A young Ivy League lawyer was driving to a
hearing in another town, which he was late for. While driving through back
streets, the lawyer, in a rush, decided not to stop at a stop sign, but rather
slow down.
As he continued on his way, he saw a state
trooper pull up behind him with lights on. After checking his speedometer, the
young lawyer decided the officer must be wanting to pass him. Reluctantly, he
slows down and allows the officer space to continue on. However, when he pulls
over, the officer pulls up directly behind him.
As the officer approaches the car, the
lawyer rolls down his window and with a smug expression asks, “How can I
help you?”
The officer replies, “Do you recall
pulling straight through a stop sign at the intersection about a mile
back?”
“Well, I slowed down.”
“Well, in this state, stop signs mean
stop, not slow down.”
The young lawyer, feeling cocky, thought he
could outwit the small town cop: “If you can prove to me what the
difference between stopping and slowing down really is, I’ll pay the ticket, if
not, you have to let me go.”
The officer thought about it for a moment,
then replied, “Okay. Sounds like a fair deal. Get out of your car.”
The lawyer rolls his eyes, and proceeds to
get out of his car. The officer unsheathes his nightstick, and begins to
mercilessly beat the lawyer to the ground.
He
paused for a moment and smiled: “Now, would you like me to stop? Or should
I just slow down?”
