I got a ticket today. I was driving B to preschool, and we went on a street we don't usually go on. It's a two-lane street, and there were a whole bunch of cars in front of me waiting to turn left. Since there was no left turn lane and there was a lot of oncoming traffic, it looked like it was going to take forEVER for them all to turn. So I did something I thought was perfectly reasonable: I pulled around them and passed them all on the right, and went on my merry way.
Well, apparently the cop two blocks up the street didn't think that was such a reasonable move. He had somebody else pulled over, and as I approached, he stepped out into the middle of the street to block me, and waved me over to the side. Then he wrote me a ticket for improper passing on the right. I actually thought that was perfectly legal! I had no idea it wasn't. People do it all the time. Not that that makes it legal, of course, but honestly, it didn't even occur to me when I did it that I could get a ticket for it.
It's not a super-bad ticket. Four points. He said since I have a clean driving record and I got "a smiley face for attitude" (good thing he couldn't hear my inner voice screaming BITE ME -- I'LL SHOW YOU MY ATTITUDE!!), the city would probably send me an offer to plea bargain down to a two-point ticket for driving a defective vehicle. Which technically my car is -- I have a headlight out. I actually thought that was the reason he was pulling me over at first.
B was very upset at first. While the cop was back in his car writing up my ticket, B's bottom lip poked out and started to quiver. His eyes filled with tears. He thought I was going to go to jail! Once I explained what a ticket was and made a baby joke or two, he was OK. Then, as we were driving off, he asked me "Mommy, was that thing with a button on his belt a GUN?" Yes, it was. "WHY??" Police officers always carry guns, in case a bad guy is about to hurt someone and won't stop when the policeman tells them to. "And then they SHOOT them?" Yes, but only if they have to. "DEAD?!!!" Sometimes. "Then do they eat the meat?" Oh god. My son thinks police officers are cannibals. Actually, he laughed as soon as he said it, so he knew he was being funny. It's because we'd been talking about hunters the other day, and how they shoot animals and eat the meat. My kid is weird.
5 comments:
Good to know that B can make you laugh in any situation.
Stupid cop...go out and fight real crime!
Keep smilin!
When getting a ticket, I tend to equate police officers are cannibals. So B is right on.
Choke! I did not see that coming. Kids are awesome.
And my mom would've done the same as you did. She's a rebel. She once ran five red lights in a row because it was late at night and there was no one out and about and she figured she shouldn't have to wait. The cops followed her through all five before pulling her over - shaking their heads in amazement. She wasn't speeding or anythign...just going her own merry way.
I think you ought to go to court - betcha the cop doesn't show. Even better than 2 points would be NO points.
that is so funny, I have to go tell Mike! eat the meat! hahahaha!
Your son has a wild sense of humor!
Hayley
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