Last night....
Was memorable to say the least. First, for some strange reason I took the Interstate from downtown Knoxville out towards East Town (misnomer-ed as Knox Center). Bad decision.
Let me say that I am a drive almost 99% by the book citizen. 99% of the time I am under or at the speed limit (I am seldom in a hurry anymore), use lights all the time, wear my seat belt, got my license and insurance and registration, etc. 1% I do go over the speed limit or (gasp) fail to use my indicator signal (blinker).
So naturally when I saw the flashing lights in front of me, I took notice. In my mind (I believe in real life) I changed to the middle lane, barely glanced at the police and drove on by, once past I shifted back into the right lane and continued. The next thing I realize is the flashing lights are right behind me. I know that I wasn't speeding or going too slow.
So I pull over get my wallet out and lay it on the passenger seat. I then place both of my hands on the steering wheel where I believe the officer can see them- and I wait. and wait.
I finally see the officer come walking up to the driver side door.
He speaks: "you will be able to better hear me if your window was rolled down."
without moving my hands I replied. "Officer, the window doesn't work, I will have to open the door."
(third car I have owned that the driver side window either stopped working or never worked).
I open the door.
The officer looks in and asks for my drivers license, proof of insurance and registration. My mind goes blank at the mention of registration.
(I haven't been pulled over since 2000, and I haven't been asked in my memory for registration before).
Anyway, I think where is the registration? Then I think in the glove compartment/cubby hole. I open the cubby hole and its full of invoices and brochures for mom's museum. I look at the mess and silently curse because I cannot remember where I put the registration.
(I have bad short term memory and not much better long term memory for things like this. I usually put the tag on the moment I get it in the mail and put the registration in the glove compartment).
I tell the officer that I am not sure that I can locate the registration (forgetting momentarily that I will probably get cited for it) He then asks if I know why I was pulled over.
He doesn't wait for an answer. He tells me that I failed to give way for a stopped emergency vehicle. This is a Knoxville City Ordinance- 1 of 180+ ordinances that until the last few years ago you had to physically go down to the courthouse to see- no they were not posted online or anywhere else (at least that has changed)
I tell the officer that I remember giving way and going into the center lane.
He informs me that I am wrong and that he was watching me.
I disagree but tell the officer I won't argue.
He asks me who the car is registered to and I tell him my mother's name. He departs and I sit there and wonder how I would get pulled for breaking an ordinance that I could swear (at that moment) I had instinctively obeyed.
(two things to note: It's 8:30pm and twilight leading to darkness. there is rapidly moving but fairly dense traffic on the Interstate.)
I sit there a moment, then drag out all the papers out of my glove compartment and start going through them. I find the registration right where it should have been if I had not dumped all the service invoices and brochures on top of it. I hold them up to indicate I have found them- but either the officer can't see them (which given the bright spotlight shining into my rear window I doubt that very much) or he is otherwise distracted.
Time passes and I replay my actions leading up to this.
( A thing to note: I have been pulled over by the police 4 times in my life before this outside of getting pulled by a police blockade doing spotchecks:
1: North Carolina 1989, I am driving to church one evening and my favorite hat falls off the passenger seat and I grab for it with one hand and the car goes with me. As luck would have it, there is a police officer right behind me. He comes up and asks me if I am okay and what happened. I tell him in embarrassment of my foolish reaction. He thanks me for my honesty and tells me to be more careful/alert in the future. He never asks for my license or anything else.
2. Knoxville, Kingston Pike outside Knox Plaza- Krogers. I have just left the store and a police officer pulls me over because I "had tossed a cigarette out my driver's side window. I take note that he is currently transporting a man in the back of his car. He insists on inspecting my entire car for contraband, cigarettes or anything else despite the fact that I inform him I don't even smoke- it is night time. He does not find anything and leaves me to drive somewhere and put my car back together. I have no memory of him asking for my DL or anything else.
3. Knox County, Roberts Road, 1998. A Officer who I believe was a State Trooper follows me for 2 miles at least until he pulls me over at 7:00 am in the morning (dawn) and informs me that I was driving with no lights on. I show him that the lights are on- on my dashboard and he checks my headlights. He scratches his head and informs me that my tail lights are out. He tells me to get them fixed that day. Bids me good morning and drives away. (the tail lights not my brake lights are not working- turns out I blew a fuse on the way home)
4. Knox County, Tazewell Pike, 2000. I am coming off graveyard shift and am very drowsy. I am trying to get to an open gas station to get some caffeine and food in hopes it will wake me up enough to get home. all the stations are closed out to Maloneyville Road. For some reason, pulling over and trying to sleep doesn't get through my brain muddle and finally I drift across the middle line (I had been weaving before this but not bad enough apparently for the Knox County Sheriff who was behind me to pull me over. I am in uniform of the UT Police Security when I roll down the window. I tell him that it was my mistake and a stupid thing for me to do. He nods and check my badge number and DL and then escorts me to the Weigels up the road.
and
No speeding tickets, nada).
