I'm becoming sneaky these days
By cynthiann
@cynthiann (18612)
Jamaica
November 25, 2009 10:40am CST
Yesterday evening I realised that I hadn't looked at my car papers in months and when I looked one of then was out d date. should have been paid by the end of October.
So I immediately leapt into action and got up early this morning to reach the tax office to pay it before going to work.
Just my luck. Police out on the road like rice grain, stopping motorists to check their papers etc and issue tickets for all sorts of things.
I successfully passed three sets of policemen who were armed to their teeth and I realised that you must never make eye contact as if you do they will stop you. So I practiced looking impatient and drumming my hands on th steering wheel etc and it worked as they did not stop me.
I ws actually feeling quite smug until just before I reached the tax office a huge policeman stepped out into thw rioad and out up his hand to stop me. I just couldn't pretend that I hadn't seen him. So, heart racing I stopped. The fine is over $10,000 of our dollars so I really wanted to get out of ths situation.
I greeted him charmngly and he asked to see my papers. I kept on my seat belt and first showed him my driver's licence and then leaned across, groaning a bit, to get out my car papers from the glove compartment. Palpitations begun. Desperate situation called for desperate measures.
I congratulated him for being s curteous and wondered allowed why out police have such a bad reoutation. whilst keeping up the patter I dripped the vital piece of paper on the floor whilst handing him the rest. I groaned again, muttering something about old age, and started to undo my seat belto to reach the expired certificate of something or another.
Policeman: That's all right Ma'am, you don't have to get down on the flooir to get it.
Me: Oh thank you officer you are so kind to me. What is your bname so that i can phone the Police Station and tell the Inspector what a kind policeman you are.
Policeman: Yiou don;'t have toi d that Ma'am.
Me: Oh but officer I really want to do it. so the name was given and I drove off happily to the Tax Office to pay to update the thingy to make me legal again.
So tell me, who have you BS'd today or recently and got away with it?
BTW I did call the Station and told them how nice he had been to me. After all - it was the least that I could do.
8 people like this
19 responses
@jillhill (37353)
• United States
25 Nov 09
You are smooth girl! LOL.....I probably would have blown it as I am not good at convincingly passing my troubles off! I did however once almost get caught speeding on the interstate....turns out to be one of the trooper I knew so he puts his hand up and motions for me to back off....I smiled and waved and slowed down....today I haven't bs'd anyone....
2 people like this
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
25 Nov 09
I bet we see her pretty soon on tv. i told her she deserved an award for her preformance. Have a good one, Jill.
1 person likes this
@cynthiann (18612)
• Jamaica
25 Nov 09
Hey - I was so scared but I am surprising myself these days with the way I get out of trouble. I was never a person who had a quick come back to anything said. My heart was racing so fast and if he has insisted on looking at it then I probably would have cried.
Then I might have got off too. Just might!
Then I might have got off too. Just might!2 people like this
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
26 Nov 09
WTG! Can I call you if I ever get stopped by an officer???? I've come close to being pulled over but have never been thus far.
I can't believe you were going to get stopped on the day your realized you needed to get your paperwork updated. That's very strange! Hmmm...... luck was on your side yesterday that was forsure! 
Yeah I'd call and talk to a supervisor and compliment the cop alright! He saved me $10,000! 
Yeah I'd call and talk to a supervisor and compliment the cop alright! He saved me $10,000! 1 person likes this
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
27 Nov 09
I just plain think you are a good person and you had God or some pretty darn good skills on your side to reflect that!
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
25 Nov 09
Cynthiann! I'll be! Well I am glad you got away with it, but I'd surely have spilled my guts and not been able to fib!
1 person likes this
@cynthiann (18612)
• Jamaica
25 Nov 09
I didn't really fib as he was o.k and I just dropped the papers! I was really scared! And just could not afford that kind of money. That would have bought me a turkey and a ham and roasting chicken for Christmas.
2 people like this
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
29 Nov 09
Well I am glad you got it straightened out all the same, very sneaky though!
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
25 Nov 09
u SHOULD GET an academy award for that performance, lol. U remind me of a saying we have here, "she could fall in a pile of poop & come out smelling like a rose". I really haven't bs'ed anybody lately than i can think of. I need to take some lessons from u for when i need to. I am glad u called & bragged on the cop. 
