RGD.
04-11-2013, 08:48 AM
So Wednesday morning was the best TRAFFIC STOP that I have ever had the pleasure of being stopped for. Job down in Solomon Islands that I’m going to so it’s a little after 5:30am, 4 lane divided highway and not a soul on my side save me.
So when my Valentine One got a hit from the rear I looked down and was doing about 82 mph. It was a good hit so I backed down to about 60/65 – it’s a 55 mph zone. Several minutes later I see headlights in the rearview and the Valentine is solid now so I shut it down. Few more minutes and I have the familiar red/blue lights flashing at me – so I pulled over of course.
Rolled down my window and saw the officer get out of his cruiser, put his hat on and approach. The next thing I hear is “Good morning driver”. Now, back up and read that again except this time use a Robin Williams voice over from “Good Morning Vietnam”. Had I of had coffee in my mouth I would have spit it all over the dash.
“Morning” I say as he gets to the window.
“Alright let’s see that license and registration please.”
I unbuckle the seat beat and remove my wallet for my license. I then lean over to reach the glove box when I hear: “Whoa now – I know how you Virginia boys are, you don’t have a pistol in there now do ya?”
I looked back at him, sheepish grin and say “Well not in there.”
“Uh-huh, well we’ll talk about that in a minute but it is unloaded and secured in a safety box, right?”
“Well . . .”
“Right?!”
I just grin.
“So” he says, “Tell me about those white lights you have shining in the rear of your truck”.
I give him a perplexed look.
“Under your tailgate.”
“Oh, well they should all be red right now. Shouldn’t be white unless I open a door or have in reverse.”
“Yep” he says, “Be right back.”
So I wait, drink coffee and a smoke. Still waiting.
Finally he comes back to me carrying a paper which I of course assume is a speeding citation.
“I apologize for taking so long” he says, “That damn computer wanted to give you a ticket and I only wanted to give you a warning. So I had to slap it around for a while.”
I grinned and said Thanks while accepting the paper.
“Now let’s talk about that pistol you have in there.”
Here is when you get that little uh-oh feeling inside.
“Besides being from the great state of Virginia, what else gives you a right to carry one?”
“I have a concealed permit.”
“Let’s see it.”
I produce that from my wallet. He glances at it and hands it back to me.
“Because I know that you boys from Virginia don’t want to come over here to Maryland and break our laws on purpose, next time you will have it unloaded and secure in a lock box, right?”
“Yes sir!”
“Excellent!” “What kind you got?”
“Sig”
“Cool, I love Sig, got a P226 here” as he pat’s his holster.
“Yep, got one of those at home also.”
“I’m from Virginia myself, what part are you from?”
“Alexandria.”
“Well now, that’s not really part of Virginia now is it?” he said laughing.
“If it helps I grew up around Norfolk.”
“Well I suppose, although Richmond or west would have been better.”
We both kind of laughed. If you are not from the area, it’s an inside joke.
“Well you have a good day driver. And listen, if anyone stops you before you get that light fixed, you tell them I already stopped you and gave you **** for it. No sense in getting a $60 ticket over a broken $100 light bar.”
“Thanks” I smiled. He walked back and I put her in gear.
My warning ticket was for improper use of white lights on the rear of a moving vehicle.
I smiled all the way to the job.
So when my Valentine One got a hit from the rear I looked down and was doing about 82 mph. It was a good hit so I backed down to about 60/65 – it’s a 55 mph zone. Several minutes later I see headlights in the rearview and the Valentine is solid now so I shut it down. Few more minutes and I have the familiar red/blue lights flashing at me – so I pulled over of course.
Rolled down my window and saw the officer get out of his cruiser, put his hat on and approach. The next thing I hear is “Good morning driver”. Now, back up and read that again except this time use a Robin Williams voice over from “Good Morning Vietnam”. Had I of had coffee in my mouth I would have spit it all over the dash.
“Morning” I say as he gets to the window.
“Alright let’s see that license and registration please.”
I unbuckle the seat beat and remove my wallet for my license. I then lean over to reach the glove box when I hear: “Whoa now – I know how you Virginia boys are, you don’t have a pistol in there now do ya?”
I looked back at him, sheepish grin and say “Well not in there.”
“Uh-huh, well we’ll talk about that in a minute but it is unloaded and secured in a safety box, right?”
“Well . . .”
“Right?!”
I just grin.
“So” he says, “Tell me about those white lights you have shining in the rear of your truck”.
I give him a perplexed look.
“Under your tailgate.”
“Oh, well they should all be red right now. Shouldn’t be white unless I open a door or have in reverse.”
“Yep” he says, “Be right back.”
So I wait, drink coffee and a smoke. Still waiting.
Finally he comes back to me carrying a paper which I of course assume is a speeding citation.
“I apologize for taking so long” he says, “That damn computer wanted to give you a ticket and I only wanted to give you a warning. So I had to slap it around for a while.”
I grinned and said Thanks while accepting the paper.
“Now let’s talk about that pistol you have in there.”
Here is when you get that little uh-oh feeling inside.
“Besides being from the great state of Virginia, what else gives you a right to carry one?”
“I have a concealed permit.”
“Let’s see it.”
I produce that from my wallet. He glances at it and hands it back to me.
“Because I know that you boys from Virginia don’t want to come over here to Maryland and break our laws on purpose, next time you will have it unloaded and secure in a lock box, right?”
“Yes sir!”
“Excellent!” “What kind you got?”
“Sig”
“Cool, I love Sig, got a P226 here” as he pat’s his holster.
“Yep, got one of those at home also.”
“I’m from Virginia myself, what part are you from?”
“Alexandria.”
“Well now, that’s not really part of Virginia now is it?” he said laughing.
“If it helps I grew up around Norfolk.”
“Well I suppose, although Richmond or west would have been better.”
We both kind of laughed. If you are not from the area, it’s an inside joke.
“Well you have a good day driver. And listen, if anyone stops you before you get that light fixed, you tell them I already stopped you and gave you **** for it. No sense in getting a $60 ticket over a broken $100 light bar.”
“Thanks” I smiled. He walked back and I put her in gear.
My warning ticket was for improper use of white lights on the rear of a moving vehicle.
I smiled all the way to the job.