After an Eternity of waiting (15 minutes go by) the officer returns with the citation and explains to me what I am to do with it- summons to court at 5:30 in a little over a months time, or I can go online and pay the fine. I tell him again as I hand him my registration, that I do not believe that I was where he says I was. He does not concede any ground but informs me that the City Police are "running a public awareness special" and people are being pulled (not warned, no but cited for this violation). I tell him I am sorry that I didn't locate the registration - he crosses out the citation for not having it. I tell him that I understand he has a hard job but, he stops me and tells me I can "subpoena the video of the traffic stop"- he is not clear how I am going to do that. I ask him how much the citation will be. He says he doesn't know, he doesn't have time for giving out that information while on a traffic stop.
We discuss briefly what the ordinance says for clearance. He points out that I am supposed to be one car lane over, I ask pointedly how soon before I reach the traffic stop am I supposed to move over this lane. He responds at least one car length. I ask him how long after I pass the stop should I wait before pulling back over. He responds that I could pull back over immediately passed the stop. I pause and look at him, he doesn't get or want to get what I am suggesting. I apologize again and he tells me to be careful pulling out since there are cars passing us in the right hand lane!
Irony.
While I sat there, in shock at being accused of doing something I could have sworn I didn't do. 14 cars passed us in the right hand lane, during and following the traffic stop. I took note as I pulled out there were no flashing lights for any of them- four of which were right in front of me, nor did the Officer move from where he had stopped me.
Now I must decide whether I am paying the $146.00 or so fine (not an exact amount) or going to court.
again, Irony- my violation has the same fine as speeding more than 25 miles above the speed limit.
to make matters worse.
I have two guys (I am assuming they were guys) cross the double line on the way home to speed around me. One on Corryton Rd. just past the stop sign at Emory and then again on Corryton-Luttrell rd.
I also manage to kill a possum that I could have probably stopped in time for if guy number one had not been so up on my bumper.
I know it is going to be a long time before I travel on the interstate again, comfortably.
Was memorable to say the least. First, for some strange reason I took the Interstate from downtown Knoxville out towards East Town (misnomer-ed as Knox Center). Bad decision.
Let me say that I am a drive almost 99% by the book citizen. 99% of the time I am under or at the speed limit (I am seldom in a hurry anymore), use lights all the time, wear my seat belt, got my license and insurance and registration, etc. 1% I do go over the speed limit or (gasp) fail to use my indicator signal (blinker).
So naturally when I saw the flashing lights in front of me, I took notice. In my mind (I believe in real life) I changed to the middle lane, barely glanced at the police and drove on by, once past I shifted back into the right lane and continued. The next thing I realize is the flashing lights are right behind me. I know that I wasn't speeding or going too slow.
So I pull over get my wallet out and lay it on the passenger seat. I then place both of my hands on the steering wheel where I believe the officer can see them- and I wait. and wait.
I finally see the officer come walking up to the driver side door.
He speaks: "you will be able to better hear me if your window was rolled down."
without moving my hands I replied. "Officer, the window doesn't work, I will have to open the door."
(third car I have owned that the driver side window either stopped working or never worked).
I open the door.
The officer looks in and asks for my drivers license, proof of insurance and registration. My mind goes blank at the mention of registration.
(I haven't been pulled over since 2000, and I haven't been asked in my memory for registration before).
Anyway, I think where is the registration? Then I think in the glove compartment/cubby hole. I open the cubby hole and its full of invoices and brochures for mom's museum. I look at the mess and silently curse because I cannot remember where I put the registration.
(I have bad short term memory and not much better long term memory for things like this. I usually put the tag on the moment I get it in the mail and put the registration in the glove compartment).
I tell the officer that I am not sure that I can locate the registration (forgetting momentarily that I will probably get cited for it) He then asks if I know why I was pulled over.
He doesn't wait for an answer. He tells me that I failed to give way for a stopped emergency vehicle. This is a Knoxville City Ordinance- 1 of 180+ ordinances that until the last few years ago you had to physically go down to the courthouse to see- no they were not posted online or anywhere else (at least that has changed)
I tell the officer that I remember giving way and going into the center lane.
He informs me that I am wrong and that he was watching me.
I disagree but tell the officer I won't argue.
