In short, use the cell phone lot.
Cell phone lots exist at many major airports for a reason – for people to have a place to wait in their cars completely stationary, reducing the risk of inadvertent collisions while doing laps around the drop-off point. The term comes from the obvious concept that when the person awaiting pick up is ready, both parties are in optimal and safe conditions to correspond over cell phones to arrange for pick up.
Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport was a little behind the curve, but they too now have cell phone lots. Unfortunately, nobody uses them; either people haven’t been properly taught how to use them, or why they even exist or/and they are simply too stupid to figure it out on their own. Subsequently, it is still a very common practice that people circle laps around the drop-off/pick up area*, even in spite of the massive construction they are doing in the middle of the route, that impedes the flow and traffic to its usual disastrous conditions.
*it baffles me to this day that despite being the statistically busiest airport in the world, Atlanta’s airport still does not have separate levels for drop off and pick up, as even a toddler could understand that one lane sharing two duties is less efficient than two lanes dividing them up separately.
Maybe if people weren’t so dumb and actually used the cell phone lot, then stories like this, about numerous complains about Atlanta Airport curbside police, including over-aggression and general nastiness wouldn’t occur. Or, if anything at all, make me not want to take the side of the po-po when I read stories like this.
Sure, there are some extreme cases that I’ll agree are not appropriate and should not be condoned, like when cops go Incredible Hulk on, and arrest a guy for waiting 17 seconds, or body slamming women to the ground. These are unfortunate incidents that should really have punishment for the offending police officers, but they’re very much exceptions, as if police brutality were occurring on a daily basis, then this would have been a way larger story, and brought up a year ago.
However, the story cites that in the last calendar year, there were roundabouts of 82 complaints filed about Atlanta Airport curbside police. Aside from the incidents of police brutality with actual video evidence, I’d be willing to bet that at least 75 of those complaints were by people who simply didn’t like getting yelled at to keep moving, by an off-duty police officer moonlighting as curbside police, riding a Segway and wearing a neon vest.
The primary job of curbside police is to basically keep traffic moving. When cars stop and park in the pick up area, the police have every right to demand that you remain moving until you are actively picking someone up. Failing to adhere is a ticketable offense, and continued defiance could result in physical arrest.
Time spent dropping someone off, even I’d agree that a little bit more time should be granted. A quick hug/kiss/handshake as a sendoff, and adequate time for heavy bags and luggage to safely be put onto the curb is requisite. But that’s about it. No need to stare longingly at those leaving, or to field an email on the phone while you’re still. Once that line is crossed, then sure, maybe tickets and/or beatdown/arrests become justifiable, but definitely probably more than 17 seconds.
Either way, yes there are going to be a few exception police officers that have legitimate anger management issues, but for the most part, it’s the fact that people abuse these simple rights that cause police officers to become agitated, irritable, and less patient when it comes to people lingering around where they shouldn’t.
As for cops getting mean and agitated, I can kind of understand it. As a creature of procedure and habits, I think I’m pretty quick when it comes to recognizing procedure and protocol. Unfortunately, I don’t recognize such ability in the vast majority of people I observe on a regular basis, people at the airport included. When they fail to understand or just plain choose to not observe rules and protocol, I can see why cops get agitated with them, and eventually take it out on everyone. Maybe they shouldn’t get physical, but I get why they pissed off at everyone. I don’t even work there, and I get irritated, when I see the same car circling the drop zone, and stop in front of me three times, and three times get shooed off by the increasingly agitated cop.
It’s the peoples’ fault, 99 times out of a 100.
And that’s why so many of the complaints are mostly dismissed, because aside from the few viral exceptions, so many of them don’t have any weight.
You know how many cops there are in the cell phone lot? One. His job is to make sure people don’t abuse the cell phone lot, and try to use it as long-term parking. To make sure that all cars have an occupant in it. Another duty is to adhere a 30-minute time limit per vehicle, but so few people actually use it that they often times don’t bother with that one.
Cell phone lots. Potentially making the airport a more pleasant place, if only people knew how to utilize them.
