Driver gets warning, no ticket

Gus Philpott
Woodstock Advocate
January 17, 2012

Received the following from a motorist in the St. Louis area who had an encounter with a Missouri State Trooper yesterday. Sure is nice to read about how police treat some drivers:

"I got pulled over by a state troopoer for having a tail light out and driving on the shoulder of the road. I didn't know it was burnt out, the brake light was ok per the trooper. Trooper asked why I was driving on the shoulder. I said I must have weaved over when I picked up my diet coke. I got a warning, no ticket. Got the tailight fixed on my way home this morning. Trooper that they had lots of drunk drivers in that area. Well I guess I didn't smell drunk (I think that's possible with diet sodas.) and our large sodas were clearly visable in the cup holders. He was very polite about the whole matter."

Some drivers have the misfortune of being stopped by a polite officer who offers a warning for a burned-out headlight (and right in front of the driver's home), until a second cop shows up and reminds the first of a standing order at the Department to ticket that driver for anything! No warnings.

It's called "payback". But maybe it really puts karma in motion.