Police: Was Louis Driving Drunk Friday?

On Friday night, my ten-year streak of not being pulled over came to an abrupt end.

Kristine and I, leaving a church-sponsored party around 10:30 in Menlo Park, knew that we had to have more than desserts and finger food to tide us through the evening, so while decked out in our near-formal attire, we drove in search of the nearest Jack In the Box - the closest restaurant where I believed I knew the location. But after a number of blocks, and seeing the commercial district disappear behind us, we became less certain, as the streetlights grew further and further apart, and we strongly considered turning around.

At that moment, I spotted the restaurant a block or so in the distance, quickly flipped my right blinker, and edged into the next lane, only to almost immediately see flashing red-blue-red-blue in my rear view mirror. Keeping calm, not having my heart rate pick up, and almost amused, I told Kristine that I thought we were being pulled over. Maybe I had been speeding? Maybe the cop hadn't seen me signal? Did I cut them off? Maybe the lights were for someone or something else?

I turned into a nearby parking lot, and the patrol car followed. It was for me. I turned the car off, removed the keys, and quickly wondered if my registration was anywhere to be found. As the policewoman approached, I opened my door, and said, "How can I help you?", as if she had come to me for assistance. She asked if I had been drinking, and I said no, wondering why she had asked. She said I "hadn't been driving too well, and had run over a couple of dividing lines". I hadn't noticed, and later, Kristine said she had noticed, but it certainly wasn't anything out of the ordinary.

After she checked my license, and I promised her I would soon get the address changed (it still says Belmont, and I haven't lived there since 2002), she handed it back, got in her car and drove off. The whole thing took maybe three minutes, and I still have no tickets to my name... no accidents. Nothing exciting. Yet some part of me wishes I could have walked the line and said the alphabet backwards. I've been practicing for years, after all.

Comments

[Proud Little Sister]

Yep, that makes two of us, I also have been pulled over once, and not recieved a ticket (my car's backlight was minorly broken,) I bet you could've done the alphabet backward. I dont know if I can do that when I am sober.

[Jeremy]

Yeah, same thing happened to me in Provo, two blocks from our house. They basically looked at my license and said, oh... you're from here. I thought you were drunk,
drive safely.

[mom]

nice graphic, by the way

[Chela]

I can't believe she let you get out of the car. Most of the time you should stay in the car and not move until the officer asks you to get out. Good thing you didn't get tazed.

[Louis Gray]

Chela,

I thought similarly - but after having taken the keys out of the ignition, and the car being off, it would have looked even more menacing if I were to restart the car just to get the window down. :-)

I didn't actually get out of the car - I just opened the door, and said "How can I help you?" It's likely that the fact I was wearing a suit and tie and didn't reek of alcohol or slur my words may have contributed to her not opting to be more aggressive.

And TGray, that siren is courtesy of the Drudge Report. He uses it for all his major stories.

[Kathleen Curtis]

Louis: I'm cracking up. I can imagine the whole process.
And I'm sure she was VERY dissapointed to find that you were simply a bit distracted rather than sauced!
Glad you were dressed to the hilt and accompanied by a responsible adult!!!
:-)
lvya, kc