He asks me who the car is registered to and I tell him my mother's name. He departs and I sit there and wonder how I would get pulled for breaking an ordinance that I could swear (at that moment) I had instinctively obeyed.
(two things to note: It's 8:30pm and twilight leading to darkness. there is rapidly moving but fairly dense traffic on the Interstate.)
I sit there a moment, then drag out all the papers out of my glove compartment and start going through them. I find the registration right where it should have been if I had not dumped all the service invoices and brochures on top of it. I hold them up to indicate I have found them- but either the officer can't see them (which given the bright spotlight shining into my rear window I doubt that very much) or he is otherwise distracted.
Time passes and I replay my actions leading up to this.
( A thing to note: I have been pulled over by the police 4 times in my life before this outside of getting pulled by a police blockade doing spotchecks:
1: North Carolina 1989, I am driving to church one evening and my favorite hat falls off the passenger seat and I grab for it with one hand and the car goes with me. As luck would have it, there is a police officer right behind me. He comes up and asks me if I am okay and what happened. I tell him in embarrassment of my foolish reaction. He thanks me for my honesty and tells me to be more careful/alert in the future. He never asks for my license or anything else.
2. Knoxville, Kingston Pike outside Knox Plaza- Krogers. I have just left the store and a police officer pulls me over because I "had tossed a cigarette out my driver's side window. I take note that he is currently transporting a man in the back of his car. He insists on inspecting my entire car for contraband, cigarettes or anything else despite the fact that I inform him I don't even smoke- it is night time. He does not find anything and leaves me to drive somewhere and put my car back together. I have no memory of him asking for my DL or anything else.
3. Knox County, Roberts Road, 1998. A Officer who I believe was a State Trooper follows me for 2 miles at least until he pulls me over at 7:00 am in the morning (dawn) and informs me that I was driving with no lights on. I show him that the lights are on- on my dashboard and he checks my headlights. He scratches his head and informs me that my tail lights are out. He tells me to get them fixed that day. Bids me good morning and drives away. (the tail lights not my brake lights are not working- turns out I blew a fuse on the way home)
4. Knox County, Tazewell Pike, 2000. I am coming off graveyard shift and am very drowsy. I am trying to get to an open gas station to get some caffeine and food in hopes it will wake me up enough to get home. all the stations are closed out to Maloneyville Road. For some reason, pulling over and trying to sleep doesn't get through my brain muddle and finally I drift across the middle line (I had been weaving before this but not bad enough apparently for the Knox County Sheriff who was behind me to pull me over. I am in uniform of the UT Police Security when I roll down the window. I tell him that it was my mistake and a stupid thing for me to do. He nods and check my badge number and DL and then escorts me to the Weigels up the road.
and
No speeding tickets, nada).
After an Eternity of waiting (15 minutes go by) the officer returns with the citation and explains to me what I am to do with it- summons to court at 5:30 in a little over a months time, or I can go online and pay the fine. I tell him again as I hand him my registration, that I do not believe that I was where he says I was. He does not concede any ground but informs me that the City Police are "running a public awareness special" and people are being pulled (not warned, no but cited for this violation). I tell him I am sorry that I didn't locate the registration - he crosses out the citation for not having it. I tell him that I understand he has a hard job but, he stops me and tells me I can "subpoena the video of the traffic stop"- he is not clear how I am going to do that. I ask him how much the citation will be. He says he doesn't know, he doesn't have time for giving out that information while on a traffic stop.
We discuss briefly what the ordinance says for clearance. He points out that I am supposed to be one car lane over, I ask pointedly how soon before I reach the traffic stop am I supposed to move over this lane. He responds at least one car length. I ask him how long after I pass the stop should I wait before pulling back over. He responds that I could pull back over immediately passed the stop. I pause and look at him, he doesn't get or want to get what I am suggesting. I apologize again and he tells me to be careful pulling out since there are cars passing us in the right hand lane!
Irony.
While I sat there, in shock at being accused of doing something I could have sworn I didn't do. 14 cars passed us in the right hand lane, during and following the traffic stop. I took note as I pulled out there were no flashing lights for any of them- four of which were right in front of me, nor did the Officer move from where he had stopped me.
Now I must decide whether I am paying the $146.00 or so fine (not an exact amount) or going to court.
again, Irony- my violation has the same fine as speeding more than 25 miles above the speed limit.
to make matters worse.
I have two guys (I am assuming they were guys) cross the double line on the way home to speed around me. One on Corryton Rd. just past the stop sign at Emory and then again on Corryton-Luttrell rd.
I also manage to kill a possum that I could have probably stopped in time for if guy number one had not been so up on my bumper.
I know it is going to be a long time before I travel on the interstate again, comfortably.
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