Tailing The Police

So I’m driving to the train station today and as I approach a 4-way stop, I notice a police cruiser as it pulls up to the stop sign on my left.  He reaches his stop well before me so being a law-abiding citizen I allow him to make his left turn.  Shortly after, I proceed forward and end up a little ways behind the police cruiser.

He reaches the next 4-way stop and is making another left turn, I pull up behind him and I too need to make a left turn so I switch on my blinker and wait for him to head through the intersection.  He does and I pull up to the stop sign, count to 3 (I’ve actually received a ticket for not stopping long enough at a stop sign so now I always count 1-one thousand, 2-one thousand, 3-one thousand before going past a stop sign) and again end up behind him.

At this point, I recall an urban legend about police officers tailing a driver and how they are only supposed to tail you for three blocks before they have to turn so as not to intimidate.  I’m wondering if our roles have been reversed and if this police officer is thinking that I’m tailing him.  It’s just a fleeting thought but it provides some mild amusement for a Thursday morning.

At the third 4-way stop, the officer goes straight – as do I, chuckling to myself.  At the fourth intersection, he is turning left and I just happen to need to turn left too.  As I switch on my blinker in my amused delusion, I envision the officer sitting in his car radioing to HQ that he’s got a stalker in a white pick-up truck who won’t stop following him.

“Have you gone three blocks or more?” says the dispatcher.

“I have!  I have and he won’t stop tailing me!  What do I do?” says the nervous police officer.  He looks into his rear view mirror and sees a slightly overweight, middle aged guy with a graying beard jamming out to AC/DC.   “I’m pretty sure he’s crazy!”

“Ok, if he keeps following you after the next intersection…there’s only one option,” says the dispatcher taking in a gulp of air.  It’s a tense moment and she knows it.  “Stop the car and run!  Run I tell you!”

We reach the fifth intersection, which happens to be a blinking stop light, he turns on his right blinker but I, unfortunately, need to keep going straight.   He goes his way and I go mine.  Crisis averted.

“Is he still following you?” asks the dispatcher, white knuckles gripping the radio.  “I repeat, is he still following?”

“No,” gasps the officer.  “I faked him out and made a right turn, he kept going straight.  I think…I think I’m okay.”

“That was a close one, Bob.  Too close,” she says.

“I know, Janine.  I’m still kind of shaky,” Bob says.  “I think I’ll take the rest of the day off.  Go home.  Kiss my wife, hug my kids…”

“I think that’s the best thing to do…” Janine says somberly.