Woman in Labor Issued Traffic Ticket

[Sun Baked]

Considering the mother and father decided to take a detour to drop a kid off at school and gave birth 5 hours after the traffic ticket, I don't really think they were in an emergency.

Heck if it was such an emergency, why take a detour to take a kid to school?

 

[skunk]

there is a rule book....

Not for being in labour, there isn't. You will probably find this out in due course.

And people make discretionary judgements all the time. We are not robots.

 

[dukebound85]

Considering the mother and father decided to take a detour to drop a kid off at school and gave birth 5 hours after the traffic ticket, I don't really think they were in an emergency.

Heck if it was such an emergency, why take a detour to take a kid to school?

which really gives no excuse

Not for being in labour, there isn't. You will probably find this out in due course.

And people make discretionary judgements all the time. We are not robots.

im not talking about being in labor as thats not the law being broken

yea i make discretionary judgments but not those that endanger others on the road, hence why there are laws concerning driving in the first place

would it be permissible for a husband to speed through a school zone since his wife is going into labour? no. why? because it puts others in danger. same situation here except it puts other drivers in possible danger

 

[Sun Baked]

which really gives no excuse

Probably all the other hospitals they past in their 30 mile journey were out of network.

Edit: though driving like an idiot to another city/town and passing all the hospitals during your "emergency" just to make sure your kids are born in the same hospital could be the winning excuse.

 

[Big-TDI-Guy]

No bikes, scooters, pedestrians or horses allowed on rt2. There are signs for it.

Like I said, it's an old highway.

 

[Tilpots]

If my wife were pregnant (and she is) I'd drive on sidewalks, over pedestrians, thru bikers or anything else in my way to make sure my wife and child were safe. Screw the ticket, the cops, the lawyers, or the jail time if it that what it takes to keep my family safe. Some of you may not agree and that's fine, just take care not to get in my way.

 

[redwarrior]

If my wife were pregnant (and she is) I'd drive on sidewalks, over pedestrians, thru bikers or anything else in my way to make sure my wife and child were safe. Screw the ticket, the cops, the lawyers, or the jail time if it that what it takes to keep my family safe. Some of you may not agree and that's fine, just take care not to get in my way.

Your wife is fortunate to have you! Most definitely very fortunate!

 

[Tilpots]

Your wife is fortunate to have you! Most definitely very fortunate!

Please tell her that!

 

[EricNau]

maybe my driving on a motorcycle has made me have the mindset that safety is of the utmost importance and every step needs to be taken to ensure this

If you viewed safety as the utmost importance, you wouldn't be driving a motorcycle.

 

[Big-TDI-Guy]

If my wife were pregnant (and she is) I'd drive on sidewalks, over pedestrians, thru bikers or anything else in my way to make sure my wife and child were safe. Screw the ticket, the cops, the lawyers, or the jail time if it that what it takes to keep my family safe. Some of you may not agree and that's fine, just take care not to get in my way.

What about someone else' pregnant wife? Kill them too?

 

[Tilpots]

What about someone else' pregnant wife? Kill them too?

I dunno. Seems like we'd both be headed in the same direction?

Point is, people are going to do whatever it takes to protect the ones they love. We can all second guess their decisions, but if this lady felt the need to break some laws to ensure the safety of her child, I'm sure she'd do it all over again.

 

[dukebound85]

If my wife were pregnant (and she is) I'd drive on sidewalks, over pedestrians, thru bikers or anything else in my way to make sure my wife and child were safe. Screw the ticket, the cops, the lawyers, or the jail time if it that what it takes to keep my family safe. Some of you may not agree and that's fine, just take care not to get in my way.

at the expense of my safety? no thanks. if you did run over me, id take you for everything you had no joke....if i happened to live due to your selfish actions

your wife's need for a hospital does not superseed my need to have my life not endangered by driving maniacs breaking traffic laws like yourself. sorry

just take care not to get in my way

excuse me? you are the one saying youd run over people and drive on designated sidewalks

Your wife is fortunate to have you! Most definitely very fortunate!

how can you encourage someone who says they would have no issue breaking traffic laws and running over others to make sure his wife gets to a hospital

If you viewed safety as the utmost importance, you wouldn't be driving a motorcycle.

i dont think its a coincidence that motorcyclists are overall the most attentive/careful drivers out there...

