The other night before I was able to fall asleep for some reason I kept thinking about the first run in I ever had with the "cops."
Let me give you a little background story:
In High School my sophomore year I took Driver's Ed my first semester. (I have a birthday in the Fall) So after passing the written test with "ease" it still took 3 tries to pass the driving test. (Luckily the instructor chalked it up to nerves and passed me anyhow).
So that January I finally got my papers to go and get my license. Well, I wasn't an ordinary 16 year old kid. I didn't run right to the DMV to get my license. No, I waited until it almost expired in March and then asked my parents to take me.
My Dad was the lucky
I was really worried about passing the eye exam because my glasses were crappy and I didn't have the money (at the time) for contacts. However, I lucked out and a lady in the ward was actually the one to help us. She gave me more time to try and focus on the letters and I passed.
So I was able to get my license. My license then did nothing for me for the next year or two. (My parents bought a huge old "boat" for us kids to drive, but I was too prideful to drive such a big, ugly thing.)
The summer/fall before Eric and I were married I was taking a community education typing class. This was to help me with my job - I was only hired "temporarily" and I had a better shot of getting hired "permanently" if I upped my computer skills and showed an effort. Anyway, so one night Eric had to work (He was working at ZCMI at our local mall) and I had to go to class.
Somehow, Eric convinced me to drive his car to my class and then to go pick him up. (He was adament that I "learned" how to drive before we got married - thanks again, hun!)
Well I finish up my class and head to the mall to get Eric. It started getting a bit dark, but it wasn't too dark to see - it was summer after all - and I was trying to figure out the headlights. I thought I had them figured out and when Eric got off work he made me drive home.
About 3 minutes from home I get the lights and siren behind me. I was literally freaking out! I didn't know what I was supposed to do, didn't know what I did wrong, couldn't remember doing anything "illegal" or anything.
Eric had to tell me to calm down and that he would do most of the talking. So we go through the whole license/registration thing. It was a good thing that Eric was there to explain that the car belonged to his Dad, but that it was pretty much "Eric's" car.
The officer's first question to me: "Have you had anything to drink tonight?"
And he wasn't very polite about it. It struck me off guard and I was like, "Uh, no."
He then goes to his car to fill out paperwork or whatever. Eric and I are just looking at each other like, "What's going on?"
When he comes back he tells me the reason he pulled me over: I didn't have the headlights on. I didn't even notice because we were driving in well lit areas and it was a summer night. He lets me off with a warning and we are on our way.
I can't place why he asked about me drinking and the headlights (I was very naive) until I talk to Eric's aunt at work the next day. I guess that when people have been drinking they will forget to do simple things like turn the headlights on...
Now, why I shared this story with you - I am not quite sure....But it would be nice to hear other's first run ins with the cops.
Well here's my story about the first time I got pulled over. My dad, Jake and I were out on the back roads of Grantsville after we got done shooting, my dad says to me'do you want to drive' well I had my driver's permit thing because I was taking summer's driver's ed and so I said yes. Keep in ming though that I was driving an 84'Chevy Blazer. I was going slower than the speed limit, had my radio turned down(not like now when I drive and it's cranked up to 10 or higher) but the Highway Patrol pulls me over. My dad says 'roll down your window and just talk to the man'. By this time i'm freaking out and the patrolman says, 'do you know why I pulled you over?' I said no, then he says,'have you been drinking?' I said no, then he says 'you've been weaving in and out of the lines for quite some time.' That's when my dad asks the man if he can talk to him. He gets out of the car and talks to the cop, explaining that I was just learning to drive and that I was trying to get used to being behind the wheel of the blazer and I wasn'table to judge where the lines were very well.
ReplyDeleteMy dad gets back in and the patrolman says 'I'm gonna let you off with a warning, be more careful next time.' As soon as he gets back in his car I scrmble over the jockey box and pushed my dad out of the seat and tell him he's driving.Well we went into Tooele for some reason and that day every city cop was on the roads and I was certain that they were after me, even though I was no longer driving.
Okay, so I got pulled over a couple years ago ... yes, that's my first time when I was driving. Jon got pulled over twice in one month when I was with him. Anyway, I was going probably 8 over the speed limit and he proceeded to tell me that my tabs had expired. I got off on a warning, but I was totally freaking out. I still don't know how to know when I'd be getting pulled over because with this situation I watched the the cop pass me then turn around and speed up to get me. Anyway, it's always nerve racking.
ReplyDeleteI got pulled over after going up the wrong driveway at a trax station to pick up a friend. Apparantly, UTA buses have a particular place to pull up and so do regular cars. THere was supposedly a sign indicating this, but I didn't see it. The best part was when I got pulled over, the sky opened up and the poor policeman was sopping wet when he came to my window -- as was the warning ticket he had me sign. :)
ReplyDeleteThe second time I got pulled over it was a few houses down from where I lived (I was almost home!). Our front headlight was out (which I knew and we were going to get replaced). What made that situation funny was that the police man thought he knew me. :)