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It was 1975, I was 19 and driving my '64 Ford Galaxie out to pick up a friend that was coming to the greyhound bus depot. I approached a very long intersection when the signal turned yellow. I sped up a little and easily cleared the intersection on the yellow. Immediately, a cop pulls me over and asks me get out of the car as another patrol car arrives. They are all over my car searching for... I guessing contriband, without cause and then the officer says he pulled me over for running the red light that, in reality, was never red for me.
I told the officer I cleared the intersection on yellow and that I sped up a little to do so. He wrote me a ticket anyway that I signed and tossed onto the dash as the other officer came away disappointed that he didn't find whatever he was looking for.
When I picked up my friend, I jokingly told him he owes me for half a ticket and that I didn't run that light, but who's going to believe me over the guys with the badges. I probably should mention that I was one of the long-haired freaky people that supposedly always carries dope. Then to my astonishment, my friend says "This ticket is for speeding, 46 in a 40!"
I couldn't believe it! I was pissed before, but now I was ballistic. He told me one thing and wrote another. On the way back, not 1/4 mile from where I was stopped, there is a Winchels donut shop and sure enough there were 3 patrol cars outside. I asked my buddy if he was clean and he said he was good, so I pulled into the parking lot and was glad to see the two buddies I had met earlier were inside.
I waved the ticket in their faces and demanded to know what the hell they were thinking? I was told I ran a red light, but now have a ticket for speeding? Their reply was, "get lost or we'll write you one for the red light too!" All I could do was swear and promise to see them in court and as a parting shot yelled, "Now I know why they call you pigs!" Then I just turned and left. My friend said to me later that people have gotten shot for less. LOL
Please understand, that I have always respected peace officers, but felt these idiots went out of their way to make trouble for me.
In the mail, two weeks later, I received a letter from the Buena Park Police Department. I figure it's the specifics of the fine and my options, but instead there was just one sentence. It read, "In the interest of justice, please disregard the ticket you received on (date).
Never thought I would see a letter like that in a million years.
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