I Totally Paused

You know that blog that I wrote about regrets? Well here's a new one for the list...

After having received an Alabama fastest driver award (a.k.a. speeding ticket) from one of Mobile's finest a few months back, and after getting my wrist slapped (a.k.a. an entire day of Traffic School, but no points off my license and therefore, no raised insurance premiums), I thought that I had learned my lesson!

Traffic School wasn't bad, especially in comparison with what I was anticipating. I actually felt like I came away with an enlightened perspective and a little more knowledge in traffic laws. Jeff, I should say, was another story. The whole way home, after having received the ticket, I was dreading one thing...telling Jeff! I'd rather take the fines and the penalties doled out by the state than to get another one of his lectures! This actually happens to be a popular conversation between the two of us...a quid pro quo of all the ways that he is perfect and I am not. A dispute that is never agreed upon, given his penchant for delusion and mine for satire. A common fact which always rears it's head in these little discussions is that he hasn't been pulled over in twelve years and I haven't even been driving that long. And the question that always follows is 'how many times have you been pulled over?' Pooey.

So this is me, a little wiser and a lot more patient while driving. Well, having a little one in the car has changed many of my driving habits already. In all of my driving years, I have never been so conscientious about the speed limit and of being a law abiding citizen on the road. I knew that getting another one of those awards was not an option. Traffic School would no longer be an option and the insurance would surely go up. Translation...a monthly reminder of my indiscretion for Jeff, and a monthly lecture for me. No thank you!

Which brings me to just a few days ago. While I am none too happy about the turn of events, God sure did smile down upon me. Jeff got pulled over for speeding!! Of course, with his stellar driving record, he was let go with a warning, but I was ecstatic just the same. A new weapon for my arsinal. My excitement was short lived, however. Because just a few hours later on my way to get gas at the Coast Guard base, I too was pulled over.

I was completely schocked to see those flashing lights in my rear view. I had no idea why I was being pulled over, truly. I know that I hadn't been speeding. But I could tell from the moment that the police officer stepped up to my window that I wouldn't be as lucky as Jeff had been just a few hours earlier. Now, I am not one to haul slanderous gestures at police officers, nor do I generally dislike them as many often do. But I may be changing my mind on that fact. Sure, they have a job to do, but come on!

So, apparently, I did not come to a complete stop at a stop sign. "I totally paused!" (if you didn't know, that is from one of my favorite movies, Clueless) I understand that not stopping at stop signs can be a safety hazzard. But when there was clearly a pause on a neerly deserted stretch of road with no one coming, give me a break! No really, if there were ever a driving offense that deserved a warning, this is it.

Never the less, here I am, with yet another traffic infraction for my record, and no doubt another hundred dollars or so poorer. The only light shed on the situation is that there will be no lectures from Jeff on this one. Thank you God.