 

[Tilpots]

at the expense of my safety? no thanks. if you did run over me, id take you for everything you had no joke....if i happened to live due to your selfish actions

That's right, if you happened to live. And as I said before, nothing would stop me from doing everything possible to protect my family. If you had a family, you'd realize this is a no-brainer.

your wife's need for a hospital does not superseed my need to have my life not endangered by driving maniacs breaking traffic laws like yourself. sorry

Yes, it does. If only becasue I'm behind the wheel. My choices, you're consequnces. That's simply an everyday fact of life.

excuse me? you are the one saying youd run over people and drive on designated sidewalks

lol. Reminded me of this

i dont think its a coincidence that motorcyclists are overall the most attentive/careful drivers out there...

"The most careful/attentive drivers out there" you say?

In 1997, more than 2,100 motorcyclists were killed, and another 54,000 were injured in traffic crashes in the United States. More than 7,000 of those injured were riders between ages 15 and 20, and 36 percent of those who died were between ages 16 and 29. Ninety percent of the people who died were male; nearly all of them were operating the bike. Among females who died, 72 percent were passengers.

Per mile driven, motorcyclists are about 14 times more likely than persons in a car to die in a motor vehicle crash, and they're about 3 times more likely to be injured. While motorcycles make up less than 2 percent of all registered vehicles in the U.S., motorcyclists account for 6 percent of total traffic deaths.

Source

Motorcycle safety rule #1:

Don't ride a motorcycle if you want to stay safe.

 

[redwarrior]

your wife's need for a hospital does not superseed my need to have my life not endangered by driving maniacs breaking traffic laws like yourself. sorry

how can you encourage someone who says they would have no issue breaking traffic laws and running over others to make sure his wife gets to a hospital

I have been pregnant, in labor, in a car, doing 110 mph.

However, in this case, they were not driving unsafely. They were not running over people. Two public safety officers had already told them to proceed with caution. There is no evidence showing that they were doing anything other than using the emergency lane for the purpose of which it was intended.

 

[dukebound85]

That's right, if you happened to live. And as I said before, nothing would stop me from doing everything possible to protect my family. If you had a family, you'd realize this is a no-brainer.

and nothing would stop me from protecting my life. laws are there to protect the community as a whole, and not meant to be broken to cater to your "needs"

Yes, it does. If only becasue I'm behind the wheel. My choices, you're consequnces. That's simply an everyday fact of life.

if you hit me, youd be feeling the consequences for the rest of your life at least financially

I have been pregnant, in labor, in a car, doing 110 mph.

so? doesnt mean youre right as its illegal to be going that fast PERIOD. as such, prepare to suffer the consequences of the law if you get pulled over and not rely on some story to sway the cop

dont like the law, get it changed. simple as that. and right now, there isnt any exception to break traffic laws as far as i know

However, in this case, they were not driving unsafely. They were not running over people. Two public safety officers had already told them to proceed with caution. There is no evidence showing that they were doing anything other than using the emergency lane for the purpose of which it was intended.

tillpots said he would have no issue running over people on sidewalks. thats what im refeering to, that idiotic mindset

by the way, it was a breakdown lane. meaning a lane where cars pull over if they are experienceing trouble. not a lane to drive in

 

[redwarrior]

so? doesnt mean youre right as its illegal to be going that fast PERIOD. as such, prepare to suffer the consequences of the law if you get pulled over and not rely on some story to sway the cop

dont like the law, get it changed. simple as that. and right now, there isnt any exception to break traffic laws as far as i know

by the way, it was a breakdown lane. meaning a lane where cars pull over if they are experienceing trouble. not a lane to drive in

Who cares what the law is when lives are at stake? I don't. Laws are to protect people and cannot always be followed. I would much rather have gotten a ticket than to go through the trama of not getting to the hospital in time. That is a no-brainer.

