First, look at this map here.

This is the intersection right by my work. As I driving south on Williams St a gold chrysler land yacht runs the stop sign coming out of Albertson's (store parking lot on the right), cuts into my lane of traffic right in front of me. Instead of hitting this idiot driver, I turned right onto E. 16th. I cut the wheel hard, gave it a substantial amount of gas to get out of the way, and slowed after I got onto the street. Of course, there was an older lady down the street quite a ways who freaked out and started running across the street (we'll come back to this in a moment). Of course, the person in the gold chrysler didn't give a damn and kept going, not caring. I pull into the south parking lot and park to take a breather. Just as soon as I have my radio off and my seatbelt undone I hear the behind me. Good 'ol Santa Ana P.D.

I think "Ah, fantastic, a ticket to go with my evasive maneuvers."
Cop comes up to my window. "Hi there, license and registration please."
To which, I hand him my stuff.
Officer 1: "So, why were you driving crazy like that?"
Me: "Well, I wouldn't say I was driving crazy -- I was trying not to hit a car that cut me off."
Officer: "What do you mean?"
Me: "Another car came out of the Albertson's parking lot, ran the stop sign and drove out in front of me. Instead of hitting that person I turned to the right and swerved a bit, but luckily didn't hit anyone or anything."
Officer: "So when was the last time you had a ticket?"
Me: "Last year sometime, for expired registration."

The officer then walks behind my car. To my right I saw the other officer whom had his head at window-level and looking into my car walk behind with him.

They were talking, albeit not quietly... One of them said they saw the other car, the other was like "well, okay."

Officer came back around to my side of the car, gave me back my license with registration and said "Alright, well stay safe." Then they drove off.

I spent the next 10 minutes doing damage control with the old lady who swore "I ALMOST GOT HIT!" like it was Paris Hilton's new slang.

"Oh you're scare? I'M SCARED! I ALMOST GOT HIT! Were you the one driving that car? OH MY GOD! I ALMOST GOT HIT! WHY WERE YOU DRIVING LIKE THAT?"

So I apologized about her wracked nerves... Mine weren't doing too good either... Explained the sitch, to which she relaxed and quit yelling...

Oy... I need a CCWP...

Glad everything went okay. I hate it when that happens. You have to be careful out there. They give a drivers license to anyone.

If you swerve to avoid someone, miss them but hit someone else, YOU are at fault. If you hit your brakes to avoid someone, miss them but someone else rearends you, THEY are at fault. Stay within your lane and hope the person who rearends you has insurance. Glad you came out of it OK Brandon.
Cheers, Elliot

It must be the day for it...

9;30 this morning I turn off my street onto the busy street at the end of my block. As I do I notice the 60ish balding guy with a silver Boxster, top off and a trophy blond half his age sitting next to him. They are waiting to pull out onto the same street I am just entering. I think to myself that she would probably not think he was such a rich guy if she knew how much Boxsters have tanked in value... Just as I am thinking this, the putz pulls out of the parking lot directly into my path. I am driving my BMW motor and I hit the horn and swerve. I always find it unbelievable that people can look right at you as if they are connecting to your soul and then pull directly into the path of a motorcycle. Thank goodness for anti-lock brakes... I look back and the blond is slapping his right shoulder as if to scold him for not paying attention... No PD involved though...

Not considering the fact you are essentially working/driving in Tijuana the more relevant point IMO is that one of the officers saw a car blow the stop sign (obvious violation #1), pull out in front of you (violation #2 failure to yield to traffic) and could probably find a few more vehicle code violations considering it is S'Ana.l.. and they pull over to talk to you That is the lame part.

That said, I was let off of a really, really deserving ticket and probably even impound of my 70 Mustang years ago when I lived in Orange and was going to college at Rancho Santiago (I think it might be Santa Ana college now). I can't remember if I had upgraded the carb or if it was when I put the 4.11 posi in it, but I turned onto 17th from Main, street was somewhat clear mid-afternoon and I put the power down. I was just about to Ross rolling around 100mph and as the light was changing to red I was gonna go thru on a stale yellow. Then I saw the cop car rolling forward off Ross probably looking to see the car making all the racket. I put it almost completely sideways on 17th, full locked brakes, got is slowed enough to power down and make the right on Ross.

I was young and dumb and wouldn't pull that crap again! But had some skillz at the wheel that day

He ripped around, I threw the "throttle stuck" story, he laid into me cuz he knew I was lying blah blah and then ended up letting me off when he rattled off all sorts of dragstips and I made him aware they were all shut down!!! He said "well no wonder! but take that sh!t back to Orange - I will cite you if you do it again here"

I would get the most bogus of tickets in that car but that time made up for all of them!

Someone around here recently swerved to miss a deer and hit and killed someone going the opposite direction on a bike.

Deer are a catch 22.

Hit a deer, you are a fault.
Swerve and loose it into a pole, car, whatever, you are at fault.

I don't swerve or brake for animals smaller then dogs, and will brake only for animals larger then dogs. I have been lucky enough only to have hit one deer.
Personally, I prefer to eat them.


Zach

watch out rob. with a pretty s.o. beside you, rolling in a silver 914 with the top off and a little less hair on your head, you could be discribing yourself.

k

I told her that putting the correct birthday but not year in her profile would get me labelled. Let's just say she "looks" half my age. We have three kids in college and a 10 year old at home. Yopu is only 33 if she asks you what I told you...