<p>I got pulled over by a police officer for the first time today... I was driving through a really small West Texas town, going 40 (the speed limit was 35). The guy actually called me "boy," and I had to bite down on my tongue to keep from laughing. He seemed very personally affected by me going 5 MPH above the speed limit and talked for nearly 5 minutes about how clearly marked the speed limit signs are, and about how because I'm a teenager I think that driving is a right ("but it's not a right; it's a privilege. If you keep this up, you could become another statistic on the 10:00 news. etc") Anyway, even though my minor traffic violation had caused him such extreme mental anguish, he let me off with a warning.</p>
<p>By the way, I don't have any disrespect for police officers (he was just doing his job, after all, and I should have been paying attention). I just think he was a bit of an anomaly. </p>
<p>Have you ever gotten a warning or a ticket? What were the circumstances?</p>
<p>no. but i drove 5 months around without getting my permit signed. (i did get it signed.)</p>
<p>Around here, going 5 miles above the MPH is basically required, otherwise people switch lanes. I usually drive 50-55 in a 45 zone. Those small town cops need the commission, not to mention they must be bored as hell (unless they are dealing with serial killers or supernatural events).</p>
<p>I would have told him about being disrespectful and calling someone “boy,” or I would have returned the favor. What’s good for the goose is for the gander. </p>
<p>I probably would have got five tickets with what I would have told him.</p>
<p>When son had just turned 18 but still with a probationary license he got three tickets in the space of three weeks. One for speeding (doing 35 in a 25 zone) Another for not yielding which involved a fender bender (no injuires) and one for driving down a one way street street the wrong way/ We had to hire a lawyer ($500) Two visits to court. The judge had him take the driver improvement class not once but twice!!! ( $100 dollars each) He was on probation for a year. One more incident and he would have lost his license. Also when we renewed our car insurance we were advised to get him off our insurance. Which we promptly did and the cost (to s not us) was considerable.</p>
<p>In retrospect I consider us lucky that no one was seriously hurt. </p>
<p>In our town it is well known that the police in town are on the look out for young drivers. But maybe it is with good reason.</p>
<p>Take it as a warning. Strengthen your resolve to drive as correctly as possible.</p>
<p>Also
My younger s who recently had behind the wheel told me a rule about always seeing the wheels of the car in front of you. (If you can’t see them you are too close. ) I started following this rule myself. Its a good rule unless you are on the highway, in which case you might see the wheels of the car in front of you and still be too close.</p>
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<p>Sounds like they let him off easy. He should have had his license revoked. Clearly he doesn’t know how to drive; who drives down the wrong side of a one way street? He could have killed someone.</p>
<p>Well, he’s a cop that cares lol. </p>
<p>From my own experience, most officers won’t bother you unless you’re going at least 10mph over the limit (maybe 7 or 8 if you’re in a residential). If you’re driving at the speed limit, you’ll inevitably get a line of mildly frustrated drivers behind you.</p>