Doctor Mario Andretti
I couldn't help but be a little irritated when I approached the driver's side window of the Nissan and was greeted with "Yeah?!?" as if to say "Why are you bothering me dickhead?"
The fact of the matter is the only reason I'm "bothering" this driver is the fact that he nearly hit me head on after crossing the yellow line. As I veered to the shoulder to avoid a collision, I saw a man dressed in scrubs talking on his cell phone. I activated my lights, pulled a U-turn, and accelerated in an attempt to catch the Nissan, which was pulling away.
With the siren wailing, I called in my location and status and squinted to read the license plate. As I caught up to vehicle, it finally yielded and stopped. The driver identified himself as a doctor on his way to the hospital for an emergency surgery. He was upset when despite his excuse, I still demanded to see his license, registration, and insurance. Dr. Mario Andretti couldn't produce an up to date insurance card.
Once back in my car, I ran his license and asked dispatch to call the hospital and verify Dr. Andretti's story. The hospital was able to verify the story quickly and I returned the documents before warning the doctor for failing to maintain lane, speeding, distracted driving, and failure to carry insurance.
Wouldn't you guess the doctor later filed a complaint against me for holding him up. Although the administration agreed I hadn't done anything wrong, they still suggested that I offer the doctor an apology. I declined.
This is what America has become. Everyone is so afraid of litigation that the offender breaks the law and the police apologize for catching him. Pardon me while I puke.
The fact of the matter is the only reason I'm "bothering" this driver is the fact that he nearly hit me head on after crossing the yellow line. As I veered to the shoulder to avoid a collision, I saw a man dressed in scrubs talking on his cell phone. I activated my lights, pulled a U-turn, and accelerated in an attempt to catch the Nissan, which was pulling away.
With the siren wailing, I called in my location and status and squinted to read the license plate. As I caught up to vehicle, it finally yielded and stopped. The driver identified himself as a doctor on his way to the hospital for an emergency surgery. He was upset when despite his excuse, I still demanded to see his license, registration, and insurance. Dr. Mario Andretti couldn't produce an up to date insurance card.
Once back in my car, I ran his license and asked dispatch to call the hospital and verify Dr. Andretti's story. The hospital was able to verify the story quickly and I returned the documents before warning the doctor for failing to maintain lane, speeding, distracted driving, and failure to carry insurance.
Wouldn't you guess the doctor later filed a complaint against me for holding him up. Although the administration agreed I hadn't done anything wrong, they still suggested that I offer the doctor an apology. I declined.
This is what America has become. Everyone is so afraid of litigation that the offender breaks the law and the police apologize for catching him. Pardon me while I puke.
Labels: disturbing, stupidity, traffic stop
posted by Moe at 16:23
3 Comments:
You do and you can clean it up.
Emergency surgery, and you verified it. You could have offered him a police escort to the hospital. Then when the emergency is over, you could have written the good doctor a ticket or six depending on the way in which he adjusted his attitude.
Any apologies in this scenario should come from the doctor to you, should contain an allocution about his poor attitude towards you and a promise not to drive or behave in such a deplorable fashion again. That apology should be followed up with an informal, man to man apology for acting like a real dick.
This probably won't happen, but it's what should happen.
I feel like this everyday. I cite a lot of people and its the complaints that bug me. Its the way the bosses deal with them. I always feel like the suspect when they are "investigating" the complaint.
Good for you for denying the letter. Last time I had a Dr. pulled over who played this card I told him I'd follow him to the hospital to check on the emergency. He declined. I Cited!
Fella, just fucking do him when he next fucking about on his phone ...
Over here doctor or no thats a fine and point on the licence
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