***  HN PHOTOS ***  HEAVY DOWNTOWN HYANNIS POLICE PRESENCE… DOZENS OF TRAFFIC STOPS, AT LEAST TWO MOTORCYCLISTS FLED

Above HN photo: Members of the Barnstable Police patrol force assigned to the Hyannis area watch a suspicious vehicle during a traffic stop at the West End rotary Tuesday. The occupants of the vehicle were wearing ski masks. Police had received a call regarding the suspicious vehicle and its occupants about a half hour earlier.   Above HN photo: Members of the Barnstable Police patrol force assigned to the Hyannis area speak to the occupants of a suspicious vehicle during a traffic stop at the West End rotary Tuesday afternoon. The occupants of the vehicle were wearing ski masks. Police had received a call regarding the suspicious vehicle and its occupants about a half hour earlier. Officers spoke to the occupants about the ski masks drawing attention. The situation was well documented, and the occupants were advised about their behavior likely drawing attention and causing alarm…       Above HN photos – HYANNIS, MASSACHUSETTS:  For the past two evenings, about half a dozen members of the Massachusetts State Police Community Action Team (CAT) supplemented the normal number of state troopers and Barnstable Police officers patrolling the Hyannis area, especially in the downtown Main Street area. The CAT unit does not take mandatory calls for service and are free to focus on anti-crime and traffic enforcement initiatives. CAT members and Barnstable Police patrol officers assigned to Hyannis initiated dozens of traffic stops last evening in the Main Street area alone.  In the above photos, state troopers assigned to the CAT unit were patrolling Main Street in the West End of Hyannis on Tuesday afternoon when they pulled over and addressed some type of disturbance possibly involving a simple assault.  A young man involved in the disturbance was checked out by Hyannis FD Rescue.   Above HN dashcam screengrab:  A reckless motorcyclist takes off from a state trooper from the parking lot of 500 Main Street last evening.  The reckless motorcyclist was traveling so fast on High School Road that all HN dashcam frames were blurred.  The area was heavily congested with pedestrians and vehicles at the time… and troopers immediately called off all attempts to stop the fleeing motorcycle for public safety reasons.  Barnstable Police patrol officers were alerted… along with Yarmouth Police patrol officers, as the idiotic and reckless motorcyclist was last observed speeding east on Route 28 across the town line into Yarmouth.   A short while later, Barnstable Police had second idiotic and reckless motorcyclist take off from them in Hyannis.  The very brief “pursuit” was immediately called off due to public safety concerns.   Above HN photo notes:  A member of the Barnstable Police Department’s Traffic Division stopped a motorcyclist on Main Street last evening.  (This time the motorcyclist did the responsible thing and did not flee the traffic stop like a moron…)  And in this case, the motorcycle ended up being towed for not having its paperwork in order.  The driver was cited… but was also able to walk away like a real man who takes responsibility, safe and sound, and in one piece.  It has been HN’s experience, that motorcyclists who drive recklessly and flee the police usually do not live very long.  And I literally cannot count the number of times I’ve seen fatal motorcycle crashes.  It’s a dangerous form of transportation that can claim the lives of even the safest and most responsible motorcyclists.  Driving like an idiot, however, exponentially increases one’s odds of being involved in a fatal crash.  I rode Harleys for years as a younger man… and I even crashed once after hitting unexpected sand on curve… and I can tell you that crashing on a motorcycle hurts… a lot!  I stopped riding when I started noticing the number of drivers looking at their cellphones and not paying attention.  Near serious crashes took all the fun out of it.  Today I drive defensively, while attempting to avoid being hit by reckless drivers and selfish idiots looking at their cellphones.  My advice to all Hyannis drivers:  “ALWAYS DRIVE DEFENSIVELY.”   Above HN photo:  Troopers assigned to the Massachusetts State Police CAT unit frisk a driver during a traffic stop in a North Street parking lot last evening.   Above HN photo:  A trooper assigned to the Massachusetts State Police CAT unit conducts a traffic stop in McDonald’s parking lot on North Street last evening.     Above HN dashcam screengrabs:  The parking lot at the corner of 500 Main Street and High School Road attracted a large number of car enthusiasts last evening.  These downtown “car meets” happen at least once a week (usually on Wednesday evenings), attracting individuals from across the entire state.  Most of these car enthusiasts arrive and leave from the parking lot driving in a sensible manner… while some drive irresponsibly, endangering themselves and the general public with idiotic displays of reckless driving in the heavily congested Main Street area.  Dozens of these car enthusiasts were pulled over during traffic stops last evening, either by the State Police CAT unit or by Barnstable Police patrol officers.  These stops led to citations, vehicles being towed, and at least one warrant arrest over the past two evenings.   Above HN photo:  Police in the Hyannis area were on the lookout Wednesday after someone allegedly flashed a handgun during a road rage incident that happened near the intersection of South Street and Ocean Street.  Barnstable Patrol Officers responded to the area of Ocean Street and began checking local beaches and side roads.  They were looking for a white BMW, possibly with Connecticut plates. (No further descriptive details were available.) One of the occupants allegedly flashed a handgun at another driver. A mother involved in the incident was driving her son to an appointment and immediately notified police… the incident remains under investigation. NOTE:  HN met and spoke with some members of the state police CAT unit who drove all the way down from Framingham on Tuesday.  The young troopers I spoke with were polite and friendly… but more importantly, they were very serious about their work.  I could sense they felt how badly they are needed in the downtown Hyannis area, and I encouraged them to visit as often as necessary.  In recent weeks, people of the Cape have read about very serious crashes, some fatal.  Last week, HN also covered two high-speed pursuits that started in Hyannis… with one starting from the parking lot at 500 Main Street before ending in Bourne after the fleeing vehicle reached speeds of over 100 MPH on just three tires… with one of the passengers later being charged with illegally possessing a large capacity firearm.   CLICK HERE FOR HN’S REPORT FROM LAST WEEK:  *** NEW DETAILS *** GUN, RECKLESS DRIVING CHARGES AFTER INSANE THREE-WHEEL POLICE CHASE [HN VIDEO] ALSO CLICK HERE FOR HN’S COVERAGE OF LAST WEEK’S HYANNIS PURSUIT OF A STOLEN VEHICLE THAT ENDED IN A SERIOUS HIGHWAY CRASH: *** WATCH *** ALLEGED CAR THIEF’S WILD CHASE ENDS IN CHAOTIC CRASH… INNOCENT COUPLE CHECKED OUT AT CCH… Reckless, idiotic drivers are super annoying and dangerous, to say the least… and I truly hope that the Massachusetts State Police continues to send extra troopers to assist Barnstable Police officers in keeping all of us safe here in Hyannis.  Reckless, aggressive driving is out of control across the Cape, and it needs to stop before more innocent people are badly injured or killed. P.S. – Today’s Hytown Vignette is brought to you by Buckwheat Zydeco…  [CLICK IT/CRANK IT! HEADPHONES ABSOLUTELY OBLIGATORY!]