So I was returning from eating dinner at my fiance's office, driving down a small semi-residential street north of Chandler Blvd (I say semi-residential because the only thing making it residential is one apartment complex, the rest are businesses) on my way back to my office, when I see flashing lights in my side mirror. (glance back) Huh? Oh shit! A cop! Worse, a bike cop. (quick look at my speedometer - almost 40mph), so I pull off into a business' parking lot, roll down the window, and turn off the truck...
Cop: License, insurance and registration please.
Me: (opening glove box, retrieving ins & reg, opening purse, retrieving license.. hand these to cop)
Cop: (looks at insurance card)
Me: I think that's the current one.
Cop: Yes, it is. (hands it back) I'll be right back (walks away with reg & license)
Me: (thinking, oh shit, he's gonna give me a ticket)
Cop: (returns) Do you know what the speed limit on this street is?
Me: No, I'm sorry, I don't (this is true, I didn't know for sure).
Cop: It's 25. Do you know how fast you were going?
Me: I assume not 25?
Cop: 38.
Me: (eep! *cringe*)
Cop: Do you usually drive on this street?
Me: (half-truth) No, I usually take the next street over.
Cop: You have to drive all the way to Sun City? (nods to my license)
Me: For work, yes, I work in this part of town (I'm in Ahwatukee/South Phoenix at the moment).
Cop: Wow. Well, be careful in the future, and slow down, okay? (hands license & reg back to me)
Me: Yes sir. Thank you. (cop walks back to bike, I wait until he gets back on his bike before starting the truck)
Whew!!
Thankfully he was really polite, and not condescending like other cops I've encountered. The first time I was ever pulled over (this one would make only the second time, at least while I've been driving), I was by myself and the cop was DPS and a real asshat. Very condescending, ("What part of "No Right Turn" don't you understand?!") he made me cry. I didn't cry in front of him, but while he was running my license & plates back at his car (wiped my eyes when he started walking back to my car), and then again after it was all said & done and I had a nice fat ticket in my hands.... (I took driving school to get the points negated, plus it was like $40 cheaper to take school over the ticket)
Then there was the Peoria cop who pulled us over (josh was driving) at around midnight as we were driving home from the theater, when the streets were damp with rain (it was not raining at the time, but the streets were wet). He was actually a nice guy in that, while he clocked us at 10 over, he only wrote the ticket for 5 over, but he was a dick in that gave that stupid "I'll be watching for you" warning, and the fact that we were the only car on the road (he was hiding in the parking lot of a park). That ticket cost $130, and school would've been more expensive ($150 I think?). So we paid the ticket.
Then there was the CHP that was a dick, pulled us over (Josh was driving) while we were trying to
pass an 18-wheeler. Got that ticket dismissed by sending a written statement defending ourselves.
I know these guys have a hard job to do, "keeping the peace" and all, but the least they could do is save their attitudes for when it is warranted, you know, get a feel for who you're dealing with first, then cop (haha) a 'tude later, if need be.
I'm just glad the officer I encountered tonight
did hold off on the attitude, completely. :o)
That's all, folks...
