# Does Your State Governor Regularly Speed in State Vehicles? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 3, 2013, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-state-governor-regularly-speed-in-state-vehicles/662579 "2013-07-03T20:06:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-state-governor-regularly-speed-in-state-vehicles/662579/1 "2013-07-03T20:06:59Z")
[Iowa] " ISP troopers, alerted by DCI Special Agent in Charge Larry Hedlund, clocked Gov. Terry Branstad’s vehicle doing 84 mph on April 26. Five days later, Hedlund was placed on leave… State investigator Larry Hedlund’s suspension from duty two months ago came after he filed a formal complaint citing his own failure to do more to stop a speeding vehicle containing Gov. Terry Branstad on April 26." [http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20130703/NEWS/130703019/1001/](http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20130703/NEWS/130703019/1001/) ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-state-governor-regularly-speed-in-state-vehicles/662579/2 "2013-07-03T20:34:15Z")
I am not aware of California Governor Jerry Brown ever being cited for speeding during any of his terms as governor. OTOH, Jon Corzine, the former governor of New Jersey, was seriously injured when his SUV crashed at 90 m.p.h. The car was being driven by a state trooper, but it seems likely that Corzine encouraged the speeding. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-state-governor-regularly-speed-in-state-vehicles/662579/3 "2013-07-03T20:58:31Z")
Jerry Brown only rides a solar-powered bike. I’d hope my governor would speed - these roads are long and boring! But wait - Iowa’s governor wasn’t even driving the car? Especially then: who cares? Hedlund is a tattletale, his being put on leave is stupid, and Branstad had no responsibility to backseat drive nor would a passenger, presumably back seat, be required to be alert enough to watch the speedometer. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-state-governor-regularly-speed-in-state-vehicles/662579/4 "2013-07-04T15:50:21Z")
According to the last Pennsylvania govenor [Yup](http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/breaking/rendell-says-he-still-feels-need-for-speed-482637/)! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-state-governor-regularly-speed-in-state-vehicles/662579/5 "2013-07-04T19:15:40Z")
This does seem to have been awfully political. Hedlund appears to be making a big point that Governor Branstad was in the vehicle but he shrugs off the fact that Branstad wasn’t driving. Hedlund says he finds no fault with the trooper who was actually driving what Hedlund refers to as the “Branstad-directed” vehicle. Hedlund also told his officers to pursue the vehicle in the first place. And afterwards Hedlund contacted the media to tell them what happened. This appears to be political grandstanding. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-state-governor-regularly-speed-in-state-vehicles/662579/6 "2013-07-04T19:25:35Z")
Wouldn’t shock me to discover our governor speeds. The artificially low speed limit in New York is ridiculous, and until it’s abolished in law, I won’t criticize anyone who feels he can safely drive faster than that. Of course, if our [prior governor](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Paterson) was caught speeding, I’d be outraged that he’s controlling (directly or indirectly) a moving vehicle at all. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-state-governor-regularly-speed-in-state-vehicles/662579/7 "2013-07-04T20:26:09Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > I am not aware of California Governor Jerry Brown ever being cited for speeding during any of his terms as governor. OTOH, Jon Corzine, the former governor of New Jersey, was seriously injured when his SUV crashed at 90 m.p.h. The car was being driven by a state trooper, but it seems likely that Corzine encouraged the speeding. And Corzine was not wearing a seatbelt. I met him many months later and he was still limping. ---
**Author:** ![ctnguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@ctnguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ctnguy)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2013, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-state-governor-regularly-speed-in-state-vehicles/662579/8 "2013-07-04T21:16:03Z")
Well, our provincial Premier (which is the equivalent position) has made a big political fuss about [politicians using police escorts with lights and sirens to get through traffic](http://mg.co.za/article/2013-05-31-00-blue-light-ministers-face-jail-time), and dangerous driving in general by politicians, so it would be quite embarassing if she were caught speeding on the job. As far as I know, she hasn’t, though. ---
**Author:** ![Matt37](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4da419/32.png) [@Matt37](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Matt37)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2013, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-state-governor-regularly-speed-in-state-vehicles/662579/9 "2013-07-05T13:49:53Z")
Having worked in emergency management agencies in three different states (EMAs are heavily involved with functions involving the Governor), every one of the Governors of those states routinely ignored speed and other traffic laws (traffic control devices, especially), except when there was heavy traffic and they were forced to do so. Supposedly, they’re too busy to be bothered by stopping for traffic like the commoners (this was mostly driven by the LEO security details, though, than the Governor’s insistence that he be driven around like royalty). ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2013, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-state-governor-regularly-speed-in-state-vehicles/662579/10 "2013-07-05T14:30:33Z")
