shattered existence wrote:
Worst experience I've ever had with a cop:
First time I was ever pulled over. I was about 17 at the time and I was driving a big piece of sh*t 1986 Econoline van that I had painted John Deer Green. It was the middle of winter, cold as hell, and I had the back of the van stuffed full of music equipment that we were going to set up for our first band practice. It was about 10 o'clock at night and a state trooper pulled me over because I had a headlight out. I wasn't speeding or swerving or anything like that. I only had a headlight out, oh yeah and he complained that my muffler was too loud. Anyway, as the cop approached my window he had his hand on his gun. My friend was in the passenger seat with a guitarcase in between his legs. The cop sees it and says, "What is that, a shotgun or a pool stick or what?" I say, "It's a guitar." He then proceeds to make me get out, walk to the back and place my hands on the van. He then patted me down. He even patted down my balls. WTF!? He threatened to search the van several times, but never did. Then I had to go back and sit in the front seat of his car while he ran my information. Then I received a warning ticket and was sent on my way. All because I had forking headlight out!
1.) You had a headlight out. It's against the law. You got pulled over for it. Nothing wrong with that.
2.) That cop isn't popping into the situation thinking, "Oh, I'm gonna f**k with these band geeks." He's protecting his own ass. For all he knows, that loud kidnapper van with one headlight is full of a bunch of stolen band gear and is being driven by a criminal.
3.) You got a warning. If he really wanted to be a d*ck, he could have given you a ticket for having a headlight out, a noise ordinance ticket, etc.
What exactly is the problem here? Yeah, it was inconvenient for you for what, 10, maybe 15 minutes? The cop was doing his job. Bottom line.