Frequent question: "Where is a cop ...

Gus Philpott
Woodstock Advocate
October 11, 2010

... when you need one?"

How often have you spotted a serious traffic violation and said that, whether or not anyone was in the car with you?

In a small town like Woodstock or even in the County, if you report a traffic violator, will a cop or deputy be able to intercept that driver and stop him before the driver is out of his jurisdiction? And my personal, recent experience is that a traffic complaint from me might not carry the weight that it would from another citizen; but that's another story.

Saturday night I was northbound on Route 47 at the 30MPH speed limit from McHenry Ave. (Route 120). In my rearview mirror I saw a car coming up fast behind me and saw it swing out into the center, no-passing lane. I realized it was going to be close to me and I swerved toward the curb to avoid getting side-swiped.

The car continued north at well over the speed limit, and I uttered those "famous words" to my passenger.

By the time we topped the hill near Todd Avenue, that car was about two blocks ahead. And what was pulling out of a parking lot from the east side of Seminary? A Woodstock police car with its emergency lights on!

By the time the officer got that car stopped, it was at the driveway for SNAP Fitness, 1400 N. Seminary Ave. I stopped in Mike McNerney's parking lot and walked up to the WPD car, standing back to avoid startling the officer, who had already approached the driver.

The car, with Massachusetts plates and a driver who spoke Arabic, not English, was stopped, and I asked the officer to issue a ticket for passing in a no-passing zone. I'll go to court on that one.

I had to wait about 20 minutes for Ofc. Reitz to do all the paperwork, but I was happy to do it. And I appreciated his courtesy as he recorded my identification for the ticket. He had made a good stop on his own observation for speeding (radar). I didn't ask the speed on the radar, but my guess was 43-47 MPH in the 30MPH zone.