Cop confusion.

I drove to school today. Since I only had a half day of classes, I knew the 401 wouldn't be too busy for my commute home. I made my way out of the parking structure at York and began to head down Keele (which also wasn't very busy) towards the 401. Driving in the curb lane somewhat north of Wilson, I notice that a vehicle is parked on the side of the road in my lane with its hazards flashing. Okay, no big deal, I check my left and note there is a gap I can change into. I signal and move over. I am now directly in front of a police car, but no big deal. I get past the vehicle, check to make sure the way is clear, signal and change lanes back to the right. I come to a red light and stop. Hmm, the police car is still behind me. That's interesting, but still no big deal. The light turns green and I make my way through the intersection. Hmm, the police car is now flashing its lights. Am I really being pulled over? That's never happened before...do they just need me to clear the way so they can proceed to an emergency? Well, I signal, check my right, pull over to the right-hand side of my lane and stop. The police car stops behind me. And sits there for a while. Are they waiting for a break in traffic so they can carry on to the emergency? Doesn't seem like it. I guess I really have been pulled over, though I haven't a clue why; I haven't been speeding or doing anything reckless...maybe a taillight is out? Well, I guess I'd better get my license out of my wallet. Oh, look, the curbside door of the police car is opening. I roll down my window as the policeman approaches. We exchange greetings. He tells me, if I understand correctly, that the reason they pulled me over is that they thought my engine sounded noisy. He asks me for my license, ownership and insurance. I already have my license out; I quickly get out the other two items from the place I know they are in the glove compartment. He asks me who Martin is; that's my husband (whose name is on the ownership and insurance slips). He tells me he'll be with me in a minute and returns to the police car for a little while (not nearly as long as the wait before he came up to the car the first time). While he is gone I shift the car into neutral, set the parking brake and put on my hazard signals (oops, should have done that before, I guess, but whatever...I was stopped, had my right signal on, and had a police car with flashy lights behind me to protect me). On his return, he hands me back my license, insurance and ownership and thanks me; I thank him, put the items in a handy holding spot, cancel my hazards, shift back into gear, release the parking brake, cancel my right signal and put on my left (to signal that I'm now going to pull away from the curb), and drive off, cancelling my left signal shortly.

Okay, so I got no ticket, and not even a warning. The only problem was that my engine was apparently noisy. I did not have to cry, make excuses, or mention that my husband is related to several cops as well as the current chief of police, or point out that of course my engine sounded noisy right off the line from a red light...I drive a stick and didn't exactly get the chance to smoothly accelerate to the sweet spot of cruising along at the speed limit in 4th gear. So now I am wondering why I really got pulled over. Is it because:
- my engine really did sound noisier than should be expected for a standard transmission even before I got pulled over--perhaps even before I changed lanes to be in front of the cop car--and they were just concerned about the safety of my vehicle (and thus me and those around me)?
- the cops didn't like me getting in front of them when I changed lanes? (I don't think I cut them off...)
- maybe cars like mine have been stolen lately and they just wanted to do a random check to make sure the car really was mine?
- they saw one earbud of an iPod in my ear (I removed it before the policeman approached my car the first time, and he did not mention it) or the other earbud hanging and thought that I was driving distracted?
Who knows. And did I not get a ticket or a warning because:
- the policeman saw on closer investigation that I drive a stick and that's why I sounded noisy?
- he was just concerned and just wanted to inform me about the problem and it wasn't an offence in any way (though I think if you are truly driving a car that is unfit it is a problem with them and can be taken off the road, though I'm not sure if it's an offence even then)?
- he realized my husband is related to several cops, and maybe even the current chief of police?
- he saw I wasn't an aggressive person who would rashly dart out in front of his vehicle and swerve from lane to lane?
- he did pull me over because of the earbud or because I got in front of him when I changed lanes, but couldn't find anything to charge me with?

I don't seem to have any strikes against me after this incident, though I will see if others think my engine sounds noisier than it should (I really don't know what it should and shouldn't sound like, but it sounds okay to me), too. I'm just a wee bit confused. Anyway, looks like I survived my first pulling-over. Hopefully any future pulling-overs will be as incident-free as this one. *Shrug*...