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
25 Nov 09
It must have been God. someone sure helped u out. U going to use my expression. I have heard that all my life. Let's hope u don't get stopped again. U better be a good little heifer.
1 person likes this
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
26 Nov 09
I will try to keep u supplied, lol. hugs.
1 person likes this
@cynthiann (18612)
• Jamaica
25 Nov 09
I was in a terrible situation so I like to think that God helped me out on this one. I am learning to think on my feet for a change. I so like your expression.
Yes, I had to call the station and congratulate the policeman. After all - HE MAY STOP ME AGAIN ONE DAY
I so like your expression.
Yes, I had to call the station and congratulate the policeman. After all - HE MAY STOP ME AGAIN ONE DAY2 people like this
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
25 Nov 09
Hi Cynthiann, I'm glad your cunning plan worked and you got away without the fine. At the last stop though you were so close to the tax office and your intent to pay so obvious that I'm sure you could have persuaded the nice policeman, if he'd seen the offending paper, to escort you in and ask for urgent attention for you.
4 sets of armed police to cross on one journey is a lot, what is their actual purpose in stopping cars? The local police here do stop cars and check papers but they are looking for illegals usually. When I first moved here I was stopped several times and played the boredom game with them of I can sit here longer than you can stand there pretending not to understand a word of Greek. They know me now and wave me by but I am quite prepared to go into not understanding a word again whenever necessary. It's either that or start driving round with my papers which I never do.
1 person likes this
@cynthiann (18612)
• Jamaica
25 Nov 09
No, I am not that good at BS'ing but I was desperate. The reason for stopping is two fold. One is that the government is strapped for cash so they have been ordered to stop people for papers etc. The second reason is that they are looking for bribes. We have to carry our papers with us by law. Or else we are fined. And the fines are steep.
1 person likes this
@cynthiann (18612)
• Jamaica
25 Nov 09
I believed the government gives them a quota of the amount of money to get in- and when they make the quota they expect to be bribed. Simple as that.
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
25 Nov 09
Sounds like just over our Northern border. The Greek drives up through Albania (is drive the right word I wonder) to Serbia which is a constant stop of policemen expecting bribes or threatening a night in the cells. They have not a jot of interest in the papers, just the cash.
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
26 Nov 09
Wow, you really know how to BS your way through things don't you? I don't think I could have been as cool about it. I agree with you on the not looking at them thing. If you look and you get that deer in headlights look on your face you will be pulled over for sure.
I can't think of any situation lately in which I have had to be sneaky at all. I would not be very good at it anyway. I don't exactly have a good poker face.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
25 Nov 09
hi cynthiann wow you do have a way with getting out of
something, congratulations on not getting a fine. Sugar
and honey always work better than sour and vinegar in
bamboozling a police officer. I bet you are a good
bargainer too. I wish I was, lol I would get the ticket
for sure as my face shows it immediately if I tell a lie
or just stretch the truth a bit.
1 person likes this
@cynthiann (18612)
• Jamaica
25 Nov 09
I didn't really lie as he was o.k. with me. I just laid it on a bit thick. I like you expression contrasting sugar wit vinegar. Thant IS good one.
I like you expression contrasting sugar wit vinegar. Thant IS good one.1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
26 Nov 09
LOL. No I don't normally make a habit of BSing anyone. I am actually as honest as possible, it's easier when you're caught. Although we have had plenty of issues with our vehicles which could have been ticketed so I would come up with stories in my head in case I did get pulled over. "Oh, well it's my husband's vehicle and he's the one who's supposed to handle these things.." stuff like that. Thankfully I never got pulled over, because that now sounds like a pretty weak excuse.
@cynthiann (18612)
• Jamaica
27 Nov 09
Kat - I was so scared. I have now put all the car info in my diary to remind me for next time. I dont now why I am becoming so brave in my old age. I wasn't like this at all.
