Cop Escorts Pregnant Woman to Hospital, then gives Speeding Ticket

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Bryophyte

Lifer
Apr 25, 2001
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He's lucky the cop didn't call an ambulance for the wife and haul his ass off to jail. That's what should have happened. What an asshole for putting his wife and child in danger.
 
Feb 19, 2001
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So half the people here keep saying 110 because someone spouted 110. It's 102 dammit.

Ok, and also I think this is semi-justifiable. He would be an idiot to not fight it, but I could understand if he didn't have time. I'd fight it. Had he been going 80-85, I think then this would be a more WTF. 100+ is getting to the speed where you have to dodge traffic and weave a lot to get through. Then again this depends on how dense traffic was, but given how driving is in most cities, it's hard to find a stretch of road that allows you do a consistent 100+ unless you're in a less populated area. So yes, I'd say 100+ is ticketable even with this situation. 80? Let the guy pass.
 

Teknic

Member
Aug 26, 2010
75
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I kinda feel like driving 110 in a 55 is putting your wife's life more at risk than arriving at the hospital 5 minutes later.

Not in this case. Sounds like if he called an ambulance it would have been too late:

"arriving with only six minutes to spare before his son was born"

Also, ~ 100mph is not even close to fast. However, that depends on driving conditions, the vehicle, traffic conditions, et cetera, and I am unfamiliar with that area. 60 mph in a minivan in heavy rush hour traffic is much more dangerous than 130 mph in a sport bike with no traffic. But again, I don't know the guy's driving situation so can't tell if 100 mph was safe.
 

novasatori

Diamond Member
Feb 27, 2003
3,851
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baby was delivered 6min later

I would say that it was pretty pressing circumstances

also the video said it was at 3am
 

TheVrolok

Lifer
Dec 11, 2000
24,254
4,090
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Not in this case. Sounds like if he called an ambulance it would have been too late:

"arriving with only six minutes to spare before his son was born"

Also, ~ 100mph is not even close to fast. However, that depends on driving conditions, the vehicle, traffic conditions, et cetera, and I am unfamiliar with that area. 60 mph in a minivan in heavy rush hour traffic is much more dangerous than 130 mph in a sport bike with no traffic. But again, I don't know the guy's driving situation so can't tell if 100 mph was safe.

I can tell you something about the guy's driving situation. He was tired (it was 3am), it was dark (it was 3am), he was stressed (his wife was in labor), he was driving 102 mph (not fast? You've gotta be kidding me, how many people are used to driving over 100? How many common vehicles are made to handle 100+?).

He's absurdly fortunate a small animal didn't try to cross the road, or a tire didn't blow, or any number of 100 normally minor driving issues didn't occur because he could have easily lost control and killed himself, his wife, and their unborn child. Sure, it worked out in this instance, but I'm not sure I'd want to bet on those odds.. would having the baby in the back of an ambulance been more dangerous? I'm not so sure. Also, could easily meet EMS en route where a transfer could take no more than a few moments.
 

Teknic

Member
Aug 26, 2010
75
0
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I can tell you something about the guy's driving situation. He was tired (it was 3am), it was dark (it was 3am), he was stressed (his wife was in labor), he was driving 102 mph (not fast? You've gotta be kidding me, how many people are used to driving over 100? How many common vehicles are made to handle 100+?).

He's absurdly fortunate a small animal didn't try to cross the road, or a tire didn't blow, or any number of 100 normally minor driving issues didn't occur because he could have easily lost control and killed himself, his wife, and their unborn child. Sure, it worked out in this instance, but I'm not sure I'd want to bet on those odds.. would having the baby in the back of an ambulance been more dangerous? I'm not so sure. Also, could easily meet EMS en route where a transfer could take no more than a few moments.

Driving at 3 am should be MUCH easier, since there aren't any cars on the road (assuming that the freeway is well lighted). I think you have overblown the risks. What are the odds something big like a deer is going to be in the middle that freeway (I actually don't know that area)? Tire blowouts pretty much don't occur unless your tire is bald or underinflated. And it was a medical emergency, it's not like he was doing it for no good reason.

