For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for January 14, 2023

There’s nothing that Po Po can’t make worse

So what? They should not be parked there?

Ruh-Ro….

When they just show the hearts floating outside the vehicle, that usually means there is something going on in the vehicle that is best not displayed in a family comic strip.

My brother and his girlfriend were in just this situation one January night. There were no cops involved. My niece was born in early October.

Just joined Go Comics. My favorite comic of all time was a For Better or Worse: 1st – Bedroom, she’s getting out of bed. 2nd – She’s stumbling down the hall. 3rd Scene – She enters the bathroom. 4th Scene – Terrible scream comes out of the bathroom. He’s lying in bed with a Thought Bubble saying, “SEAT UP!”

Well, the police have the tendency to know where to find teenagers late at night and the city park is one.

In the last panel is that Mike’s Uncle Phil disguised as a police officer doing undercover surveillance work? I guess Ellie doesn’t actually trust Mike borrowing her car.

You know, with my first boyfriend, we also steamed up windows looking at the lights of the town, but that was because it was cold outside. We kissed a lot, sure, but we also talked a lot as well, turning on the car occasionally for heat that we were not producing. A county sherrif knocked on the window and all my beaux did was roll down the window and said “Hello Officer, you were 17 once right?” The officer just looked at him and smiled, saying “you guys have a nice night now.”

I know, you are thinking “in the 1980s?” Yes, believe it or not.

From Lynn’s Comments: My boyfriend and I used to line up around the Stanley Park road with the rest of the couples and fog up the car windows. One night, just as we were getting serious, there was a knock on the driver’s side window.

As I was saying….

Experience is a great predictor. And in the Summertime it’s more embarrassing. At least that’s what I think my girlfriend felt.

I wouldn’t be worried till the car starts bouncing around on its shock-absorbers.

When I was a teenager, we would drive down to the Hudson River and Sing Sing Prison to make-out. Nobody bothered us. Parks are patrolled by police. You’d think a prison would be, too, but I guess not OUTSIDE the prison. LOL.

Time for a siren test…

I happened to know of a house that was for sale by owner (no signs on yard), unoccupied. We parked in the driveway undisturbed many weekend nights.

Reminds me of the time when I was with a date and we were in the lot of a secluded park. As luck would have it police made their way to my car and one of the officers lightly tapped on the window to get our attention. We then got a lecture about being in a public park and that it was an area where people walked with their kids and their dogs, etc. This was at 3 a.m.

Time to light the lights and blare the siren!

As long as they are not having sex, there should be no problem.

The first time that happened to me, abouot 55 years ago, I rolled down the window wearing my sports coat with no shirt under it, and her blouse was on inside out. The second time, about a year later, was on a first date, and we were fully clothed. The officer noted that one digit of the car’s VIN number was incorrect on my registration and that I should have that corrected. Then he looked me in the eye and asked if I had any alcohol in the car. He must have seen the relief on my face as I said no, and he left with no further questions. As he left, she heaved a mighty sigh of relief, then told me that she had some hashish and cocaine in her purse. It occurred to me that if it had been found, they would have thought she was holding it for me. I never saw her again.

Lucky its Canada and not the Cook County Forest Preserves (Chicago)

The cops know.

Young love?

Ahhh… young love, and hormones. Hope this strip continues to see what the cop does.

Uh-oh.

“we really should go” “But baby, it’s warm inside. . .”

nothing to see, officer, but if you’re that concerned, do go look into it

In 1994, this strip was on a Friday. The conclusion was the next day. This time around we get a cliff-hanger.

This is Canada. Go burn some churches.

Been there, done that. Almost fifty some odd years ago.

Sadly, the parking lot where I used to bring girls to make out with in SF has been developed into condos

Long ago in my LEO career I made a welfare check on a car with in the desert with fogged up windows. I knocked on the window and it rolled down a bit. I said are you here on your own violation ma’am. She replied, it’s OK we are married but not to each other. I left them be. I did see the same car there on other occasions and left them alone to do their thing.

Ruh, roh, Shaggy!

Peeping copper…

I remember a Chuck Norris movie akin to this. Some teenagers are alone on the beach at night, making out. Suddenly an amphibious landing craft approaches the shore and the kids wonder what on Earth is that. The gate opens and several men with guns storm the beach. They surround the kids, and their leader says to keep this under wraps. A blast of automatic fire and the teenagers have paid the ultimate price for their sins.

Michaels pushy

Uh oh, it’s officer interruptus!

I remember parking in a church parking lot right around the corner from my boyfriend’s house. We’d only been there about 5 minutes when a spotlight shone into the car, and the officer informed us that the church “doesn’t have midnight services.” I was mortified.

Supposedly Eve Plumb & Christopher Knight from THE BRADY BRUNCH got caught half naked in a car by the cops.

ALL UNITS, RESPOND TO 211 IN PROGRESS AT 5TH AND BROADWAY. ACTUAL CRIMINALS ARE AT THIS SCENE, SO DO WHAT YOU’RE PAID FOR AND LEAVE THE TEENAGERS ALONE!

Report him for staring.

A high school classmate obtained a flashing red light, I know not where, that he attached to his dashboard. He then went around the woods near our small town :busting" beer keggers, “woodsie” parties, etc., much to the amusement of his friends. The REAL cops were not at all amused, and found out who was doing this (easy in a small town), and ruined his fun.

Has he ever borrowed the car without getting in trouble?

When I was in high school, my friends got caught moonlighting in a car by the police. Jane was 18 while John was just 17. The police said they could arrest her for statutory rape (I guess they were doing more than just kissing).