# The Knoxville TN Story and others!



## Guest (Jan 3, 2009)

Here is the story I mentioned in chat.


A few years ago, I was heading north on I-75, on my way to Kentucky.  When 75 gets close to K-ville, it runs into I-40 and to keep on 75 back then I had to move to the right lanes.

Of course I was speeding a little but and in the wrong lanes when I got there.  Traffic was heavy moving well but wasslowing down.  seeing my predicament, I started easing over to the right and slowing down so I could get into the proper lanes and not end up on 40.

As I checked my mirrors, I noticed a city cop 2 lanes over and about 3 cars back.  He was sneaking up on me and shadowing my moves.  Now I was concerned about getting a ticket.  I was more concerned about being in the right lanes before the highway split off so I kept moving over slowly and slowing down at the sametime to fit into the traffic flow.

I look in the mirrors and there's my shadow, still sneakin up on me one lane over and 2 car away.  He was getting closer and I had one lane to go and it was gonna be close.

Just as I made it to my lane, the high way split off.  i was happy I was in the right place and just as I went to check on my shadow, I hear a loud crash with breaking glass.

My shadow, was so intent on watching me, he failed to notice that traffic had stopped in his lane.  He rammed a small pick up in the rear doing about 40 mph.  

I don't think anyone was hurt.  I don't know. I was so busy laughing, I almost wrecked my car.  serves the cop right. i have no idea why he was so focused on me.  I wasn't doing anything different than anyone else and I was being super careful.  Used my signals had my seat belt on and everything.  Maybe he didn't like my Georgia tag?


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## katiekat1066 (Nov 19, 2008)

As a native of the area this doesn't surprise me at ALL!!!
Most of Knoxville's finest tend to shoot right by me on 40/75 - come to think of it, I think I'm the only person who EVER goes through Knoxville at anything less than 70 mph.  I always drive the last leg to my Mom's house because that stretch of interstate can drive you mad (in more ways than one.)  

You just gave me a big laugh to start my day with!

Katiekat


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

That is so funny, Vamp.  Chalk up one for our side.  I hate it when they shadow me, which they used to do frequently when I drove a red 1968 Camaro Convertible.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Last summer we were driving east on I78 in Pennsylvania.  Big dumb SUV BLASTED past us.  We were a tick or two above the speed limit, going with the speed of other traffic of which there was a fair amount.  We'd seen this guy come up from behind weaving in and out between the folks who weren't going fast enough to suit him.  We pretty much moved over and stayed out of his way and grumbled.

About 15 minutes later, we saw him pulled over by a state police officer.  High Five's all around in our car.

People always say, 'Where's a cop when you need one?'.  Well, this time, there was one!

Ann


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## Benjamin (Dec 26, 2008)

Hehe when I was driving through nebraska, I ended up getting a flat tire, so I pulled over to the side of the road. A state cop pulled up almost immediately. I pretended I didnt know how to change the tire (I do, I grew up working on cars with my friends). I got the state cop to change it for me lol.

Another time I was on I10 in the florida pan handle about 2 in the morn heading back towards michigan. I was behind another car and we were both doing about 10 over the speed limit. A state cop pulled us both over, gave the guy ahead of me a warning, me a ticket, and wished me the best for the rest of my vacation.


Non cop related.
I was driving along I10 through texas headed for arizona. It was absolutely pouring out. Could only see bout 50 feet ahead of myself. All the other cars were pulling over to the shoulder to wait it out. Not me lol. I was driving a dodge ram at the time. I ended up hitting a sheet of water and going sideways in my truck at 70mph for about 100 feet. Talk bout adrenaline rush. I managed to correct myself, and just kept on going.


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## chynared21 (Oct 28, 2008)

Dragoro said:


> Another time I was on I10 in the florida pan handle about 2 in the morn heading back towards michigan. I was behind another car and we were both doing about 10 over the speed limit. A state cop pulled us both over, gave the guy ahead of me a warning, me a ticket, and wished me the best for the rest of my vacation.


