Case in point that not all cops are crooked SOBs

[LZA]

I feel I have to make this point. All too often I find myself criticizing cops for the BS stunts they pull on people, and the flagrant displasy of power abuse they show. Here is a story to the contrary.

I was gassing up the Japaneese road rocket (Honda Accord) this evening. I just finished spending $51.00 to fill my car from empty, to a little over full. In America, the major supermarkets (in this case, Stop and Shop) will give you a credit on gas for an amount of groceries you buy ($0.10 per gallon reduced for every $100.00 spent on groceries)... I enjoyed $0.60 off per gallon this fill up.

Coming home, all too happy about the money I saved on gas, I let the hammer drop. whipping in and out through 2 lane traffic, I glanced on my left and saw a cop sitting there...Much to late for me to react...I was busted. The only thing I did have time to do was look at the speedometer to see I was doing 60mph in a 30mph zone (97kph in a 48kph zone)...

I was far ahead of the cop by this point (distance traveled times current rate of speed) he came out after me... He was behind me for awhile before hitting his lights (blues and twos as my favorite TV show top gear UK puts it)

"Do you have your license, registration & insurance?", he asked

"Right here, I got it out as I saw you walking up" I quietly admitted

"Do you have an idea why I stopped you?"

"If I can make a guess" (ya right I knew EXACTLY why he had me pulled over) "I do admit was was going a little fast... I just finished putting gas in my car...

He cut me short with this: "Ya, that was the original reason, but as I was following you I saw you had your right signal light on, but you were going straight, and even merged LEFT"

"This fucking car, my only complaint is the signals don't automatically return after signaling most times" I said angrily as I tried to blame the car for my stupidity.

"I'll be right back, just sit tight".

I knew I was pegged, he had every and all cause to slap me with a god dammed speeding ticket... I was even thinking he may get me for reckless driving (I know this as I used to have an insurance job, ya know)

He comes back after a few mins in his car...and at this time another squad car was behind him & talking to him... This is what transpired:

"Well, Chris" (he called me Chris from getting that info on my driver's license...Not everyone knows me as the LZA...YET) "Well Chris, I checked your driving record and it looks pretty clean, I've decided we're going to keep it that way today. Just keep it down because you WERE flying, man"

"Holy shit, really, Thanks man, and I am sorry!!!" I said in glee!! As I was getting ready to proceed home, I looked down and saw I wasn't wearing my seatbelt...Another infraction he could have had me dead to rights on.

Some may argue that he wasn't doing his job by letting me off. I really was speeding. But I hope this story proves that there are good cops that treat idiots like me as a human... So stoked that my insurance will NOT be going up because of this...

I'm curious to hear some of your run in's with police, either good or bad..

[velvetfog]

My run-ins with the police have been limited to getting the odd speeding ticket, and having to pass through the occasional DUI check stop roadblock on Friday evenings.
On each occasion, the officers have been extremely polite, and on the speeding tickets that I received, the officers have always written down my speed as being just 9 Km over the limit, which kept my speeding fine to the legal minimum.

I learned many years ago from a cop that the smartest place to buy your car insurance in any city, is from the insurance agency where the local police officer association has its group plan for the insurance on all the officers' private cars.
When a police officer in here in town stops me while I'm driving, and asks for my registration and insurance, I hand him the same little blue plastic folder with the documents in it and the name of the insurance agency on it that he himself has in his own car.
A young traffic officer could therefore easily assume that I am an off-duty or retired cop.
So he plays it safe, and treats me very nicely.
This has worked well for me for more than 30 years.

[LZA]

Jesus, really?? Good thought. I'll have to look into that!

[System Folder]

I was young, but over 21. I had an unopened 12 pack of Miller Genuine Draft on the passenger seat, and I was doing 80 trying to get to my girlfriend's house because her husband wasn't home. I get pulled over by the Maryland police (of course). He asked me where I was going in such a hurry. I told him that I was late to class (lie). He asked where I was going to school. I told him "Frederick Community College" (true). He asked me what the beer was for. I told him, "That's for after class" (another lie). He went back to his car, presumably to check for outstanding warrants. When he came back, he let me go with a warning. I continued on to my girlfriend's house where we drank beer and banged each other while her husband was at work.

