Actually, NCGS 14-288.4(a)(2) can be charged if you use abusive language in a public place (and the side of the road is a public place)
1. of, pertaining to, or affecting a population or a community as a whole: public funds; a public nuisance. 2. done, made, acting, etc., for the community as a whole: public prosecution. 3. open to all persons: a public meeting. 4. of, pertaining to, or being in the service of a community or nation, esp. as a government officer: a public official. 5. maintained at the public expense and under public control: a public library; a public road. 6. generally known: The fact became public. 7. familiar to the public; prominent: public figures. 8. open to the view of all; existing or conducted in public: a public dispute. 9. pertaining or devoted to the welfare or well-being of the community: public spirit. 10. of or pertaining to all humankind; universal. –noun 11. the people constituting a community, state, or nation. 12. a particular group of people with a common interest, aim, etc.: the book-buying public. 13. British Informal. a tavern; public house. —Idioms14. go public, a. to issue stock for sale to the general public. b. to present private or previously concealed information, news, etc., to the public; make matters open to public view: The Senator threatened to go public with his Congressional-reform plan. 15. in public, not in private; in a situation open to public view or access; publicly: It was the first time that she had sung in public. 16. make public, to cause to become known generally, as through the news media: Her resignation was made public this morning. The side of the road....Is not a Public place.
To Jonathan (cop) and our neighbor Saturday night , my dh, daughter and I were running late to go to the Canes game. DH was backing out of the driveway and was not watching what he was doing, our back tire got stuck in the ditch. He tried everything to get out. Jonathan (cop) who was coming home from a long day at work saw that we were having trouble getting our car out of the ditch, went home to get his rope and came back to help DH out. If by chance you are reading this Jonathan, I want to say Thank you for your help and saving me from killing my DH.
sorry to disagree, but the side of the road is, in fact, "5. maintained at the public's expense and under public control", AND "8. open to the view of all, existing or conducted in public", AND "15. in public, not in private; in a situation open to public view or access", all of which make it "in public"
ok, so if the cop gets in your car you can cuss him. otherwise, if you're yelling it out the window at him, and he is standing on public property acting as a public official, doesn't that put the offense itself in public? for example, you own your yard. it's your private property. but you can't stand naked on your private property if you, naked, are in public view...
then he gets to cuss at you? or maybe you get charged with assaulting a police officer with a deadly weapon. or destruction of public property, even
heres a thought......how about we all be nice to police officers and troopers so we dont have to cuss at them or roll over their feet
you do understand the difference between a hypothetical situation that arises during a debate, and real life, don't you? ken and i were discussing theory, not practice
sho-nuff! ps. i like cops. i wouldn't want their gigs. i respect the law. once, i even got a speeding ticket thrown out of court by the judge, (even after i plead guilty and said i should have known better and that it wouldn't happen again), because the cop noted in the case file that i was very polite and even a little contrite.