*So why did the first guy get the warning and you a ticket?

Great story Vampy!*


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## Benjamin (Dec 26, 2008)

The first guy was from florida.


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## Guest (Jan 3, 2009)

> were pulling over to the shoulder to wait it out. Not me lol. I was driving a dodge ram at the time. I ended up hitting a sheet of water and going sideways in my truck at 70mph for about 100 feet. Talk bout adrenaline rush. I managed to correct myself, and just kept on going.


Send NASCAR the video. They may have a job for you.

Another time on 75, while in Kentucky, I was with my youngest brother in our sister's beatermobile. I hear the sssSSSSssssSSSsss sound.

I asked Pat if he heard it. Yep, so i pulled over. I had run over a piece of copper tubing and it was like a straw letting my air out.

No probs we thought. We got out the spare only to find it was flat. We start up the highway on foot taking turns rolling the 'spare'. I do mean up to we were on a hill and the closest station we knew about was up that hill about 2 miles.

Fortunately some passing construction workers saw us an gave us a ride up the hill to the station. We got the 'spare' filled up, checked for leaks and head out. We figured two miles down hill with a full tire would be a lot easier.

Then like a small miracle, we saw two state cops sitting out on the median covering the north/south traffic. I told Pat there's our ride. He said don't be crazy they wont give us a ride.

Too late. "Hi officers! We had a flat about 2 miles down the road. Could one of you give us a ride back to our car?"

Surly grumpy cop, "Does this look like a f&^*ing taxie to you boy?"

Me, "Oh no sir, but it does say to 'protect and to serve' right there and if we have to call your watch commander we will. It's not safe for us to walk down this highway with a tire."

Suddenly friendly cop "Get in. do you want me to change it to?"

"No thanks a ride is all we need thank you."

We drove very carefully for the rest of that trip.


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## Kathy (Nov 5, 2008)

My husband and I and 2 of or 4 children were driving from New Orleans to Key West in our Suburban several years back. We were younger then and would drive through the night. It was my turn to drive in the middle of the night and everyone was asleep. My husband woke up and thought he saw something on the road and yelled "*WATCH OUT*" scaring me to death. He thinks he was dreaming, but whatever I was on I10 going 70 mph on cruise control. I jerked the wheel and we started spinning. Took me a minute to hit the brakes. We went off the road spinning and manage to go backwards into a tree. We were so lucky that no one was hurt badly, just a few scrapes and bruises. I had hurt my leg and couldn't get out of the car, so the paramedics had to get me out. At the hospital the police showed up and stood over me at the hospital and said they were sorry but they had to give me a ticket. The ticket was for failure to control a vehicle. I couldn't help it I just started laughing and they looked at me like I had lost my mine. I told them I had no problem with the ticket since I did fail to control the vehicle.

That was the last 24 hour drive we made!


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## chynared21 (Oct 28, 2008)

Dragoro said:


> The first guy was from florida.


*Figures *


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## Guest (Jan 3, 2009)

Whoa Kathy, good thing you guys hit the tree backwards.  That could have been so much worse.


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## Kathy (Nov 5, 2008)

Vampyre said:


> Whoa Kathy, good thing you guys hit the tree backwards. That could have been so much worse.


You are right. We also got lucky with no traffic and a space without a canal next to the highway. There were 3 trees and we managed to fit between 2 of them and hit straight back in to the middle tree. Totaled the suburban, but we were happy to not be hurt badly. Another couple were in a wreck and in the same hospital and the wife didn't make it. You really know how blessed you are when that happens.


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

Okay, I'll add my story.

