Getting Pinched

My grandfather used to have an expression: getting pinched. It meant that the cops busted you. My family has a long history of getting pinched for speeding, and yours truly is keeping the family tradition alive, Hank Williams Jr. style.

On my way to the train station on Friday morning, Officer Hardass was standing in the middle of the 2 lane road, pointing me to the curb.

I pulled over, and he told me I was doing "over 40 in a 25 zone," but when he showed me the radar gun in his hand, it showed 36. He asked to see my driver's license, insurance and registration. While the latter two are all paid up, all I had on me were expired versions.

When The Fuzz came back, he told me he was going to do me a favor. Instead of a speeding ticket, he was going to issue me two tickets, but the favor was that there would be no points on my license. The first ticket was a "Fix-It" ticket, where I have to show updated paperwork.

The second ticket? Failure to obey a sign, ostensibly the 25 MPH sign. Something is fishy. Why did he tell me I was doing over 40, but only clock me at 36? Why not issue me a ticket for 36?

Is it because Oakland has much bigger problems than someone doing 36 in a 25, and that if I chose to go to court, the cop's appearance would be compromised for such a petty violation?

I don't feel like protesting and investigating, and more pertinently, I was speeding. Was I doing 40? No. 36? More likely, but it was early, and I wasn't focused on it. No points, who cares. I am just going to pay the fine and be done with it.

I am suspicious of Oakland cops, but at least they were doing something.