As I said last week I went down to Baltimore MD, actually I
stayed at my sister's house and my brothers both flew in and stayed there also
in Bethesda MD. Also my sister that's a Consul man in North Collins kid, who
works at John Hopkins since graduating UB with a chemical engineering degree, he
now lives in Baltimore, it was his birthday last Sunday and I picked him up to
take him to Bethesda the day after the race. He went to the 133rd Pimlico race,
but to the party in the infield with his boss and a couple of doctors and
nurses. Anyways we all made it to the race.
The
133rd Preakness Stakes race day was a very entertaining day and a well ran event.
I'm
always noticing procedures' and the way cops on duty are performing there
duties at events. One cop in particular I thought was doing a great job he was
standing at the door to the cash room which also was at the entrance/exit to the
Kohler baths. Then he shot himself in the foot.
He was very patient
with people, including drunks asking for directions and directing them, he was
also very observant. I was impressed enough to want to get his badge number and
commend him on this site, and write a letter to the department, along with all
the rest of the Baltimore police and Maryland Troopers who looked there best and
did a great job. Then he shot himself in the foot. I noticed he had the
black band blocking his badge number. If you don't know what the black band is,
its the thing that replaces arm bands at Cop Funerals, Cops wear them on there
shields at funerals in place of arm bands. They are also miss used by cops
when they want to obscure there badges during riots or public events.
Obviously this guy doing a great job noticed me and got paranoid and obscured
his badge number, or obscured the badge during the whole event. Now a days its
not going to do shit anyways with video cameras and camera phones if someone
wants to complain they will identify you.
Above Big Brown by
5 length's! Video shot from by me at Preakness.
The
major problem I had with this event, is they seemed to disregard
all handicapped laws.
They disregarded ADA parking and access rules and regulations for the event and
made no allowances at all for handicapped parking or even getting to your seats
in the grand stand if you where handicapped. There are no marked elevators, not shuttles, or golf carts to
shuttle the handicapped around and the handicapped parking spaces are all
commandeered for VIP parking.
This would be no problem if they set up parking
some place else, and shuttled the handicapped to entrances near there seats. If
you use a cane or other assisted walking device the place really sucks anyways.
The whole interior is sloped and made of painted cement or waxed tile floors.
The stairs are also of different highs and widths. My mother refused to move out
of her seat and the 1 time she did, she came back exhausted from walking the
stairs and sloped floors. The favorite pass time of most of us sitting
down between the races was watching people that may have had one to many to drink fall
up the steps( take a header). The first step that was half the height of the others, this
happened at least 5 or six times. Also anyone with a bad back or knees like me,
you would be in real pain after trying to walk threw this place, you had to lean
from side to side and displace your center of gravity and spine. Luckily I knew
I would need my walking stick and brought that with me and it helped greatly.
The Navy Special forces SEAL team and there parachute team
demonstrated precision landing at the Preakness event at Pimlico.
Space above track closed excpet to Bi-planes with advertising banners and B-2 Bomber Fly-over.
Looking towards finish line.
Picture From my Seat in Grandstand looking towards clubhouse.
133RD Preakness Stakes Post Gate
Post gate.
Post Gate.
Inside Strech Tent Seating.
Packed house.
Bottom of Strech seating
The Race itself!
Big brown by 5 lenths.
Big Brown by 5 Lenths...
Big brow wins by 5 lenths! 2 races down , only the Belmont to go to win the Thriple Crown.
Spectators.
My brothers going to place a bet.
MY Winning Ticket.
I had a $1 and $2 Exacta, big brown and 2 long shots in a box. Big brown won and my long shots came in second and third. It cost me $18 and it paid $58 so I made $40 on the race.
My 70 Year Old Mother sporting her Track hat.
My mother waiting for my brother from seattle cashing in his big win. He took the same horses I did but bet them straight and probally bet $10 he won the Trifecta and Superfecta, my ma thinks he won 4 grand, i'm thinking $48,000!
My Brother Cashing in his big bet.
The trifecta and superfecta. He gave me $500 my Mother $1000 and brought my brother and himself a PS3, so I know he did pretty good.
Maryland State Troopers bus.
The Maryland Troopers had their cadets working security at the race along with other troopers.
Baltimore's Bravest on hand.
Fire department was on hand.
EMS on Hand.
Behind Track.
Behind Track
Koler Bath Rooms.
NO smelly porta johns here.
Making way back to Car.
Sunday Night Football Horse Trailer.
Staircase from Club House.
Ladder Truck.
Guy about to do a burn out.
Emergancy Medical Vehicles on stand by.
Row House across lot.
EMV's on standby.
Barriers
Barriers
Handicapped lot Commandeered for VIPS.
There was no provision for Handicapped parking during the event a clear violation of ADA laws and state laws.
Handicapped Parking used for VIPS.
We where told no Handicapped parking at event more than once. I did make my mother hang her handicapped hanger on window though and the Baltimore traffic cops waived her threw stopped traffic more than once. Nice of them.
Like I said Handicapped lot used for VIP.
I really didn't have a problem with them using handicapped lot for VIPs, I had a problem with them not making other arrangements for handicapped parking. Such as a shuttle or golf carts to shuttle people from cars if they needed assistance.
VIP Parking.
VIP Parking.
VIP Parking.
VIP Parking.
VIP Parking.
A VIPs car an Audi in Handicaped spot.
One of the VIP cars parked in what was the handicapped spot on normal days. I told my ma to take the day off from being handicapped but she didn't listen.
VIP Parking!
VIP's.
VIP parking Governors Suburban.
Handicapped parking use for VIP and Valet parking. Maryland Governor Martin O' Malley's ride on other side of barriers.
Maryland Governor Martin O' Malley's getting in ride.
Maryland Governor Martin O' Malley's getting into his Suburban.
Maryland Governors Motorcade.
Maryland Governor Martin O' Malley's motorcade.
Governor's Suburban.
Maryland Governor Martin O' Malley's ride.
My 70 year old Ma.
My 70 year old Mother walking the 1/4 mile with cane. She has two metal hip replacements.
Police Coptors above.
Tail Gating.
My Mothers car parked in a Sea of Cars.
My mothers car parked in a sea of cars 1/4 from Entrance gate. I will say if you use a cane, the race track is an awful place. The floors are all on a slant, there are no elevators marked for use. Also the stairs are of different widths and heights.
My Brother looking for my Mother and Brother.
Who we lost looking for car. As usual I knew right where the car was but my mother insisted it was where it wasn't. Like I've said before my family dosen't listen to me.
Cars going no place slow.
Cars trying to exit the track. I insisted I drive because my mother gets flustered and would have taken hours to get out of lot
Promoting
integrityand fairness in police departments when it comes to
cops, police and police departments dealing with the general public. Non-criminals.
Lets be honest folks when I grew up I was told the police man is my friend.
The police man was their to help you and protect you from the criminals thus the term
protect and serve. Well, I grew up and I know that's pretty simplistic,
but a cop, police officer's employing police department is judged by the public as only as
good as the lowest common denominator (police officer) which is the worst police officer,
cop.
I think every single police car no matter what the
jurisdiction should be equipped with a
AED defibrillator
and if you thought about it, you would want one in your police patrol car not only for the
public, but for your own safety as a cop.
