I was just a kid, maybe 17 years old. Nelson Lewis had a big Cadillac Sedan and wanted me to take it and drop it off in downtown Austin for him. I was barreling up Trinity Street, a few blocks east of Congress Avenue. Just as I approached 3rd street, there was a motorcycle cop turning from 3rd and was going to head north on Trinity, the same way I was going.

I saw him keep edging out in the intersection, like he expected me to stop and let him go ahead of me. I didn’t see any flashing lights, so I presumed he was more playing chicken with me, so I didn’t give an inch. I rolled on passed him, and I think I even gave him a nod, like better luck next time.

He immediately turned his red lights on me and indicated that he expected me to pull over. Which I did. When he approached the door, I said “what’s the problem officer“. He indicated that he was less than pleased that I’d almost ran over. When I explained to him that I didn’t think it was very safe for him to keep edging out in the intersection like that.

That’s when he wrote me a ticket for running a 4 way stop sign.