If you think 100 mph is "fast" then you don't know what fast is. But then again it depends on the vehicle. I once drove a minivan and was scared from all the buffeting at 75 so I slowed to 65 mph. On the other hand my sportbike hits 100mph @ 2 gear (out of 6 gears) and I routinely go 150-160mph...at the racetrack with small potholes. In the time it takes me to pass a large truck on the freeway I have accidentally accelerated to 100mph. So again, it depends on the vehicle & driver.

100mph in a sportbike or nice sports car is laughably slow. 100mph in my friend's Dodge Omni = terror. Remember, they go much faster than that all the time in Germany and it's perfectly safe.
 

Freejack2

Diamond Member
Dec 31, 2000
7,751
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Ever been on the highways around Boston? It's not hard to get passed by a driver doing 100+. People drive on the Autobahn in Germany at speeds well in excess of 100mph. Driving 100+ can be done without getting anyone killed. But...

It sounds like this to me: Wife goes into labor but hasn't broken water. Husband figures he has time and doesn't want to pay a lot of money for an ambulance as they have the time. He loads the wife in the car and heads to the hospital they picked. Along the way her water breaks, she's screaming and he starts to go as fast as he can to get her there.


On the other side of things even taking into account most drivers were probably going 60-65 mph instead of 55, but there's still a 40+ mph difference and I understand he was in a Kia Sportage which isn't exactly a sports car. These add a lot of risk.

It looks like he got off, but the reality is something in the middle should have been found, such as a reduced fine and points. This would have taken his situation into account but also drove home the point that what he did was dangerous.
 

MustangSVT

Lifer
Oct 7, 2000
11,554
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81
endangering his family and anyone on the road?

he should get the fullest penalty law will allow.

A rare but great decision by the cop.
 

SandEagle

Lifer
Aug 4, 2007
16,809
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I call shens on this. Complete BS.

Your cop-hating has entirely clouded your judgement of reality.


hey butthead, i only hate on bad cops...fyi.

as for the 26 in a 25...its true. jealous cop probably didnt like seeing a 22 yr old with a 60k benz driving around detroit.
 

Bignate603

Lifer
Sep 5, 2000
13,897
1
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hey butthead, i only hate on bad cops...fyi.

as for the 26 in a 25...its true. jealous cop probably didnt like seeing a 22 yr old with a 60k benz driving around detroit.

How the hell did you find a $60k honda for your brother? :hmm:
 

Wyndru

Diamond Member
Apr 9, 2009
7,318
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The New Hampshire state trooper clocked their car traveling at 102 mph on Interstate 293, where the speed limit is 55. But Coughlin said he had no idea how fast he was going and was mostly concerned for the safety of his wife and unborn child.
wtf, how do you not know you are going double the speed limit? I have to side with the cops on this one, if he was really worried about the safety of his wife he wouldn't have gone that much over the speed limit. He is lucky he didn't hit anything at that speed.
 

Capt Caveman

Lifer
Jan 30, 2005
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Judge shouldn't have dropped the ticket. Going 80 is one thing in an emergency, going over 100 endangered his wife, unborn child but anybody else out on the roads at that time. Officer completely justified in this situation.
 

Insomniator

Diamond Member
Oct 23, 2002
6,294
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106
Why does the limit of 55 mean anything? There are PLENTY of roads in the north east that are 55 and its a complete joke. From 4 lane highways to completely isolated 2 lane roads. A 65 sign is ooooooooo risky. If its 3 am on an empty interstate, 102 does not sound bad at all when his wife gave birth 3 minutes later.

I go 80-85 all day on the parkway (55 limit) with everyone else. Pass at 90 sometimes This is in a freakin 1995 4cyl camry. 102 in a decent car is no problem at all.
 

waggy

No Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
68,143
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baby was delivered 6min later

I would say that it was pretty pressing circumstances

also the video said it was at 3am

i agree. now if it was that close then why did he PASS up other hospitals?

again teh guy should lose his license and be fined
 

Capt Caveman

Lifer
Jan 30, 2005
34,543
651
126
Why does the limit of 55 mean anything? There are PLENTY of roads in the north east that are 55 and its a complete joke. From 4 lane highways to completely isolated 2 lane roads. A 65 sign is ooooooooo risky. If its 3 am on an empty interstate, 102 does not sound bad at all when his wife gave birth 3 minutes later.

