Member-only story
Which Is Worse?
Grandparents that snitch or neighbors with police scanners that snitch?
I grew up in an era of CB radios and police scanners. Everybody knew everything all the time and in real-time. I loved the CB. Dad had one installed in his truck. Somehow since this was pre-Internet days I managed to get my hands on a cheat sheet of all the codes that CBers used.
I’d sneak out in the garage and yammer with travelers and pick up even more lingo. I remember using one some years later on a road trip to DC. The truckers let me know where all the police radar was set up so I could pump the brakes until I got by them. Ah, the good old days.
Then there were the police scanners.
I had just gotten my license and by just I mean like I was on my way home from the DMV when I got pulled over for speeding. I wasn’t even “in town” anymore. I was on a paved road with no shoulders. I can’t even remember if back then the road was used enough to warrant painting a centerline or not.
That’s where I got stopped?
Sheesh.
I took the ticket and figured I’d pay it myself and no one would be the wiser. I drove home, parked the car, and strolled into the house like it was just another day.
