First and foremost, NO LEO bashing of any sort. I think we all understand the many facets to that debate and have had enough of it for now. I simply want to recount a seemingly humorous experience I had. This occured between myself and a county deputy I know in the county where the University is that I work for.
Okay, where to start. I got off from work tonight at 0130 hours and proceeded across the way to the local car wash to bathe my GMC. Boy that was an experience in and of itself. You see, there were only two stalls that had working lights and I picked the one I knew to have the best spray nozzel. However I did not know that the hose had a hole the size of an intern's mouth (small
) and upon whence I inserted my quarters I became doused with a great deal of water. But that's another story.
After about 45 minutes I finished up and proceeded on my way home. I decided to take the long way home to give the truck more time to dry. The 'long' way is the main four lane highway the runs from the University into the nearby town and out the other side to my residence (probably 4 or 5 extra miles over the more direct route). I had drove roughly a mile when I noticed the unmistakable profile of the front of a 92-97 Crown Vic (I know 'cause I have a '93 myself
) coming up behind me. I was traveling in the 55 - 60 mph range in a 55 mph zone. The Crown stayed behind me for another two miles until we entered the town, at which point I experienced the title of this post. I signaled and pulled off onto a side road and commenced get in the traffic stop position, window down, hands on wheel, etc. I though for a moment about my pistol in it's case in the back of the truck (locked in the bed w/ a camper shell and tailgate lock) and waited for the showdown.
As soon as the deputy stepped out of the patrol car I knew who he was, and I also knew he knew who I was, but not my vehicle. (Now I will list what was said in a Me: & Him: format of our verbal exchange, with notes of the incident.)
The deputy walked up and stopped just behind my window, at which point I turned slightly, stuck my head out the window and said: "HOWDY!!!"
Him: Oh, it's you...
Me: Yes, it's me. I see that it's you too.
Him: Well $hit, I thought you were drunk.
Me: Well $hit, really? 'Cause I'm not. Was I really driving that bad?
Him: Yeah, you were running off the side of the road a bunch.
* Here I started detecting the ever so slight hint of "Oh boy I've got to BS my way out of this one" in his voice.
Me: Off the side?
Him: Yeah, over the solid fog line on the shoulder.
Me: Oh, well I didn't realize that. I did just get done washing this thing (truck) and got all dripping wet and sweaty and I had to wipe the sweat out of my eyes, so I might have weaved a little, but I'm not drunk.
Him: Well you ran over about 15-20 times, I stopped counting after we crossed the bridge.
* I don't doubt I may have crossed the line once or twice, but no way in hell 15 or 20. For heaven's sake I knew he was behind me and was extra careful not to f*** up.
Me: Oh, well I'm sorry I'll try to drive better (chuckling).
Him: Yeah, you do that and be careful man. I'll see you later.
* I could tell he thought it was somewhat funny too.
Me: Hey, you be careful too, and I really don't want to see you any time soon.
And that was that. I truely have a gut feeling that this LEO was just out wanting to stop someone. Knowing him somewhat well, I know he's a fruitcake
and stuff like that's in his nature as an officer. And that's not necessarily bad because we have a fairly good drunk student population on any given night of the week. Another point to mention is that he is one of the more traffic stop pursuant officers around here and is usually good to call in all his stops to the county dispatch office. This time he didn't (I had my portable radio with me scanning all the county channels on the way home).
All in all, I am not mad or really even upset at the incident. Part of me is kind of pissed because once the deputy recognized me, he had to lie his way out of the real reason he stopped me (cause he didn't have nothing better to do) and shoot me the "you crossed the solid line 15 or 20 times" frog$**** rather than use some testicular fortitude and fess up. But, because I do know him and 'how he is' and I know for a fact I wasn't driving that bad, I think I'll be able to laugh at this and have a great story to tell all the officers I work with at the University (who all also know how big of a nut the deputy is). All nut and fruitcake stuff aside about the deputy, he is a good officer and I would trust him immensly in any situation (well maybe not in traffic enforcement ) but I can't say I hold any ill feelings toward him. At any rate, that's the story. Hope you all enjoyed it. Sorry for the length. Feel free to comment. Good Day All!
Medic
------------------
Admit Nothing,
Deny Everything,
Make Counter Accusations
[This message has been edited by Medic (edited September 12, 2000).]
