I really hate it when.....I see law enforcement on the road while I'm driving.
My heart races and I become awash in guilt, even though I'm doing nothing wrong.
I went 30 years without a speeding ticket. Then in about 18 months I received three. What the heck!? I'm not a malicious speeder; I just wasn't paying attention and wandered into some notorious speed traps. The local sheriff and small town police know just the right spots to lay in wait to fatten their county and city coffers. Rural, hilly roads and highways are a favorite.
So now I am super-duper careful about watching my speed. I don't want to fudge by even 5 miles over the limit because I'm afraid of another ticket and I hate getting into trouble. By golly, I'm a good citizen! I try to keep my speed right smack on the limit now. It is annoying because I feel like I'm watching my speedometer more than I'm watching the road. Drivers behind me get impatient, but I figure they will just have to relax and enjoy the drive, or pass me. I am frequently passed (even on double yellow lines) and it is not unusual for someone to ride up onto my tail at night and turn their high beams on because they are mad that I am going the speed limit. Everyone is in such a hurry. Don't these people ever get speeding tickets? I feel like putting a sign in my rear window that says, "Too many tickets - back off or pass me."
A couple weeks ago as I was driving home on a rural highway, after visiting Misty at her training stable, I had my cruise control set on the speed limit. I had 5 cars stacked up on my rear bumper, annoyed that I was slowing their progress. One of those drivers got lucky that day because of me. We crested a rise in the road and as we all started down, (with me braking to stay at the limit...it is so irritating to have to brake all the time on these hilly roads), we passed an unmarked highway patrolman sitting on the side of the road, trolling for speeders. I wish I could have said "See, I told ya so" to the guy riding my tail.
Yesterday I was traveling on a road with two lanes in each direction. I was in the far right lane when I noticed 3 motorcycle cops working a sting operation. I immediately felt dread and terror...and guilt. I glanced down at the speedometer and was relieved to see I was right on the limit, but still afraid of being pulled over because now I'm just paranoid. Another motorist had just passed me in the left lane, oblivious of the trap, and one of the cops zipped out from the side street and pulled him over. I smiled. Not because the poor sucker in front of me just got nabbed. I smiled because those 3 motorcycle cops lurking on that side street reminded me of this:
My question for you:
When horseback riding, what is your favorite gait? (Do you have a need for speed?)
(But don't speed.)
I hate seeing law enforcement on the road, too! But that is mostly because I am a speeder, usually 5 mph or 10 mph on the freeways.
ReplyDeleteThat video cracked me up. I loved that scene!!
ReplyDeleteI can TOTALLY relate to this post. I try my hardest two always obey traffic laws, but like anyone else I sometimes get distracted and will go too fast (not by much though). I feel the same way that it feels like I'm always getting pulled over for stupid stuff, but the people who are speeding never seem to get a ticket. I am SUPER paranoid now because I got a ticket when I was doing the speed limit!!!!! I think he either didn't recalibrate his radar or he clocked someone else by mistake. I was so pissed. I can't afford to pay for a ticket when I did nothing wrong. I've gotten more tickets since moving to this stupid town than I have in my entire life! I keep getting pulled over for stupid stuff like once I got pulled over or having temporary tags but they weren't out of date!!!! WTF! He had no reason to pull me over. Then there was the time when I made a right hand turn and cut it a little sharp crossing over the white line onto the shoulder! Why am I getting pulled over for stupid stuff like that when I see someone run red lights almost every day?? So yeah you totally picked a subject that I get all riled up about. Now I'm one of those people who brakes when I see a cop, not because I'm doing anything wrong, but because I've been burned.
As for speed on horses, it really depends. If I'm in a relaxed mood I like to just walk out on the trail (not a slow poke walk though), but I also LOVE to gallop (if I trust the horse I'm riding). :D
Funny, I get the same heart-clenching feeling when I see police. What is it about us that makes us feel so guilty?
ReplyDeleteBecause of your story I am extra-careful about coming into Elizabeth!
They have had radar set up on E Parker Road for the last two days.
I think it would be fun to have a gaited horse. I've enjoyed their gates. I also really like a slow jiggity trot and a slow canter - my boys don't understand that!
Allison, hopefully they won't get ya for doing 5-10 over on the freeway, especially if you are moving with the traffic. I rarely see people pulled over on the freeway here. They seem to make most of their money on the rural roads.
ReplyDeleteachieve1dream, Oh goodness! You've had worse experiences than me. I did see someone pulled over a few weeks ago for changing lanes without signaling. And my co-worker's teenage daughter got ticketed for changing lanes across the solid white line instead of waiting until it became a dashed white line. I see people do that every day. I guess some officers are more picky than others. I worry about being pulled over for going the speed limit too, because speedometers can vary by plus or minus 3-7 mph and like you said, the officer's radar may be off. I think the weirdest stop I had was late at night on the Interstate driving home from a late flight at the airport. I was the only car on that stretch of highway (after midnight on a Sunday). I passed 3 highway patrol cars that were parked in the median about 1/2 mile apart from each other. The third one pulled onto the highway behind me, quickly caught up to me and got really close to my bumper (blinding me with his headlights, thanks). I wasn't speeding so had no idea why he was following so close and for so long (running my tags probably). Finally he turned his lights on and pulled me over. He asked me how I was doing and where I was going. Then he said someone reported a drunk driver in the same make and model of car I was driving. But the moment he got a good sniff when I rolled down my window and spoke to him, he knew I hadn't been drinking, so he let me go.
Dreaming, Colorado has a lot of speed traps! But it does seem like there is less tolerance and more tickets these days, and more officers cruising for speeder and lurking over hills and behind curves and on side streets; they are sneaky. I think it is the economy and our local governments want more ticket fines to boost revenues. I've never ridden a gaited horse. The drafties have a hard time with that slow western trot and lope. I've been loping Misty a little now. Such power! I feel like we are zooming, when she is loping calmly. She covers a lot of ground in one stride.
I'm not crazy about speed traps either. I've had a few tickets but it doesn't stop me from getting where I have to go. I travel a lot and I do go over the speed limit quite a lot but then again the speed limits that are posted around here are ridiculous. You just can't do 25-35 it takes forever to get somewhere.
ReplyDeleteAs for the horses gaits. I'm not a speed demon when riding. I like to take it easy and relax and try to get it right. I do like to canter though, I used to love to jump courses but I haven't done that in years.
I don't like getting in trouble anywhere, and avoid it at all cost. I seem to do okay driving, since I frequently travel the same roads. I have to mention, I've only had two speeding tickets in my life (and deserved them) they were both within the same week. My hubby typically drives when we road trip, he seems to have a built in radar. When life dumps on us, bad Karma is at work - thankfully the opposite happens too.
ReplyDeleteWhen I see the police I think COME AND GET ME, SUCKAH!!!
ReplyDeleteYes, I actually think that, but the fact is they wouldn't have a reason to. So it's quite a false taunt. We are surrounded by hilly, wooded, curvy roads and I always drive the speed limit because so many creatures might run out in front of me. I'd rather get home late than hit an animal. That would be HORRIBLE.
My fave gait? ooooh, by far the canter. A nice, collected beautiful canter.