Dan gets a digital warning

Detail from electronic ticket I got today.
Are you aware the chemicals used to treat the paper
(and supermarket receipts) are suspected carcinogens?

I was going to the Stop & Shop in Watchung Square Mall Wednesday afternoon to replenish the house supply of Polar adult beverages.

As usual, I drove down Mountain Avenue in North Plainfield parallel to Route 22 and then turned left at North Drive to get on the highway at the red light so as to avoid the merge hassle at the Watchung Avenue intersection.

Suddenly, I was aware of red and blue lights flashing in my rear view mirror. I pulled over, thinking the officer wanted to pass, but he did not pass me. He stopped directly behind me.

What on earth?!

I was sure I hadn't done anything. I certainly wasn't speeding and the light at North Drive was green the whole while I turned.

So what was it?

Fortunately, I had my registration, insurance card and license out by the time the officer got to my open passenger window.

"Papers please," he said.

I handed them over.

"If everything is clean, I'll be right back," says he.

And he meant it.

Within ten seconds he was back with my papers and a ticket printed out on the computer in his prowl car.

"Wow, that was fast," I said.

"All I had to do was put in your plate number."

"Your brake light is out," he said. "I'm giving you a warning; you better get it fixed right away or you'll get a summons if I see it again."

With that he handed me my papers and the ticket.

Then he did a most unusual thing, he stuck out his hand and shook mine.

And then he walked away.

An image of the ticket is above (click on it to enlarge). It shows my name, address and drivers license number, the make, model and year of the vehicle and the insurance information, as well as the offense, and the officer's name and badge number. (But there is one error: my RAV4 is royal blue, not black as the ticket indicates.)

All of this information is now available to the authorities digitally from databases maintained by the state. It is really simple and probably cuts down on many errors made in writing tickets out by hand.

If any of the personal information had not checked out, it would have  become a serious matter. Thankfully all was OK.

Nevertheless it is a bit creepy.

P.S. Got the lamp fixed immediately at my garage at 2nd and Church. (They are excellent and I recommend Binder to anyone looking for good -- and honest -- mechanics.)

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 -- Dan Damon [ follow ]

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