Massachusetts, in a cost saving measure, now prohibits the DMV (Division of Motor Vehicles)from notifying car owners when their registration or license is up for renewal. Consequently, after my several decades of driving and not having to think about due dates, I was stopped as I took a right turn. I drive an automatic which does not down shift audibly as a manual shift might. As a result, when the blue lights started flashing behind me, I was puzzled as to why I was being stopped. Not once throughout a somewhat lengthy conversation with the officer was there a discussion about failure to stop at a stop sign.
I had pulled out my license (in the same way I pulled out of my memory what I had seen people do in the movies) at which the officer scarcely gave a glance and immediately asked for my registration. I told her I hope she would be patient as I knew it was in my glove compartment but hadn't been asked for it by police in several years, so I had to hunt a bit. I was waiting for her to tell me why I had been stopped since I had no clue. Finally, after she glanced at my registration she pointed out that it was not renewed and had expired several days ago. She insisted I could not drive the car and it would have to be towed. It took seconds for me to realize that the 5/09 on the registration clearly indicated I had not renewed it but that I would I have to be towed truly shocked me.
She then asked where I was heading and I told her the name of the town, not terribly far away. She said I could not go there but she would allow me to drive home as long as I parked the car in the driveway and did not drive it to the registry to get the renewal. She kept telling me that her information didn't show what was against my registration but it might be an unpaid parking ticket. I told her that couldn't be as I have not had any tickets and rarely park where I could have gotten one and had it blow off (as she suggested may have happened). I don't know how long the police keep driving records, probably no longer than 7 years, but I know I have not had any parking tickets in well over 20 years.
Having thanked her for allowing me to drive home, she then handed me my expired registration and a piece of paper that I thought pertained to that. After she left and I examined the paper, it read that I had failed to stop properly at a stop sign. Having been warned that I might be picked up by another police person who might notice the 5 09 on my plate might not allow me to dive myself home. Finally, I arrived home safely, having pictured a police car hiding at every corner. I tried to keep myself closely between the car before and after me. Naturally, while I normally find myself tail-gated, I was followed all the way by cars keeping a long distance behind me. After my initial rocketing response, I sputtered and mumbled and visualized unkind images about the policewoman until, back home, I found a magnifying glass and studied the paper. Typically, in an almost imperceptible tiny mark,since my copy was the carbon, I realized the kind lady had given me a warning.
Hopefully, by tomorrow afternoon, I will once again be a completely law-abiding citizen again.
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