Instant Justice on the Streets of Sacramento

Here’s another installment in what could ideally become a series on how police departments are doing right by pedestrians and cyclists. We posted the Chicago bike video a couple of weeks back. We now present the Sacramento crosswalk sting. (Warning: Insufferable Geico commercial may precede video.)

Back in April, TV station KCRA filmed a plainclothes Sacramento officer busting motorists who couldn’t be bothered to yield the right of way. Notice how, though they cite the potential amount of the fine, neither the anchor nor the reporter ever intimate that the operation is a money-making scheme? Instead of sticking a mic in a driver’s face for a quick-and-dirty accusation of extortion — a near-must in most any mainstream media story about traffic enforcement — the reporter is completely sympathetic to the pedestrians in harm’s way, and rightly credits the officer for putting his life on the line.

Ben wrote earlier this year how similar measures could be effective here in New York. Wouldn’t it be great if we could all point to a law-breaking vehicle and have NYPD swoop in?