Forgot to mention a very important event that happened on our way to Zion - V was pulled over by a cop for speeding! The sequence of events is as under:
1. V is riding at 55 mph, when we notice a sign that says "Reduced speed ahead".
2. V slows down to 45 mph.
3. Slows down further. I shout from the back, "what happened?"
4. V replies, "there is an idiot in front of me, who wouldn't let me pass", and V moves closer to the car.
5. The 'idiot' in front of us moves to the left lane and sticks a hand out of the drivers window.
6. V assumes that this is a pass signal and overtakes and even murmurs a thank you!
7. The 'idiot' starts flashing the lights on top of his car, and chasing us.
OK! The 'idiot' was a cop, and suddenly we felt like 'bigger idiots' not noticing that it was a cop car!
We pulled over to the shoulder, and the moment we stopped, we heard him shout, "Get off the road". (But we ARE off the road). V pulled the bike to the dirt off the road, and removed his helmet while walking towards the cop car.
"STAY RIGHT THERE" the cop shouted while whispering something in his walkie talkie, pretending to call for back up.
By now, I thought it was best to join V and I started walking towards the cop too. I called out to V to stay away from the cop, while he asked him to stand in front of the car.
After scanning the license inside out, he said, "Where are you from?"
"India"
I thought I heard him say 'shit' under his breath, but then again, I thought I heard, I wasn't sure.
"Do you speak English?"
<No you ******, we don't. We have just been following your hand signs!!!!> "`Yes, we do"
"Listen, I don't know how it happens in India, but here we don't follow"
<So how do you overtake?> "OK...??"
"You were following me"
"No, I wasn't. You signaled me to pass" poor V was so confused.
"I pulled over because I wanted you to pull over" V did a good job at confusing the cop too :D, "but you were speeding"
"No, I wasn't. I wasn't speeding at all. You just said I was following you, so I couldn't be faster than you were". <Sweetheart, you don't argue with a cop> I stared at V, like really stared, those 'shut up now' looks. being married for almost 7 years now, V can't miss reading my eyes, and he immediately shut up.
"I am sorry, we didn't realize that the speed limit was so low" Very unlike me to go ahead and say sorry, but what the hell - this was a cop, remember! "We thought it was still at 55"
"But I wasn't riding at 55" V again, followed by my 'drop dead' stare again!
"The limit here is 35 mph. There are children playing, what if I had braked?....... blah... blah..... 10 minutes of him talking and us nodding"
"Sorry about that, officer"
"SO, where are you guys riding to?".... and another 15 minute conversation where he told us about what to see in the USA and what to avoid. Nice guy :)
PHEW, saved .. and out of the situation without a ticket!
Lesson learnt: Logic doesn't always pay! Sometimes it does help to say sorry and smile a lot, even when you aren't at fault!
No comments:
Post a Comment