I sat in Starbucks in Columbia with a work associate and noted how heavily
policed the area was, with sirens constantly going by in the Oakland Mills
area. Within five minutes of leaving, still new to the area, I was pulled over
also. I had been holding my phone in my hand to view my gps more closely
and then a call came in. I greeted the caller and the sirens went off. While the
officer was talking to me, a white man who I estimated to be in his 60s was
walking down the street. He started yelling and pointing at my car, saying
“aha! You shouldn’t have been speeding”… I had to restrain myself from
responding. The officer seemed to smirk. I received the ticket from the officer
and went about my day. I wondered if I had not been in a heavily policed area,
and if I was white, would I have been stopped or even noticed–and, would the
walker had said anything to me as he walked by.
