Years ago on Thanksgiving I was returning home that night in my just acquired winter beater with a bad muffler and expired temporary inspection sticker and stopped at a stop light, when the light turned green I took off normally, which was still pretty loud, about a block later I got lit up by a NYS trooper, gave him the usual paper work and waited for my two tickets I knew were coming.
Trooper; Didn`t you see me sitting at the gas station?
Me; No sir if I had I most definitely would have eased away from that stop light.
The trooper went back to his car and in a few minutes came back to me.
Trooper; So, do want a ticket for inadequate exhaust or expired inspection sticker?
Me; HUH!? (I started to laugh a little and was smiling) Why the choice?
Trooper; Let`s just say I`m running a holiday special tonight, so, exhaust or expired inspection?
Me; Exhaust please. (much cheaper fine if fixed right away)
I`ve had a couple of questionable encounters with LEO over the years but that trooper offset any ill feelings I had about those other two encounters and still makes me smile a little even to this day when I think about it.
Thank you officer, who ever you are.
