Pulled over for DWC (driving while cafinated)

[Terminator2]

My dad, brothers, and I were heading down to Manchester, CT this morning. We stop at Dunkin Donuts (New Englanders for life ;) ) and get coffee. We get back on I-84 and he's driving in the right lane, maybe a mile or two above the speed limit, but so is everyone else. Next thing we know, an unmarked cruiser puts on its lights and we get pulled over. Officer gets out of his car without wasting a second as my dad goes for his license and I go for the registration. Cop comes up to passenger window and I roll it down, still fumbling around. He says, "how you guys doing?" while looking in the car, "Oh, Dunkin Donuts," he then starts laughing and says, "you can go. You're all set."

My dad asks what he did and the officer replies, "You're ok. I saw you sip that coffee and I thought it was a beer. You would have been the third one today!" (It was about 11 am) "sorry about that." My dad just says, "No big deal. Third one?" "Yep. Alright guys, drive safe. Have a great day."

If that officer is on this board, first, thanks for the laugh. Second, anyone here had a good laugh with a cop that pulled you over or with someone you pulled over?

[Sigi]

I was traveling from one jobsite to the other and I had a Diet Coke. I sipped as I was going through the intersection and got pulled over. When he pulled me over he thought the Diet Coke was a Coors Light can. Your post reminded me of that. He apologized but I told him don't sweat it.

[sierraseven]

Years and years ago, when I was active in the volunteer EMS system (and that's all we had at that time, volunteer) the Troopers and the EMTs pretty much all knew each other. I had a VW super-beetle with many problems - the glove compartment fell open every time you closed the door, the hood was tied down with rope, and I never developed the bad habit of riding the clutch because the heater could not be turned off, threatening to roast my left ankle if I left my foot near the clutch. One night the electrical system started to act up - every time I turned on the left-turn signal, all the lights went out, only to come on after pulling over, turning off the ignition, and then starting up again.

I was almost home - just approaching the left-hand turn onto Big Lake road - when I saw a Trooper lurking on a side road. "Crap! If he sees me turning without using the turn signal, he might bust me! But if I turn it on, ALL the lights will go out, and then he will definitely stop me! Will he bust me?" Figuring he might or might not, but not wanting to take a chance, I rolled down the window (knowing that it would take a coat hanger and a pair of vise-grips to roll it back up - but I digress), pulled out a pen-light, stuck my arm out the window, and flicked the penlight on and off as I slowed down for the turn.

No dice. He pulled out on the highway, gumball lights and siren, and pulled me over. When he got to the car, he was still laughing. Seeing as how we had met at a few crash scenes, he let me off with a warning, but I heard later I had become a blond joke among the Troopers for that field-expedient turn signal.

S7

[rotorik]

You sure he wasn't after an offer of a doughnut?

[Scratchy]

Years and years ago, when I was active in the volunteer EMS system (and that's all we had at that time, volunteer) the Troopers and the EMTs pretty much all knew each other. I had a VW super-beetle with many problems - the glove compartment fell open every time you closed the door, the hood was tied down with rope, and I never developed the bad habit of riding the clutch because the heater could not be turned off, threatening to roast my left ankle if I left my foot near the clutch. One night the electrical system started to act up - every time I turned on the left-turn signal, all the lights went out, only to come on after pulling over, turning off the ignition, and then starting up again.

I was almost home - just approaching the left-hand turn onto Big Lake road - when I saw a Trooper lurking on a side road. "Crap! If he sees me turning without using the turn signal, he might bust me! But if I turn it on, ALL the lights will go out, and then he will definitely stop me! Will he bust me?" Figuring he might or might not, but not wanting to take a chance, I rolled down the window (knowing that it would take a coat hanger and a pair of vise-grips to roll it back up - but I digress), pulled out a pen-light, stuck my arm out the window, and flicked the penlight on and off as I slowed down for the turn.

No dice. He pulled out on the highway, gumball lights and siren, and pulled me over. When he got to the car, he was still laughing. Seeing as how we had met at a few crash scenes, he let me off with a warning, but I heard later I had become a blond joke among the Troopers for that field-expedient turn signal.

S7

This reminded me of something I've wanted to know for a while. If you do the arm signal is it considered legal in the stead of a electric signal? Would the arm signal only work during the day legally? Can any officers out there answer this for me?

[Greenhat]

Around 30 years ago, myself and another cadet are driving back to Ohio after graduation from jumpschool.

Somewhere in Southern Ohio, we just plain run out of steam. It's the middle of the night, we're in some little town that doesn't appear to have a hotel or motel, so we pull into a parking lot and zonk out.

We're awakened an unknown amount of time later by a rapping on the window. Around the car are 4 police officers, with drawn weapons. At the drivers window is a 5th officer. After getting out of the car, answering questions about who we were and what we were doing, we discover that we are parked in the parking lot of the town's bank.

Oops.

Fortunately we were in TWs and all had a good laugh about it.

[sierraseven]

You sure he wasn't after an offer of a doughnut?

Well, that particular Trooper was kind of a hunk - I woulda offered him a doughnut if he'd been off duty!

S7

[RGR.Montcalm]

Well, that particular Trooper was kind of a hunk - I woulda offered him a doughnut if he'd been off duty!

S7

That leads to the comment about 'shining like a glazed donut':eek: :eek: ... I'll leave it to your imagination!:D