Outside Logan, Wellesley driver accused of striking trooper
By Globe Staff
Turns out everybody at Logan International Airport must heed the orders of state troopers who shoo away drivers idling outside terminals. Just ask the portfolio manager from Wellesley who allegedly rolled up the window of her gray Mercedes Benz ML320 Sunday night and ignored a trooper when he asked her to move.
The driver, Margaret Greer, 56, is accused of striking the trooper with her side mirror, forcing him to run backwards for 15 feet while she sped toward him in the sport-utility vehicle, and dragging him for a short distance when he tried to unbuckle her seat belt. Greer pleaded not guilty at her arraignment yesterday in East Boston District Court to charges of assault and battery on a police officer, assault with a dangerous weapon; and failure to stop for police. Greer's attorney, Carol Starkey, described her client as "a highly respected member of the community."
"There are two sides to every story, and we strongly contest the facts as presented by the Commonwealth and look forward to presenting our side of the story," Starkey said.
According to Wellesley school officials, Greer served two terms on the School Committee, from 1995 to 2000. She served a two-year term beginning in 1995, and was reelected in 1997 for a three-year term.
According to a press release from the Suffolk District Attorney’s Office, Greer's car was idling in a marked bus lane outside Terminal B at 8:30 p.m. on Sunday while she was waiting to pick up her husband. A trooper asked Greer to move her Mercedes, suggesting that she circle or go wait in the cellphone lot.
Ignoring the trooper, Greer rolled up her window, according to the district attorney. The trooper stepped in front of the sport-utility vehicle and began writing her a ticket.
Greer then allegedly hit the gas, accelerating sharply forward and to the left. In the process, the passenger side mirror hit the trooper, according to the district attorney.
Oncoming traffic forced Greer to stop. The trooper approached her SUV, opened the driver’s side door, and ordered her out of the vehicle. But Greer allegedly still refused to comply. She drove forward and closed the door, according to the district attorney.
Greer had to stop again for traffic. This time the trooper walked to the front of the SUV and told her to put the vehicle in park. Greer allegedly accelerated directly toward the trooper, forcing him to run backward for about 15 feet before he was able to jump out of the way.
Once again the trooper opened her door and ordered Greer out of her Mercedes. This time he reached inside and attempted to unfasten her seat belt, according to the district attorney. Greer allegedly hit the gas again and sped away, dragging the trooper a short distance.
Additional State Police cruisers later stopped Greer’s Mercedes on the Massachusetts Turnpike near the Columbus Avenue overpass. One of the troopers noted that her passenger’s side mirror – which had allegedly struck the Logan trooper – was still folded in toward the body of the vehicle.
According to police, Greer allegedly denied having been at the airport that day. She allegedly told troopers that she was driving home from her job at Merrill Lynch in downtown Boston. [A webpage at Smith Barney, later apparently taken down, showed that she actually works for that company in the portfolio management group]
The trooper she allegedly struck at Logan arrived at the scene on the Turnpike, identified Greer, and placed her under arrest. At her booking, Greer allegedly refused to answer any questions regarding her use of alcohol or drugs and refused to assist in a mandatory suicide prevention inquiry, according to the district attorney.
During the Pike traffic stop, the troopers noticed a slight odor of alcohol on her breath and found a small drinking glass with an alcoholic beverage in it, according to a statement by Trooper Danial Wildgrube. They did not ask Greer to submit to a field sobriety test. David Procopio, spokesman for the Massachusetts Department of Public Safety said Greer did not appear to be impaired at the time.
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There are people in Wellesley who believe the rules of the world don't apply to them. I frequently feel dismissede and inferior to them!
Shame on the driver, however I can understand how this escalated so quickly given the fact that the troopers at Logan typically have a "bad attitude" when it comes to serving the public. I think is has something to do with the guilt from letting 9/11 happen on their watch.
I smell a slap on the wrist...
Really, does this surprise anyone?
While I don't agree with what this woman allegedly did, it does illustrate the frustrations many feel trying to pick someone up at Logan. That airport is simply not designed for picking people up in any way that comes even vaguely close to efficient. The police and Massport should recognize that the public is getting exasperated with the heavy hand with which police deal with people who are just trying to pick up their family and friends. There is a serious design flaw at Logan and the kind of stuff described in this story is not surprising, though if it's true that woman was a bit of a nutcase
Anybody know where I can contribute money towards her bail?
All airports should have areas away from the terminals where people can wait in their cars for an airline passenger and then go to the terminal when called on a cell phone. These problems happen because parking fees and taxi fares are pure extortion.
At Newark Intl Airport you can see cars and limos lined up on major roadways waiting for phone calls to pickup passengers at terminals. The airports must have large waiting areas for people that are staying in their cars for incoming passengers.
This problem will only get worse, people want to save money these days and not spend it on parking and taxis.
I think Ms. Greer should tell her husband to take a cab home next time;) Much less
expensive than her trip to the airport.
Apparently she was confused as to the purpose of the Citigroup bailout. She thought it was all for her.
If this had been a guy from Roxbury in a Nissan, or an immigrant from Chelsea in a Hyundai, the trooper at the airport certainly wouldn't have hesitated to draw his weapon, and if he had gotten away, he would have been pummelled by the cops waiting for him on the Pike.
Let's hope that this "highly respected member of the community" gets the chance to spread her wonder in another community for a few months - say, at MCI Walpole.
the cops at logan are often extremely rude - it sounds like this woman might have overreacted a bit, but so did the cop. i've been shouted at and threatened with physical confrontation while actively loading bags into a car (in the proper zone) - these cops need to remember that they represent the people of massachusetts and boston when they put on their uniforms.
I just love a strong willed woman.
The SP waiving traffic on at the airport are so inconsiderate. They don't waive the limos on. Must be some form of bartering there... They are the worst. All they do is make the traffic around the airport worse. If they towed their buddy's cars illegally parked, there would be more space...
