“The danger that police traffic stops pose greatly outweighs any benefit of having them engage in that,” Ms. Fernandez said.
— Why Police Can Stop Motorists With Air Fresheners Hanging in Their Cars
Maybe 15 years ago, my wife and I were vacationing in her native Barbados, along with our young children. One of the island’s attractions was a beautiful aquarium, and it was on the itinerary.
This was in the era pre-smartphone, so I was driving inland in our rented car, trying to follow a brochure’s directions, when I made a wrong turn. To recover, I made a left turn off the main road, did a u-turn, and prepared to make a right-hand turn back onto the main drag.
In Barbados, as in many Caribbean nations, you drive on the left-hand side of the road. The road onto which I intended to make a right was considered a highway. Making the right meant crossing a lane with oncoming highway traffic (it was not a busy stretch, at that moment). Just as I was about to make the turn, lights flashed behind me. It was a Bajan police officer, flagging me down to warn me that I was about to make an illegal maneuver.
As a White man raised in America, I have not been trained to fear for my life in these situations. And I wasn’t afraid. I was not questioned about drugs. The officer didn’t try to search the car. He simply and politely explained the situation to me, gave me the directions I needed, and sent us on our way. It was a fun day at the aquarium.