Would a cop give a ticket for this?

Friday at 1am, my pregant wife woke up with a very severe pregnancy complication (she was 7 months along). Knowing that time was of the essence, I loaded her into my car and drove very fast the 10 miles or so to the hospital.

On the way, I broke at least two traffic laws. I sped on the highway (at least 75 in a 55, maybe slighty more) and I barely slowed for a right on red. I came close to running a red light at a major (but deserted at that hour) intersection because the damed light wouldn’t seem to change (in reality, probebly no more than 45 seconds, but it felt like hours). I didn’t run it, but another 15 seconds and I would have.

I got her there without trouble, but I wondered after the fact what might have happened if I’d been pulled over. I assume the police officer would likely either take her the rest of the way in his car, call an ambulance or escort me. Once that’s done, does he turn around and give me a ticket? I did violate traffic laws, after all, but with what seems like good reason.

Seems a petty question to ask at this point, but I’ll admit I’m curious.

To add another wrinkle, only a block from my house I passed two county Sheriffs talking at a gas station. I though about stopping and asking for help, but was too scared to think straight. Should I have stopped and asked for help?

Oh, and as for what happened, she recovered that night, but had a relapse on Sunday. Baby came two months early. Mother and baby are doing fine.

a) Only a complete asshole of a cop would have given you a ticket.

b) I’m very glad to hear your little family’s doing well.

JuanitaTech, married to one of Baltimore’s Finest.

Yes, you should have asked for help. The sherriffs usually have some limited medical training and they certainly could have provided an escort to the hospital. All they needed was one look at your gravid wife to make up their minds. Next time, put your public servants to work for you. You risked being injured by disobeying the traffic laws (not that I wouldn’t have done the same). Instead, you could have had a police escort clearing the way in front of you.

Congrats on the new addition!

PS: Only a jerk cop would have ticketed you.

The problem is… What kind of cop will you get? Unfortunatley they are not all as nice and intelligent as we’d hope they would be.

I saw a while back a tape of a similar incident.

It was an elderly man driving his wife who was having a heart attack to the hospital. He was speeding (I don’t believe he was speeding much though by seeing the relative speed between his and other cars on the road).

The cop turns on his siren and I guess the old guy hesitates for a moment, still he pulls over after a few seconds.

The cop charges up to the guy’s car yelling and screaming. The man tries to explain what is going on, pointing at his wife who is having trouble breathing and in obvious discomfort.

The cop doesn’t seem to care. He berates the man for several minutes, then takes his time writing up the ticket.

The guy’s wife died shortly after arriving at the hospital.

The good thing is that the cop was fired. Which suprised me. Cops get away with a lot worse.

I drive like that on a daily basis. :smiley: (no, really. I do)

In an emergency situation, even if the cop turns on his lights, keep driving to the hospital. He can ticket you there, if he wants to. Judge would probably throw it out anyway. Just drive like a sane person and don’t kill anyone.


“Lets get them meek bastards NOW!

Something like this happened to someone I know. Her brother had a heart attack, and in the process of driving him to the hospital she was pulled over. She got out of her car and screamed-“My brothers having a heart attack!” Cop said “follow me” turned on his lights and escorted her the rest of the way. Her brother ended up living for another fifteen years

A father to be here in Florida broke the speeding law going to the hospital (his wife was delivering twins) The cop pulled him over, called an ambulance and issued him a ticket.

He said “traffic laws are not to be broken under any circumstance”

This article was in an Editors page and it got brought up that “how fast is too fast before a cop will stop you” It was brought up that it is up to the cop to determine when he will stop you. One lady was cited for going 2 miles over the speedlimit. But it was stated that if you go 20 miles over the speedlimit they autamically take you to jail.

That’s the worst advice I’ve ever heard. Failure to yield to a police car trying to pull you over can lead to having your car forcibly pulled over. Not smart with a medical emergency.

I definitly agree with that. I think if i had found a police car in my rearview mirror that early morning, I’d have pulled over instantly, then been out of my car running to his/her door to explain the situation. The only reason I could think to do otherwise is if I was literally right outside the ER enterance.

I do kinda regret not stopping when I saw the two Sheriffs cars near my house. The only thought that I had running through my head at the time was that they were proebly busy with something criminal, so don’t stop. In retrospect, thinking about it with a clear head, they were probebly just talking as they were both in the cars.

Why would you want to go faster than is safe to get to the hospital? Wouldn’t it make more common sense to get there safely & alive & without running over anyone on the way?

Yeah, the police argument is likely to be that if you’re exceeding safe limits for the current conditions, you’re more likely to be jumping curbs and hitting trees than arriving at the hospital.

This is why cops don’t really pass people on the right, and go jumping over the hills in San Francisco. They want to arrive at the scene in one piece.