I don't condone running them down either - but the statement released by the DA is sounds like some really good fiction though. Maybe she fastened her seatbelt or texted her passenger and did not want to do this while driving???
Ran backwards 15 feet before he could jump out of the way. Really? I would love to see anyone do that without falling on their backside. I can guarantee you with pretty good certainty that the officer provoked this woman and she was scared. Anyone reaches into my car I am going to try to drive away too. Freaking cops in this state are a complete joke and spend too much time on power trips and not enough time fighting real crime. Another perfectly good waste of the tax payers money. I hope this officer is fired and has his bloated pension revoked.
This is only one side of the story. I suspect this officer engaged in some seriously inappropriate behavior to elicit this type of response. The police in this state are horrible. They are supposed to protect and serve - instead they harass and over-step their bounds.
The financial types always think the rules don't apply to them. It takes a special kind of stupid and arrogance to roll up a window when a trooper is speaking but I suppose Greer figured rules, respect, and ethics don't apply to her on her day job, why should they apply anywhere else? Will the government bailout of bankers apply to her case as well?
Of course she'll hire a high-paid lawyer, try to get an apology, and at worst case get a slap on the wrist. Any of us normal folk pull this and we'd get 30 days in jail minimum. Remember, laws and responsibility don't matter to people in the financial industry. Those concepts are just for the little people.
Re: Lewis (#7) Logan does have a cell phone waiting lot. It's by the Hyatt on Harborside Drive.
There is definitely two sides of the story. and of course I don't believe for a minute what the so called police officer says she did, unfortunately, the police department have the tendency to lie, be rude to people, and they definitely profile people... all this while they are being paid with our tax dollars. I hope everything turns out well for this woman.
There is a cell phone lot at Logan Airport. Very few people use it. I use it all the time and it works out great. No circling the airport, and I don't have to be told to move on by a state trooper, who could be doing something much more useful, like towing cars that have been left unattended by the driver. That too is a major breach of security, for those of you who forget about 9/11. The troopers have to deal with a lot of inconsiderate people, day in and day out. If I was harassed everyday by nasty, inconsiderate people, as these troopers are at Logan Airport, I'd be fed up with these drivers too. I also drive a limo for a living and watch people do stupid things at the airport. try using the cell phone lot, you'll think you've died and gone to heaven because it is so easy to use and it is only 2 minutes from the terminals
Sounds to me like the woman panicked, but many massachusetts cops need a course in Dale Carnegie. Logan is out of control with chaos but both parties could have handled this in a better fashion.
Nice embellishment by the DA, maybe he should work as a writer on Letterman.
"suggested she circle or wait in cell phone lot"...you know the officers story is not 100% true just upon hearing that.No one is asked to circle or park in any type of remotely polite manner.They are yelled at,sirens are blared,etc(some may even deserve it.)Even when you see your passenger and are pulling up you are still sometimes hassled.I know the troopers have a aggravating job to do at logan,but it could be done in a better manner,especially with people unfamiliar with it.
And neither side are fully to blame,because it is the infrastructure set up at the airport that makes it one of the most difficult airports to pick up passengers at.
Lewis- They do have this kind of parking- It's called a cell phone lot. This lady should of waited there instead of feeling entitled to park wherever she wants.
I'm a mild mannered guy who tends to give police the benefit of the doubt. That changed a few months ago when a cop at Logan was the most unprofessional cop I ever experienced. He was completely out of line, screaming at me to move my car (which had been idles for no joke 30 seconds) while my wife and sick 2 year old made their way from baggage claim. I only drive to the terminal after she had called me because we already know how strict the police can be there. My benefit of the doubt goes to the driver in this case. The police's heavy handed traffic enforcement is over the top and should be addressed. It won't be.
What no one here has acknowledged (and this will bring all the cop haters out) is that people routinely defy orders from the troopers at the airport to move their vehicles. I have never seen anything like it, and I see it everyday. The thing that really surprises me is that the troopers are as patient and understanding as they are.
Everyone needs to understand that the troopers are doing only what they have been ordered to do by their superiors, who have been ordered to maintain the curbs clear of vehicles, except those *actively* loading or unloading, by the TSA. There are good reasons for this - the simplest one being that an area congested with people and vehicles (so congested that no one can move) and located underneath a structure (Terminal B parking garage) is the most appealing target for a car bomb (see any number of examples from Baghdad marketplaces to Canary Wharf).
But there is another issue here. When the h##l did people begin believing that they could disobey a direct order from a police officer with impunity? If you think you are being so badly mistreated, write a letter or bring a civil suit later. I suspect that these people do not do so because they know that they are were the wrong in the first place. Or perhaps it was because they were raised by people who told them, "oh no, Margaret, you're not wrong, it was Jane's fault."
While I certainly do not condone the actions of this woman I can understand how these things happen. I am a frequent traveler through Logan. I have seen people and myself have had state troopers scream in my face. To someone who is not accustomed to this it is highly stressful and intimidating.
Massport needs to do a better job in directing people to cell phone lots. The directions and signage at Logan is deplorable!
All major airports do not allow people to idle in front of terminals. Don't know why some of you commentators are complaining about Logan. I'm sure you people were the ones blaming for a lack of security for 9/11. Now that we have stronger security, you cry oppression. I'm no cop, but you should try watching for suspicious activity, directing traffic and making sure cars aren't idling at the same time. You would be mad if two of your most important tasks were being hindered by someone not listening from your less important task.
Look at all the cop haters. I'm amazed at the justification for a woman who felt the rules didn't apply to her.
This is why the license plates needs to be changed to reflect where the cars are registered. You can no longer tell just based on the model of the car, there are people from all sorts of towns driving mercedes. If the trooper had some way of knowing she was from Wellsely this whole thing would have been avoided. But without a special badge on the license plate the trooper probably just assumed she was someone the rules applied to.
I believe I have been accused of trying to run over police multiple times in my past...seems like the standard mo for troopers and local police to write this down in their reports...I am quite sure there is more to this story....not to downplay the small matter of possible mis identification...I've been victimized by that as well....
