A rude awakening in early-morning transit
The mysterious phenomenon of how one can unknowingly hear an alarm, walk across the room, turn it off, walk back to bed and fall asleep is beyond me.
I woke one morning this week, looked at the clock and was utterly confused. I didn’t remember hearing the alarm and getting out of bed to turn it off. I was rather upset with myself for making the rash decision to wander back to bed.
Not only did I miraculously wake up at the exact time my class was starting, but I also made it half way to school in near record time. When I say half way, I mean I literally made it half way to school before getting pulled over by the lovely Fargo Police Department.
Apparently, the officer was on my tail for quite some time before I noticed the flashing lights behind me. Even before asking for my license and registration, he asked me if I had been on my cell phone or if my music had been really loud because he had been following me with sirens and flashing lights before I finally pulled over.
I wasn’t on my cell phone, and I didn’t think my music was any louder than usual. So I told the officer I wasn’t on my phone nor was my music all that loud, but that I was probably just in a daze, which now that I think about it, probably wasn’t the best answer.
My next error occurred when he asked me for my license, registration and proof of insurance. I must have handed him four different forms from my glove box before finding one that hadn’t expired. I think he was getting a little antsy because he told me he would take my word for it that my car was insured — that was only after I convinced him my dad sells insurance and I know for a fact that I have it.
My third error occurred when he asked me if I knew why I was being pulled over. I told him I had no idea but that I was probably speeding. He chuckled and agreed.
My incident with the police officer reiterates the importance of spring break for college students. The semester gets to be long, stressful, and full of sleepless nights and early mornings, so it is odd why there aren’t more traffic violations from college students early in the morning.