Between Leduc and Drayton Valley, Alberta . . .

Westbound to Drayton Valley this morning to visit mom. Mainly uneventful until I get to about here:

53.211331, -114.769496

There was a tanker in front of me. I pulled out just before the passing lane started and floored it. I cheated on the passing lane because it is a damn short passing lane, less than five hundred metres for a two lane passing lane on my side. In my rearview mirror I saw a white Ford truck and thought "That couldn't possibly be a . . . "

Passed the truck. Got to the top of the hill. The white Ford truck passed the tanker. I got a little further down the highway and then I got lit up. Goddamn.

I pulled over and parked here:

53.208319, -114.806112

Turned off the car. Reached into the glove box, grabbed the envelope where I store my insurance and registration and added my license, rolled down the window and waited for him to come up to my door.

I got asked if I knew why I got pulled over. Told him I had a good idea. He asked if I had been drinking. I said no (I am sure there are some people who drink before ten in the morning, I am not one of them). Then I got asked if I had smoked any marijuana. I laughed. He said he could smell an odour like it from my car. I laughed again. I told him he could test me.

The reason I laughed would only made sense to me in this case. My father was a strict and sometimes very scary individual when I was a kid. He had some definite rules regarding certain things and I was terrified of trying any illegal drugs because of it. Being an adult I never felt any desire to try any. Not because of any kind of moral attitude, I kind of believe if I did at this stage of my life dad would come back from the great beyond to make my life miserable. I do not care if anyone else indulges, that is their business. If the officer thinks that is what he is smelling when he pulled me over I might need to clean the inside of my car.

The RCMP officer, a young guy, took my information back to his truck and ran me through the computer. I am always polite when this happens, no need to make a situation worse. He came back, asked me if I knew I pulled out and passed over a double solid line. I said yes, but offered an explanation. I pulled out to pass just before the passing lane started because it is a damn short passing line up a small hill. I threw in that I was on my weekly visit to my mother who needs my care. I thought it couldn’t hurt.

He said "No ticket today" and I thanked him.

Sometimes you get a break.

I got to mom’s a little late. I told her that I was temporarily detained by our nation's finest.