And it's downhill from there...

So. You're coming down a hill. Your speed builds a bit, and you don't always notice it. Not until the car in front of you gets closer. Quickly.

You tap the brake, trying to keep your distance—the last second is not the time to even things out. You glance at the speedo. 5 mph over. Not that bad. So why are you closing so fast?

You look around. The fellow up there must have let off the gas for a reason, right? And that's when you see the police car.

Oops.

5 mph over on a downhill slope isn't a big deal. But if he wants to make it one he can. And you did slow down. Sign of guilt, right?

Sure enough, he pulls out of the median and swings in behind you.

This is a big thing. A commercial driver lives or dies by his record. With the company. With the police. You've gotten two tickets in the past two years, and you've spent close to a thousand on legal fees and such, keeping your DMV record more or less intact. There really isn't a minor ticket if you're a trucker.

Well, nothing for it. Here he comes.

And there he goes.

The lights come on three cars ahead. Apparently somebody was paying less attention than you were.

You can breathe now.

I said you can breathe now!

That's better.