[REPOST]

Happened this morning. Even though I made a complete and full stop at a 4 way stop, I get pulled over by a police vehicle, lights flashing, the works. I turn my dash cam around to face me and whomever goes in front of the driver side window.

I roll it down and ask “what seems to be the problem officer?” Officer looks at me the way one would look at a sticky piece of gum stuck to the bottom of one’s shoe. “You didn’t make a complete stop.” he says. I adjust one of my hearing aids (lost part of my hearing due to being a touring session musician previously) and before I could speak, he firmly orders “Sir, take off your earphones when I’m talking to you!”

I take both hearing aids off and look at him. I can read lips a little but we’re both masked so I can’t understand what he’s saying. I communicate in sign language simultaneously while speaking verbally "I’m deaf and I didn’t understand what you just said. Can you communicate to me in ASL (American Sign Language) please. He points at my hearing aids that look like Apple Air Pods, motioning me to put them on. I respond “Yes officer, without those I can only communicate in ASL. Please instruct me in ASL and I will be compliant in every possible way”.

He looks at the dashcam that’s neatly pointed squarely at us and mumbles “For fuck’s sake”. He then motions for me to to go, giving me 2 thumbs up. Needless to say, I rolled up the window and drove away as fast as legally allowed.

Couldn’t wipe the smile off my face all day, Lol.