Most of the time I am in the car I have a back seat driver. He is about to turn 5 years old at the end of next month and he finds it his duty to tell me the speed limit EVERY SINGLE TIME he sees a speed limit sign. He'll even be chattering endlessly about something or other and in mid-sentence say, "...we didn't go outside today because...speed limit is 50...it was so windy". It is actually impressive how he doesn't lose his train of thought and can interject what the current speed limit is on whatever road we are on, even those we drive on 5 or 6 times a day.
With all this help on what the speed limit is, you would think it be easier for me to stay within the limits. However, this story is about to make me look bad, really bad. I got pulled over for speeding on the way to take Ian to preschool one morning last week. The main road we use to get to his school is Burke Centre Parkway. It is basically one big speed trap and I know where the cops are hiding in each direction. However, this one particular morning, the police decided to mix things up and pick a brand new spot. Busted! In my defense I have to say it has been years since I've gotten a speeding ticket and I try very hard to control my speed when my kids are in the car. I am not perfect and this is just one of my vices.
When I pulled over to the side of the road, the officer came up to my window and the first question he asked was, "Do you know what the speed limit is?" Boy, did I! I told him I have a big helper in the car seat behind me and I get reminded what the speed limit is every time we see a sign. Ian, at this point, has rolled down his window so he could get a good look at what was going on and gave the officer a big smile and said, "It is 40 mph." I wish I could say that the officer was so charmed by Ian that he decided to let me go with a warning, but no such luck. He left with my license and returned with a speeding ticket and big foil stickers for Ian and Sam. The sticker was about the size of a playing card and in the shape of a shield. On the sticker was the wording 'Junior Police Officer, Fairfax County'. The officer thanked Ian for all his help and gave him the sticker. Ian LOVES stickers and immediately put it on his shorts. Of course it being in silver and foil made it stand out all the more and the dark background of Ian's shorts didn't help it blend in either.
I was hoping Ian would get tired of wearing the sticker by the time we made it to his school, but he was really taking a liking to it. He walked in to his class and a few of his friends instantly spot the sticker and asked him where he got it. Ian, very loudly replied back with "MY MOMMY GOT IT FOR ME WHEN SHE GOT STOPPED FOR SPEEDING." Lovely.
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