Whew!

Just got home a little while ago after having dinner with a friend. On the way home...guess what happens! I get pulled over for speeding! I was coming home on Nimitz Hwy and there was a lot of construction going on, causing some backup and of course I was getting really frustrated from the traffic. So as soon as the lanes open up a little after Sand Island Access Road, I speed up to get around the slow ass car in front of me, and I see out of the corner of my eye, a police car parked on the right side of the road, lights off. As soon as I see him...I press the brakes to slow down, but too late! He's turned on his lights, both the headlights and the blue flashers, and he's following me down Nimitz. So I take a right on Puuloa Road and pull off to the side. Here was the conversation:

Policeman: Where are you headed?

Me: Home.

Policeman: You know why I pulled you over?

Me: Yeah, I was speeding, yeah?

Policeman: Psh! (in a sarcastic tone) Yeah! You know how fast you were going?

Me: I think 50?

Policeman: Shows me the radar gun...it says 55

Me: But I have a good reason though! I'm sure everyone you pull over has a story but this is for real! I was driving behind this car and he was swerving side to side so I though he might be drunk or something so I sped up to get around him cuz I didn't feel safe driving behind that guy! You must've caught me just as I passed him!

Policeman: I don't know, the car in front of you looked to be going pretty straight to me.

Me: Yeah, probably after he saw you! Before that, I swear he was swerving so I wanted to pass him and that's why I was speeding.

Policeman: You have a valid insurance and license?

Me: Yes. (shows the papers to him)

Policeman: Okay, you can go. Watch the speed limit from now on, yeah?

Me: Okay, thanks!

Chee Hee! Aw-right! Thank goodness he didn't smell the 2 beers that I had with dinner on me or I might've really been in trouble! (Don't worry...I was totally sober and not driving under the influence at all!) I think what sold the whole BS story was that I was pretty calm throughout and didn't seem intimdated or nervous as he was questioning me, which maybe helped to sell the false validity of my story. Either that, or he was just a nice guy and let me go, even though he knew I was lying through my teeth.

In fact, the reason for my calmness was probably because I've been through this before. This was the 4th time I've been pulled over by a policeman but I have yet to receive a ticket! Yes, I've been really lucky. But this was the first time for speeding. The other times, of course I had stories for the officers then too!

Pullover #1: No seatbelt

My first pull over.

I had my sister and my cousin and his wife from Korea in the car with me. I had just picked them up from their hotel to take to my house for dinner. I didn't have my seatbelt on so I got pulled over in front of the Waikiki Zoo.

When the policewoman pulled me over, I said, "Oh, I forgot to put on my seatbelt, didn't I? I'm so sorry! It's just that I just picked up my cousins from their hotel and I haven't seen them for over 10 years so I was so excited to see them and talk to them that I must've forgot to put my seatbelt on!" Partially true, but mostly BS. That was the first time I had ever met my cousin and his wife (they were here for their honeymoon) and I was barely talking to them cuz my Korean wasn't too good at the time. But whatever! It got me out of a ticket! But my cousin and his wife were kind of freaked out cuz it was their first day in Hawaii and here they are, being pulled over by police!

Pullover #2: Turning left onto Ala Wai Blvd on a red light

I was driving out of Waikiki onto Ala Wai Blvd when I took a left turn onto Ala Wai on the red. Well, I guess there was a sign somewhere that said I wasn't allowed to do that so the police car that was directly behind me of course pulled me immediately over after I did the violation.

This time, I really had no story to tell. I just told the officer that I just didn't see the sign and if I had, of course I wouldn't have turned on red. I apologized profusely and said it was my first time being pulled over (not true) so could they please give me a chance. Apparently it worked and I just got off with a warning. Yippee!

Pullover #3: Running a red light in Kalihi

I ran a red light in Kalihi cuz I was late for a morning meeting at around 8:30am. As soon as I ran the red (didn't mean to, but the yellow was really fast!), I see a police car do a 180 from the opposite side of the street and tag me down. My story then? I told the policeman I had to run the red because I was on my way to a meeting at a local school but I didn't know where it was so I had to follow my co-worker there in the car in front of me. But when he ran the yellow, I had to follow or else I'd get lost so that's why I ran the red! Of course, all BS! There was no co-worker in a car in front of me! All made up! But yet, got off scott free!

So yeah, I've had my share of times being pulled over and a different story for each time to get out of them. I've been really lucky! (knock on wood) Not that I'm an expert on getting out of tickets by any means, but if it happens to you, I guess my piece of advice is this...admit guilt for what you did. They saw you do it and that's why they pulled you over. No getting around that. But after they pull you over, you have to be able to think fast and give them a legitimate reason (excuse), true or made up for why you did what you did. And stay calm when you talk to the officer. Being confrontational, defensive, whatever, will not work. Stay cool.

Like I said, I've been really lucky so far. Have any of you ever been pulled over and if so, how did you get out of it? Or did you get out of it? For next time, please feel free to use any of the stories above! But don't blame me if the officer says they've heard that story before! ^__^