I wasn't exactly sure where I was at the time because the sun had gone down. I had set the cruise control at about 74 mph as that was the the flow of traffic at the time, even though a number of cars had been easily flying by me.
I was in the passing lane when I suddenly noticed a set of headlights turn on in the median and a car turn out onto the interstate. I figured it to be a police car, but I didn't think he was coming for me. I was only going about 5 mph over. I was wrong. He pulled up behind and I moved over to the shoulder.
The trooper pulled up behind me and I started to get ready all of the necessary information. He came up on the passenger side and asked me if I knew why I was pulled over. I said that I figured I was going too fast for him. He told me that my driver's side headlight was out. He asked for my license and registration. I gave him my license and offered my car rental agreement. He only took my license.
While he goes back to his vehicle, I start peeking over to see if the headlight is actually out. It looked like it was working, but I couldn't tell because of the "blinder" light that the officer had shining from his driver's side.
So he comes back and gives me a warning. A WARNING!
So I take it and drive off. As I am driving off, I get behind a car and see in the reflection off of its rear fender that I have two working lights. I pulled off at the next rest stop and checked my headlights...both working.
I don't have a problem with being pulled over for something like this. But here are my issues:
- It was a car rental. Why give me a warning? Its not even my car.
- If he took the rental agreement and saw that it was due in three hours, he would have noticed I was heading home to return the car.
- Why didn't he check the front of the car to make sure he got the right guy? It was dark, how can he know that I was the one he was looking for? He could have easily walked to the front of the car to make sure that one of the headlights was out.
