Got Pulled Over By A Cop :(

[Smile]

So I was driving on a quiet street and took my hands off the steering wheel for a second to light a cigarette. My car veers so it veered to the right and bumped the curb. Scared me for a second but all was fine. No panic attack.

2 seconds later... Flashing lights behind me. One of my biggest fears. I had NO IDEA why I was being pulled over. First thing I did was turn on the recording app on my phone, before the cop even got to my car.

All turned out fine. He told me he could give me a ticket for "reckless driving" but won't do that and it'll just show up on their local records if I'm pulled over again.

I'm always in my car. Is my safe haven. I love in it for long periods of time. Now I'm scared of it. Well, not of the car, but of me driving it.

As the cop was walking away I kinda apologized for asking him to repeat his same question (license and registration) again and again by saying, "I'm just really nervous cuz I have PTS...". Didn't finish the sentence. Kinda wanted to see his reaction: sympathy or the polar opposite (I've been wondering about it for a very long time).

He replied, "well, if ur not capable of driving safely, don't drive. Take a bus or a cab. Just stay safe."

Thank goodness he was kind.

my T has asked my on numerous occasions (can't remember subject) if I felt safe to drive and I was always very quick to reply YES. Primarily bc I'm petrified of having my license stripped from me.... Agoraphobia anyone?

So here's my question:

* do I report this to my SSDI advocacy agency in order to "help" my case or will that cause my license to be revoked?

 

[Kintsugi]

Let me get this straight.

You removed both hands from the wheel of your vehicle to light a cigarette, which enabled your car to veer enough to bump the curb. You were pulled over by a police officer, who gave you a warning.

Is that correct?

 

[Justmehere]

Glad the officer was so nice about it! Glad you are ok too!

I don't think this incident would help your SSDI case much, but if you are working with an attorney (and most SSDI PTSD applicants should be, in my opinion) then you could bring it up with them and see what their advice is about it.

Also, your therapist asking if you are ok to drive might be more of her trying to make sure you are grounded rather than any effort to take away your license. It might be good if you ask them why they are asking before you assure them yes you are ok to drive. Maybe they can help you be even more ok to drive, and less likely to get pulled over for distracted driving.

My therapist asks all the time if I'm ok to get on the train, because she wants me to make sure I'm grounded and ready, and when I used to drive she'd ask the same about driving. (I don't drive now due to eye condition.) it's never really been about taking away my train pass or drivers license, but making sure I'm ok.

 

[hodge]

I'm guessing that Smile's car has a serious alignment problem. No car should veer that much for a few seconds unless it's really out of alignment. Just sayin'. And that can be fixed fairly cheaply. Usually, all they have to do is put little iron weight thingies on the tires that are out of alignment.

I smoke, but never smoke in the car because it can be such a bad distraction when it's usually all I can do to focus on driving safely.

I'm glad you're okay, Smile. Take good care and maybe get an estimate for getting your car fixed?

 

[hodge]

Oh, and as to your question, I agree with @Justmehere. Take it up with your attorney.

 

[Deleted member 541]

DON'T report this to SSDI. DON'T.... The cop was nice and gave you a warning. You were in the wrong. You were driving a car, and did not have it under control. You were in the wrong. Now, you need to LIGHT your cigarettes when the car is a at a full stop, before you get in it, or when you pull over to the side of the road to light it. Make this incident about a lesson learned......End of story.

 

[Smile]

Let me get this straight.

You removed both hands from the wheel of your vehicle to light a cigaret...

Yes

 

[Smile]

DON'T report this to SSDI. DON'T.... The cop was nice and gave you a warning. You were in the wrong....

Ok! Will do. Thank you

 

[Lucycat]

What if ...

Instead of bumping the kerb, you bumped a toddler?

 

[Kintsugi]

@She Cat covered my general response. The privilege of driving is accompanied by the responsibility to always maintain control of the vehicle.

Also, practice sticking your cig in your mouth (while not driving) and simply lighting it with one hand if you must learn to light it on the go. ;)

 

[Justmehere]

It's important to have a safe escape, are you able to reclaim any of that safety you felt in your care before this happened? Have you been able to rebuild up your confidence driving after this happened:

I nearly got into an accident for reasons that was due to PTSD symtoms, and I was lucky. My doc and therapist knew, didn't report it to the licensing office. It still took me time to feel ok again behind the wheel. (Then this damn eye disease kicked in.)

Distracted driving (trying to lite a cig while driving) isn't a good idea, but nervous driving can be very difficult too - and so the sense of a loss of safety behind the wheel is something to not gloss over.

If the fear of driving or being in your car, rather than the officer pulling you over, is what prompted you to ask if this should be reported to SSA, then focusing on that fear as a limitation to driving and texting might help your case, while leaving this incident out of it (but again, best to sort that out through legal counsel.) It would vary how SSA would consider all this info.

There are important lessons learn from this - and also perhaps a chance to work on rebuilding up your ability and confidence about driving, and to continue to work on your ability to stay relaxed behind the wheel with or without smoking. Working on these things shouldn't decrease your chances with SSA and might help you regain the sense of safety you felt in the past.

 

[Gadgie]

You should maybe have your car checked out, as hitting a kerb like that can damage your tyre, or the wheel itself, even the steering?

I've never smoked in any of my cars, and don't allow anyone else to do so either.

If I'm in a long journey, and want a smoke, I pull over and have one outside, get your car checked soon.