Driver Tries To Get Out Of Traffic Stop By Handing Cop A Monopoly ‘Get Out Of Jail Free’ Card

Anyone who has ever been pulled over for a traffic violation should know the drill: remain calm and cooperative and have license, registration, and proof of insurance ready to go. According to the Fullerton Police Department, one motorist recently had an extra document available and used it in an effort to avoid a citation: a “Get Out of Jail Free” card from the Monopoly board game.

This is from ABC7, the local news affiliate:

The officer had a good laugh but reminded the driver that while creativity is appreciated, it isn’t a legal defense. He told the driver to save the card for a rainy day and sent him off with a real citation.

Very cheeky, but there is a lesson here. When dealing with law enforcement in matters of routine infractions, a good attitude never hurts. As the Eyewitness News team joked during their report, it would have been amusing if the cop had actually let the person off with a warning as a reward for the clever move. Who knows, maybe the driver has been waiting their whole life to run this bit!

I have a family member in law enforcement, and let me tell you, it’s a stressful job. I’m sure the Fullerton officer appreciated the levity that the driver brought to their interaction, and it’s great that the department used Instagram to tell the story, including some witty hashtags: #NiceTry, #DoNotPassGo, #DoNotCollect200. 

The driver was pulled over for breaking the law (allegedly, of course, as a citation isn’t an admission of guilt but rather a notification to either pay a fine or appear in court) the cop had some fun inserted into what might have been an otherwise dreary day, and we can all enjoy the tale. In fact, it might be a good idea for everybody to slip a “Get Out of Jail Free” card into their glove compartment, as a reminder that interactions with the police, under normal circumstances, don’t have to be scary. And for the record, it’s also good to know the rules of the road where you do most of your driving.

While there’s a solid argument for ending all traffic stops, that doesn’t mean they can’t sometimes be funny or even a little satisfying, especially in nordic countries that traffic infractions very seriously. One Lambo owner in Denmark lost his car as he was driving it home from the dealership thanks to his extreme need for speed or this driver in Finland getting $130,000 ticket for speeding.