BTW: That insurance trick won't work here. I live in a town of less than 3,000 people, so all the cops know each other.

(This post was last modified: 07-11-2013, 02:39 AM by System Folder.)

[LZA]

Well, I guess it's time to pay the piper for my reckless living... No more DMX for me.. turns me into a different person. I felt great today (yesterday was hell) like I can do nothing wrong, sober life, feeling good, HELL YEAH!!!!!! Until:

I was out driving on the highway coming back home from running errands. It was nighttime, I I'm feeling great for being sober & just better (it's almost like sobriety is a high in itself). so I'm whipping in and out of traffic, I pass a tractor trailer truck (lorrie for you English speaking peeps) I decide to see how easy it was to get to 120..

Boom, do it no problem, I was slowing down, when I passed the cop on the side of the road.

He was right out after me man.. he had me dead to rights.

"License, reg, proof of ins?" he asked

"right here" I said as I gave paperwork to him. " I know I was speeding, I was passing a truck"

"Speeding? you were doing 98 in a 55 and in a construction zone! Are you going back home to Bristol?" He asked.

"Yea, I was running errands and I'm tired.. I figured once I get ahead of the truck I'll slow down" I said.

"Just sit tight Christopher, I'll be right back"

When people use my full name Christopher (he got from my lic obviously) I KNOW I'm in for some shit.

...after a while, he comes back to the car.

"I can't do anything about this, it's a summons to court. You're signing a promise to appear so I am not taking you in"

He hands me the summons/ticket for doing 98 in a 55: reckless driving (no mention of the work zone though)

I go to court on 8/30/2013.. Wife does not know yet, I'm supposed to take her down to see a friend in NC on 8/27..

I want to wait and not tell her anything until she gets back as not to ruin the vacation... it figures, I give up DXM and get on the wagon but get pinched for this shit..

What are your takes (positive and negative are welcome) I know I need to settle down. Should I tell my wife asap or wait?

(This post was last modified: 08-22-2013, 04:57 AM by LZA.)

[snilloc]

Don’t take drugs and drive you might injure or kill someone.
Don’t drink and drive you might injure or kill someone.
Don’t drive like an idiot because you might injure or kill someone.
Don’t have secrets from your wife unless you are prepared for a divorce.
Don’t withhold information from your wife, she is an adult but can only make judgments if she can trust you.
Secrets and lies are not the basis for trust.
It is not your place to think for her she must be able to choose to stay with an idiot or not. Her choice not yours.

You say…… I give up DXM and get on the wagon but get pinched for this shit..
No you break the law you accept the consequences so stop bellyaching no-one but yourself made you do it.

You will probably come up with some excuse that is not your fault. I am assuming that you are the only driver in the family and I hope I’m wrong. If your post is the truth then you deserve everything coming at you and your family will suffer because of your selfishness but at least you didn't kill anyone this time.

[LZA]

I was actually replying when you sent your post... I saw you online replying to my thread so I figured I'd wait, but I've already decided... Interesting that our conclusions are similar.

But just to make note, I was not drunk or high when driving (I never did that). I was drunk and high while taking tests and posting on forum boards from the safety of my computer chair.

I'm telling her today as soon as she gets up. We're adults and me waiting is like hiding a bad report card from school. She went to court for speeding last year, so She'll be ok (I think) but mine is a reckless driving. Plus all the other BS I pulled, it's like when is the straw that will break the camel's back is coming. That's why I hesitated at first. But telling her is the right thing to do.
Thanks!

You will probably come up with some excuse that is not your fault.

Nope, it was all my fault.. no excuses

If your post is the truth then you deserve everything coming at you and your family will suffer because of your selfishness but at least you didn't kill anyone this time.

It is the truth, my former post about my car I said I did 140 mph... But that was when I was in a bad place and didn't care about life (you remember the suicide attempt threads.)... I'm good now, I was feeling good because I finally had my mind back, feeling sober, feeling like things are looking up. So when I took the lorrie (tractor trailer), I was just fucking around. Obviously a bad decision on my part... We'll see when I go to court.

(This post was last modified: 08-22-2013, 05:20 AM by LZA.)