State Police: Harassing Out Of State Drivers Is Just Bad Form

First off, let me say that there is a lot of fear surrounding COVID-19, and a lot of people have legitimate anxiety about the subject. So by no means, do I want to offend anyone who may be triggered by the coronavirus. But there's something that's been happening enough that Maine State Police felt they had to issue a statement via Facebook.

Folks with out of state license plates have been the subject of a lot of verbal harassment and threats, as well as being accused of bringing coronavirus into Maine. But in reality, there could be any number of reasons why someone might be here from out of state. For that matter, it might even be a Mainer in a rental vehicle.

For one thing, CMP has instituted a "one driver - one vehicle" policy to encourage social distancing, so that's forced them to rent a ton of extra trucks, according to WABI - TV5. A lot of these trucks have out of state plates on them. So it's not specifically running away from a COVID-19 hot spot. Nor is it a thief from away looking to rob your house.

Not to mention, traveling nurses likely still have to be brought in where needed. Especially as numbers of positive COVID-19 patients grow. The point is, you never know the reason why a person may appear to be from out of state. The State Police encourage you to get in touch with them if you suspect something unusual.

Tensions are high, and people are worried. There's no question. But let's not forget who we are as Mainers. We're a level-headed bunch that typically think things through before we act too quickly. So let's keep that up. Setting an example is always better than following a trend.