I go 80-85 all day on the parkway (55 limit) with everyone else. Pass at 90 sometimes This is in a freakin 1995 4cyl camry. 102 in a decent car is no problem at all.

Til you blow a tire or someone cuts you off, disaster in the making.
 

TheVrolok

Lifer
Dec 11, 2000
24,254
4,090
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Driving at 3 am should be MUCH easier, since there aren't any cars on the road (assuming that the freeway is well lighted). I think you have overblown the risks. What are the odds something big like a deer is going to be in the middle that freeway (I actually don't know that area)? Tire blowouts pretty much don't occur unless your tire is bald or underinflated. And it was a medical emergency, it's not like he was doing it for no good reason.

There you go assuming there aren't any cars on the road (except for any random drunk driver leaving the bar), why does it have to be a big animal? If someone doing 100 hits a cat, or swerves to miss a cat, it's game over.

If you think 100 mph is "fast" then you don't know what fast is. But then again it depends on the vehicle. I once drove a minivan and was scared from all the buffeting at 75 so I slowed to 65 mph. On the other hand my sportbike hits 100mph @ 2 gear (out of 6 gears) and I routinely go 150-160mph...at the racetrack with small potholes. In the time it takes me to pass a large truck on the freeway I have accidentally accelerated to 100mph. So again, it depends on the vehicle & driver.

100mph in a sportbike or nice sports car is laughably slow. 100mph in my friend's Dodge Omni = terror.

I absolutely do think 100 is fast for a standard person in a standard car. Of course it isn't fast for someone who drives it routinely, or is in a car designed to handle it. Hell, I used to do a lot of highway driving between central PA and Delaware and used to average 95 or so on the highways .. the two tickets I got were doing 92 and 96. So I get it, it's not hard to drive 100 on a nice clear day with an open road, I've done it quite a bit. Also, why are you even talking about a sportsbike/nice sports car? Of COURSE it's easier/safer to do 100 with those vehicles.. unfortunately he was driving neither. Why do you insist on comparing apples to oranges?
[/quote]

Remember, they go much faster than that all the time in Germany and it's perfectly safe.

They sure do, but the autobahn is designed with excessive speeds in mind, whereas American highways are not (even though some of them could easily support no speed limit). Just because something is possible some places, that doesn't mean you can apply that to any other possible situation with differing variables.

I'm not saying it was absolutely impossible for this guy to get to the hospital safely, I'm just saying that it was a pretty damned risky endeavorer and the wrong move here.
 

JoeBleed

Golden Member
Jun 27, 2000
1,408
30
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There you go assuming there aren't any cars on the road (except for any random drunk driver leaving the bar), why does it have to be a big animal? If someone doing 100 hits a cat, or swerves to miss a cat, it's game over.

just caught up on this thread.

As someone that has hit a small to mid sized animal at around 90 mph, i can tell you it did nothing to my jetta other than crack a few plastic mounting points on my front bumper. And here is another tip, don't swerve to mis small/medium animals. It is better to hit the animal than risk swerving.

As for all the people winning about "what if your tire blows out?". Nothing, other than you have a flat tire and you slow down and stop. Granted, in a curve it will have more of an impact depending on which tire and direction you're turning.

do i think he should have gotten of scott free? no. A simple fine and a couple points on his license would be ok with me. Maybe even just the fine given the circumstances. It is still braking the law but in my opinion, he had an acceptable reason. It, after all, was on a highway, not city streets.
 

DrPizza

Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
Mar 5, 2001
49,601
166
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www.slatebrookfarm.com
Often, the water breaking is the first sign of going into labor. He had no way of knowing that the birth was imminent. He's just one more father who thought, "today is my special day, I'm special because my wife is going to have a baby. That means I get to break traffic laws with impunity." There are dozens/hundreds/thousands of about to be first time fathers out there who think that they're a special snowflake that day because unlike the other 7 billion people on this planet, their child's birth is going to be special. Good that he got a ticket.