Police Encounters

[Cow Poke]

Tough job for sure.

My best story was in LA. I was on a 6 lane road, in the left lane, and I cut all the way over to the right lane to make a right hand turn. There was literally no one around. Within half a block I had 5 cops swarm me. I freaked out, they freaked out over my freaking out. It ended with a warning. lol

I used to get so tired of people angrily asking, when I pulled them over for speeding or something -- "Do you guys have a QUOTA or something?" I'd just respond very calmly, "no sir, but if I write two more tickets this month, I get a free toaster".

[Ronson]

I still laugh about the time I was going to go straight through an intersection, and realized I SHOULD have turned right. There was actually a "sweeping right turn" lane, but I would have had to jink right to get in it, so I proceeded into the intersection, made sure nobody was in that sweeping right lane, then turned right from the middle of the intersection.

A BIG black motorcycle cop (since race is so vitally important these days) pulled me over, so I pulled into the parking lot of a steakhouse. He dismounted the motorcycle, approached my window, where I already had my license in my hand (a good tip!) and told him "I am a concealed carry holder, but I am not carrying" (such statement is required).

He then leaned down and asked, "do you have a name for that maneuver you just pulled?"

I said, "yes sir, I guess I'd call that a Crazy Ivan". He laughed heartily, and said, "Hunt for Red October?" I said, "that's it, exactly".

He said, "well, that made my day - let's try to be a little more careful, OK?"

GREAT encounter!!! One of my very favorites.

You reminded me of a good encounter that I nearly forgot about. I was stopped for rolling through a stop sign - and then discovered also having a brake light out and expired registration. I thought my goose was cooked. The cop asked me several questions and learned I had just moved to that neighborhood, and didn't even know where I was going and was on the wrong road. She said "I don't want to ruin your day. Pay attention and get these taken care of" and sent me on my way. I ran into her a couple times after that and she was just really nice. I give her a gold star.

[Cow Poke]

You reminded me of a good encounter that I nearly forgot about. I was stopped for rolling through a stop sign - and then discovered also having a brake light out and expired registration. I thought my goose was cooked. The cop asked me several questions and learned I had just moved to that neighborhood, and didn't even know where I was going and was on the wrong road. She said "I don't want to ruin your day. Pay attention and get these taken care of" and sent me on my way. I ran into her a couple times after that and she was just really nice. I give her a gold star.

One of my favorites was when I was driving from Houston to the Ozarks, and had to go through Dallas. I was driving through one of those little suburbs north of Dallas, and I noticed a police car following me. I glanced at my speed - it was fine, I had used my turn signal.... but he just kept following, even as I left the freeway to find a gas station.

Sure enough, I got pulled over as I entered the gas station parking lot. The officer introduced himself, and without even asking me for my license and registration (which I had in my hot little hand) he said something to the effect "Good afternoon, sir, my job today is to look for and reward good drivers". I was speechless. "You were doing great on speed, turn signals, merging and exiting --- so I want to present you with this certificate and a gift card for $50".

HONEST!!!! They were doing a major police relations thing way back in .... let's see... that would have been 1982-ish.

He thanked me, and went on his merry way.