Many many years ago when my husband (now ex) and I were just beginning to date we were on I-79 in West Virginia.  We had been to Morgantown and were on our way back to Fairmont.  He had a Pontiac something-or-other, with a souped up thinga-ma-jig and the car went really fast.  Of course, he had more testosterone than brains (don't all young men) and decided that going 80 was a good way to show his manhood.  Speed limit was 55 back then.  He looks in the rearview mirror and sees a car catching up.  Not to be outdone, (testosterone again) he goes faster.  The car behind gets closer.  He goes faster.  After a couple of miles of this he exclaims of s**t, that's a cop.  He had noticed the tall whip-like antenae on the unmarked car.  He doesn't even have time to slow down before the policeman pulls right up along side of us, turns to looks at us, tips his hat (I'm not kidding) and left us in the dust.


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

My story is a little different, but one of the proudest moments of my life! LOL

It was a Sunday morning, around 10:30 am, and I was driving to the grocery store in our Dodge Caravan minivan. My 14 month old son was strapped into the car seat in the front seat.

We were zipping down County Road, speed limit 35, I was probably going 50. Suddenly, red flashing lights appeared in the rear view mirror. I can't believe it!

Since I have an incredibly well-developed sense of baby boomer guilt, I was practically crying before the cop even got to the car. He asked for my license and so on and I was shaking like a leaf. He asked me what I have done wrong and I said, "I was probably going too fast, officer, which was the stupidest thing in the world to do because I was endangering my baby's life!!"

He took my license, etc., and walked back to his car, does whatever cops do, and comes back a few minutes later. He says (and I am NOT making this up!!), "Because it is Sunday, there is a special program so that people who are speeding can avoid getting a ticket if they can answer one question. But if you answer the question wrong, you'll get the maximum fine for speeding, which is $150."

I looked at him like he was nuts. "Special program?" I said. "I'll try. What's the question?" 

He gave me the most serious look he could muster and said, "What time does the noon bell ring?"

I was in such shock I actually asked him to repeat the question!! Finally, I said, "Uh, noon?"

He handed me back my license and said, "Have a good day and slow down, okay?"

I have taken his advice ever since.

L


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

Leslie, I love that story.  I guess he figured you already had punished yourself enough.


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

drenee said:


> Leslie, I love that story. I guess he figured you already had punished yourself enough.


I think so! I get all shakey just thinking about. LOL.

L


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

Great story, Leslie.  Was your son in one of those seats from GM that you could put backwards in the front seat?


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## Kathy (Nov 5, 2008)

I went to pick up a prescription from the pharmacy and was coming home. It was one of those roads where the speed limit changes constantly and I wasn't really paying attention. All of a sudden I see the lights in my rearview mirror and realize I was in a 25 mph zone going 40 mph. I was sweating bullets when the officer approached the car and asked for my license. Suddenly he says never mind and tells me to just slow down. I'm wondering what is going on. I finally realized there was a big flu outbreak and when he saw me flushed and the prescription sitting on the seat he is afraid to touch my license thinking I had the flu. It really was my lucky day, I didn't have the flu and didn't get a ticket.


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## Gables Girl (Oct 28, 2008)

Dragoro said:


> The first guy was from Florida.


Ah yes, the native vs tourist ticket, they used to be able to tell what county you were from by your plate and then decide if they were going to pull you over as tourist. This isn't just in Florida I fear. I used to live in a small town in Ohio and the local cops would run your plates when they got behind you and if you were local they wouldn't pull you over.


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

Kathy said:


> I went to pick up a prescription from the pharmacy and was coming home. It was one of those roads where the speed limit changes constantly and I wasn't really paying attention. All of a sudden I see the lights in my rearview mirror and realize I was in a 25 mph zone going 40 mph. I was sweating bullets when the officer approached the car and asked for my license. Suddenly he says never mind and tells me to just slow down. I'm wondering what is going on. I finally realized there was a big flu outbreak and when he saw me flushed and the prescription sitting on the seat he is afraid to touch my license thinking I had the flu. It really was my lucky day, I didn't have the flu and didn't get a ticket.


Note to self: sneeze and cough a lot as officer approaches.