I hope,for the Trooper's sake, the incident was captured on camera and the woman will not simply get a slap on the wrist.
Lewis (#7),
No-one in Massachusetts would dare be as creative and useful in their ideas as the ones you pointed out. The Commonwealth is still stuck in some idea-quicksand from the 1950s, when Boston was in decline (and now, the entire state is).
The woman was rude (what portfolio manager doesn't have an ego the size of Texas?), but that does not excuse her behavior.
The solution to all this and like problems is in what Lewis suggested.
The comment in #30 is dead-on. Given security at airports, I bet there are cameras all over the place. If so, either party will probably subpoena the tapes. We'll see how it all plays out.
I hate people who park in the bus lane. They clearly don't care about the people who are travelers at the airport, and are instead more interested in a nice big empty parking space to hang out in. The bus lanes try to make it safe for travelers carrying bags to move in, out, and around the airport. Those who misuse the bus lane, even for just a minute, put travelers in danger. As someone who also drives to Logan, people should use the cell phone lot. Yeah, it's far away, but isn't it a hell of a lot better than putting others in harm's way?
I made an honest mistake by trying to make a turn on a side street on Mass Ave. I was lost and going very slow to be sure my turning around was not getting in anyones way. A policeman directing traffic came over to me screaming...really screaming. I said I was sorry, that I was lost and he told me to be quiet that I'm not in control of this situation that he was. I was scared to death. After 10 minutes of his being so cruel and nasty he sent me on my way. I was shocked at the way he behaved. I was shaking for hours after.
The cellphone lot (which Logan ALREADY has) works great. As Sam #17 says. Everyone should consider using it, and have their party call them when they are actually and truly ready for retrieval (i.e., bags in hand, on the curb, at zone/sign #[blank]).
AOD777 #28 - hilarious. Love it.
Jimmind #24 - Most rational comment I've read on a news post in long time.
"If the trooper had some way of knowing she was from Wellsely this whole thing would have been avoided."
Right aod777.
Initially I thought the trooper was way out of line because the woman was in a ML320 and from Wellesley. How dare he get in her way! Overpaid airport watcher.
But you're right. Maybe he didn't know she was from Wellesley.
We need badges to determine what rules applies. After all, we can't expect ML320 drivers to obey the same rules a honda civic driver would.
joat
I work at Logan and get the opportunity to see these police officers in action daily and they are the rudest people in the world. I was helping my 85 year old grandfather into the car and a cop just would not stop yelling at us to move along. It is super frustrating when they make you keep driving in circles which is pretty dumb I think because the airport can be confusing if you aren't from around here, and it can just cause more traffic and accidents.
When I first scrolled down to the comments I was holding my breath for the usual class resentment, but I was really encouraged (and at the same time disgusted) by the evidence that many Massachusetts residents have had bad experiences with state troopers. Not only does this organization bilk taxpayers out of millions of dollars to sit in their cruisers and talk on their cell phones while they watch construction (and feel entitled to that) but they also harass and intimidate the public. If you think about it, these comments are mind blowing: so people, going about their business, have had a bad experience with a trooper. Other cities and states have programs in place to improve relations between cops and the public - it's time this organization recognized that they have a reputation problem. They'd get a lot further with the public if they gave citizens the same respect they so high highhandedly feel entitled to.
The last time I went to Logan to pick someone up I parked in the garage and paid. It is just not worth the hassle of co-existing with cabs and busses and Nazi-like state troopers. Ever since 9/11 the mentality at Logan and all airports has been locking the gate after the horse has escaped.
BTW does it cost to park in the cell phone lot?
F troop, what more can I say?
It's amazing how many people are ready to criticize the Trooper without knowing the facts.....
You losers act like a ML320 is a brand new Bentley. ho hum
I have picked up people at the airport hundreds of times and never once had a problem with the State Police there. Of course I pay attention to the marked lanes and areas and don't assume I'm better than everyone else and go where ever I want. She was just another ignorate overpaid stuck up snob who thinks she is above the law and can do whatever she wants. I bet she was pretty tough sitting behind the wheel of that 2 ton vehicle. I would have paid money to watch her pulled from her car and put on the ground to be cuffed.
The police at the airport don't have time to listen to every drivers sob story or dealing with rude drivers that can't pay attention to the marked lanes and posted notices. I also believe that most people have forgotten that since 9/11 security at the airport and other airports have been beefed up and the job of the officers on duty are needed and d a great job. The people knocking the officers here should try working a traffic detail at Loagn for just a few hours and see how frustrated they get.
What a see-you-next-tuesday.. hope they throw the book at her.
Rick @#39. No, it doesn't cost to park in the cell phone lot. However, there are no bathrooms, so don't get there TOO early!
This women's behavior - if indeed true - is despicable and criminal. The laws apply to all, even those wielding luxury SUVs.
It sounds like this woman was wrong. Logan is frustrating, but the rules for parking are simple. The cell phone lot is the best thing to ever happen to Logan. I am looking forward to seeing the video. Perhaps it will prove her innocence, but I doubt it. If she's guilty I hope she serves some meaningful time. If she's not then I'm sure she'll walk and sue the state for millions. Does anyone know how her fund is performing?
All kidding aside, one of the things is that State Troopers are not like other police, they are always a little more hard core and a little more serious and have an edge to them. There job does not involve as much community policing as the local police. And that is the way it should be. Maybe that is a good to have them at Logan, or maybe there should be Massport police (do they exist?) instead, but Troopers are not friendly like local cops, they are not to be screwed with, and that is a good thing.
I have been to Logan Airport many times. I find that the State Troopers are VERY rude and hostile. I have NO sympathy for the State Troopers at Logan. They carry a gun, thus they think they are some BIG time hot-shot. This is my very honest opinion.
"the evidence that many Massachusetts residents have had bad experiences with state troopers."