@Barb42 (4214)
• United States
26 Nov 09
Cynthiann, you are a card!! That was brave. But sometimes the truth works just as well. One night when I was coming home late from my Mother's, I came upon a road block at a 4 way stop by the most cops I've ever seen on one stop - highway patrolmen, and county sheriffs from 2 counties! From a distance, it looked like a wreck. But I got up there, and the county sheriff came to my door and asked to see my driver's license and papers. I handed him the DL, and reached into my glove compartment and got out my papers. Come to find out that my husband, who is very careful to make sure they are put in there immediately when we pay them, forgot this time! There I was handing him last year's papers without knowing it, and he says, 'this is expired.' I said, "Oh, I'm sorry. We've paid them and my husband has forgotten to put them in here. I can call him and let him run the new ones up here since we live only a few miles from here down the mountain." He said, 'don't worry, it's okay.' I said, well, there is no way I'd be driving this SUV around without insurance, since it wasn't paid for at the time. And he said, I know what you mean, since I have one I'm paying on. He was very nice!!
1 person likes this
@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
25 Nov 09
Wow! That was close!
You also just scared me as I remenberd receiving some renewal papers some time ago and ran to check the deadline buit it is Dec 9 so I'm still ok. 
@cynthiann (18612)
• Jamaica
25 Nov 09
Oh get it paid quickly! Don't face what I faced.I was so scared
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
26 Nov 09
You clever bunny, cynthiann! I like your style! I’m glad you let the station know the policeman had been kind to you because he sure had! You know, your compliment might have made a bigger impact to that policeman than what you imagine! I wish I had your quick thinking; the problem with me I would have panicked and messed up the whole situation and not in my favour!
1 person likes this
@cyrus123 (6363)
• United States
26 Nov 09
This is so funny! I'm glad it got you out of a tough situation! Somebody got pulled over by the police in front of me on my way home from wherever it was I had been yesterday. It was a reminder for me to check to make sure my insurance cards were up-to-date and so is this story. I know you were relieved you didn't have to pay $10,000! Kathy.
! I'm glad it got you out of a tough situation! Somebody got pulled over by the police in front of me on my way home from wherever it was I had been yesterday. It was a reminder for me to check to make sure my insurance cards were up-to-date and so is this story. I know you were relieved you didn't have to pay $10,000! Kathy. @ravirai8616561 (824)
• India
26 Nov 09
This was a good story only to be believed in a movie.I do not think that such major thing can be escaped by the buttering words.I am sorry if i hurt you bu that's what i think of all these words.
@cynthiann (18612)
• Jamaica
25 Nov 09
You would have to divide it by 90 to get the US rate. It is a lot of money as we do not earn US dollars. I ws having palpitations when he stopped me.
@skysuccess (8857)
• Singapore
25 Nov 09
cynthiann,
I'd like to see a better good of you here and your compliments were just timely. I feel that a lot of times public servants are always bearing the brunts when things don't go well and rarely complimented when they have done a good job.
I have always tried to compliment good services and courtesies without fail as they are human after all. Such compliments will just encourage them and make their day as you can see that satisfied looks and brightness on their faces. As for me, I feel happy as they are, too.
Anyway, I am glad things worked out well at your end, escaping a hefty fine as well. Quite a feat, I must say.
Quite a feat, I must say.@cynthiann (18612)
• Jamaica
25 Nov 09
I am quite amazed at my audacity actually. Yes, I did follow through as it was he least I coukld do for him.
1 person likes this
@bodhisatya (2384)
• India
25 Nov 09
Hehehehehee, you surely can act!!! Even the toughest and crudest of criminals need years of practice to master something like that.
Good for you that you got out, but I really can stop the chuckle coming back to me. Incredible incident so well described. It really made me to race down the sentences.
Hmmmm My extraordinary friend with some extraordinary talents.
Even the toughest and crudest of criminals need years of practice to master something like that.
Good for you that you got out, but I really can stop the chuckle coming back to me. Incredible incident so well described. It really made me to race down the sentences.
Hmmmm My extraordinary friend with some extraordinary talents.@cynthiann (18612)
• Jamaica
25 Nov 09
Not years of practice at all - just desperation! Yes it is funny in retrospect. I can just imagine the raised eyebrows of my children when I tell them the story this evening!
@bounce58 (17380)
• Canada
25 Nov 09
Haha! Your story goes on like a suspensful drama. Glad you made it out ok without a fine.
I once was stopped for a non-functioning headlight in one of the interstate highways here. I just played dumb. I even helped out the police officer tap out the front of the car because he thought 'it might just be loose'. Of course, I knew all along that the bulb needed to be changed.
