Thursday, March 3, 2011

Heavenly roads

The roads here are like heaven.

They are big, long, straight and well maintained (most of the times).




Heavenly roads...






So what is more heavenly than to drive 75 miles an hour at the highway and enjoy the music and the flashing by of the road markers…

Actually nothing, until you see a nice white and blue marked car, spinning around on the opposite lane and turn on nice red, white and blue lights…

And as a “new” citizen of this country it is very hard to recognize those cars and slow down in time because they can be green and white or gray and black or white and black. VERY CONFUSING, it would be much easier if they were just all the same!?



Heavenly roads that you can't see...








So I slowed down, and pulled over. The policeman in question gets out of his car with of course his sunglasses on and walks his very manly walk over to my car. Well it was my mom and dad’s car so I was still fumbling true the glove compartment to find the insurance papers.

“PUT YOUR HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL!” he yelled. "Oh my gosh, sorry sir". If I wasn’t sweating like a little piglet before, I was now! How am I supposed to know that you are NOT allowed to fumble in your glove compartment for you insurance papers???

“Hand me your driver’s license”. Hmmmmm, I didn’t have one, as in an American one, and the Dutch one I had was in MY car at MY house. "Sorry, sir".

“What is your name?” Well it is Leontien Oostdijck, but it probably is in your computer Leontien van de Laar (I just got married you see). It is never a good idea to tell more information to the police officer, I found out. "So sorry, sir".




Heavenly roads old style...







“What is your Social Security Number?” Hmmmmm, I don’t know. … I knew but I am so flustered that I just CAN’T remember the numbers. "Even more sorry, sir".

“What your address?” And yes, I even messed that up by giving him my house address street name and number but the farms town and zip code part of the address . With a very red head, sweating like a maniac, sorry sir.

After these 4 questions and me giving wrong or no answers too all of them the policeman got a little nervous.

He walked away to his car with my mom and dad’s insurance card, and after 20 minutes he came back. In those 20 minutes I already pictured myself in an orange jumper in the Fort Wayne jail, getting one phone call, trying to explain too Bastiaan why I ended up there. It is not uncommon that they put our Hispanic employees straight in jail if they don’t have the proper ID’s so I figured I would have the same faith.

He looked at me, handed me a ticked for speeding!?!



Roadsigns that made it all the way over the
ocean...





He told me it would take him too much time to tow my car, do all the paperwork and book me so I got lucky?!? I needed to promise him to go get my Indiana drivers license and never leave the house without proper id AND memorize my Social Security Number.

No jail, no orange jumper again (Like in Worst plane rides ever) just a ticked and a warning. I couldn’t believe my ears.

I mumbled a “YES SIR” and went on my merry way.
Without passing the speed limit...
At least for that day...

36 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

Ha ha! Oh I can imagine all the thoughts that ran through your head! I've had a few speeding tickets myself, but it's easier when you were born and raised in this country etc. :)

Inger said...

This is so funny, but I've had this thought in my mind for years: What if I wasn't tall, blond (when I was younger) and Swedish, would I get to try on that orange jumpsuit? Still though, this was a great post, so funny.--Inger

Unknown said...

That is the second speeding story I have heard from you in a month! Sounds like someone has a heavy foot ;)

ann said...

If you were out west you could drive very fast some places I think it is 80mpr. If you have a wreck it will hurt!!!

Buttons Thoughts said...

Funny!

Sharon said...

I'm sorry, but that is too funny! I somehow have managed never to get a speeding or any other kind of ticket. A little voice in my head says that I better slow down, I do, and then there goes the law. I hope I never lose that little voice, because I do tend to have a bit of a heavy foot if my seat is too close to the gas pedal. :-) The hardest thing for me to do is slow down for towns after I have been on the highway for a while...........

Louise said...

I have to join the "too funny" crowd. I know it wasn't, at the time, by you have a wonderful way of telling a story and it just came out hilarious. I ope that you don't get stopped by another cop for a long, long time.

About Muriel said...

Enjoyed the story and the pictures...I have had similar experience with a cop yelling in his megaphone and quickly learned my lesson from it:)

Furry Bottoms said...

hahahahaha Oh, that could have ended up pretty bad! I'm glad you got off with a ticket and a warning, not a new metal bracelet!

I made the mistake... when I first got pulled over... of getting OUT of the car while the cop was writing up the ticket. Freaked him out enough for him to put his hand on his gun and unbuckle the holster. I was just 16 at the time. All I wanted was to ask what I wa ssupposed to do with the ticket. I was such an idiot :)

I love the amish carriage. It brings back warm memories :)

Teresa said...