Chelmsford1
When the troopers are in the wrong, like with the pregnant woman driving to the hospital in the breakdown lane getting a ticket, call them out.
When people are in the wrong, like this woman, don't blame the police.
It doesn't make her right or noble just because other people had bad experiences with other troopers. She just didn't want to follow the rules and then lied about it.
joat
What's really going on? Why would she flee from the police?
Why is this about what car this woman was driving, where she lives, or what she does for work? The class resentment in this state is terrible. The more important question is, why did this situation get so out of hand? Clearly the cop didn't manage it well.
I can't tell what really happened just from reading a newspaper story--can you?
Jerks live in all towns and work in all occupations. I wonder about people who are so consumed by bias that they instantly "know" what happened because, after all, everyone in the state police is a jerk or everyone from Wellesley is a jerk or everyone in the financial services industry is a jerk.
If the cameras confirm the trooper's version, how many police haters will write in to apologize for their rants? If the cameras show the trooper abusing his authority, how many Wellesley and financial services bashers will write in to apologize for their rants?
None? Thought so.
My car is nicer than an ML320 and I come from Weston, which is generally more upscale than Wellesley. Does that mean I can go a step further and just park my car in the terminal itself? All these years I've been paying the 10 bucks and parking in the garage whenever I've picked up friends and family in order to avoid parking where its prohibited. Silly me!
I too am from one of the wealthy western burbs and there definitely is a " get .....out of my way, don't you know I'm from .......?" attitude from many residents from around here, so I am not surprised ...
I have been using the cell phone lot for years, even before the lot even existed, which technically was illegal, but it prevented me from tying up the parking at the terminals and made life so much easier when I had to pick up people at Logan.
Ya know...next time she should just hire a limo to pick up her husband !!!
Joat - Never implied this woman was right or wrong or noble. What I'm implying is that there's a pattern of behavior from the state police with regard to how they interact with the public, and that often times, this treatment is the fuel that takes a situation like this and pushes it over the edge. Did this woman need to be told to move? Absolutely. Was her reaction inappropriate? Yes. Is it likely the cop was right away hostile? Well, does seem to be the typical mass state trooper way of treating the public, right? Did it need to turn into something crazy like this and could the cop have managed it in a way that this remained a small incident instead of what it ended up being? Probably.
If this is the same trooper who was there on Friday when I went to pick up a relative...he was more than likely nasty, rude and belligerent. He had a real attitude problem. They need to be trained better. No way to handle crowds, traffic and people who are doing their best to maneuver a poorly designed space. That trooper is a real nasty piece of work. And I bet he is lying.
I am amazed at the number of people defending the woman here. Regardless of the reputation of the State Troopers at Logan (who are doing their job and that too, deal with grumbling people all day long). There is absolutely no condoning this woman's behavior and I hope the judge throws the book at her. The moment you start disrespecting the law is the moment you become a threat to society. For people thinking this story was fabricated and embellished by the State Troopers, I ask that since she was picking up her husband, where was her husband when the police finally caught up with her as she was fleeing? Probably taking a cab home. What a moron.
It's simple folks ... all you have to do is circle. Don't wait to be told, just assume you will be.
While staties can be a bit brusque at times, this woman is an idiot and somethin' tells me she is in for more that a slap on the wrist. 9/11 wasn't that long ago and they are merely trying to do a job and keep the rest of us safe
Troopers at Logan are always over the top. Whenever I pick up a family member or friend at the airport, they always act all high and mighty and are never courteous. It says "Protect and Serve" on their vehicle, but troopers at logan seem to be more on a power trip. What a huge waste of taxpayer money. We should hire a traffic attendant to move people along- there is no need to allow state troopers to rip people off by playing parking attendant while raking in 100 grand per year. I feel bad that this lady grazed him with her mirror- that will never be acceptable, but the meat head cop shouldnt be worrying about how long some 60 year old lady from Wellesley parks her mercedes while picking up her husband- fight some real crime trooper!
Bottom line is they are both wrong--cops there can be very rude and she probably feels entitled. The airport is not people friendly and needs redesigning as well. Maybe some of the 10 trillion dollars we're giving banks can help.
I am sorry to say this...because I do respect law enforcement, fire, military etc...However with the few instances where I have come in contact with Mass State troopers...they are rude, ignorant and have a God complex. Instead, of serve and protect...they are merely revenue cops for the state.
They actually cause more problems on the highways etc...with pulling over people and forceing speed flutuations with the traffic flow thus causing more accidents, frustrations etc.
As far as I am concerned Mass State Troopers are guilty until otherwise proven.
Regarding Town police like in Norwood and in Revere. The encounters have been much more respectable and amicable. Yes I was wrong and paid my fines.
I don't get why everyone would defend this woman.
I've been picking people up at the airport for years and understand the rules. No stopping or standing other than to pick up or drop off a passenger who is already present. If you're early, you have three options: park your car and enter the terminal, circle the airport or use the cell phone lot.
I don't care how this trooper tells the woman to move. It's the law. If you don't follow it, you should reap consequences.
I'm hardly an apologist for cops. I just know the laws and how to avoid a situation like this from happening. No one is above the law.
These responses are very eye-opening. Sounds like some people would rather have VIP spaces just 2 steps from baggage claim, where they can drive up, view HD televisions, order food and beverages, and receive massages.
Come on people, it's an airport! Everyone knows the rules. You get in, pick people up, and get out. If you linger for too long, you will be asked to move. Do the math: If everyone on a single flight had a vehicle waiting for them parked *immediately* outside of baggage claim, the airport would be even more of a mess than it currently is.
Yes, I'm sure some police may occasionally get out of line, but can you imagine what it must be like to have to tell people for hours on end to move the cars?
Play by the rules kids....it's that simple!
