I was stopped by the police with DS in the car...bad mama moment

[Saiahma]

Ugh! I'm still upset about this! It was completely my fault, my registration sticker on my plates expired in November. I didn't have the money to renew them at the time due to DS's hospital bills. Then Christmas came and I was broke through December...I was HONESTLY going to pay for it this coming Tuesday on my payday, I even had it written on my to do list! I went out of my way to stop at a place to get a veggie burrito last night because I was craving one, and I got pulled over. DS 5 was in the backseat of course. I wasn't crying or upset or yelling or anything, and the police man was very nice (gave me 10 days to get it taken care of, no ticket) but I feel like such a degenerate! I asked DS if he was scared while we were waiting in the car and he said no, and he hasn't brought it up since yesterday. I explained to him the guy was just reminding me to get a new sticker for my car, I wasn't in trouble or anything.....but I still feel bad Should I bring it up again to make sure he understands? Or just leave it alone? He'll be with me when I get my new sticker, so I guess I could just show him it's all taken care of...I've never been pulled over before, so I'm proud of myself for not overreacting in front of him. I just feel like a big loser!!

[Clarity]

at 5, would he understand about insurance and registrations anyhow? At his age, he thinks policeman are there to help you...and he did help you...he pointed out you forgot to go get the stickers that tell the police car was checked and is safe.

[cinnamonamon]

What Clarity said. s to you for having to go through a pull-over, though -- no fun!!

[Dakota's Mom]

I got a parking ticket one day with 4 clients in the car. I was able to turn it into a good object lesson for them. You have to obey the law. The law says don't park here and I paarked here so now I have to pay the consequences. For the women I work with this was great. Instead of trying to get one over on the cop like they would I was polite and accepted the ticket. Gee, the agency should have paid that ticket since it was such a good object lesson. OH WELL.

Kathi

[IdentityCrisisMama]

I understand why you would worry about this issue, which to adults seems like no big deal. You are a great mama to worry that your 5 year old may have another perspective. I was absolutely petrified of police as a child.
I would talk to your son again if you think he is worrying. Maybe you can show him ways that the police help people…like helping remind you to renew your plates!

I would only caution you to not be the one to plant the idea in your son’s head the police are something to be feared. If he is truly “over it” then let it go.

[Gemini]

What a bummer. It seems your son took it in very well. Maybe even asking him if he was afraid wasn't even nessasary, just something to make him wonder why he would need to be afraid of them and always be suspiscious.

Here is my expired tabs pull over story. :

Mine were due in November also and I completely spaced it out. I was driving my Jeep all the time and was never pulled over. Well I was at someones house and they happened to point to my plates and I was shocked besides being mortifyingly embarrassed.........it was April. So after having it pointed out to me I was terrified of being pulled over for it and was especially cautious about my driving. It was a weekend when it was pointed out to me, andI had to work on Monday. So on the way to work on Monday, what happens no less then 24 hours of knowing that my tabs have been expired for 5 months??? I freakin' get pulled over. The cop was a dink, and gave me a ticket and I was late for work. I was soooo pissed of about that karma. That is how things have often worked out for me in life. : Murphy's Law is always pickin' on me.

[EMZ]

I once got pulled over for not having a valid inspection sticker. I had just changed my vehicle registration to a new state and was told that I had 10 days to get it inspected. Like a fool, I put my new plates on the car and the next day got pulled over for no valid inspection sticker. I told the policeman I had just registered the car and had 10 days but he ticketed me anyways. The kicker was that I had an appt to take my car in that Monday (federal holiday and I was off work). I STILL had to go to court and once the judge saw that I had gotten the car inspected within the proper timeframe, he threw it out.

Fortunately, at the time, I was in the military and so taking off a day from work didn't cost me any pay, but what if it would have, you know? The ticket was only $50, but some people make more than $50 a day and you have to go into court at 9:00 a.m. and do not know what time your case will be called.

Just wanted to share my horrible pullover - fortunately no kids in the car, but my MOM was! That was worse as she had been telling me that I was driving too fast (and I wasn't).

[copslass]

Sounds like your five year old is less upset than you!
Like someone else stated, he just knows that the policeman was there to help, especially since you explained it so well to him.

A few years ago, I was coming home from a meeting with my then-9yo dd and her friend, same age. A mile or two past a traffic light, I saw the lights in my mirror. Is there a worse feeling in the world??? After handing over my license, I had to ask why I was pulled over, and was told that I'd run a red light?! I certainly had NOT! Especially since my dh is a sergeant in a nearby town, and I had his CHIEF's DD in the car!!!

I just apologized profusely for running the light that I didn't run, and told him in a hushed, worries voice who was with me, and he apologized and told me to have a good evening. JERK. He knew I hadn't run that light, and I had to explain that to the girls. One of life's little lessons, I guess.

Btw, my dd was in tears, so was SO upset. Chief's dd actually laughed and told us the story of her mom getting a recent ticket...

Thanks for letting me vent!


I'm not really a new member, just an old, recycled member.

[copslass]

oops..

[Nikki Christina]

honestly I would have never asked him if he was scared or said the word trouble.. seems like a good way to make him afraid of cops.. when you never know if he'll need one one day

I would drop it untill you go get the sticker & then make a comment about how the nice cop reminded you that you needed a new one