Try Civil Disobedience
Free Talk Live
Monday, 22 February 2010
Click here to download this episode
00:21:39
John (caller):
Hey, Ian and Mark. How’re you doing?
Ian Freeman:
Super. What’s on your mind tonight?
John (caller):
Today, I disobeyed a New York State trooper.
Mark Edge:
How’d that go?
John (caller):
Well, they have this new—
Mark Edge:
You’re not in jail.
John (caller):
(laughs) No! (laughs) “I’m calling you from the jail house—law firm”—no. (laughs)
So, you know, we got this new thing here in Long Island where, when you get off a highway and you’re pulling onto a road that is now apparently a state road, they have this little—oh, I don’t know, I guess inspection kind of going on where—I’m coming down a ramp and I see two state trooper patrol cars parked on the ramp with two big ol’ troopers with their hats, and everything, walking up and down the ramp, and, you know, cars are passing ’em—every now and again they point at a car, and they point to the side of the road. And sure enough, you know—
Ian Freeman:
People pull over.
John (caller):
—people, drivers, they pull over and stop. And I’m thinking to myself, “You know, I don’t see these troopers really saying anything, like ‘Pull over’ or”—
Mark Edge:
Is this an order?
John (caller):
—“‘pull to the side of the road’—they’re just pointing. They’re pointing cars over to the side of the road.” And they point a car to the side of the road, out comes their little invoice book, and they, handing out a bill, here and there—and, as I’m approaching—I was wearing my seatbelt at the time—I say, “You know what? I just—I’ve got to give this a try, here.” So I take my seatbelt off—which, you know, there is a law here in New York that you have to—
Mark Edge:
Have to wear a seatbelt.
John (caller):
—protect yourself with a seatbelt, or else—
Mark Edge:
Everywhere around the nation, except for New Hampshire.
John (caller):
—or else—yeah, except new Hampshire—or else they’re gonna give you a bill.
So as I’m approaching, I slow down because, you know, there are two pedestrians there on the side of the road walking; I didn’t want to be rude. And one of them points at me and points to the side of the road. So I smiled, and waved back at him.
Mark Edge giggles.
John (caller):
So I accelerate gently, going down the ramp—
Ian Freeman:
That’s awesome.
John (caller):
—and I’m watching in my rear-view mirror—and, you know, “Are these guys going to jump into their patrol cars and chase me down?” And they both look at—[inaudible]—with these really confused looks on their faces. And then the next thing happened was really amazing: there was a white van behind me coming down the ramp—some, you know, I guess some Joe Plumber or something, in one of those white Ford vans—and they point to him, and point him to the side of the road. He just went ahead and did the same thing I did—
Ian Freeman:
Nice.
John (caller):
—and followed me, and we both merge into the road, and then later down the road, I stopped at a red light, and he pulls up next to me, so I rolled the window down and I go, like, “Yeah, we showed them.” And he smiled and gives me the thumbs up back.
Ian Freeman:
That’s fantastic.
Mark Edge:
And then he said, “You’re under arrest.”
All three laugh.
John (caller):
We had a little moment of civil disobedience, then. Not only did I deny to cede one of their little hundred dollar bills, but I guess I inspired someone else to stand up to the man.
Ian Freeman:
I’ve seen, yeah, I've seen that happen in traffic before, too…
