It's even better when it's perfectly legal.

Water cops tried to arrest me at my grandfather's house for watering his lawn years ago. I had to walk the line a mile to the cistern with them.
The thing that confused me the most is that they were pissed-off about it.
I was polite, told them they were doing a good job, offered them a cold drink and sandwich. Seriously, you guys think I don't like cops... but I do as long as they are not doing anything unconstitutional. I feel for a guy doing something he is told, especially if he has been brainwashed into thinking that it is the right thing.
But, back on topic... to this day, I can't figure out why the two water-cops were pissed.

Ha, I didn't know that. I guess I knew they enforced the restrictions in some places, but I see so many people flout them.

Bet they were angry because they were psyched up for the job of having you bend over in acquiescence. When they had to recognize they were wrong it was embarassing, and a let down. All that adrenalin and no place to piss.

Blimey, do cops piss adrenalin?

environmental cops are the worst! They aren't real cops in my city, just civic employees with a leeeeetle (a very leeetle) bit of authority. They are the ones that will give you a ticket for putting a garage sale sign, or having an old car in your yard, or watering on the wrong day.

the worst!

An adrenalin rush can give some folks the urge to urinate. YMMV.

Yeah, those civic officers are asshats. I suppose they do a needed job, but my encounters with them have usually been in opposition. Small town mentality, ya know?

This one loser in the Parks Department in this town followed me around a lake to tell me that my dog needed to be on a lead. No one was in the park save the Parks guy and me, and my dog had been swimming. She was on the lead when she was out of the water before and after, but the uniform said I was in violation, etc., etc. Apparently dog swimming is allowed, but the dog must be on a lead even while swimming. He had spotted me through binoculars taking my dog off lead and putting her back on. I could have sucked it up and dealt with it, but he wasn't very smart and had to repeat the same tired words four times. I was irritated before he got through with the second iteration. I get very haughty with people like that. It's too easy for people to assume I must be stupid as if the degree of blondeness confers idiocy. Yeah, bite me, Bozo.

Back to Flint's more general topic, I do a number of things that law and order types might get upset about. It's not so much that I have to break laws, but I see absolutely nothing wrong with some of the personal research I do, or the things I create.

If I was ever arrested for anything that gave a wide open search warrant to police, I could be in some hot water. I guess that would depend on what my alleged crime was. If it was murder by motor vehicle, perhaps my distillation efforts, odd botanicals, and archaic weaponry would be of no interest.

However, I have a friend whose personal collection of murder mysteries was confiscated when her husband was arrested for murder... They were returned, but how do you suppose an Agatha Christie novel incriminates a devoted reader?

So, I'd rather not be too specific but, yeah, I have a number of areas of interest that I'd rather not come to law enforcement's attention.

Maybe about ten years ago, an ex and I were out in the canoe on a large lake with a small island. The tiny beach on this half acre island had some interesting stuff. There was an attenuated pot plant growing in the sand about an inch and a half high. It wouldn't survive, and was showing serious signs of distress. He plucked it and stuck it on the prow. We started back to the dock when he noticed a cop car in the parking lot. He tossed it rather than the possibility of this tiny plant of two leaves getting us in trouble. Might seem far fetched, but really you just don't know what will make some joe with a badge come down hard on you.

You know those mattress tags that say "Do Not Remove Under Penalty Of Law"? I'm not sure if mine is still on.

That should be good for 10 years.