole town doesn't see things the way he does. One jerk gets to speak for everybody.

If you're one of the locals, on terms like that, how can you win? There's always going to be somebody who's going to be a jerk, and if outsiders are going to think that one guy speaks for the whole town? Maybe people there will tend to get a little resigned to being seen that way and tend to tune out complaints, unless they can see that the person they're talking to isn't just assuming that. Give it a try. I think may find that the guy's neighbors and coworkers are more fairminded than you might expect them to be.

Answer 2

It depends. How were you dressed? If you looked like a gang-banger or someone who would cause trouble it would be quite normal for a police officer to tell you to stay away.

Good rule if you are visiting small towns is to either blend in with the local populace or to dress in a totally non-threatening way. Don't look like trouble looking for a place to land.

Answer 3

That is not normal and the cop does not have the authority to determine who gets to stay or not stay in the small town.

Answer 4

Mahatma Gandhi grow to be very frail because of a meager food plan yet his powers of persuasion have been basically approximately supernatural. He did no longer have a dental plan so his tooth have been very undesirable, for this reason his breath might drop an elephant at 40 yards. He went without shoes maximum of his existence and the soles of his ft have been relatively hardened. you ought to assert he grow to be a super-calloused fragile mystic vexed with halitosis.

Answer 5

I am not surprised.
Small towns are very protective of their way of life. That is neither good or bad, don't take it personal.
Ask yourself honestly, did you or could you have done or said something that could have been perceived as negative?
Have you ever been wary of a new neighbor who moved into your area or a person seen in your neighborhood?
Same thing bigger scale!

Answer 6

There's two reasons they do it:
Usually to protect their town from the likes of people like you [ smile]
And less frequently to protect people like you from the likes of their town.
Being the well traveled person I am ,I've had both happen to me.

Answer 7

Its not normal if you were dressed normally...... and behaved properly..........