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So I've been LOVING my state gas card and the stations it has opened up to us. I did have a fun experience this evening though.
I was at the Jordan School District pump in Sandy filling up when one of Sandy's finest stopped by to top off his tank as well. As he approached the pumps he slowed down, saw me with my wife and children filling up a Civic, and something about that must have said to him that something was wrong. He slowly circled around us appraising the situation. My wife waved pleasantly at him but with no response.
Finally he pulled up to his pump, I figured he was finally satisfied that we weren't a threat. He stepped out of his car and I greeted him. Again, no response. Instead he pulled out his flash light, shined it in my face and then kept shining it on my plates. He kept asking "Is that a state car? It doesn't look like a state car. Is it a private car?" I told him that it's a private car, that the state had opened up several pumps to us, and even offered to show him my gas card as proof that I belonged there. He didn't seem impressed. He then made some weird comment about "some people have all the luck" I replied with "Well, we pay for it." ("And your car, gas and salary for that matter too" was the next thought that I kept to myself.) He was very rude, condescending and untrusting of the whole situation.
I was a little bothered by the overall situation. I guess not everyone knows that we have access to these pumps now. But why would an officer treat someone like that? You would think they deal with enough negativity every day on the job and that a pleasant conversation with a law abiding citizen would be a welcomed relief but maybe not.
My advice: if you run into the long arm of the law giving you crap about using the pump, stand your ground. You know you can be there, politely let them know the same (no sense getting lippy with the man with the cuffs and a gun) but it's our right to use it whether they like it or not.
I was at the Jordan School District pump in Sandy filling up when one of Sandy's finest stopped by to top off his tank as well. As he approached the pumps he slowed down, saw me with my wife and children filling up a Civic, and something about that must have said to him that something was wrong. He slowly circled around us appraising the situation. My wife waved pleasantly at him but with no response.
Finally he pulled up to his pump, I figured he was finally satisfied that we weren't a threat. He stepped out of his car and I greeted him. Again, no response. Instead he pulled out his flash light, shined it in my face and then kept shining it on my plates. He kept asking "Is that a state car? It doesn't look like a state car. Is it a private car?" I told him that it's a private car, that the state had opened up several pumps to us, and even offered to show him my gas card as proof that I belonged there. He didn't seem impressed. He then made some weird comment about "some people have all the luck" I replied with "Well, we pay for it." ("And your car, gas and salary for that matter too" was the next thought that I kept to myself.) He was very rude, condescending and untrusting of the whole situation.
I was a little bothered by the overall situation. I guess not everyone knows that we have access to these pumps now. But why would an officer treat someone like that? You would think they deal with enough negativity every day on the job and that a pleasant conversation with a law abiding citizen would be a welcomed relief but maybe not.
My advice: if you run into the long arm of the law giving you crap about using the pump, stand your ground. You know you can be there, politely let them know the same (no sense getting lippy with the man with the cuffs and a gun) but it's our right to use it whether they like it or not.
Of course, telling him that the new law went into effect July 1st and that he may not have heard of it is obviously the right thing to do.
, said over and over that if someone is arrested, guilty or not, the only words spoken to police should be: I want an attorney.
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