Apparently two public safety officers approved of the way that the "breakdown lane" was being used.

 

[Abstract]

I don't get it. Does that mean she was stopped a total of 3 times? Why didn't an officer just help her out by taking her to the hospital?

 

[dukebound85]

Who cares what the law is when lives are at stake? I don't. Laws are to protect people and cannot always be followed. I would much rather have gotten a ticket than to go through the trama of not getting to the hospital in time. That is a no-brainer.

Apparently two public safety officers approved of the way that the "breakdown lane" was being used.

thats right, laws are meant to protect people. the safety of everyone else on the road needs to be protected over an individual needs when its that individual who is endangering everyone else

if lives were really at stake, then why did they not go to the nearest hospital again?

I don't get it. Does that mean she was stopped a total of 3 times? Why didn't an officer just help her out by taking her to the hospital?

exactly. if it was that big of a rush, have the cop rush you there. beauty about cop cars is that people look out for them with their sirens and lights. same with ambulances..

i dont expect other civilian cars to be driving recklessly on the roads and if they do, they need to be cited. you cant argue otherwise

 

[redwarrior]

thats right, laws are meant to protect people. the safety of everyone else on the road needs to be protected over an individual safety when its that individual who is endangering everyone else

And in this case, no one's safety was endangered.

 

[dukebound85]

And in this case, no one's safety was endangered.

of course it was. using the breakdown lane as a driving lane endangers others that may have to use it

a breakdown lane is not a lane to be driving in

 

[atszyman]

of course it was. using the breakdown lane as a driving lane endangers others that may have to use it

a breakdown lane is not a lane to be driving in

I don't understand why either of the first officers didn't offer a ride/escort, or at least radio ahead. You'd think the first officer would have flagged the car as someone in labor so that they could avoid any delays from future stops.

Driving in the breakdown lane, provided you're not zipping along at 50 MPH or more is probably not a massive danger to others as long as you're not going too fast to stop for a car that might happen to be in the breakdown lane.

I'm split on this, I have about 20 different routes I can take to the hospital where my wife's OB works, if I hit traffic on the highway I'm more likely to try one of those routes and deal with traffic lights than I am to drive on the shoulder. Why were the insistent on using the highway, why not an alternate route?

Of course the third officer may have just been thinking, "If Sarah Palin can fly 14 hours back to Alaska with at least one airport layover after her water broke, why can't these people deal with sitting in rush hour for a few hours."

 

[Tilpots]

Dukebound,

Hypothetical situation for you... You're at a stop light on a barren stretch of road, the light is red, not another car around for miles. A large, evil man with a knife approaches your motorcycle and tells you to give him the bike. Do you floor it and save your life, or do you let the man stab you becasue you're a law abiding citizen and you don't want to run a red light?

 

[OutThere]

If my wife were pregnant (and she is) I'd drive on sidewalks, over pedestrians, thru bikers or anything else in my way to make sure my wife and child were safe. Screw the ticket, the cops, the lawyers, or the jail time if it that what it takes to keep my family safe. Some of you may not agree and that's fine, just take care not to get in my way.

Well that's not disgustingly self serving.

 

[Tilpots]

Well that's not disgustingly self serving.

I was being a bit over the top, but the point is that I will keep my family safe at all costs. Wouldn't you?

 

[EricNau]

i dont expect other civilian cars to be driving recklessly on the roads and if they do, they need to be cited. you cant argue otherwise

That's very careless on your part. In my area, I'm aware of unmarked, official vehicles that need to circumvent traffic to report to accident scenes. No lights, no siren, no markings; just a plain white van weaving in and out of traffic, driving in emergency lanes, and along the side of the road in the dirt... legally.

But again, there's no reason to believe this car was driving recklessly or putting other's safety at risk. Until you can prove it, your argument isn't valid.

There are always going to be exceptions to the law, that's why we have judges.