I had just finished the Rubicon trail. It was afternoon, and I was headed back from the Tahoe side, when I noticed that I had a bent steering stabilizer. The turns were a bit difficult to make. Being not far from my Ma’s house in Pleasant Valley, I was going to make it there, order some parts and make some repairs. As it happens the CHP had other ideas. I pulled to the side of the road and I started to get my drivers license out. Oops!! It was under my driver’s seat. Not wanting to look like I was trying to grab something, I just put my hands on the steering wheel and waited. The CHP officer walked up and asked me if I had been drinking (because of the damaged steering stabilizer I suppose). I said no. We talked for a few minutes and he asked if I would step out of the jeep. I did, and we walked back to his patrol car. Again, he asked if I had been drinking, and again I said I had not. He ask if my passenger had been drinking. I told him neither one of us drink and drive (or wheel). Then he asked if I would take a breathalyzer test. I told him OK. He reached into his patrol car, took out something with a plastic tube on it, and asked me to blow on it. :idontknow: Never, ever having had such a test in my life, I kind of blew at it from about 6 inches away. He said that wasn’t the way to do that! I had to put my lips on it! Well, my reaction was “Do what?!?” After he explained why, I finished up with the test. He finally said “You haven’t been drinking!” He then asked where I was going. I told him “Just down the road to Pleasant Valley”. After all was said and done, the officer was kind enough to let me go with just a verbal warning.
(There IS more to the story but, since its California, I’ll hold off on the last part.)