{"id":24278,"date":"2023-05-15T13:40:25","date_gmt":"2023-05-15T17:40:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/?p=24278"},"modified":"2023-05-15T13:44:42","modified_gmt":"2023-05-15T17:44:42","slug":"episode-819-police-pulled-me-over","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/?p=24278","title":{"rendered":"episode 819 POLICE PULLED ME OVER"},"content":{"rendered":"
EPISODE 819   POLICE PULLED ME OVER<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
alan skeoch<\/div>\n
May 10, 2023<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\"90+<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Heavy traffic as I swung into the long curve of the QEW heading to the Burlington Bridge.   My exit was<\/div>\n
North Beach coming up fast.  Traffic speed around 70 km \u2026Then before my eyes on the<\/div>\n
right shoulder were three police cars with lights flashing.   My mind raced.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cAlan, pull to the left\u2026that\u2019s the law\u2026police vehicles\u2026give them space \u201c<\/div>\n
Quick look to the left.<\/div>\n
\u201cDamnit, I have an 18 wheeler beside me \u2026all going 70.\u201d<\/div>\n
Quick look in rear mirror.<\/div>\n
\u201cDamnit car right behind me\u2026cannot brake.\u201d<\/div>\n
Then, like a lightning bolt I was into the danger zone.<\/div>\n
\u201cNoting I cooudl do.  The 18 wheeler could not slow down,  Pulling to the left would  probably<\/div>\n
kill someone, namely me and maybe others.   That is how accidents happen.  With the speed of<\/div>\n
summer lightning.  Choices have to be instantaneous.  My decision was to stay in my lane<\/div>\n
and squeeze by the OPP cars.  There was room for that.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
The 18 wheeler was dark brown.  Funny I would notice that.  If I dared move i would be partly under<\/div>\n
his bed in a tangle of shredded metal and exploding rubber.    <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Te police officers were discussing something  \u2026 well away from my open lane.<\/div>\n
BaZoom\u2026I was through the hole.   Flipped my right turn signal and slowed down to exit<\/div>\n
at North Beach.  The 18 wheeler had pulled into my lane heading for the same exit.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
The near crisis was over.  Or so I thought.   The sun was out \u2026the trees were in leaf. <\/div>\n
And daffodils danced on the fine lawns of North Beach homes..  sign of relief.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Then I heard the siren.  Somewhere behind me.  Actually right behind me.  Those flashing lights and siren were<\/div>\n
meant  for me.  An OPP criuiser.   <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cDamn! Damn! Damn!  \u201c<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
I pulled over and the cop levered himself  out of his car.<\/div>\n

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\u201cYou nearly hit me, sir.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cI had no choice.   But I  know the law\u2026.sorry\u2026not much else I can say.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cLicence please.\u201d<\/div>\n
I fumbled for my licence and insurance.<\/div>\n
\u201cThere was barely an inch or two between my car and your truck.  Very dangerous.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cI know that, sir, my excuse sounds lame.  That 18 wheeler gave me no choice\u2026<\/div>\n
could not move to the left.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cYou could have slowed down, sir.\u201d\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cyes.  Car behind me\u2026coming around long curve.  I know I am guilty.   Only<\/div>\n
excuse Have is the 18 wheeler.  I am guilty.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cOnly an inch or two clearance, sir.\u201d<\/div>\n
And away he went with my licence.  Would I lose points?   No doubt a hefty fine<\/div>\n
as well.  <\/div>\n
Then the cop got out of his car holding a long sheet of official looking paper.<\/div>\n
\u201cSir, I am not giving you a ticket.  Only this warning.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cThanks.\u201d<\/div>\n
Thanks was not enough<\/div>\n
\u201cCan I shake our hand, sir,\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cThe more I thought about it, sir, I did see that tractor trailer beside you..pulling <\/div>\n
in front of you.  There was no choice.  So this is just a warning.  It could have been<\/div>\n
a fine and a court date.\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Driving is dangerous.  Highways are used by thousands of big rigs these days.  I am<\/div>\n
a tire counter.  Some of these rigs have as many as 32 wheels which  means<\/div>\n
they are carrying a lot of weight.    Armed with air brakes.  Which means instant stopping\u2026<\/div>\n
burning rubber\u2026fish tailing\u2026.death.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
I am indebted to that police man\u2026a Chinese Canadian I noriced not that that matters.<\/div>\n
A nice guy who weighed the situation snd gave me the benefit of the doubt.<\/div>\n
I did not mouth off.  such as Yell about the 18 wheeler.  If I had mouthed off then the whole<\/div>\n
thing  would be different. <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
I was shaken.  Nervous as I pulled into the Burlington Golf and Country Club where six of my<\/div>\n
high school chums were waiting.  We meet for lunch twice a year.  Old friends from<\/div>\n
the 1950\u2019\u2019s.  We played football together long ago when we were big and strong<\/div>\n
and the world was our oyster at Humberside Collegiate.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
A guy was beside me putting on his golf shoes. He looked at me and said.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cWell , did you get a ticket?\u201d <\/div>\n
\u201cNo\u2026.just a warning.<\/div>\n
\u201cLucky man.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cI did not mouth off.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cAlways a good idea.\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
I was five minutes late for our lunch.  The boys hooted and laughed.  Glad to see me.:\/<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\"Ontario  <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

EPISODE 819   POLICE PULLED ME OVER alan skeoch May 10, 2023 Heavy traffic as I swung into the long curve of the QEW heading to the Burlington Bridge.   My exit was North Beach coming up fast.  Traffic speed around 70 km \u2026Then before my eyes on the right shoulder were three police cars […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24278","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24278","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=24278"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24278\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=24278"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=24278"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=24278"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}