LETTER: Driver Feels Stung By Police Crosswalk Sting

To the Edtior:

Yesterday I was driving on Fernbrook Lane in Plymouth, where it is a four-lane, two-way road and saw three police patrols with their blinkers on. I passed one and two were on the other side of the road as I continued driving (under 40 mph as the speed limit says).

Four lanes away I noticed a lady put a step into the road as she was going to cross, almost perpendicular to my position. She was with what appear to be her husband, but he was on the side of the road.

I continued driving carefully because another patrol had stopped another driver just ahead of me. Then I saw a patrol car behind my car. I moved to the side to let him go, but he stayed in the same place. I continued and passed the other patrol, the patrol behind me moved to stop me and gave me a ticket because I was supposed to stop at the time the pedestrian stepped into the crosswalk. It didn’t matter about the timing and that I was four lanes away.

I asked the officer if those people crossing the street were working with the police and he said yes. It was a set up!

To expand a little bit more, the area where I got the ticket doesn’t have a stoplight, stop sign and one crosswalk by one of the side streets and this was by a small side road that connects to Fernbrook Lane further south from Rockford Road.

My 16-year-old daughter was with me as a passenger and she said that the lady was not crossing the street. I only saw her taking one step as I had turned my head, but I was too far to even stop. But considering that I was four lanes apart, I continued driving.

On the way back, after a quick stop at a fast food restaurant, the same scene was there, but this time it was different. A couple (the two people working with the police) were moving to cross the street and the lady was looking at the opposite side and continued walking. This time I was far back enough to see her and I did stop.

In that moment I felt like the victim! What a shame, things like this can affect the respect and admiration we are supposed to have for people in uniform.

One older lady that was caught was crying in her car, I felt really bad for her. I watched later as five people were caught at the same time. What does this mean? Do we all drive without the respect of others and are careless or was this a complete set up?

I could say that at one time I had a record of 20 to 25 years without a traffic ticket. When I got to this country over 30 years ago, I used to cringe inside when I saw a police patrol because of the abuse I saw back in Mexico. Of course, I relaxed after a short time and have a lot of respect for the police in general now and I hope it remains that way.

Sincerely

Carlos Rodriguez

Plymouth