Getting In Trouble

Yesterday on my way home from school, I got pulled over by the police.

It has been 5 years since I was last pulled over by a police officer. Five years ago, Jason and I were about a mile from our home after visiting Kingsport, when I got stopped for speeding (5 mph over the limit). I was several months pregnant with the twins and really had to go to the bathroom, so my foot got a little heavy. Fortunately I was given a warning and was sent on my way home to the potty. Before that, I had been stopped on a Saturday morning while living in Kingsport. I was given a warning and urged to go and have my address changed on my license, since we had recently moved. The only ticket that I have ever received was in my hometown a week before Jason and I got married. I worked as a 2 year old teacher at a childcare center in town and on the way home, I just couldn't go the 35 mph that was required for that road. As soon as I passed the police officer, I KNEW that he was going to come around and get me. I IMMEDIATELY pulled off on the shoulder with my hazards on and fought back the tears. It was my first time to be pulled over and I didn't know what to do. It took me forever to locate all of the important documents (and to figure out what my registration was), but I eventually was handed my ticket and sent on my way. It was only after I pulled back onto the road that the tears began to stream down my face.

Now that you know all of my traffic violations history, I will tell you what happened yesterday. I got pulled over for "improper passing". Yesterday, I did what I have been doing on a daily basis for years now. I just didn't realize that I was breaking the law. One of the roads that I turn off of to go home gets very congested and the light is very long. Technically where I was sitting in traffic was double lined and 2 laned. There were 2 cars in front of me, and then the turning lane was right beyond them (2 car lengths up). I patiently waited for the oncoming traffic to end, and then I passed those two cars to land my spot in the left hand turning lane. I had timed it perfectly in an effort to make that red light and not have to wait for another complete cycle. While I was hitting my brakes, I noticed the massive super-duty police truck off to my right. My heart and stomach immediately sank. I just had this gut feeling, you know. I sat there as he pulled over behind me and put on his lights. I didn't know if I could move or not, but he kindly informed me (and all of the other cars around me) to pull over with his speaker. So, I turned left into a parking lot and the questions began from my two little ones in the back. I got out my license, insurance card, and registration and sat patiently while he ran my tags. The police officer was extremely kindly and treated me very nicely. The kids were the ones giving me the third degree. They wanted to know what I had done wrong. Why the police officer was behind me. If we were going to have to go to jail. If I was going to have to pay them money. If I had my money ready to give the officer. Why I had to give him my license. What an insurance card was. And the list went on and on and on. I finally had to tell them to please stop asking me the questions, and eventually to sit there quietly. I was humilitated and embarrassed. I think that the whole town could see how bright red my face was. I embarrass easily and I knew what every person in every car around me was thinking.

The officer let me go on a warning and I got the clarification on the "rules" of that part of the roadway. The funny thing was that while I was sitting there, 2 other cars did the exact same thing that I had just gotten pulled over for. And today, the car in front of me did exactly what I had been pulled over for yesterday.

When pulling out, Joshua and Abby Kate asked me if I was going to tell PawPaw and Nana. That seriously made me laugh out loud. Later on that night, Joshua told me that I should have gotten a ticket because I broke the law. That was really funny coming from the child who doesn't really follow the rules around here. I guess that he thought that I needed a harsher from of punishment than just a warning.

My lesson has been learned. I thanked the officer for all that he and the others do to protect all of us. I am very grateful that we have men and women that step up into that role to keep all of us safe and well protected.