These cops at the airport are out of control. They are supposedly there for security, but all they do is scream at and harass people in their cars. It gives our city a bad name. These "good old boy" troopers who are assigned to the airport are usually near the end of their career, have flushed red faces from too much drinking, and probably couldn't pass the state police physical. Wonder who let's that slide. Stop getting pissed at the women and bringing up your socio-economic resentment. I have a lousy job but I don't hate people from Wellesley for it. She obviously worked hard to get to where she is. Everyone knows cops make up stories and always defend their own, even at the expense of the people they are supposed to serve. I'm sure all the angry comments on this board are coming from cops told by their supervisor to come on here and post during the hours they are getting paid.
The woman was wrong, plain & simple. She has no respect for authority. I don't care who she is, where she works or who she knows because she is WRONG 100&.
People who think they are above the law need to join Mr Bernie M in his new home called "Cell Block Number 9"
This same scenario played out with a friend of mine many years ago who was trying to pickup his girlfriend coming in from out of town. After a confrontation with a trooper who had asked him to move, and seeing his girlfriend coming down the sidewalk toward his car, he wanted to wait for her. The trooper screamed at him and in frustration he moved his car, slightly brushing the officers leg with the side of his car bumper. He was trying to circle around the airport and come back to find his girlfriend, but only made it half-way around the loop before four state police cruisers circled his car, stopped him, pulled him out of his vehicle and put him in cuffs while screaming into his ear that he had hit a trooper and was under arrest. These goons who direct traffic at Logan are much too macho, seeming too often to goad people into confrontation. Rather than helping the public they all too often create bad situations. BTW, it cost my friend about $5000 by the time he posted bail, got an attorney, and went to court. The finding: not guilty.
State Police at the airport are abusive and out of control. The comments here are predictable. Those who have class resentment at this women, such as state troopers, are bashing on her, and those who understand that the police should be protecting and serving and not abusing people are siding with her. Too bad nobody will ever stand up to the cops, including our spineless Governor.
So where is this fabulous cell phone lot and why have I never seen signs directing me there?
the cops at the airport don't even take the time to "listen" to anyone, they aren't protecting anyone either, they are so busy screaming at drivers that they wouldn't be able to notice if something was off, i just hope they don't give themselves an aneurism, I have been to half the states in this country and mass state police are the most abusive and controlling by far
I've had good and not so good experiences with the police that patrol Logan's terminals. I found I could pull up to the curb, shut the engine, and wait for my son to arrive on the red eye at some of the quieter terminals. The police, when present, did not disturb me. My not so good experience occurred at the busiest of terminals. I was in a long queue, in darkness and heavy snow. An officer directed drivers to move on, except, he didn't talk to us - he screamed at each driver as he walked by and on attempting to talk, I was told I would be ticketed if I didn't immediately comply. (That's putting it nicely.) I had spotted my teens exiting the terminal and wanted to get them in the car and start the long drive home. No - I had to circle the airport in the dark and snow. The officer's screaming seemed to alarm many of the drivers.
"many Massachusetts residents have had bad experiences with state troopers"
That's because they are "Massachusetts Drivers" who, in general, don't think the laws apply to them. Only the Troopers have the spine and budget to uphold traffic laws.
Suits me fine to have a gruff guy moving traffic along. Did you already forget WHY they won't let you stop there any more? Anyone remember 9-11 anymore???
I picked up my husband on Friday and dropped him off at Logan this morning. Over this period, the Northwest terminal changed from E to A. I think the sign changes and the general aggressive driving contributes to the stress on people working at or using the airport.
Just base on the description of this article, ARREST HER!!!
she thinks she can get away simply because she is a hot shot portfolio manager. the society should put her behind bars until the hearing! NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW!
Sounds like a class(less) act and one of snobery as well. Frankly I don't care if the cop(s) are or were rude. When one deals with the public on a daily basis one quickly learns how self centered many folks are. Throw the book at her - after all a whole bus load of folks witnessed this also!
# 27: "Look at all the cop haters. I'm amazed at the justification for a woman who felt the rules didn't apply to her." Right on.
And these same people wonder why this state has had two losing Presidential candidates in the last 21 years.
Unbelievable, but sadly, in Massachusetts, believable.
i have had issues with attitudes of police officers too, BUT for all those who are badmouthing the state troopers, especially you guys who are financial professionals, why don't you say the same things about the security at Logan while thinking of September 11th, 2001 ..... back then you wouldn't be caught dead saying half the things you are saying about state troopers at Logan airport. Shame on you all, for the next attack and if someone you love gets hurt at the airport, then i have NO sympathy, you got what you deserved.
I smell a very one sided story here....c'mon folks....."dragged the trooper" and you're telling me there were no witnesses to this? Do I sound a little cynical.....well, you guessed it, this could very well be the same trooper - small in stature with the exception of the huge chip on his shoulder, who banged on my car window as my elderly father was trying to gather his bags from the back of my car one morning. We weren't blocking any other cars and he was rather quick for an 80 year old suffering from diabetes and kidney cancer.......but apparently not fast enough for the rude trooper who had nothing better to do than to write me a ticket because we didn't "move-it" fast enough.
lets see the video from the troopers car and the cams around the terminal.
guaranteed the cop was doing his hardass routine and the old lady freaked out.
when it comes out that he exaggerated his report will he be punished? unlikely.
"Is it likely the cop was right away hostile? Well, does seem to be the typical mass state trooper way of treating the public, right? Did it need to turn into something crazy like this and could the cop have managed it in a way that this remained a small incident instead of what it ended up being? Probably."
chelmsford1
1. The article doesn't mention any of this. You're stereotyping. But even conceding this point (because if he was, I’m not sure it would be in the article),
2. It’s irrelevant if the trooper was hostile. She should have moved. Not obeying a lawful police order is illegal. Just like it’s illegal to “interfere” with the airplane crew. Which brings up the last point
3. Could the cop have managed it in a [better] way? This is the heart of your argument (I think). So let me turn it around. What could he have done better? After reading the events in the article, I think not much. If you’re saying the trooper is lying and the article is wrong, well, maybe. Given the basic facts in the article, what was handled badly? Exactly, please.
joat
1. Logan has a free Cell Lot that is fantastic if you are dumb enough to attempt a pick-up.
2. Yes, all people can abuse their positions, including Police/Law Enforcement.
3. Unless asked to perform an illegal or profane act, one is supposed to respect those in authority (Law, Teachers, etc.). What next, a child asked not to spit on another in school files a lawsuit against a Teacher?
