So here is the situation, I am following a vehicle in the left lane (passing lane) which had just slowed down because the car in front of them had pulled into the center turn lane. The vehicle in the turn lane was a city cop. The drive in front of me waves to the cop as he passes him but does not speed up to the currently posted speed. The cop pulls out behind me and flips his lights. Now I knew I had not done anything wrong so I am wondering who he is after. I move over to the right lane using my blinker and he follows me. So guess who is after.
I turn on the side street and pull off the road at a safe distance. He comes up to the car and asks for my license and registration. I am still wondering what the hell I have done. So as I hand him my stuff I ask what I had done.
His response floored me: "Ma'am you were tailgating the vehicle in front of you."
Me, in my head, "Tailgating, are you shitting me?"
My retort, "I was what?"
Him: "You were tailgating."
Me: "I'm sorry, did I miss something? The vehicle you are talking about was in the passing lane, correct?"
Him: "Yes Ma'am."
Me: "He was not doing the correct speed and had just slowed because you pulled off into the center lane which then caused me to slow."
Him: "Well, Ma'am the speed limit had just changed."
Me: "Yes and am I wrong in saying he had, had a reasonable amount of time to regain and gain the proper speed for the lane he was traveling in?"
Him: "Yes Ma'am."
Me: "But you pulled me over for tailgating a vehicle which was hindering the flow of traffic?"
Him: "Yes Ma'am. I am going to run your license and will be right back."
Mind you I had just been ranting to myself about the fact the idiot in front of me was not doing the speed limit and I could not get around him. We had not even reached 45 miles per hour and the limit had changed to 55 right before we had slowed because of the lane changing vehicle.
Now when he returns he says: "Ma'am I was going to let you off with a written warning but the printer in my car is not working. Here are your license and registration back."
Me: "Thank you, but may I ask you a question?"
Him: "Yes Ma'am."
Me: "Correct me if I am wrong, but the left lane is the passing lane?"
Him: "Yes Ma'am."
Me: "The vehicle in front of me had a reasonable amount of time to get up to proper speed for the flow of traffic?"
Him: "Yes Ma'am."
Me: "But you pulled me over for tailgating and not him?"
Him: silence...
Me: "Thank you, officer."
Now don't get me wrong I have been pulled over many times for legitimately doing wrong, but this time I was not in the wrong and got pulled when the person who was legitimately in the wrong got off Scott free!!!
I will take my punishment when I know I am in the wrong, however, in this case, I was not in the wrong and feel the only reason the young man pulled me, is because he thought I was a younger person and was going to teach me a lesson. I think he bit off more than he could chew this time.
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