[While we’re talking about being pulled over – let me offer a repeat from November 5, 2015. And “No” I don’t have any more stories to share about being stopped by police]
Some years ago, I was asked to make a presentation to the Mexican Corporate Bar Association – ANADE (Asociacion Nacional de Abogados de Empresa) at their annual meeting in Aguascalientes, Mexico. Donna and I flew in to Mexico City International Airport and rented a car – Budget – for the 270 mile drive.
We pulled out of the Budget lot over the angled ground spikes and headed out onto the street. I adjusted the rear view mirror and noticed that a police car had pulled in behind me — about 100 yards back. Hmmmmm. . . . I kept driving. Carefully. After a mile or so, the police car put on its flashers and pulled me over. I got out of the car and held up my license. An officer got out, adjusting his Sam Brown belt and walked up. “You almost hit a car back there.” Bull. After some discussion in Spanish (I suggested contacting the Embassy), he looked at me quizzically and asked “why are you here?” And I told him I was giving a speech to the Asociacion Nacional de Abogados de Empresa. He turned, waved and said “just be careful.” He got in his car and drove away.
Why are you here? I think about these words. In my heart, I believe that each one of us is “here” for some purpose. I love a quote of Albert Schweitzer – “The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others.” Then again, there’s the quote of W.H.Auden – “We are all here on earth to help others; what on earth the others are here for, I don’t know.”
I represented cops for years. When a traffic arrestee gets out of his car, that rings alarm bells big time, and the arresting officer assumes a whole different mentality in dealing with the driver.
My advice is to stay in the car. You are then in a submissive rather than a potentially confrontational mode. Much safer for both of you.
S.