He’s not Governor, but the Lieutenant Governor of MA just stepped down. Tim “Crash” Murray took his state vehicle out in the middle of the night, without his driver and wrecked it. He was going over 100, accelerated before the crash and wasn’t wearing his seatbelt. Of course he lied about it, too. The State Troopers covered up for him well. No citation issued and they didn’t give him a sobriety test. But they couldn’t cover up the black box in the car that proved his story about hitting ice and attempting to break at normal speeds was all lies. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-state-governor-regularly-speed-in-state-vehicles/662579/11 "2013-07-17T18:43:21Z")
" One of Iowa’s most senior criminal investigators was fired Wednesday following a disciplinary review launched after he complained about the governor’s vehicle speeding through traffic, his attorney said. Special Agent in Charge Larry Hedlund of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation learned the outcome of the 2 ½ -month investigation during a meeting in Des Moines, his attorney, Tom Duff, told The Associated Press in an e-mail." [http://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Iowa-fires-agent-who-pursued-gov-s-speeding-SUV-4670491.php](http://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Iowa-fires-agent-who-pursued-gov-s-speeding-SUV-4670491.php) ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-state-governor-regularly-speed-in-state-vehicles/662579/12 "2013-07-18T01:35:42Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > " One of Iowa’s most senior criminal investigators was fired Wednesday following a disciplinary review launched after he complained about the governor’s vehicle speeding through traffic, his attorney said. > > Special Agent in Charge Larry Hedlund of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation learned the outcome of the 2 ½ -month investigation during a meeting in Des Moines, his attorney, Tom Duff, told The Associated Press in an e-mail." > [http://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Iowa-fires-agent-who-pursued-gov-s-speeding-SUV-4670491.php](http://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Iowa-fires-agent-who-pursued-gov-s-speeding-SUV-4670491.php) The important point here is that it’s Hedlund and his attorney who are saying he was fired for complaining about the governor. The actual charges which he was brought up on was driving a state vehicle on his day off. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-state-governor-regularly-speed-in-state-vehicles/662579/13 "2013-07-19T06:28:33Z")
This investigator had been working for the state for 25 years; over 6,000 days of employment. While everyone here probably agrees that that there are government employees who are incompetent, lazy, steals what is the probability that this shows up on the one day he chases after the governor, but not on the other 6,000 days that he doesn’t? ---
**Author:** ![JLRogers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@JLRogers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JLRogers)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-state-governor-regularly-speed-in-state-vehicles/662579/14 "2013-07-19T06:53:56Z")
Nearly everyone speeds. I hope that my elected officials travel with speeds appropriate for the circumstances, regardless of what the signs say. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-state-governor-regularly-speed-in-state-vehicles/662579/15 "2013-07-19T07:58:49Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > This investigator had been working for the state for 25 years; over 6,000 days of employment. While everyone here probably agrees that that there are government employees who are incompetent, lazy, steals what is the probability that this shows up on the one day he chases after the governor, but not on the other 6,000 days that he doesn’t? Very unlikely. I’m sure he’s been driving a state vehicle plenty of other times on his day off as well. The only reason he got caught on this particular day was because he decided to have a high speed chase with the car the governor was in. It’s the kind of thing that calls attention to yourself. The guy is an idiot if he thought he was going to win this feud. He started by choosing opponents that are out of his weight class. Then he made a weak attack by accusing the governor of somehow committing a crime by being a passenger in a speeding vehicle. Then he left himself vulnerable by doing this while he himself was committing a crime. This was not a well conceived plan. This apparently started over a new policy in the Division of Criminal Investigation. The state was cutting back on office assistants and told investigators they would have to pick up the slack by doing their own paperwork. Hedlund apparently was upset about this and has been vocally complaining over this change. So he apparently decided to throw his weight around. I’ve never met Hedlund or heard of him before this incident so I’m only speculating here. But it seems really unlikely to me that Hedlund chose the Governor as the first target for this type of thing. His actions in this incident make him seem like somebody that likes to abuse the powers of his job. So my guess is that he’s probably done things like this in the past. He gets mad about something and he goes out and harasses somebody. But as a high-ranking police investigator, he’s probably gotten away with it in the past. But this time he got arrogant and thought he could treat the Governor like he was just another civilian. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-your-state-governor-regularly-speed-in-state-vehicles/662579/16 "2013-07-19T14:00:31Z")
I was amused to note that Iowa has a special name for an automobile carrying their Governor: > [@](#): > > Communications logs show the pursuit was called off because “this turned out to be Car 1.” (Please vary the _Funniest Things Happen in America_ stories among the different fly-over states. Des Moines Register just placed me into “Limited Number of Articles” mode. I won’t clear cookies except for a very big story, since that would probably be a violation of Federal DMCA law.)