Driver tries to get out of traffic stop by handing cop a Monopoly ‘Get Out of Jail Free’ card – Jalopnik

Anyone who’s ever been stopped for a traffic violation should know the drill: Stay calm and cooperative, and make sure you have a license, registration, and proof of insurance on hand. According to the Fullerton Policea motorist recently had an extra document on hand and used it in an attempt to avoid a quote: a “Get Out of Jail Free” card from the board game Monopoly.

This is from ABC7, the local news affiliate:

The officer had a good laugh, but reminded the driver that while creativity is appreciated, it is not a legal defense. He told the driver to save the card for a rainy day and sent him off with a real quote.

Very brutal, but there is a lesson in it. When dealing with law enforcement in matters of routine violations, a good attitude never hurts. As the team at Eyewitness News joked during their report, it would have been funny if the officer had actually let the person go with a warning as a reward for the smart move. Who knows, the driver may have been waiting his whole life to drive this stretch!

I have a family member in law enforcement, and I can tell you it is a stressful job. I’m sure the Fullerton officer appreciated the driver’s levity in their interaction, and it’s great that the department used Instagram to tell the story, including some fun hashtags: #NiceTry, #DoNotPassGo, #DoNotCollect200.

The driver was arrested for breaking the law (allegedly, of course, since a citation is not an admission of guilt, but rather a notice to pay a fine or appear in court). The cop injected some fun into what could otherwise have been a dreary day, and we can all enjoy the story. In fact, it might be a good idea for everyone to put a Get Out of Jail Free card in the glove compartment, as a reminder that interactions with police don’t have to be scary under normal circumstances. And just to be clear, it’s also good to know the rules of the road where you do most of your driving.

While there is a solid argument for ending all traffic stops, that doesn’t mean they can’t be funny or even a little satisfying at times, especially in the Nordic countries where traffic violations are very serious. A Lambo owner in Denmark lost his car while driving it home from the dealer thanks to his extreme need for speed, or this driver in Finland was fined $130,000 for speeding.