up at a place called Guntry NE of Balmer, about a half hour drive from where I live. Nice facility. Took the beginners course ~ $125 plus another $25 for the ammo. Not sure where I'm going with this, grins and giggles for right now I think, go up and practice a couple times a month for fun? I sort of also think of this as just one of those skills you should have like changing a tire, really not into home defense...but you never know. Got stopped on the way back by a state trooper, In a reverie and then noticing an array ofblinking lights in the rear view mirror and thinking "oh shoot, how long has he been following me"? Dutifully pulled over using my blinkers* rolled down my window, had my DL out and ready. "You know you don't have your lights on"? (this was 9:30pm and dark outside) Me confused, inner voice: I wasn't driving that fast, people were passing me, I was only slightly above the speed limit... and then processing what he just said ... "oh wait, what"? inner voice: are they burnt out? what's going on? "yeah...er, uh" .He looked at my dashboard "You have automatic headlights..." Me: "uh yeah, sure that's what I usually do, don't know why they're not on, didn't even think about that.." .inner voice: shutup shutup shutup... and I turn them on. He walks away, me over unctuously: "Thank you sir..." (inner voice: what!? you're not going to give me a ticket? why not!? other inner voice arguing with first inner voice: Hey look dolt you want to get a ticket or something?, relax!) using turn signals, pull back on to the highway. he didn't pass me until a little while later so maybe keeping an eye on me for a few minutes. So, I had played tennis earlier in the day, and the shooting course from 6 to 9 was kind of exciting, ie, really concentrating for three hours in class and on the shooting range and I guess I was pleasantly, happily tired afterwards so I never noticed the headlights weren't on, it was still barely light in the parking lot but proceeded to drive on three major highways for 20 minutes w/o noticing, I mean I guess I could see perfectly well on lit up highways at night without headlights. So turned over in my head how I was able to space that out or how the auto lights had been turned off somehow but otherwise dismissing it as stuff happens... but I recognize that for the state trooper it probably is a big deal. Yes maybe this is good guy no brainer police stop but I also imagine a percentage of the time this leads to something bigger eg, drunk/stoned people, can't see/no license plate etc. the usual Friday night idiots as I said, doing due diligence staying behind me back a ways for a while, I even was driving 60 in a 55 zone just to show him I was a regular old dufus white guy, he was probably relieved it was only that. * I'm actually pretty good about using turn signals these days. PS I can't think of the last time I was ever stopped by a police officer, let along given a ticket. (aside from the new world of traffic cameras) maybe ten years ago by a police cadet who didn't give me a ticket. But the last time a good ole going too fast yep, you got me ticket? 30-40 years ago maybe more? PPS My usual quip is about seeing a police officer in the rear view mirror is you panic and look at your speed and..realize you're doing the speed limit and realize you're getting old. The cop car zips around you and heads down the road and you're wondering "what has happened to me"? ** Edited by `lag at 6/7/2026, 6:47:04 AM