4. EVERYONE would blame the same Troopers who DO risk their lives daily should another 9/11 event occur at Logan Airport. ADMIT IT!
5. I suppose the drunk, medicated and psychotic TV Producer who punched a Trooper (and was subsequently fired and checked-into rehab) was also as "not guilty" as she initially claimed. (Then, upon sobering up, plead the TRUTH.)
6. Can anyone name one major airport in the world that handles non-specifically authorized vehicle traffic well directly at Terminal entrances/exits?
7. Cameras can be friend or foe and also played in full or somehow contain "lost portions".
8. Did anyone read the entire article?
9. The "highly respected member of the community of Wellesley" could not remember the Company name she supposedly works for on SUNDAY's.
10. Preferential treatment has already begun for this "Lady" as she had open alcohol and the smell of alcohol on her breath, but was not subjected to a Sobriety Test. So, while listing the registration of towns sounds cute one could assume once her license was produced she was given preferential treatment.
I find no bias in the writing of the article, just statements of the (2) sides involved. Amazing how facts can drive (no pun intended) such response.
Lastly, to #56 – Yes, this incident could very simply have been avoided. Had the women not been so bold, regardless of any behavior she was offended by, and NOT begun to MOVE when she realized she was being written (goodness gracious) a TICKET!
I disagree with what this woman did but I too have had an unpleasant experience with State Troopers at Logan. My wife called me on my cell to tell me she was just picking up her bag. When I pulled up I could see her trying to cross the street to get to where I was parked. The state trooper ordered me to leave and drive around the ariport again until she was on my side of the street. I pointed to her and said she was right there. He yelled at me to get going. Nice to know my taxes go towards paying his salary.
jimmind, last time I checked, I was not in the military. I do not take orders from anyone, badge or no badge. In the immortal words of Ursa, "General Zod does not take orders. He gives them."
Logan is very busy and a traffic mess. Inconsiderate people not following the rules just make it worse. It's like those creeps who double park on a busy street and create a traffic mess, because they're too lazy to park and walk and could less about anyone driving by. If Logan is too big a mess, why not take the T or a private bus to some place in the suburbs where it's easier to pick someone to pick you up.
I was returning from the cell phone lot at Logan to pick up my mother and didn't stop for a trooper attempting to turn left across my lane with no lights or sirens on (I had the right of way). The trooper driving behind him swerved into my lane approximately fifty feet in front of my car so that I had to switch lanes to avoid a collision. I had a three year old in the back seat. There may be good cops at Logan, but it seems from the many other posts that most are belligerent, entitled, bullies who need better supervision or training. I would give 50/50 odds that the trooper stepped into her mirror to escalate this situation.
Book em Dano! Or next time she'll hit you with more than the mirror.
I went to Logan two weeks ago at approximately 11pm to pick up my daughter. When I arrived her plane had just landed and I was waiting in my car in the passenger pick up zone. An airport security officer was circling around terminal B and was parked diagonally across from me. There were two cars parked and idling in front of me and one parked behind me, also with the engine running. The policeman flashed his lights and honked his horn. I didn't know if he was honking at me or at one of the other cars. He immediately got out of his car and approached my car and began writing a ticket. He didn't say or do anything concerning the other cars. This was to say the least mystifying to me!!! I told him I wasn't from the area (from RI) and had never been to the airport. I asked him where I should and/or where I should park??? He told me to just follow the sighns. He wrote the ticket even though I implored him not to. He did not use poor language, but he had such a poor attitude. NO warning or anything, just a quick ticket to add to someone's coffers. What a bad experience this turned out to be. And for what??? how
I recommend Manchester Airport in NH and TF Green Airport in RI
can tell all the cops are on here posting, get back to work so you can earn your 200,000 a year pensions, and no I don't feel any safer having you at the airport, screaming at people in cars doesn't stop a plane from getting hijacked
My politely-worded posts did not get published a couple of hours ago, so I will state my points again.
1) Why did this woman lie when pulled over on the Pike? By now it must have been confirmed that her husband was indeed flying in around that time (or not). To me, the lying is a sign of a serious problem.
2) Sure, I've seen the brusqueness of the SP at Logan, but once when I was leaving and discovered I had no money for the tolls (I was on the Ted Williams on-ramp), I stopped in a desperate search for loose change and was assisted by a SP officer. He could have arrested me, since I didn't have my pocketbook/license, but he helped me. That's not the first time I've been in need or danger and was VERY happy to see those flashing lights.
3) I do hope the SP take to heart the comments here and do some training. Respect is a two-way street.
For my money this was a collision of two oversized egos.
I'm shocked that MassPort hasn't come up with VIP waiting spaces that they charge for right in front of the terminals. They would start at $5.00 for 12 minutes but within a few years they'd be at $15 for 8 minutes.
this is really very simple - all one has to do is follow the rule - no live parking, no waiting. I have been picked up many many times by pre-arrangement but I am always the one waiting for the pickup not the other way around. Most of the time that I am waiting I see people parked and sitting in their cars waiting, sometimes double parked - and in violation of the rule. Cop was right - this woman was not
can't believe all these people are trashing the cops and rationalizing a defense for this woman...come on, the law is the law is the law and she got equal treatment, if not better than equal treatment. At best this woman is an idiot, like the college student-goofball who did not think the circuit board on her sweatshirt would elicit a response and then ran away. You flee a cop that's got a problem with something you did, which was a violation to begin with, you deserve what you get, rich or poor, white or not, Lexus or lemon. If what the State alleges is true, she should do time and from what it sounds like, should get some alcohol treatment, too. Doesn't look good when your employer pulls all evidence of you down from the web site...
