Thursday, February 21, 2008

Whew: That Was A Close One!

As Kristal, James, and I were on our way home from a doctor appointment last week:

I was driving down the road minding my own business. I take a gander to my left and see a cop car. I see a woman inside the car looking at me. Immediately she flips her lights on, does a uey, and pulls me over.

She approaches the car: "Sir do you know why I pulled you over?"

Honestly, I hadn't a clue.

Apparently, I was doing 52 in a 35. I do not want to make excuses, but I can say that it was not intentional. Those of you who have known me for a while are probably laughing. Those of you who haven't known me for a while do not realize that I am a "speed nazi."

I got a speeding ticket in June of 2000 while I was on my way to my brother's rehearsal diner. I am a tightwad and so never wanted to get a ticket again (costs too much money--and you thought I obeyed the law out of righteousness--HA!).

I cannot even count how many times my dad constructed me: "Jim, you are going too slow. You are a hazard to the safety of others. Go with the flow of traffic!" Time and time again I heard this from his lips.

Well, in the same way that Jesus will come like a theif in the night, the cop puts his radar on you like a thief in the night. You don't know when it is coming ("unawares" is a good choice of words here). Luckily, because of my good driving record, she didn't write me a ticket! She slapped me with a warning.

I want to thank all of my sponsors. I especially want to thank the NH police department for extending their grace to me by not giving me a ticket. I want to thank my lovely bride for consoling me while Officer Lady Cop computed my information. I want to thank my handsome son for giving her the "evil eye" as we pulled away (he has a rear facing car seat!). I want to thank my dad for encouraging me to break the law. I want to thank the Lord for all of the opportunities I will now have to royally tick off untold numbers of other drivers for driving under the speed limit. Things are looking up for the Snowden household today. If things continue to go like they have so far in 2008 we will have a busy thanksgiving day this coming November.

Well, I guess it is time to go back t0 driving like an old woman. I will once again not go with the flow of traffic. I will once again be a huge traffic hazard. And why? Why will I become a hazard? To save a buck!

By the way, I did not take a picture of the cop after she pulled me over. I got this off the internet somewhere.

7 comments:

Jessy said...

hilarious! I was laughing throughout the who entry! I remember you getting that ticket and your new found determination to not go 1 mile over ;-)

Luke Snowden said...

Jimmy,

Great story...I am glad to know ole' Snowden-Grandma-Man will be back behind the wheel!

I had an encounter with a cop two days ago. I was the victim of a hit and run accident. I was pulling up to a red light and some guy behind me wasn't paying attention and cracked into the back of me (leaving a couple of nice big gouges and scrapes in my rear bumper). I went to pull over and take a look and call the cops and the next thing I knew his petal hit the floor and took off!

So, I dropped my car into 2nd and took off after him (as if I was going to throw-down if I caught him) and chased him until I was going 80 and he was probably much over ninety in rush hour traffic in Mesa AZ on the side streets.

Well, he got away, I got the lic plate number incorrect, and will forevermore have beautiful scrapes in the back of my car.

The cop was cool, we had a fun conversation, but accomplished nothing in regard of justice.

Jessy said...

do you have a camera on your phone, Luke? I know it's hard to think of all these options when something happens that fast ;-)
Now that you told your story, I will think of my phone if it happens to me ;-)

Katie said...

The Snowden family never ceases to amaze me.

Luke Snowden said...

I am mere peasant - maybe an amazing one according to Katie - and do not possess a camera on my phone. That surely was a moment that I would have like to have one though!

Jessy said...

hey - if my phone wasn't free, I wouldn't have one either ;-)!
I am a peasant at heart. I can remember a time when I declared that I would never get a cell phone...ha!

Anonymous said...

Oh Jimmy... My flawless little angel James could not have given that nice police lady the "Evil Eye"! He would never do that! He always respects those who are in authority over him. More likely it was Kris. We have all felt that scary glare when we forget to remove the tomato seeds from her tomato.
Grammy Warren