I forgot to tell you about the time I got pulled over for drunk driving...

[sperry]

...it was 4 days ago.

Driving from Grass Valley to Colfax on 174 after watching the fireworks at Lake Wildwood... just about 100 yards from the I80 junction in Colfax. I knew a cop was following me 'cause the radar was going ape-shit, so I wasn't speeding. Cop followed me for a good 2 miles leading up to the stop sign just before the I80 freeway on ramp. I'm sitting at the stop sign about to turn left, and he pulls up behind me and flips on the lights. Uses the PA to tell me just to pull straight ahead... so I do.

Guy walks up to the window, tells me he pulled me over because "back at the rail road bridge, and again just before the stop sign I crossed over the center line". Now I wasn't going to argue with the guy... but I certainly wasn't "crossing over" anything, sure I was using all the lane to avoid swerving the car through the twisties to stay dead center, but I think the cop was just looking for an excuse to pull me over on the off chance that I was drinking... it was 10pm on July 4th after all.

Anyway, he asks me if I had been drinking. I told him that I had a couple of beers at the lake earlier that afternoon, but nothing since I ate dinner 3 hours ago. The cop checked out my license in his computer then came back and made me do the old "look at my finger without turning your head" deal right from the driver's seat. Gave me back my license, and told me to have a good evening.

Only time ever that I've been pulled over and not gotten a ticket... 'course I wasn't doing anything wrong... but still I felt like I "got away" with something.

[JonnydaJibba]

Dang dude you're a renegade.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by JonnydaJibba

Dang dude you're a renegade.

Damn right. Better watch yourself... I might steal anything you list as "free" on Craig's List, yo.

[Kunikos]

Originally Posted by sperry

Damn right. Better watch yourself... I might steal anything you list as "free" on Craig's List, yo.

All that dirt isn't going to steal itself, right?

[Nick Koan]

In college I got pulled over 3 times for drunk driving while I was the sober Designated Driver. Every time I was let go. Similar story as yours "swerving" and whatnot, even though I was easily not crossing over, just hugging the line.

One of my favorites:

"Son, have you been drinking tonight?"
"I had two iced teas at dinner about 2 hours ago."

She let me go, but held me for a little bit while she looked over the car for any sort of fix-it ticket.

[MattR]

Damn, good thing he didn't find all that weed in your trunk!

[Kevin M]

The dead hookers would have distracted him.

[Double Phister]

I've had the finger wave test done from the passenger side window. Motor officer just about climbed into the car to do it.

[AtomicLabMonkey]

Dude, did I ever tell you about the time I did? It was right after I moved to Livermore & I was still dating Laura, when she was finishing up school.

I was on my way back from seeing her in Davis late one Sunday night and got back into town at like 2am. I was super tired (like borderline shouldn't be driving kinda tired) and just wanted to be in bed so I was going a little fast and romped on it coming out of the offramp turn. Well, a few hundred feet later I see the flashing lights behind me, so I pull over. This guy took one look at me and was convinced I was drunk or on some drug. I'm sure I looked like shit, eyes bloodshot, etc. He had me get out of the car, had me on the sidewalk doing the drunk tests.. a backup car showed up, so now there's two of them. Kept asking me their questions over and over trying to trip me up and admit that I'd been drinking (I hadn't had a drink all day). He asked to search my car and I was so taken off guard by the whole thing that I agreed, so I'm standing there talking with backup guy while cop #1 goes through the Mustang inch by inch.

After like 30-45 minutes of searching my car and doing every drunk test he could think of on me, he finally let me go. He asked me one last time if I'd taken anything that night, I said no, and he flat out said "I don't believe you, I think you've taken some fuckin' combo of alcohol and drugs that's letting you maintain well enough to pass my tests. But you're passing, so I have to let you go." It was funny, the guy was seriously pissed that he couldn't find a valid reason to haul me in. He was that convinced I was on something.

I went on my merry way without even a speeding ticket.

[sperry]

"I don't believe you, I think you've taken some fuckin' combo of alcohol and drugs that's letting you maintain well enough to pass my tests. But you're passing, so I have to let you go."

Are you kidding me? You should have told him, "guess what homey, I want a blood test. And then when it comes back negative, I want your ass demoted for harassing me." Of course, you'd never get that guy demoted, and it'd be a huge waste of time to go down to the station for bloodwork... but F that guy. It's one thing to be convinced someone's drunk and do what you can to bust 'em... but when you end up wrong, to tell the guy "I still think you're on drugs but I have to let you go..." gimme a break with that drama. What'd he expect you to do say, "actually officer, you're right, and I was gonna get away with it right up until you made me feel guilty about getting off w/o being busted."

[AtomicLabMonkey]

I think I said something like "Uhhh.............. okay. Can I go now?", got back in and drove off.