This morning I got pulled over for going 33 mph in a 25 zone. The officer issued me a warning and then let me go.WTF?
I am a slow driver. I sped up because his car was tailing my ass and I got worried that I was making him late to work. And then he turned out to be a cop, and I was passing a school zone at 6:30 am and therefore should have been going 8 mph slower than I was.
“Well, ma’am,” he said when he returned to my vehicle with my paperwork. “There aren’t any kids here yet”—DUH! It was so early the sun hadn’t risen—”and the new laws are pretty confusing so I’m just going to issue you a warning.”
It was a written warning, I must point out. He handed it to me and said, “It’s a warning, it won’t go on your record, and it’s not a ticket—it’s just a piece of paper.” It seems highly unnecessary, me thinks, to go to the trouble of writing down and recording my warning if it’s no more than a piece of paper. Why even bother?
Anyway, I should be thrilled that I didn’t get a ticket, but I guess I’m just perplexed why I got pulled over in the first place. Don’t they have real traffic violators to deal with? What about the cars who were passing me while I was stuck in the turn lane who were going so fast that my poor little Geo was trembling in their wind?
Another officer issued me a verbal warning last week when I was on my bike in a bus-only lane. I guess they’re big on scaring the bejesus out of everyday law-abiding citizens around here. They make you think you really fucked up big-time, and then they let you off with “just a warning” and you drive off thinking you made out like a bandit because you didn’t get a ticket.
I guess the tactic works. I haven’t riden in a bus-only lane since, and I sure as hell won’t exceed 25 mph in a school zone again.
But hey, I only got a written warning. Did I make out like a bandit or what?
18 responses so far ↓
1 TrinityOne // Feb 22, 2006 at 4:22 am
Just whatever you do, don’t tell the cop to go find a real criminal. I did this once and he walked back to his car and wrote me a ticket for everything that he could think of. A tail light was out, I didn’t have my license on me (even though he could call it in and find out that yes, I did have a license)… I got three damn tickets!! Cops just have no sense of humor…
2 geekgoddiss // Feb 22, 2006 at 4:24 am
Wow, crazy ass stuff going on in Portland. You’d think there would be higher priorities, but maybe not. I don’t like to ride bikes, so I am always surprised when someone has one. Where did you get a bike?
3 jaki_o // Feb 22, 2006 at 4:51 am
He probably just did it because you happened to be in front of him. I agree, there are more important things he could be doing.
4 TimsHead // Feb 22, 2006 at 11:52 am
I’ve always wondered how bandits make out, exactly. I should ask any of my friends who fall for such types.But this is another example of the kindler, gentler types you find on the Left Coast. I’d be shocked if this kind of thing happened back east.ryc: Haven’t heard much of the Be Good Tanyas, other than pretty good reviews.
5 fern_forest // Feb 22, 2006 at 2:30 pm
oh queen of verbal warnings, that kicks ass. i need to watch my speed. i am a great driver, but have kind of a lead foot. i was worried last week when i went by a cop doing 55 in a 35 and he turned around. he must have run my plate or something, but he didn’t pull me over and after sitting behind me at a red light for a few, he turned around and went back where he was going. i hope if i get pulled over, i get a verbal warning. if the cop tries to give me a ticket, i’ll suggest that we just make it a verbal warning. that oughta go over well.
6 ARboiWundr23 // Feb 22, 2006 at 7:19 pm
I love warnings!! All told, I think I have accumulated at least five “warnings” over the last three years…not too shabby, if I say so myself. Half the time I think that the officers are just too lazy and do not want to have to file all of the necessary paper work when they get back to the station…’cause a couple of my “warnings” should have been tickets, but I’m not really complaining…
7 VirtuallySane // Feb 23, 2006 at 1:00 am
Interesting that you should bring up police and ‘warnings’–I’ve spent the last couple of days wondering what the police are using their time for based on this headline-making story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/4734350.stm. Poor kid–a written warning is definitely better!
8 Rod_Lamour // Feb 23, 2006 at 1:11 am
Clearly he thought you were cute and wanted to gat a good look at you.
9 TimsHead // Feb 23, 2006 at 1:49 am
^ Ha! Good one, Uncle Joe!ryc PS: Realized that you put the Be Good Tanyas on that nice XMX mix you sent. Am spinning the disc as I type. Appreciated!
10 Jay_galk25 // Feb 23, 2006 at 7:52 am
I always knew you were up to no good :).
Jay {you open your mouth and I’m grounded once more} “Rawr”
11 MaximaBella // Feb 23, 2006 at 8:16 am
omfg, this is the shit that irritates me…hon, dont ever venture down to Camas or Washougal, thats ticket central…if u see a cop, just kindly pull over to the side..
I cant believe that ass was tailing you, and THEN nearly ticketed you for it.
12 RyNs47 // Feb 23, 2006 at 10:02 am
I have been pulled over 3 times for speeding, I have, however, only gotten 1 ticket…
13 perfectsymmetry // Feb 23, 2006 at 11:13 am
I guess it’s the day for dealing with the Police! I just got finished talking to the on campus Police department about my parking violation. I parked in “orange” instead of “gold” because I didn’t want to walk across campus in the dark after my evening class. *sigh* Well, I paid the fine and now I get to go through the appeals process online. fun fun fun!
14 momsahippiechick // Feb 24, 2006 at 7:41 am
Will that be on your permanent record? lol!I thought you just didn’t like me anymore. Who’d have thought that all it would take to bring us back together was a cunt?Glad to hear from you. Don’t be a stranger. I write in white, btw, because my backgrounds are always black!Have a great weekend!
15 Ed_Kaz // Feb 24, 2006 at 8:40 am
RYC HA! That was great! Unfortunately the contest closed and a winner was picked. But there’s always next time.Nice work. I thank you. Bob thanks you. Tracy thanks you.And Gilbert just makes a funny noise.seeya!Kaz
16 aropeofsand // Feb 24, 2006 at 10:20 am
Traffic laws elude me. Probably why I have so many car problems.RYC: we watched like forty mintues of it!
17 infraorange // Feb 25, 2006 at 10:47 am
I’m with the guys above, this cop just thought you were cute. Either that or you look like a terrorist. I’ve also noticed an increasing number of citations to cyclists these days…. gotta prevent bike accidents and it’s easier to scare people on bikes than to teach drivers!
18 jerjonji // Mar 11, 2006 at 6:20 am