Police presence disturbing

I rode my bike to Flame Broil today, instead of driving over. This is not because of some fitness thing; I already had ridden around the Back Bay. I am not driving around here for a few days.

I’ve been biking it because there has been a plethora of Costa Mesa police officers, both motorcycle and auto, buzzing around 17th Street. I haven’t seen so many police since the 1968 Democratic National Convention.

Truth be told, I’m not the greatest driver. I don’t break rules, but if I know a gazillion police are “hidden” behind every business, in every parking lot, and pretty much ticketing more cars than I’ve ever seen ticketed, I’m going to drive tensely. And past experience has shown me that if I am nervous, I will become extremely driver-challenged and zoom toward that ticket-able offense as if it were those holes in the road that my bike heads to unbidden.

I am so nervous and paranoid at this writing that I actually did bike hand signals. Yes. The left and right turn thing. I am enough of an aging nerd already without doing those. I was scared about dangerous bike-riding. I am sure they would get me for that too.

I have been sharing a few theories with others I meet while jogging or biking. It’s hard to hear people because there is a constant twittering of those polite siren beeps the police give before they tell you to “turn into that driveway and stop” on their megaphone.

A teenage girl had just shakily pulled into Flame Broil, and I asked her if she had noticed all the police.

“No kidding!” she said. “I just got my permit, and now everywhere I look I see a motorcycle cop. I’m so scared to be driving.”

Her theory was that there is a quota this month and every person stopped by the police will definitely receive a ticket. She heard this from someone who heard it from someone who knows this.

I feel that her explanation is an urban myth that has been around a long time.

Another guy to whom I spoke had just been bumped by a car as he crossed the street at 17th and Orange. He was OK, and of course there were no police, but they can’t be everywhere.

Anyway, his theory was that they were out in force because of the terrible crash (thank God there were no fatalities) that occurred in the area a few days ago. And also, he figured it was Memorial Day weekend, so there would be lots of drunks on the road. That made sense to me.

I toyed with the idea that an election was coming up, and maybe the Police Department was trying to look especially vigilant. I don’t really see this one as viable, and I’m just a paranoid old hippie.

Finally, I parked my bike and went in to get my order. I was chatting with the girl at the counter when a Costa Mesa motorcycle patrolman walked in.

“See? See?” I whispered to her, subtly pointing to him.

She tried not to giggle, and finally I asked him myself. He was the soul of politeness and respect, as all the local police have been to me in any dealings I’ve had with them. I want all of them to know that. All of them.

“Why are there so many of you on 17th, if you don’t mind my asking?” I queried tremulously.

He told me that his entire job for the day was to stop anyone who was not wearing a seat belt and ticket them. He was dead serious.

“Kind of a Britney Spears Alert?” I joked.

He did not laugh. It’s possible he may have heard this joke before. He headed out to his motorcycle, and I carefully raised my right hand up as I turned right onto Orange.

I’m at peace with it now. If all these tickets save one life and that life is saved from buckling up, then I am not against it. But it is certainly bizarre seeing so many police around like a big swarm of black bumble bees. I don’t mean that to be disrespectful. I cannot imagine driving without my seat belt on. I would feel naked, and that’s not a pretty visual.

But it’s enough to make everyone bike or walk. And with gas prices what they are, that is a good thing.

SUE CLARK

Costa Mesa