Okay, where to start. I got off from work tonight at 0130 hours and proceeded across the way to the local car wash to bathe my GMC. Boy that was an experience in and of itself. You see, there were only two stalls that had working lights and I picked the one I knew to have the best spray nozzel. However I did not know that the hose had a hole the size of an intern's mouth (small
) and upon whence I inserted my quarters I became doused with a great deal of water. But that's another story. After about 45 minutes I finished up and proceeded on my way home. I decided to take the long way home to give the truck more time to dry. The 'long' way is the main four lane highway the runs from the University into the nearby town and out the other side to my residence (probably 4 or 5 extra miles over the more direct route). I had drove roughly a mile when I noticed the unmistakable profile of the front of a 92-97 Crown Vic (I know 'cause I have a '93 myself
) coming up behind me. I was traveling in the 55 - 60 mph range in a 55 mph zone. The Crown stayed behind me for another two miles until we entered the town, at which point I experienced the title of this post. I signaled and pulled off onto a side road and commenced get in the traffic stop position, window down, hands on wheel, etc. I though for a moment about my pistol in it's case in the back of the truck (locked in the bed w/ a camper shell and tailgate lock) and waited for the showdown. As soon as the deputy stepped out of the patrol car I knew who he was, and I also knew he knew who I was, but not my vehicle. (Now I will list what was said in a Me: & Him: format of our verbal exchange, with notes of the incident.)
The deputy walked up and stopped just behind my window, at which point I turned slightly, stuck my head out the window and said: "HOWDY!!!"
Him: Oh, it's you...
Me: Yes, it's me. I see that it's you too.
Him: Well $hit, I thought you were drunk.
Me: Well $hit, really? 'Cause I'm not. Was I really driving that bad?
Him: Yeah, you were running off the side of the road a bunch.
* Here I started detecting the ever so slight hint of "Oh boy I've got to BS my way out of this one" in his voice.
Me: Off the side?
Him: Yeah, over the solid fog line on the shoulder.
Me: Oh, well I didn't realize that. I did just get done washing this thing (truck) and got all dripping wet and sweaty and I had to wipe the sweat out of my eyes, so I might have weaved a little, but I'm not drunk.
Him: Well you ran over about 15-20 times, I stopped counting after we crossed the bridge.
* I don't doubt I may have crossed the line once or twice, but no way in hell 15 or 20. For heaven's sake I knew he was behind me and was extra careful not to f*** up.
Me: Oh, well I'm sorry I'll try to drive better (chuckling).
Him: Yeah, you do that and be careful man. I'll see you later.
* I could tell he thought it was somewhat funny too.
Me: Hey, you be careful too, and I really don't want to see you any time soon.
And that was that. I truely have a gut feeling that this LEO was just out wanting to stop someone. Knowing him somewhat well, I know he's a fruitcake
and stuff like that's in his nature as an officer. And that's not necessarily bad because we have a fairly good drunk student population on any given night of the week. Another point to mention is that he is one of the more traffic stop pursuant officers around here and is usually good to call in all his stops to the county dispatch office. This time he didn't (I had my portable radio with me scanning all the county channels on the way home). All in all, I am not mad or really even upset at the incident. Part of me is kind of pissed because once the deputy recognized me, he had to lie his way out of the real reason he stopped me (cause he didn't have nothing better to do) and shoot me the "you crossed the solid line 15 or 20 times" frog$**** rather than use some testicular fortitude and fess up. But, because I do know him and 'how he is' and I know for a fact I wasn't driving that bad, I think I'll be able to laugh at this and have a great story to tell all the officers I work with at the University (who all also know how big of a nut the deputy is). All nut and fruitcake stuff aside about the deputy, he is a good officer and I would trust him immensly in any situation (well maybe not in traffic enforcement
) but I can't say I hold any ill feelings toward him. At any rate, that's the story. Hope you all enjoyed it. Sorry for the length. Feel free to comment. Good Day All! Medic
------------------
Admit Nothing,
Deny Everything,
Make Counter Accusations
[This message has been edited by Medic (edited September 12, 2000).]
Those two tickets combined cost me about $1,000 not to mention how it screwed my insurance. All so some guy can go back to the department and say he "did good"
out in the middle of nowhere Texas. He had to go to court, which was run out of the Judges autoparts store. Court is held on Mondays cause that's the day the parts store is closed.