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Paul Dallas said:
I was harassed by the police today and perhaps even my civil liberties were violated.

Without embellishment or exaggeration for effect, here is what transpired . . . .

12:40 p.m. this afternoon traveling westbound on the 15500 block of Manchester road in Ballwin, a police cruiser lit up the rollers and sounded the siren piercingly for approximately 10 or 11 seconds until which time I could spot a safe place location in which to pull over. In my company, my hot-tempered redhead wife and 10 year old daughter, returning from HomeGoods store with some objectionably tacky art, a white horse in oil if you must know, in which to decorate said daughters bedroom. We paid $29.57 and I was able to produce a receipt offering proof that artwork had indeed been purchased and not strong-armed. But I digress. Back to the pullover. I was short on time, in a surly mood, and with the pressing need to deliver my son to a soccer game in Shrewsbury in approximately 45 minutes, but more to the point, highly embarassed and in a profound state of guessing, quite nervously mind you, as I fumbled for my drivers license and a current proof of insurance, several of which cards were expired until I was able to put my hands on a current one. Running through my mind in those tense moments . . . .what infraction could I have possibly committed to deserve such a highly visible spectacle right there in front of Penn Station and BWW's for all my neighbors to see and guess as to my detention for misdemeanors unknown or possibly more egregious crime . . . .

I had my intermittent wipers on without my headlights on. Yes, that was it.

Stern lecture and I was released. Thankful to live another day.

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That's a crime, huh? Who knew?

griffin