Wednesday, June 4, 2003

I wish the citizen who wrote the letter about the speeding lawman would have signed his name. I would like to thank him for his letter. I drive down Ga. Highway 54 from Fayetteville to Peachtree City every day. I've almost been run off the road by "lawmen" darting in and out of traffic and speeding down the road without their flashing lights or blaring sirens. I've been dangerously tail-gated while looking for an opportunity to change lanes in heavy traffic to get out of an intimidating deputy's way. Again, no lights and no siren.

Last week, even, as I turned onto Hwy. 54 from Jeff Davis, a lady deputy cut in front of me at the intersection to turn onto Hwy. 54 as well. She never used a siren, a light, a horn, or even a blinker. Then while [I was] behind her on Hwy. 54, she cut through all three lanes of traffic to turn at the Methodist Church to cut through and go back to Hwy. 54 in the opposite direction. Again, no siren, no lights, no horn, no blinker.

Had I been driving like these officers, I surely would have been given a ticket for speeding, driving too close for conditions, failure to yield right-of-way, improper lane change and several other traffic violations, I'm sure.

I've even gone to trouble of getting the car number so that I could call and inquire as to why they were in such a big hurry. By the time I get to my office, however, I've talked myself out of calling because I figure, "What's the use?" and, "Who would really care?"

After reading the response that this person got when confronting the deputy, I can see my suspicions were valid.

Who does care? What can the law-abiding citizen do when our not so law-abiding lawmen break simple traffic laws?

I know our officers provide a great service for the citizens of Fayette County. However, I do feel they can provide the same great service without creating dangerous traffic situations. I'm not sure where these officers were going and whether or not they were on any kind of call. But, I'm pretty sure the lady officer was just trying to get back to the Fayetteville station. What was the emergency there? Does she have the right to put my vehicle or my life in danger simply because she wears a badge?

This paper publishes a Police Blotter naming the people who have been arrested for whatever reason. Maybe, citizens should start writing down the car numbers, dates, times and offenses, when we see our lawmen, and women, creating dangerous situations, and send them in for publishing. Maybe the newspaper could call it "Citizen Blotter."

Would this newspaper publish such a list? Would the embarrassment of seeing their offenses published cause our officers to abide by the same laws they ask us to follow? I wonder ...

Virginia Buehl

Fayetteville