Sting or Scam?

There was an article last Friday in one of our two local papers about the police running a sting operation involving crosswalks, pedestrians, and automobile drivers.

I spent a lot of years in California where the "yield to pedestrians" rule is very strong and mostly obeyed. If there is a pedestrian in a crosswalk, you stop and allow him or her to cross. In fact, it is wise to stop even if that person is not actually in a marked crosswalk. My time in California probably trained me to follow those rules. But I grew up mostly in Dade County (now called "Miami-Dade") in Florida when crossing the street seemed to mean "I'm a legitimate target!" In the late fifties and early sixties, the pedestrian was responsible for avoiding cars in the street. The California model (pedestrians always have the right-of-way) is the norm these days.

That's a good thing. It flies in the face of maritime practice (which is that the larger, less maneuverable vessel has the right-of-way) but it is, I think, the right way to do it. Cars and trucks can easily cause more damage than a pedestrian.

The problem I have is the manner in which this sting was performed. I am speculating, of course, based on what I saw in the picture and what I have seen on the streets both as pedestrian and as a driver. Looking at the picture and noting where Officer Little was in relation to the truck partially in the crosswalk, I wondered where the officer was just prior to stepping into the street. It is difficult to tell from the picture. He appears to have taken one or two steps from the curb and, in the picture, the truck seems to be stopped. In other words, everything looks normal and correct except that the truck is encroaching on the crosswalk (this is illegal). The article states: "The motorist stopped at North Ridgewood Drive and North Mango Street and appeared to be in a hurry when he turned left Thursday onto Ridgewood from Mango." But this is not possible. There is no Mango Street on the west side of Ridgewood, just on the east and (from the picture) the truck was traveling north on Ridgewood. Use Google Maps and "street level view" to view the intersection.

The motorist stopped at North Ridgewood Drive and North Mango Street and appeared to be in a hurry when he turned left Thursday onto Ridgewood from Mango. - See more at: http://highlandstoday.com/hi/local-news/sebring-police-hold-crosswalk-sting-20131213/#sthash.FjG6EjEK.dpuf

The motorist stopped at North Ridgewood Drive and North Mango Street and appeared to be in a hurry when he turned left Thursday onto Ridgewood from Mango. - See more at: http://highlandstoday.com/hi/local-news/sebring-police-hold-crosswalk-sting-20131213/#sthash.FjG6EjEK.dpuf

The motorist stopped at North Ridgewood Drive and North Mango Street and appeared to be in a hurry when he turned left Thursday onto Ridgewood from Mango. - See more at: http://highlandstoday.com/hi/local-news/sebring-police-hold-crosswalk-sting-20131213/#sthash.FjG6EjEK.dpuf

When I was a child, my mother taught me how to cross a street; use the crosswalk if available or cross at a corner where there is a traffic light or a stop sign. Look both ways. If there is a vehicle approaching, do not step into the street. I wonder, did Officer Little step out into the street before the truck approached? How long before? The speed limit on the road is 30 MPH, I think, certainly not lower than 25.  Did Officer Little behave like a reasonable pedestrian? Or did he just start walking as the truck neared the crosswalk? The latter means this wasn't a "sting" but an "entrapment."

When I am walking and about to cross the street, I always make sure any vehicles have plenty of time to see me and react to my presence before I step into the street. I hope you all do the same. Make my mama proud.

Another thing I learned (actually from riding a motorcycle) was to try to make eye contact with the driver of the vehicle approaching before stepping out in front of him.