As I headed toward home early this evening, I drove around the Square from Main Street to Dean Street. As I approached the turn by Starbuck's, I noticed a blue Dodge Caravan stopped in the traffic lane next to a parked car, on the trunk of which sat two young men. (For a larger image, just click on the photo.)
When the driver of the Dodge didn't move, I fired up the trusty little camera and prepared to take a picture, expecting the driver to pull ahead and clear the driving lane. Instead, the young woman got out of her vehicle and walked back to ask if I was going to put her picture on my blog.
I suggested she might want to move her vehicle out of the traffic lane, and she stated that she wasn't violating any law. So I offered to clarify the law for her and asked her if she wanted me to call the police. "Sure, go ahead."
As I dialed the Woodstock Police, a car parked in front of Starbuck's backed out, and the young woman got back in her car and pulled into the parking space. I parked elsewhere and walked to her car to be sure I had seen the rear license plate correctly, and surprise! No front license plate.
Guess it's a good thing the cops didn't come. She could have gotten two tickets!
As I walked back to my car, she said in a loud voice to anyone within hearing, "That's the guy who takes pictures of peoples' cars and puts them on his bloggggg."
You know? If she had just pulled forward when I stopped behind her (or if anyone else came up the street behind her) and waited for her to move, this wouldn't even be happening. Instead, she earned herself some publicity by getting out of her vehicle and sounding off.
Happy to oblige, young lady.
© 2008 GUS PHILPOTT
5 comments:
Good job Gus - just because other states don't require a license plate on the front of a car doesn't mean we folks in Illinois are exempt ... its also illegal to have those plastic license plate protectors ... with the glare of the sun, it can be almost impossible to read the plate's number. As for the lady in the car, she should be thankful that someone was willing to educate her regarding the law. Me and Snoozer Jr. still know that you still da' man, Gus!.
I wonder what her parents are saying to her this morning. I'd like to be a fly on the wall in that kitchen.
She's not a teenager. She's in her upper twenties and a mother of two. Secondly, had you called the police, nothing would have happened. She is married to a Woodstock police officer. That makes the story much more interesting, though, doesn't it...
I'm pretty sure her parents aren't in her kitchen this morning, since she's in her upper-20s. By the way, her husband is a Woodstock cop, so i'm not exactly surprised that she didn't care that you called. (I'm sure she knew she'd get off scott-free. Gotta love the untouchable mentality of those involved or close to law enforcement, right?)
Anyhooo... Its still super-creepy how intrusive you are into other peoples' lives. You obviously have the freedom to do what you'd like within the law, and its clear that no one will ever convince you otherwise. Regardeless, consider that relying on strictly the law to determine what is and is not okay might be myopic, inconsiderate and half-minded at best. Just because you can do something doesn't mean that you ought to.
I must be getting really old. Everyone is starting to look like a teenager to me. Maybe I need to get my annual eye exam.
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