Yeah, got a citation and almost got a
trip to jail. Not a good sign when two more patrol cars join the one who
stopped you with the blue and reds.
0250, Temp -8°F, clear sky, no moon, enroute to work, and came upon an accident. Street blocked by a patrol car and
flares. In my town there are just three North-South arterials separated by
eight to eleven blocks East to West. OK, divert into the parking lot of a
sprawling shopping center and come back to my original route. Street still
blocked but very slowly I moved around various vehicles and continued on my
way. Some yoyo had taken out a power pole and left approximately 5,300 homes
without electricity.
Five blocks later get lit up with the reds and blues plus
about a dozen LEDs. Pull over and things got ugly.
Not being a stranger to discussing my
driving habits with the long arm of the law, got out my card case with my
driver license, turned on the interior light, rolled down my window, and put my
hands on the steering wheel.
A very agitated young officer comes to
the window and starts off with,
“Do you know what emergency lights are
for?”
“Yes”, I replied “That is why I pulled
over”.
The interaction gets into my driving
through the accident scene, where am I going (to work), where is my job (give
address) and alternate route I could have taken. Then he takes my license,
insurance card, hands back my registration, and goes back to his patrol unit.
As I wait various other patrol units come and go. Twenty minutes goes by before
he comes back. Twenty fucking minutes that makes me more and more pissed off.
Now I’m a full grown man who has never
ducked responsibility for my actions. If I’m wrong, write me a citation and
send me on my way. No argument from me; that is what courts are for. Making me
wait twenty minutes while he dicks around with the other officers, knowing I’m
on my way to work, is uncalled for.
Finally he comes back. In addition to the
citation, he proceeds to motherfuck me some more.
My LEO relatives have a
policy, either and ass chewing or a citation, never both.
I have no patience, a
character flaw to be sure, am a grumpy old man, and have about a ten second
fuse. I tell the pissant badge happy asshole his making me wait twenty minutes
is rude and unprofessional. At this point I haven’t used any profanity. He then
says heatedly,
“I think you are unprofessional. You
could have killed a cop back there”.
“Oh, bullshit!” , I replied. “Furthermore,
go fuck yourself”.
We exchange a few more unpleasantries and
then he tells me to leave.
I have always tried to speak politely to
police officers. I expect the same from them. That said, I don’t, and never
will, meekly accept shit from anyone, no matter who they are. I also don’t care
about the 4 points and $155. I can afford it, and will torture them in court
before they collect. Been there, done that with about a .800 winning average.
My core value? I will die on my feet
before I will live on my knees.
That said, I believe I will drive my
other vehicle to work tomorrow, just saying.
