Gotcha! Western Mass. Drivers Run Into NY Sobriety Checkpoint

Residents of western Massachusetts are no strangers to patronizing local businesses of eastern New York state. Berkshire County abuts New York towns like Canaan, Stephentown, New Lebanon, even into Nassau.

Gotcha! Western Mass. Drivers Run Into NY Sobriety Checkpoint

Restaurant goers on Thursday night ran into a surprise as the New York State Police were operating a sobriety checkpoint Rte. 20 near the Massachusetts state border.

A co-worker of mine was leaving M&M's Tap and Tavern, a very popular eatery and axe throwing place in New Lebanon, NY around 10 p.m. when he was stopped by police. A person eating there was warning others in the establishment about the sobriety checkpoint just down the street from the restaurant.

I was heading home after hosting trivia night when I was stopped by New York State Police conducting the sobriety checkpoint on Thursday. I hadn't had anything to drink, but the officer said he smelled cologne or hand sanitizer. He asked me where I was coming from and I told him M&M's Tap and Tavern and drank no alcohol since I was working. The officer didn't believe me at first, but eventually I was on my way home safe and sound. -Anonymous

 New York State Sobriety Checkpoints Are Legal If:

• Stop drivers at the checkpoint only for a reasonable amount of time.
• Set up proper safety precautions including adequate lighting and fair warning of the checkpoint’s existence.
• Use a predetermined random formula or pattern for which cars to stop.

There were red flares alerting drivers of the checkpoint on Thursday night. There were two New York State Troopers stopping people coming from and heading into Massachusetts.