What seems to be the problem?
A cop pulled me over the other evening as I was driving home from work.
I had to move into a turn lane so that I could make it to the freeway onramp, and there were a couple cars in the lane with just enough room for me to squeeze in between them. So I flicked my turn signal, checked my blind spot, and moved over.
Immediately, the car behind me – a black, unmarked sedan – flashed police lights and a spotlight right in my rear-view mirror. There was no shoulder, so I turned into a parking lot and the police car pulls behind me.
“Do you know why I pulled you over?” he asked. “You failed to signal for one hundred feet before changing lanes, and you cut me off so that I had to apply my brake to avoid a collision.”
After he let me go, I cruised on home. Driving along the freeway, I kept thinking how I’ve done the same maneuver a thousand times without an accident, and I was pretty sure he was actually accelerating to close the gap I had moved into, and didn’t this guy have anything better to do than pull me over?
But at some point it occurred to me that the officer was in fact correct. I had broken the traffic law. And he had every right, even an obligation, to pull me over.
For the record – or, thankfully, the lack of one – he let me off with a warning.
Now, this didn’t stop me from driving about five over the speed limit on my way home. And it didn’t make me call the police station to confess my every traffic violation. But it did remind me that I am not the standard by which the law should be set. I’m an ordinary schmoe, and I make mistakes, and I cut corners when I think I can get away with it.
Even so, the law reminded me that the road is a dangerous place, where I’m skimming the concrete at sixty-five, surrounded by two-ton juggernauts of aluminum and steel that are flying by at least as fast as I’m going. So I did drive a little more carefully.
And, meanwhile, I’m trying to be more open to correction in every part of my life. Because, just as on the road, I’m not always right. I make mistakes. I cut corners. I don’t always get away with it – and thank God! If there were never any consequences, I’d never learn from my mistakes, and I would hurt my friends much more often than I already do.
He should have given you a ticket, and then some to help you even further in being open to correction.
Sometimes the law is an ass, and the ass needs to be open to correction.
Well, I can’t speak for the law in this case, or even for the lawman.
I’m just grateful that I was able to take a little correction, at least, without permanent harm.
Honestly, if a cop pulled me over for that, it would have scared the poo out of me because it meant I wasn’t paying attention and/or anticipating what might happen next. (And I would guess that was the point of him acerlating into space – you were supposed to be aware of that it wasn’t safe to pull in…)
Shut off the radio or do whatever it is you need to do to pay attention to what’s going on beyond the windshield. Play games like trying to remember the color of the car behind you without looking. And write the cop a thank you letter for trying to improve your driving skills and possibly saving your life.
Stay safe out there, Rob.