'Moving Violation': Why Police Ticketed Me at a Stop Sign

St Louis County is composed of over 90 municipalities. Some of these cities have a prosperous tax base. However, with the economic downturn, many (even those with a positive balance sheet) are scrambling for extra revenue. "Moving violations" are a sure source of income.

Wednesday morning I "violated a stop sign". I wasn't late leaving my home, so did not have "in a hurry" as an excuse. I did my typical St Louis stop: a "genuflection" or slowing down to ALMOST a stop. I looked both ways---saw no traffic and proceeded forward. Like a stealth bomber, but with flashing blue and red lights, the police car was on my tail.

Not a big fan of entrapment, I asked what I had done wrong. The police officer said,"You did not come to a complete stop. Residents have been complaining to us of that behavior at that intersection." He then asked if my car was green or brown? I told him magnesium gray realizing he was color blind. I surrendered my license.

When the police officer re-appeared at my car's window, he handed me my license back and a ticket for "violating a stop sign". My second realization was that one's rights or person can be violated, but a STOP SIGN? He also informed me that my driver's rear brake light was out and advised me to get it fixed soon.

So, I could have been served with TWO violations, instead of ONE. I should have felt grateful, but entrapment never feels good. To placate my sense of violation I went to The Farmhaus for lunch. A ten-spot gets you the blue plate special on Wednesday: sweet tea, mixed greens salad, fried chicken, smashed potatoes with gravy, and macaroni and cheese. It was one sublime lunch! Loaded with carbs, I made full stops at every octagonal shaped sign all the way home, vowed to plead guilty, and pay my $82.50 fine by mail. My third and final realization was that this was the most expensive lunch of my week to date.