Another von Huben hassled by the Man!
Our neighborhood has been over run with State Police working as subcontractors for our unincorporated township to cut down on traffic problems. I can’t say that I feel any safer. There are probably major drug related felonies being committed in the apartment complex nearby.....but there is no mercy for those who may commit a rolling stop.

My husband was stopped and ticketed for not stopping properly. And because he was going from the Citgo to McDonald’s (one block) he had failed to buckle his belt. So that cost $55 dollars.

That same day I was stopped for driving ‘suspiciously’ on my own street. Too many trips up and down my street is suspicious. It’s a cul-de-sac - we can’t just go around the block. That officer narked on my husband and his seat belt ticket. (I may have ranted about this before, but I can’t seem to check my archives........so, I’ll rant again) He should have followed me home to witness a near murder. (“$55 - Are you out of your mind?”........) I have always been a seat-belt fanatic and having a serious accident about 8 years ago made me even more adamant. And then to lose $55 dollars to stupity......

So now I count 1-potato, 2-potato at every stop sign. On my way home this morning I saw flashing lights ahead and a familiar vehicle. Poor Frances was pulled over for turning in to her place of employment, which is technically illegal because turns are banned on many streets here, during certain hours, to prevent people from taking shortcuts around our major convergence of two big roads. The thought that went thru my head is that Fran is on our insurance (as of a week ago) but we had not yet received an insurance card for her car. So I parked and ran up to the officer waving my insurance card, but it was too late. The ticket was already written. Oh, well, the ticket for the turn is just a warning that will be dismissed because she has ‘business’ on that street. And then she can run up to court with proof of insurance any time soon. That should be easy since she has had to drive so many of her dubious friends to the same traffic court.

As for me........I haven’t been as nervous behind the wheel since I took my driver’s test thirty years ago. I’m not giving the Man any reasons to hassle me........

And I feel sorry for the Man, too. I don’t think these people went into State law enforcement to stake out suburban neighborhoods to crack down on minor traffic violations. These can’t be the best days of their careers, either.