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

gertiekindle said:


> Great story, Leslie. Was your son in one of those seats from GM that you could put backwards in the front seat?


We had him riding backwards for awhile but by this time, he was riding shotgun with me.

He tells me he remembers this happening and every time he does, I swear him to secrecy. I really don't know if he remembers but I am not going to debate it. I don't think my husband has ever heard this story.

L


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## Guest (Jan 4, 2009)

drenee said:


> Okay, I'll add my story.
> 
> Many many years ago when my husband (now ex) and I were just beginning to date we were on I-79 in West Virginia. We had been to Morgantown and were on our way back to Fairmont. He had a Pontiac something-or-other, with a souped up thinga-ma-jig and the car went really fast. Of course, he had more testosterone than brains (don't all young men) and decided that going 80 was a good way to show his manhood. Speed limit was 55 back then. He looks in the rearview mirror and sees a car catching up. Not to be outdone, (testosterone again) he goes faster. The car behind gets closer. He goes faster. After a couple of miles of this he exclaims of s**t, that's a cop. He had noticed the tall whip-like antenae on the unmarked car. He doesn't even have time to slow down before the policeman pulls right up along side of us, turns to looks at us, tips his hat (I'm not kidding) and left us in the dust.


Man that sounds so Dukes of Hazard, too funny.



Leslie said:


> My story is a little different, but one of the proudest moments of my life! LOL
> 
> It was a Sunday morning, around 10:30 am, and I was driving to the grocery store in our Dodge Caravan minivan. My 14 month old son was strapped into the car seat in the front seat.
> 
> ...


You could of said, In which time zone? I love it when cops use their heads instead of their pen.

I got saved from a speeding ticket by as job application. When the state trooper saw my state job app, she said they don't like speeding tickets and let me go. I kept a copy of a state app on my front seat for a long time after that.


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## Marci (Nov 13, 2008)

Vampy-

Love the story about the cops & your sister's beatmobile flat.  Talk about an iron fist in a velvet glove  

LOL 

Marci


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## Guest (Jan 4, 2009)

My brother couldn't believe I did that.  He just knew we were gonna accidentally get shot or something.


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## hlmphotog (Jan 3, 2009)

I was in Mexico for a shoot a couple of years ago and I shot this police officer directing traffic. Only problem was there wasn't any traffic. Not even a bicycle or a pedestrian. Even we hadn't been leaving a restaurant opposite his field of view there would not have anyone at all on this street. I felt sorry for him. H was still there when we came back that way about three hours later.


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## Benjamin (Dec 26, 2008)

Might be boring, but Im betting he'd rather do that then be one of the police going after the drug cartels. Those officers seem to be getting killed at a fast paste these days.


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## Guest (Jan 4, 2009)

> I was in Mexico for a shoot a couple of years ago and I shot this police officer directing traffic


Yes, i had to do a double take there. REDRUM REDRUM REDRUM!!


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## Marci (Nov 13, 2008)

Vampyre said:


> Yes, i had to do a double take there. REDRUM REDRUM REDRUM!!


Vampy - I saw this movie when I was younger & Jack Nicholsen did a great job in the role of Dad. It did take me quite a while to figure out the "mystery" of that word.

Now it's one I'll not forget it 

Marci


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## Benjamin (Dec 26, 2008)

Marci said:


> Vampy - I saw this movie when I was younger & Jack Nicholsen did a great job in the role of Dad. It did take me quite a while to figure out the "mystery" of that word.
> 
> Now it's one I'll not forget it
> 
> Marci


The book was soooo much better.


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## Guest (Jan 5, 2009)

It was from Stephen King's *The Shining*

Back in '78, I had one year left on my Navy enlistment, While I was away, my family had moved to Kentucky.(yes they gave me the address)

I had a lot of leave time saved up so I decided to do something I had only seen done in movies. I wanted to ride my bike from California to Kentucky. It was a '72 Honda 750.

The trip went great. It wore me out but I had a really good time and really got to see the country as many never do.

