Driver objects to police tactics

To the editor:

We had an incident that happened to my wife and I that I would like to share.

It happened Friday night, March 6. We had an errand to run at 11:30 p.m. because our water was shut off. After running the errand, we decided to drive through town as we are never out that late.

As we were driving around, we went past a bar and turned north on Ship Street. We went down one block and turned east on Walnut Street because this is the road we live on and we were on our way home. As we pulled up to the traffic light at Walnut and Meridian streets, we just caught the light turning red. All we had to do was drive eight blocks and we would be home.

Then a car comes up behind us. As soon as the light is green we proceed through the intersection and this car follows pretty closely behind us to the stop sign at Harrison Street. We stop and then proceed, and this car stops quickly and then catches with us and follows us very closely again and the same thing happens at the next stop sign at Wayne Street.

We don’t know who it is or why they are in such a hurry, but I am not liking it at all, so I turn left into an alley to get out of the way.

Guess what?

The car turns with us and is still very close behind us. This alley ends in a T, so you either have to go left or right. We went left.

As soon as we turned left, the sirens came on so we pulled over, and then a police officer came up to our vehicle, said his name and said he pulled us over because we didn’t use our turn signal. He then proceeded to give me a ticket for “no turn signal,” which is a $160 fine.

My question is, What did I do wrong to have him follow me? I wouldn’t have ever turned if he wasn’t aggressively following me. I thought I was getting out of his way.

Would someone please explain why these cops have to make trouble when there is none. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen a police car not stop completely at stop signs or using their turn signals.

I believe I know why he followed us — because he saw us driving after we drove past the bar and thought we were out drinking. You know how they follow you and think if you are out this late you are up to no good.

I think this is totally wrong.

Portland is a dying city already. We don’t need this type of harassment.

I was born in Portland and have lived here all of my life.

Chris Butcher

Portland