Unfiltered Story #215159

(This story takes place a few years ago, about a month after my mother passed away. Safe to say I am not in any good state of mind, and am only thankful that my father – who lives upstate for work and comes back down on weekends/holidays – has stepped up and taken the burden of handling most of the paperwork. My half-brother and I only have to sign our end of things for the inheritance. At the time, my car was also covered by the family insurance plan, which my dad said he was going to let run out and then we’d need new ones; considering we went from a 4 car family to three single-car households that makes sense.

In the middle of all this, on the first day of the new month, I notice my inspection was due the previous month. Silently praying to just get to the DMV without getting pulled over, I plot the shortest trip I can and drive as carefully as I can. Unfortunately, I still get pulled over.)

Officer: License, insurance, registration please.

Me: Of course. *hands him the stack I already have together*

Officer: Do you know why I pulled you over today?

Me: I’m assuming it’s because of this inspection sticker? I was just on the way to get it renewed.

Officer: You know you can get it done up to three months before the due date, right?

Me: Actually, I didn’t, I thought it had to be the same month; unfortunately my mom just died, and with everything else going on this slipped my mind.

Officer: Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. I’ll be right back.

(He goes back to his car, and I wait. Several minutes later, he returns.)

Officer: Sir, did you know this insurance isn’t valid?

Me: Do what now?

(Yes, I was so flabbergasted I defaulted to one of my joke phrases with a cop that had me pulled over. Seems that some time in the previous two weeks since my dad said he was going to LET the insurance expire in a couple months, he changed his mind and just canceled it. And forgot to tell me/my brother. I literally started crying in the car; fortunately the officer let me off with a warning when he had every legal right to take my license from me then and there. I turned around home, got one of those “instant proof of insurance” deals that were actually still new at the time, got that printed, and went right back to get my car inspected.)