Getting Pulled Over DWI

[neuroman]

useless cliff's notes at bottom.

Last night I drove to a friend's party on the south side of town. I showed up around 10:45, and not a minute after I walk in the door I've got a double crown on the rocks in my hand. Sweet.

The crowd was medium-small, about twenty or thirty typical 19-25 year olds, mostly students and a few young urban professionals. There were only a couple hot chicks; one was a psycho, the other was there with her boyfriend.

I was mingling, talking, and having a good time. I started out drinking the crown royal and a jumbo anchor steam beer, but when those were finished I got a glass of the trashcan punch. It tasted warm and weak, so I spiked it with everclear and captain morgan's and added a bunch of ice. Now the punch was deliciously alcoholic and I helped myself to a large cup.

There's another party uptown near where I live, so about midnight I find the hostess and tell her I'm taking off. She tries to refill my glass with more punch but I wisely(?) don't drink any since I didn't want to overly impair my driving abilities.

I'm driving north on a major six lane road, and I decide to make a phone call. This turns out to be a bad idea, because I end up going 48 in a 35 due to my inattention. The next thing I know, Smokey's in my rear view, lights blazing. [censored].

I pull over onto a side street, lower my window, put my keys on the dash and my hands on the wheel. We go through the usual license and registration bit. He asks me if I've had anything to drink tonight and I unwisely(?) tell him yes, I've had a glass of wine. He asks me to step out of the car.

Then I get grilled. He asks me where I'm coming from, how much do I weigh, etc. I tell him I'm coming from dinner at a friend's house, that I had one beer earlier and one glass of wine with dinner. This seems like a much better story than telling him I was two fisting beer and whiskey at a party with a bunch of underage drinkers. The cop seemed to want a lot of detailed answers.

Cop: What kind of beer were you drinking?
Me: Negro Modelo. (no idea why that popped into my head)

Cop: And what time did you have your last drink?
Me: About 9:30 or 9:40, as we started dinner. (The cop earlier asked me what time I arrived at my friend's house; I think he was hoping to trip me up with this question.)

Cop: What did you eat for dinner?
Me: Pasta and shrimp in a red sauce (hey, lying to cops is easy!)

Then the policeman makes me stand in one spot with my hands at my side and my head stationary. He tells me to focus my eyes on the tip of his pen and to follow his motions. At first I screw this up and swivel my head, which he cautions me not to do.

I start watching his pen as he moves it back and forth. He does this in silence for 30, 45 seconds. I get the feeling I am on very thin ice here and put 110% of my willpower into staying motionless and watching his pen. At one point he moves the pen extremely far to my left and holds it there for a good ten seconds. I feel uncomfortable, but maintain my focus.

After what felt like a minute and a half of pen gazing (but was almost certainly less) he tells me "Ok sir, I think I've seen enough here." It is at this point I notice there is now a second patrol car on the scene. Ohhhhhhh fudge. I am going to jail.

Then he tells me "I'm going to issue you a warning for speeding," and signals the 2nd unit to leave. I felt like I won the lottery.

Cliff's notes: do not drink, drive, and talk.

[Sasha Cohen]

[ QUOTE ]
Cop: What kind of beer were you drinking?
Me: Negro Modelo.

[/ QUOTE ]

Excellent.

[JMa]

how come cops ask where you live? Ive been stopped by the police multiple times, both when I was behind the wheel but also when I was on foot, and they always ask me that.

[guids]

You can probably garner a lot by knowing what part of town someone comes from.

[Claunchy]

[ QUOTE ]
how come cops ask where you live? Ive been stopped by the police multiple times, both when I was behind the wheel but also when I was on foot, and they always ask me that.

[/ QUOTE ]
I think they're just trying to ask as many questions as possible to see how you respond, so they can better determine how drunk you are.

[Phenomenon]

I'm sure you'll do it again.

[JMa]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
how come cops ask where you live? Ive been stopped by the police multiple times, both when I was behind the wheel but also when I was on foot, and they always ask me that.

[/ QUOTE ]
I think they're just trying to ask as many questions as possible to see how you respond, so they can better determine how drunk you are.

[/ QUOTE ]

why are they asking me that when I am on foot then?

[drexah]

" pull over onto a side street, lower my window, put my keys on the dash and my hands on the wheel."

is this standard procedure, especially the keys on the dash thing? i don't think ive ever turned my car off when pulled over before.

[Phenomenon]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
how come cops ask where you live? Ive been stopped by the police multiple times, both when I was behind the wheel but also when I was on foot, and they always ask me that.

[/ QUOTE ]
I think they're just trying to ask as many questions as possible to see how you respond, so they can better determine how drunk you are.

[/ QUOTE ]

why are they asking me that when I am on foot then?

[/ QUOTE ]

I think your wooden leg gives them the wrong impression.

[neuroman]

[ QUOTE ]
" pull over onto a side street, lower my window, put my keys on the dash and my hands on the wheel."

is this standard procedure, especially the keys on the dash thing? i don't think ive ever turned my car off when pulled over before.

[/ QUOTE ]
I don't know, I think I once heard a friend or someone on teh internets say that it was a good thing to do because it makes the cop feel safer/more comfortable. It sure can't hurt.

I'm really surprised a cop would let you leave your car running during a stop.