Ok, by now almost all of us have encountered a policeman while driving our Boxster's. Post up any good stories, here is mine...
The onramps to the freeways here in LA are metered, meaning that they have a light at the entrance to the freeway that operates during high traffic periods to "meter" the number of cars entering the freeway. This is supposed to help prevent traffic jams from a lot of cars all merging onto the freeway at once.
The onramp near my work is metered and has a good 1/4 mile straight before the light. One day there isn't anyone between me and the light, so I time it as I'm going up the onramp and hit the light just as it turns green. At about 70mph.
Just as I merge onto the freeway, a CHP officer hits his lights and pulls me over. The conversation goes like this;
C: Can I see your drivers license, registration, and proof of insurance?
Me: Yes, officer. Here you go...
C: Do you know why I stopped you?
Me: No sir.....speeding maybe?
C: No, you ran the light at the freeway entrance.
Me: Could you repeat that again? What happened?
C: You failed to stop at the metering light at the freeway entrance.
Me: It was green.
C: No, you failed to stop at the light.
Me: I understand what you're saying, but it was green.
C: No, you don't understand, you failed to stop at the light.
Me. Ok, let's make sure that we're communicating. Can you explain step by step what I did wrong?
C: As you came up the on-ramp, you failed to stop at the light before entering the freeway.
Me: Is that it?
C: Yes.
Me: Ok, here is how I saw it - I drove up the onramp and could see the light and timed it so it was green when I drove though.
C: That is still illegal.
Me: How is that illegal? I never stop at a green light when I'm driving down the street! If its green, you just drive through!
C: No, you have to stop.... (he's thinking now...), well, WHAT if the light had turned red? There is no way that you could have stopped in time. You need to slow to a safe speed so you could stop IF the light changed.
Me: That's not a law! And you might be surprised, this car can stop pretty damn fast.
C: No, you would have ran the red light.
Me: Ok, let's say that I would have ran the red light - THEN you could give me a ticket. But I didn't. I hit the light when it was green. You can't give me a ticket for something that MIGHT have happened.
C: Give me a minute...(walks back to his car for a few minutes)
C: Ok, you are free to go....