In high school, other kids in my class would ditch cafeteria lunch in favor of some hastily gobbled fast food on a regular basis. However, we didn't have "open campus" lunch, so they were, technically, breaking the rules by doing so. I never did it, not because I was an unbearable goody two-shoes, but because I knew I'd get caught. Hundreds of other kids could do it every day of the week, but if I stepped one Keds-encased foot into that parking lot at lunch, I'd get busted. That's just the way it works for me. That, and I never win the lottery. Ever.
And yes, ladies and gentlemen, it has happened again. People drive completely crazy up here. They whip in and out of lanes of traffic without signaling and SPEEDING in a life-threatening manner. My husband drives FAR more aggressively than I do. But what happens? I get pulled over for speeding this morning. *sigh*
Yes, I'm guilty. I fully admit that. The speed limit changed from 40 to 35 and I was still going 49. Yep, I know that means I was speeding in the 40, too, but I would have probably gotten off with a warning. People who actually go the speed limit around here are often more of a safety hazard than anything else. Honestly, it wasn't even intentional. I just didn't notice the drop in speed limit.
Now, here comes the difficult part. I'm really not good with authority. At all. I have a button at home that says, "Let's just say I have a small problem with authority." I don't like being told what to do. I don't like being shamed. If I'm doing something wrong, I'll admit it and I'll do my best never to do it again. I'm harder on myself than anyone else could be.
Case in point -- five years ago, I got a ticket for doing something that everyone does up here and if you say you don't, you're lying. : ) I was preparing to turn left at a light. However, the turn lane was too short and the line of cars going straight was too long. So, I edged over the yellow line painted area--not an actual raised median, but those yellow diagonal lines--to get into the left turn lane. That's it. I got pulled over and a ticket for that. The ironic part is, as I'm sitting there, waiting for him to write me a ticket, people are still doing what I did...right behind the police officer!
Still, even though I thought getting a ticket for this was stupid, I have never done it again. Period. I learned my lesson. But I would have learned it equally well with a warning. The fine and the humiliation of sitting there while the cop is behind you with lights flashing is adding insult to injury. Which is probably the point.
The police have a difficult job, and I'm grateful to them for doing it. The police officer who wrote me the ticket today was extremely nice and patient. But it's frustrating to see this effort going into catching ME when there are people out there who do so much worse and NEVER get caught! (Yes, I know, everyone probably thinks this.)
The sad part is that just this morning, I was thinking, gee...I don't think I have anything to blog about today. Mental note: never, never think that again. : )
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