As some of you may know, the R.I.D.E. (or Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere) is a sobriety testing program for motorists used by police in Canada. It involves roadside spot-checks that typically appear during the holidays to catch drunk drivers, but the program lasts year round and may be randomly applied.
Police roadside spot-checks are usually set up on major roadways, off-ramps, or on side streets leading to major arteries where traffic is funneled into one direction and there is no means of avoidance once one is caught in this trap. Tunnels and underpasses where these road checks are not visible until one is practically on top of them are among other favorite spots. Kind of like shooting fish in a barrel...
All cars are stopped, and questions are asked. If a driver is suspected to be DUI, the officer may request a roadside breathalyzer test. Spot checks usually consist of several cruisers and pylons to direct cars into the area. Tow trucks may also be on standby to remove any vehicles with drivers caught drunk.
Well, long story short - I was caught in one of these R.I.D.E. checks after I left the ANTM ("America's Next Top Model") event held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre last Friday, and which I reported on in another thread earlier this week:
http://www.crossdressers.com/forums/...ce!&highlight=
Upon leaving the convention centre, I had taken a small side street to avoid the main traffic, and lo and behold! - I suddenly found myself face-to-face with one of these R.I.D.E. Program stops! Of course, my initial reaction was "Oh, sh*t - how do I get myself out of here?", but I also quickly realized that taking any evasive action would have been totally counter-productive and would have just attracted their attention with who-knows-what? consequences. So I sucked it up, proceeded forward, and decided to let the chips fall where thay may. It wasn't so much that I was worried about the drinking aspect - I hadn't had anything stronger to drink all evening than a Coke - it was more about how the cops would react to me and the way I was presenting, and potentially hassle me for it.
Well, I needn't have worried. When I approached the actual stop, rolled down my window, and the officer stuck his head into my car within 6" of my face to see if he could detect any hint of liquor on my breath, I simply replied that no, I hadn't had anything to drink that night and gave him my best (if forced) smile. He then took a quick look around the inside of my car, said "Thank you Ma'am - go ahead!", and waved me on my way.
In the end, this spot check turned out to be a total non-event. It was also a fitting - if unexpected - end to an otherwise fabulous evening, and just the icing on the cake. Needless to say, it was also a huge ego boost to my ability to blend in (pass?), and if ever I had any lingering doubts before, they are all gone now...