My Girl Scout deed for the day!

I had an experience that I thought I would pass it on since it could keep others from having the same problem.  I guess it could be considered my “Girl Scout deed for the day” (smile) 

I was driving on Stone Drive the other day and came upon a Highway Patrolman who had stopped someone for some reason and they had both pulled off to the side of the road.  I was approaching in the slow (right) lane.  In a situation like this I have always recognized the danger of someone walking out into my path – so I reduce my speed and am very mindful of the possibility of horror.  As I got closer, the Patrolman looked up from his paperwork and saw me approaching.  He began waving and motioned me with an angry look into the fast (right) lane.  I did the best I could to do what he was indicating as fast as I could, but I was abreast of him when I finally had the chance to change lanes. I’ll bet anybody reading this knows what happened next!!!!  I continued toward town and within minutes there were flashing lights behind me and the same Patrolman motioned that I needed to pull over.  When I reached a safe place to stop, I pulled off to the shoulder.  The next thing I knew, he was giving me a royal tongue lashing and told me that in a situation like that I should have gone into the farthest lane (left) as I approached the scene of a traffic stop. I told him that I didn’t know this.  In all the years I’ve been driving, I never have gotten even a parking ticket, much less been pulled over on the highway......and I told him so.  He seemed to have an ego problem and continued to belabor the legal and safety aspects of what he was saying. I weathered the storm of words and attitude and told him over and over that I certainly realized what he was saying, but that I had always felt that what I did in these situations was what should be done for the safety of everyone concerned.  I apologized profusely and told him that I would certainly do what he was saying from then on. He let me off with a warning rather than giving me a ticket.  Whewwwww!  When the ordeal was over and I was released to go where I had been headed, I was tempted to sit right there until I caught my breath and then head right back home.  Instead, I pulled myself together and continued on toward town.  Needless to say, I was VERY aware of everyone on the road with me because I just knew that the guy with the attitude had me in his sights to catch me doing something else so that he could give me a ticket.  I made it to town and was “venting” to a friend about my earlier misfortune. I told him that I was absolutely terrified as all this was happening and even though it had happened a couple of hours before I was still shook up.  When I finished my tale he told me that he had had a similar experience several weeks before......... and wasn’t as lucky as I was.  He got a $100 ticket!!

Other folks might already be aware of this; but, just in case, I thought I’d pass on this experience. Since then, I checked and found that it actually is a law in Tennessee.  Since my situation, I have heard of many cases of folks who have had tickets for this, so I guess I am not alone in my having missed this new law.

I hope this posting will keep somebody else out of trouble!