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This is my favorite story to tell. It took me 4 pull overs to finally get a ticket.
First pull over: It was 7am on a Sunday and there was not a car on the road... except me. I was in a 94 Honda Accord... 4cyl, 130hp. I wanted to see how fast I could get it going. I came to a stretch of freeway that's basically all down hill for 2 miles and slammed the gas. With the help of inertia, I slowly crept up to 140mph! The car was shaking, I was freakin' out. I slowly let off the gas as I approached the bottom of the hill, but it didn't slow me down much. I was going about 120 when I noticed a car with hazard lights at the bottom of the incline. I just cruised, wondering if I should stop and help, but by the time I was close enough to make out what kinda car it was, it was too late. I passed the cop at 90mph.
He pulled me over. This was my first time, so I was scared and nervous. I lied that I was late to pick up my mom to go to the airport. I know he didn't buy it, but it turns out, he didn't have his radar gun out the clock me, so he had nothing. He just let me go with a warning. "If I see you speeding around here again, I'm not gonna be so easy on you."
Second: Several months later. It was either labor day weekend or memorial day weekend. I don't know which one, but the cops were out looking for drunk drivers. I was going about 85 down the same stretch of freeway that I got pulled over the first time. 80 is about normal for that area, so I was surprised when the cop pulled me over. He came up to me and I was honest this time. "Sorry, I just let it creep a little high." He explained that he was just looking for unsafe drivers and he was pretty nice with me. He said this, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't give you a ticket." I thought for a moment, "I was following all of the other rules." He grinned at me and let me go.
Third: It was about 10:30 at night, I was coming home from class and I was going about 100. Ahead of me, I saw 3 cars, triple wide across the freeway, going about 70. I chose the fast lane and approached, riding up the ass of this car. I wanted him to MOVE out of my way!! So he speeds up promptly and changes lanes. It wasn't until I passed him that I realized the ugly truth. It was a cop!
On came the lights and I moved over to the shoulder. I had just ridden up a cop's ass at 100mph and tried to bully him. I was so dead. He came up to me, but he wasn't in uniform. He asked me to explain myself and I just said, "I'm sorry, man, I just got out of class and I just really wanted to get home." And.... he took it. He told me to slow down and drive safely the rest of the way. Nice.
Fourth: I was driving out in the desert toward Las Vegas, following a cop with a bunch of other travelers. The cop got off the freeway 'cause he was being crowded and there was no chance he could catch a speeder with both lanes plugged by tailgating minivans and SUVs. I should have been smart. I should have used my brain. The cop had gotten off at some middle of nowhere exit that contained absolutely no civilization whatsoever. I sped up anyways.
Blazing across the desert at 90mph, I passed everyone I came across. I was even in a marked construction zone, even though there were no crews out. Then I saw it... the cop in my rear view mirror. I slowed down to 65 quickly, but apparently, he had all ready got my number and the lights went on. He pulled me over and I tried to pull the nice, respectful, patient and regretful routine with him, but it was not to be. After about 30 minutes of waiting, he came back with a ticket for speeding (he knocked off the part about it being in a construction zone) and a fix-it ticket for the tint on my front windows.
The bastard had just gotten off the freeway to double back on me. He had trailed me for 10 miles. I was sunk.
Oh well.
FYI, I never speed on surface streets. You'll never catch me going 57 in a 35.
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