CHOAD RAGE: The Super Trooper Party Pooper

The day started off well-enough. My back and hip were behaving enough to get to work. Had a good(enough) show that morning, got all of my work done for the day, and headed home to the cities. I turned off of Lincoln Avenue onto Highway 10 south and began my commute home.

It got downright weird from there.

As I was getting up to speed in the driving lane (the right one), a state trooper came cruising up to me in the passing lane (the left one). The trooper first drove a bit past me, then let off the gas to coast until they were next to me.

And then they turned the beacons on.

I did what any law-abiding citizen going relatively close to the speed limit would do and started braking. Good thing I did, because he then cut me off into the driving lane and turned the beacons off. HUH?

That was weird, but okay. The trooper really wanted traffic to actually drive the posted speed limit (instead of the usual 4 to 5 mph over I mean we all always only ever drive the speed limit, officer), because that's exactly how fast they drove.

So I set my cruise control and accepted that I'd get home a couple minutes later than usual. That's fine.

Traffic that didn't see the trooper would tailgate me until they were angry enough to pass (again, I was in the driving lane, not the passing lane). When they approached the trooper, the trooper would turn on the beacons, cut them off, and then turn the beacons off again.

This happened 4 times (that I could see) between St Cloud and Elk River. A long line of traffic formed behind the trooper.

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The Minnesota State Patrol's mission statement is: "To protect and serve all people through assistance, education and enforcement; provide support to allied agencies; and provide for the safe, efficient movement of traffic on Minnesota’s roadways."

This incident...wasn't that. At all.

I'd never seen that before, and it hasn't happened since. Hopefully, whomever it was either got help or let go, because that's just unacceptable for someone in a position of authority to drive like that.

And before the hatemail comes: I'm not anti-cop/trooper. Being in positions of authority, they should be held to a high standard. This incident didn't even meet minimum standards for safe driving by a teenager fresh out of driving school.