Plan B Forum

Okay, maybe I was wrong but the directions weren't very clear.

I was driving south on highway 280 near San Mateo in the right lane when all of a sudden a traffic jam appeared. It was one of those stop and creep situations. So, I crept along for about 15 minutes until I finally saw a fire truck on the right shoulder of the highway. Just as I saw that, another truck passed me on the right with its sirens and lights going. It stopped and joined the other truck off the side of the road.

Then, on this four lane highway (in one direction) I saw a bunch of traffic cones that blocked off the third lane and were set up in a way to get people in the third lane to move to the left over to the fourth lane. Obviously the reason was to get people to move slowly in this area to get past the fire fighters, who were clearly finished doing whatever they did and packing up their stuff. The second lane was not blocked and had cones on the right side of it, which again, I figured were obviously there to keep people out of the right lane and give the firefighters some extra room. I moved from the first lane to that lane.

There were no officers or firefighters directing traffic.

Everybody was merging to the far left lane, including vehicles that were in my lane. When I got close enough to see the whole picture I realized that my lane was clear, so I figured people were just following the leader over there and not seeing the clear lane that I was in. So I slowly drove forward to get past the fire trucks so I could gradually get up to highway speed.

Oops!

A highway patrolman who had been off the road ran towards me and waved me down. I stopped, rolled down the window and said hello. He acted like was ready to pull me out, pepper spray and knock me over the head with his baton. He asked me what I was doing. I said I was just passing through.

He said, "YOUR DRIVING THROUGH A CONSTRUCTION ZONE!.... Uh...Uh CLEAN UP ZONE!"

I said, "This lane isn't blocked off. I thought it was okay to use it. There are no cones blocking it."

He said, "I've been here for over an hour and nobody has used this lane." I said, "Oh really?" He asked, "Have you been drinking? Take off your sunglasses so I can see your eyes! Follow my finger with your eyes." so I realized he was starting a sobriety test as I remained seated in my truck." I told him I hadn't been drinking. He once again said, "Follow my finger with your eyes."

So I did.

He said, "When was the last time you had a drink?"

I told him, "I had a glass of wine about seven and a half years ago. You can smell my breath if you'd like."

He was wearing a covid mask but I could tell by his eyes that he was smiling and beginning to calm down. He then laughed and said, "I don't want to smell your breath." I told him that probably was a good idea. He then told me I move further left and go ahead and so I did.

Those CHP guys need some training on how to place cones...

Good thing you aren't Afro-American.

Your relatives would be planning your funeral.

I thought about that too. At the very least I would have been frisked and handcuffed.

Joe Guy wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 26, 2020 7:19 am

I thought about that too. At the very least I would have been frisked and handcuffed.

You'd have enjoyed that though.

Seems like everyone who manages temporary closures need training in cone placement and directing traffic. We have a glacial construction zone where I swear the flaggers on either end are having a contest on how big a backup they can achieve.

I got stopped a few weeks ago while coming home. I stuck my hands out of the window and dangled them as he approached my car. Before he got to the window he said, "you don't have to stick your hands out". Really? I guess it might be a bit melodramatic but in these times I am not taking chances. It seems my little light over my license plate was out. Cooper told me that and that he was looking looking for drunk drivers. It was nearing midnight and I had just gotten off work and was in a distinctive uniform top complete with company logo and a name badge. He made me get out and walk behind the car to see that my light was out, to amuse myself I walked toe to heel to the back,then put my arms out and moving in to touch my nose with my eyes closed, performing a sobriety test with out being asked. He stared at me and then I felt silly. No sense of humor. He wanted my license so I told him my wallet was in a bag (full of nursing related crap and my "what ifs") in the back seat and that I would need to dig around and find it. I did not wish to have him think I was digging for a gun and shoot me dead in the street over such a tiny light bulb. (Probably more melodrama) License was produced and he noted that he had stopped me less than a mile from home. For some reason this seemed to amuse him (there is the sense of humor, at my expense). He gave me back my license and I was on my way.

I am glad you survived your encounter too, Joe.

TPFKA@W wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 26, 2020 2:47 pm

I am glad you survived your encounter too, Joe.

You're very lucky, @W. The cops are targeting white privileged people now!

Anyway, the main reason I think the evil cop didn't put me through more tests and make me as uncomfortable as possible is that I didn't argue with him. I thought for a quick moment that I'd ask him to explain why I should assume that the clearly open lane was closed. Then I thought better when I saw smoke was coming from his ears and foam dripping from the bottom of his mask. I guess after I've seen so many people in the news being shot by police for not complying and my believing that the victim had some shared responsibility for the result, that idea was in the back of my victim-blaming head.

WPPM...