It’s amazing how doing one little thing can open the door to something else. Ask any cop and they’ll tell you stories how this happens all the time. The smallest vehicle code violaton often leads to other things like warrants, suspended licenses and other crimes.
The other night I was getting onto the freeway when I saw an SUV going a lot faster than everyone else. I had a perfect view from the on ramp as the vehicle raced past traffic.
The SUV came up to slower cars and had to slow down. It then accelerated again when a hole opened up. The driver’s only problem was I happened to be right behind her.
I still had Starbucks on my mind, but we were now going 83 miles per hour and passing other cars. I finally decided to stop the car and warn the driver. I just wanted to get my drink and use the restroom.
I put my lights on and the SUV took the off ramp where Starbucks was. This was going to be perfect. I put the stop out over the radio and dispatch told me the registration had expired 8 months ago.
The driver made a right turn from the off ramp and stopped within eyesight of Starbucks. I spoke to the driver about the violation and she told me she was on her way home. I also asked about the expired registration. She said, “This is my boyfriend’s car. I didn’t know. I’ll call him.”
I went back to my car and ran the plate on my computer just to make sure it expired in January. After I confirmed it I went back to the car. The driver said, “I called my boyfriend and he didn’t know.”
I found that hard to believe. I could understand one or two months expired, but eight? The registration also showed parking violations on file.
“I’m going to impounded the car,” I said.
The driver simply said, “Okay.”
There was no drama or questioning the impound. It was as if she knew and expected the vehicle to be taken away. The tow truck arrived and Uber picked her up.
It’s funny how things work out. I only got on the freeway that night so I could get to Starbucks faster. If she had slowed down I would never have noticed.
By the way, I got my drink.
Badge415 
As you know, many people are simply clueless. My mother-in-law drove around on an expired registration for a good six months and never got caught. She would have kept on driving that way until a relative happened to notice the expired window sticker and reminded her to go for the inspection asap (“um, like tomorrow!”). Of course, she’s in her 80s and wasn’t driving on a freeway at 83 mph, thank heavens.
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I would NOT want to get in between a cop and his coffee 😉
Here in Illinois, they have stopped sending reminders/mail renewals for plates to save money in our broke-ass state. Gee… guess what happened? Not only did they save money, they make money by all the extra expired tag tickets.
Thankfully, I can remember when mine expire.
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