Can someone explain how in this day and age that a vehicle so well equipped as a mercedes how this cop was able to open the door on two occasions? Has anyone heard of auto locks? The doors lock when you put the vehicle in drive and stay locked until you unlock them. This cop was out of control as most of them in the airport are. He turned a mole hill into a mountain and most women are frightened by men in general but one with a gun an attitude and control issues is the worst.
# 43 you spelled ignorant wrong.
Irony is spelled I R O N Y.
These posts are honsetly cracking me up. I can't believe the number of people who claim to be bawled out by cops, which of course only seems to happen when they are picking up their elderly and frail relatives. And what heinous event occurs next? These persecuted drivers have to go ALL THE WAY AROUND the airport to pick up their loved ones about FIVE MINUTES LATER. The humanity!!!
What do you want the cops to do? Politely tap on every windshield, engage in a delightful discussion with every driver about their loved ones' arrival times and travel plans, and then review options for what to do next? Maybe we should have the cops bring out the luggage for the travelers, too? I entirely agree that some cops could be a bit more civil in their ways, but many of the people posting should also take a look in the mirror!
Born and bred in the western suburbs, I have had several experiences of Logan state troopers screaming and yelling at me to move/leave/die/etc. Massport should keep the troopers in the terminal and find some other way to police the roads. This would probably extend the lives of many troopers, and make the travellers happy also.
This story began when someone parked illegally in a bus zone. Contrary to some people seem to believe, this was not the result of poor signage. Might possibly have been the result of stupidity, arrogance, intoxication,
being a common cheapskate, or some other equally poor reason.
Quite a few people have commented here on how they have had a bad experience with State Police at the airport. I've been there quite a few times and have not experienced or observed any misbehavior by State Police. One thing is for sure, there are plenty of occasions that if they don't shout, the ambient noise will drown out whatever they are saying.
MA State Police are the most cynical and rotten state police in the country. The organization represents the worst of Massachusetts government.
They should have arested her on the Pike. I don't care who you are, if you try to run over a cop or another human being then you should be jailed.
This has nothing to do with politics, it has nothing to do with how rich she is, it has nothing to do with XXX cops. it has to do with drunk driving and not cooperating and intentionally hitting a police officer.
I am shocked by all these cop-haters. Blaming the cops at logan for 9/11?? hoping that officer gets fired??? you think these cops want to work these details and deal with whiny people all day and night?? most do it because they need a few extra bucks (and don't we all???) those cops have other jobs too, they take time out of their lives to do those details and make picking up people go a little smoother. can you imagine what it would be like if they werent there telling people to keep moving??? and yeah, it is possible to run backwards 15 feet, its called being athletic, and if your panicked its even easier. the cop was doing his job and the lady was intoxicated and disobeying the rules. he could have been killed. you people have no right to say what youre saying.
I have picked up people at Logan many times and can testify that the State Troopers who work there are without exception, the worst that law enforcement can offer. They are rude, nasty and worst of all, have no compassion. They are all like that cop in Dallas who prevented that football player from seeing his mother-in-law before she died.
That is the problem with unions...they wall off their members off from the rest of society and as a result, they come to view the rest of us as filth and losers.
Sunday evening at Logan was a bad night for everybody. My son's plane from Newark was 3 hours late, although Continental's website said it left the gate only 40 minutes late. The plane sat on the tarmack in NJ for over 2 hours. That messed up his pick-up at Logan. Another story had a man opening an emergency door while he sat on a taxiway in this delay.
One point no one seems to have addressed is what would any woman (or man for that matter) do if a man reached into their car to unbuckle their seatbelt? That requires leaning across a person's body. I would call that an assault, and for a woman, she may even consider it a sexual assault as some personal areas had to have been touched.
The big question is why were the doors to the Mercedes unlocked.........
I commend the Trooper for doing his job. Nobody knows what is like to be in a cop's boots at any given time. It's troubling reading all these comments about how public's tax dollars are being wasted. Joe Q. Public is paying the cops for doing a job they do not want to do. All you cop haters can bash the cops but will think twice when they pick up the phone and call 911 when someone in their family is choking, sufferring a heart attack, child is not breathing, or someone is breaking into their house, someone just got stabbed/shot, or being robbed, etc.. The cops are there first to help, putting their life on the line day in day out. The woman in this situation should've obeyed the law in the first place. Laws are put in place for a reason and the cops are always looked as the bad guy when they do their job. Good job Trooper!
I've picked up friends and family at Logan countless times and never had a problem. Just wait in the cell phone lot, have them call when they're almost outside, and drive to the terminal. Simple. This is just another case of arrogant self-entitled folks (a lot of whom do happen to live in Wellesley), not realizing they are being a mindless buffoon.... Driving while driving and hitting a trooper?! She should lose her license for a minimum of 6 months, and I hope she has to do a month in jail. This is just stupid.
jeez, i hope you people never need a cop at logan or anywhere else!! these men and women have to keep their guard up in every single situation they enter into. they have no idea who is in what car or what they are doing there. they dont know if its a nice little old lady, a beligerent drunk or someone with a gun. theyre doing their job and protecting us all, we can all sit here making comments, because we feel safe in our homes because we know they are out there protecting us. i have a feeling ud be complaining if everyone could sit at the terminal and traffic was at a standstill, theyre damned if they do, damned if they dont...and if u think their job is so easy and the pay is so cushy, take the test and enter the academy
I am wondering why Flaggers are not proposed at the airport by the Govenor
This is easy - most, if not all, know there is no parking/waiting at terminals yet do it anyway to see how long they can get away w/ it for convenience sake (I've done it too) - and then are annoyed if the police are not polite enough when they ask you to move and/or do not make and exception for you. Are you kidding me? Do you think the police enjoy telling people to move only to be met w/ excuse after excuse. It's easy, don't park at the terminals and you will not have to deal with it - it's a win/win situation - you don't need to deal with the cops and they don't need to deal with you. I'm at the airport to pick up my husband approximately 4 times each month - there have been many occassions when I have circled the airport 5 or 6 times because he is delayed through customs - it's not a big deal. Is it inconvenient, yes, but the alternitive is not to knowingly break the law by parking where not allowed.