When I got home, I learned my paternal Grandmother had died. None of us had seen her since we left my dad almost 10 years before. My brother Pat and I decided to go up to Ohio and check things out. Maybe she left us something!

In short the trip was a bust and almost cost us our lives.(dramatic music here)

After salvaging a bunch of pictures of us as kids we headed back to Kentucky. It's only a 3 hour trip normally.

As we were going through Cincinnati, I felt my rear tire get mushy. for some reason it was low. I stopped at a gas station filled up the tire. I saw a small thorn in the tire.

After checking the local yellow pages, I found a bike shop just 2 miles down the highway. We never made it that far.

I got back on 75 south and got up to 75mph. I wanted to get to that shop and get my tire fixed. We were going down a hill, in the center lane, passing three 18 wheelers when the tire blew out.

The bike started fish tailing right away. I felt my brother sit up and get closer to me to reduce out center of gravity. He was leaning back on the sissybar.

Then the adrenalin kicked in and time slowed way down. As i am fighting for controle of the bike my mind is processing the situation at an astounding rate. Do I go to the left side? What happens if I do? Do I go right? Can I do i without getting hit by the trucks? What about the center divider wall? What about the guard rail? CRAP CRAP CRAP!!!

I chose easing over to the right side. The guard rail was a possible danger but it was lower than that concrete divider wall. There was also a grassy area over to the right. I'd be out of the flow of traffic.

Right it was. Now I just have to get passed 3 diesel trucks and get the bike to go where i wanted it to. I had to get close to the guard rail but not hit it. If I hit it we could get killed or hurt.

I made it to the line that separates the lane from the shoulder when the bike went down. I remember sliding down that line feet first with my ankles crossed for what seemed like forever. I felt raw skin on pavement and thought it was a bad idea so I rolled over on my wallet. it shot out of my pants. Traitor! I saw truck tires go by me so close I could reach over and touch them.

Finally after what seemed like an eternity, I stopped. I laid still just long enough to determine if i had broken or inured anything seriously. Nothing hurt so I got up. There's the bike out in the center lane right in front of me. OMG!! WHERE'S PAT?!

I was trying to get orientated and figure out where he was. I didn't see him anywhere. Then i hear, "Jump! jump over the guard rail, NOW!"
As I heard that, I also saw in semi slow motion, a blue wall that said DODGE RAM.

Over the guard rail I went. Turns out the other side was a steep grassy hill. Pat was about 75 ft from me farther down the road and we both were tumbling down this hill.

We stopped, took of out helmets at the same time.

"You all right?"

"Yep, you all right?

"Yep"

Then we just busted out laughing our butts off. The shock of still being alive was almost too much.

We hear a voice from up the hill. "You guys all right?"

together "Yes!"

"What are you laughing at?"

together, 'WE'RE ALIVE!!!"

The Dodge van driver was upset. He borrowed it for the weekend. One of the 18 wheelers in an effort to give me room sideswiped his van and it looked like a big buffer went down the side of it. Anything like a door handle or mirror was ground off of it.

The trucks had stopped father down the road so Pat and I walked down to see if they were OK. They has snapped their mirrors off making the lane for me. One driver had glass in his arm but it wasn't too bad.

The truck that did the 'buffing' had damaged the wheel rims on that side of the truck . They were all bent out away from the tires from catching on the fan.

All in all it turned out pretty good I had the worst injury, a case of road rash on my left butt cheek about the size of a dinner plate. Pat didn't have a scratch on him. The bike never got hit but the right side was ground down pretty severely.

After the cop came, took forever cause who ever called it in said 75 N we were on 75 S, and things got cleared up, he took us to a mini mall. We called Mom.

Mom about freaked out until I assured her we weren't hurt. We told her we'd be in the theater waiting for her. I changed my pants to cover up my bleeding butt and we went to see "Convoy" while we waited for Mom.

There is more but this is getting too long.


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