I got pulled over by the cops on my way to work yesterday morning and I’m still stewing about it.
So I was crawling along in very slow, heavy traffic, along with everyone else, trying to get downtown without smashing something in the bitter, bitter cold on very icy roads (welcome to winter, Calgary!). I see two cars ahead of me, both signalling to make a left-hand turn out of my lane at the next intersection, so I check the next lane, ease over there, and through the intersection. As I’m entering the intersection, I notice the traffic signal is turning to yellow and I glace behind me to see if the car I just got in front of will run the light. It doesn’t, which surprises me a bit in this town. No big deal.
Except it apparently IS a big deal as, seconds later, I see the cherries start to flash in my rear view mirror. As I’m pulling over, I begin to wonder if the cop thinks I cut someone off or something. I replay the scene in my head and am satisfied that I did everything right. I try to roll my window down, but it’s frozen shut, so as the squad car pulls along side me, I crack the door open. “Do you know why I pulled you over?” asks the cop. “No I don’t,” I reply. “You ran that red light,” he barks. Suddenly I am filled with outrage and before my internal censor has a chance to react, I bark back, “You have GOT to be KIDDING me!” And I continue on, “There is NO WAY I could safely stop on that ice back there!!” He answers, “Yeah, well I was able to stop.”
Great. Here comes another stupis ticket from the stupid cops around here because they have nothing better to do. My internal censor does manage to keep me from asking why he isn’t trying to find any real criminals and he finally says, “Consider this a warning!” and then tears off down the road.
Well, on the upside, he didn’t ticket me. On the downside, I really wanted to demand a ticket so I could watch him stand out there in the -28 weather and shiver while filling out the paperwork.
Dick. I’m really beginning to develop a dislike for our local PD. They’ll pull me over for doing nothing, but they’re never around when you actually need them.