There is a free cell phone parking lot at Terminal A that cars can park for until the flights arrive....
The law and rules are not absolute, we are humans and have circumstances. This trooper is not trained to deal with people, they are being trained to do as they please and either write a citation or arrest. I feel the woman, who pays her taxes, should be treated like she pay her taxes. She may be a snob of some sort/or a very nice woman who helps her community, but it is the officers job to speak with this woman and deal with the issue not provoke and aggressively resort to ticketing or arresting. The whole story about him running back 15 feet and getting hit by the mirror sounds like colorful report writing which it will end up as her word against his. Police officers are not to get themselves into situations like this they are to maintain order not instigate fights. Reaching into her car to unbuckle her? This is not their world this is ours!
2,974...2,974...2,974...2,974...2,974
Does this number sound familiar? Yes, it's the number of innocent people that died on September 11, 2001. To hear people say "the lanes are confusing, the cops are rude, the cops could be nicer, the cops are mean, the cops have egos" etc. is pathetic and an insult to those who died that day.
Being inconvenienced while you circle or park in the cell phone lot or pay to park is a SMALL price to pay for safety and security. Getting your feelings hurt by getting yelled at sure beats the alternative, doesn't it?
Last time I was at logan, I had a broken leg. I was being dropped of at the termanal, A cop said we needed to move. I had a friggin broken leg and was on crutches. My friends was getting my bag out of the trunk and he flipped at me and said we had 10 seconds to move the car or we'd be out $250. It was crazy. We did not move and did not get a ticket, as I said that I would be happy to take it to court where he would have to go into downtown boston to appear. I am sure that the troopers have trumped up the charges and are lying.
The troopers in Boston are the meanest I've ever seen! The rudest people who are on serious power trips. I've had a couple of scary encounters similar to those posted above me, so I won't bore you w/more of the same. But here's one more against these power trippers. It has nothing to do w/her town or the type of car. Totally irrelevant.
Drop kick we dont need you, get over yourself. I am so sick of hearing how cops put there lives on the line. It is more dangerous to be a fisherman or a solider. Most cops are useless.
i use logan express 98% of the time i fly in our out of Logan. each time i return, as i wait for the bus to arrive, i see driver after driver after driver pull up in a lane clearly marked for busses only, with plenty of signage that explains there is no "live parking" etc. the people they are picking up are no where in sight. they are just sitting and waiting.
each person completely ignores the signs, forcing the many busses to maneuver around them, forcing people loading onto busses to walk around them. when the state cop comes to wave them on, telling them to move, at least half of them simply ignore the cop until he comes and walks toward them.
and then there are those who when they locate their party decide to have a mini-reunion right there as busses maneuver around them. if you are lucky enough to time it right and find your party, get in the damn car and get out of the way!
I am so sick of the "don't you know who I am snobs" who think they are above it all.
We seem to have many of the same personality within or government that need to be replaced. With such an inbalance of justice today something has to change. I see society eventually revolting in a big way very soon. Too too may people with those attitudes need a good dose of reality.....
NEWSFLASH!!!!!!!!! THERE IS NO DESIGN FLAW AT LOGAN... EVERY AIRPORT THAT I KNOW IS DESIGNED THE SAME WAY.FOR CURB PICKUP... GET REAL!! iT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO ALLOW EVERYONE TO SIT AND WAIT... PARK YOUR DAM CAR IN SHORT TERM, CELLPHONE OR WHEREVER THE AIRPORT HAS PROVIDED AND RETRIEVE YOUR FAMILY (OR) KEEP CIRCLING THE TERMINAL.... YOU MUST KEEP MOVING UNLESS YOU ARE LOADING..... IT IS A LOADING AREA NOT PARKING AREA AT ALL AIRPORTS...................................
Can anyone make sense of why taxis are allowed to line up and wait when they could easily be carrying bombs? They implement all these safety rules for passenger cars, but not for taxi cabs. As far as the troopers "just doing their job", yes their job (at the airport) has to be boring, tiresome, frustrating and infuriating, but they are ostensibly supposed to help, guide and inform us, which they aren't effectively doing at Logan. Yes, it's extremely difficult to that job day in and day out with any humor, but we should expect to be treated with dignity and respect. This is exactly what's missing from the troopers interaction with the public at Logan. I have used the cell phone lot, waited for call then driven up to the terminal only to be yelled at by a trooper to move. It's idiotic. Move where? It's infuriating.
Allegedly, this woman is educated, no? Smart, no? Then how come she can't read the 50 signs that say - this way to the cellphone lot? Or better yet, understand why you can't wait forever, parked idling at the "Active Pickup Only" lane - clearly marked with many signs.
If the trooper is rude, then take his badge number and file a complaint.
I can easily visualize this person doing exactly what has been reported. There are reported to be other witnesses who have backed up the Trooper's version of events.
C'mon people. The trick to Logan is to pull into the A Terminal and wait. None of the other terminals are equipped to handle the amount of cars coming through to stop and wait. And there is never anything going on at Terminal A.
2 powerful yet opposite stereotypes smashed like subatomic particles in the super collider: Overpaid egomaniacal banker from Wellesley in a mercedes vs overpaid jackbooted power tripper in uniform. Will the universe collapse as matter and anitmatter collide??? Maybe we'll avoid catastrophe if they are both contained in a interminable court case!
The troopers at Logan are overly aggressive. I've been asked to move many times when there was plenty of room at curbside (not the bus lane) and it was late at night or early in the morning when there was minimal traffic. Instead of letting people wait there quietly, the troopers come at you aggressively, banging on your car windows and tell you to get out of there. This gives us the option of circling Logan and good luck trying to read those godforsaken signs and find your way back into the airport.