I had a Nebraska State Trooper pull me over recently. He asked for all the usual B.S., which I supplied.
"Do you know why I pulled you over?"
"I have no idea"
"Your front license plate is missing"
"My son backed into my car last night and broke the cheap plastic rivets holding it on, here it is. Is my rear plate missing too?"
"No, but you have to have both on"
"I need to find someone with the special plastic rivets, so I can reattach them. The dealer doesn't seem to have any right now, I called them this morning."
It's your responsibility to have them properly displayed at all times. I could have your car towed for not having proper plates displayed".
"Well, I am trying to make the repair, but need parts".
"Your insurance card is expired (oops!)".
"I must have forgotten to put the new card in the glovebox, I have other copies at home".
"You're not listed on the state insurance registry, are you sure you even have insurance?".
"Call my agent, her numbers on the card, she'll straighten everything out".
"It's not my responsibility, it's yours, where are you going?"
"Home, I just got off work".
"Where do you work, is there anyone who can vouch for you?"
"Do you want the number to call?"
"No, do you mind if I search your car?"
"For what reason? Do you have probable cause of a crime to search my car?"
"No, it's just routine"
"Then your answer is no. You'll need a warrant to search my car".
He seemed bummed over that, and stalked back to his car, to come back a few minutes later.
"Here is a defect ticket for the license plate, and a ticket for no valid insurance, I could have your car towed for not having insurance or a front license plate"
I went home and called my agent, who called the state patrol and faxed them proof of insurance, so that ticket was dropped. The dealer had already ordered the stupid rivets, and the car was fixed two days later. The game wasn't over yet, I had to find a cop to sign off on my defect ticket. I found a city cop in a parking lot, parked the Explorer in such a way that he could see the front license plate was attached.
"Excuse me officer, could you please sign my ticket?"
He looks at the ticket and busts out laughing...
"You must have got a young one" Still laughing out loud.
"Here you go", and he signed the ticket. I realized later that he didn't even really look at the car at all. He was still laughing when I left.
Some good. Some, not so much... I've always hated dealing with the Nebraska State Patrol, too many of them deeply believe their own bullshit.