What an experience! So glad you didn't get hauled away!

Dreaming said...

Oh, my palms got sweaty and my heart began beating faster just reading your post! Glad there was not jumpsuit in your future!
Stay safe!

Maura @ Kisiwa Creek Photography said...

OH gosh...you had me laughing out loud with this story! I'm sure I would do exactly the same thing if I was ever stopped. In all my 58 years I have never been stopped by the police and it makes me sweat just thinking about it! I too am an immigrant (Canada) but have lived here for over 10 years and am married to an American. I have no idea what my social security number is....it has a 7 in it...that I know for sure. Thank goodness the fellow was nice enough to let you go...he should have just given you a warning about speeding and let you go though. Oh well. We have an Amish community less than 20 miles from us...love seeing the carriages. Thanks for stopping by today and leaving a message...it was nice to 'meet' you! Have a wonderful weekend.
Maura :)

Alica said...

And in each state, the laws are different!! I got stopped about 3 years ago for the first time ever...not a fun experience!
That last picture makes me feel right at home.

Alica said...

Oops...I meant to say that the NEXT TO LAST picture makes me feel right at home! :)

Julie said...

I have been pulled over a couple of times myself and seem to always get out of it. I think it helps to be blonde and female. :)

JoyceAnn said...

Hi ~ Funny story , but please slowwww down. Thanks for visiting my blog.

~ Farm Blessings ~

BigD said...

You have a way with cops, don't you?

Jen said...

Oooo no! I would have been sweatin like a piggy too and I would have been cryin and I would for all my information, lol.

Dawn said...

I don't know....I hate it when I'm made to feel like I should be thrown in jail and all it would take would be for some big police guy to kindly ask for my information. Why is it they make you feel like a criminal when it's something quite simple as giving information?
What a terrible feeling!
Sorry it had to be like that your first time being pulled over. (It was the 1st time- right?:))

Ohiofarmgirl said...

HI-larious! Glad you got away
;-)

Inger-M said...

Great post and great blog! I love your writing style!
I'm happy you found my blog and signed up to follow; I'm following yours too. Look forward to browsing some more here :-)

Deb said...

oh boy...I bet you were nervous..so glad it turned out good for you...

Randy said...

Thank you for visiting my blog today. I really liked your story.

Sally said...

Glad, all's well that ends well!

MadSnapper said...

i just read the police story, the dermatolgist story and the tattoo story out loud to my husband. we are both rolling on the floor laughing and thanks for making us laugh so early in our day. you have a true talent for writing and making us SEE what you saw and did, your sense of humour is delightful, I am now your 64th follower and am looking forward to seeing what you get into next

Ocean Breezes and Country Sneezes said...

I'm with Dawn, I think they need lessons in how to be nice!

V.L. Locey said...

My gosh such straight roads! Ours are all curvy and bouncy!

Thanks for dropping into my blog, it`s nice to meet you!

Gail said...

Wonderful post!

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

I knew you were not from Oklahoma when you said the road were well maintained.

Encounters with law enforcement can be very stressful.

barbara l. hale said...

Glad you got off with just a ticket! The police make me nervous even when I'm not doing anything wrong...I can imagine the stress you felt. Ah, the beauty of a straight, long road!

Verde Farm said...

Oh my goodness--that is a hoot and you are sooooooo lucky. I just can imagine his face when he found out you gave him everything wrong. I would say a ticket was a gift :) LOL Thank you for sharing this with FFF!

Anonymous said...

So nice to meet you! What a story you have. I can't wait to read more! :)

Leontien said...

Oh my goodness!
As much fun as it is to re-live these moments or writing about them, is is as much fun to read all of your comments!!!

Thank you soooooo much!
Leontien

Kymberly Foster Seabolt said...

"His very manly walk" made me laugh. We have some "officer" friends and I tease that they are taught that belt hitch walk in order to graduate the Police Academy.

Great job - now slow down lead foot - I'm probably trying to pass!

Anonymous said...

We are so thankful I ran across this excellent webpage! You are simply accurate!!
I wish most people would feel exactly like all of us! Carry on the excellent blog posts I'm taking a look at you now hahah

Anonymous said...

I am just totally grateful I stumbled onto this blog! You're so correct!!
I only wish the rest would just think exactly like us all! Keep up the great blog posts I enjoy browsing you now lol