Posted on 04/17/2007 5:12:38 PM PDT by Winged Hussar
39:4-91. a. The driver of a vehicle upon a highway shall yield the right of way to any authorized emergency vehicle when it is operated on official business, or in the exercise of the driver's profession or calling, in response to an emergency call or in the pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law and when an audible signal by bell, siren, exhaust whistle or other means is sounded from the authorized emergency vehicle...
b. This section shall not relieve the driver of any authorized emergency vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons, nor shall it protect the driver from the consequences of his reckless disregard for the safety of others. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit any immunity or defense otherwise provided by law.
(Excerpt) Read more at njlaws.com ...
Now let's think about which of these might apply to Corzine and/or his driver:
http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/Violations/penalties_pointSchedule.htm 39:4–99 Exceeding maximum speed 15-29 mph over limit 4 points [Self-explanatory]
39:4–96 Reckless driving 5 points
http://lis.njleg.state.nj.us/cgi-bin/om_isapi.dll?clientID=208947548&Depth=2&TD=WRAP&advquery=%22reckless%20driving%22&depth=4&expandheadings=on&headingswithhits=on&hitsperheading=on&infobase=statutes.nfo&rank=&record={E323}&softpage=Doc_Frame_PG42&wordsaroundhits=2&x=41&y=17&zz= 39:4-96. A person who drives a vehicle heedlessly, in willful or wanton disregard of the rights or safety of others, in a manner so as to endanger, or be likely to endanger, a person or property, shall be guilty of reckless driving. [It was reported that the driver of a pickup truck had to take evasive action to get out of the way of Corzine's speeding SUV]
No way Corzine should be absolved for this .
It’s all a matter of definitions. I bet the governor would define a photo op as an “emergency call”.
You’re technically right, of course, but get real.
This is why no charges will be filed against the kid in the red truck.
You are under the mistaken notion that the laws that apply to you or me also apply to Corzine. See, John Edwards is correct - there are two Americas - one for us and one for elected officials who are democrats. Hope that clears up your confusion.
I’d say Gov. Corzine is paying quite a price already.
bttt
As a former firefighter and driver, even when responding to a real call you cannot drive in a manner that is unsafe.
And that speed is an unsafe speed.
Just tell him "Courtesy of your friends at Free Republic". He'll understand.
I don’t think a governor has the right to be running code 3 without a darn good (emergency) excuse.
The imposition of 'legalities' on a Lib are like water. . .on a Duck's back. . .
So, Corzine’s SUV was impersonating an “emergency vehicle” so he could avoid traffic delays was he?
And what about a bill for the totaled state vehicle?
There is only one person responsible for this accident and that is Corzine.
Attended a function at New Bolton (U. Penn Vet school) recently where the faculty informed that Fast Eddie no longer flies around PA’s roads at 100mph, driven everywhere by a state trooper, lights flashing and siren blaring. After he took a lot of heat for it during his first term, he switched to a helicopter courtesy of the hard working taxpayers!
Try this Corzine aides: "Hello, the Governor is running late, reschedule the photographs and the official statement for when the Governor arrives."
This was an assignment for a helicopter, not a motor vehicle. How could a guy this rich be that dumb?
Doesnt New Jersey have a helicopter? Why wasnt he using the State helicopter?
I wonder what charges you or I would be facing if we caused an accident while using unauthorized emergency lights at 91 miles an hour as the govenor and his crew did.
3 days ago your question was asked on another thread and the answer was sent why someone in the know in NJ, to wit:
“The weather was really bad due to the storm and the helio was grounded.”
Oooh! Oooh! Pick me! Pick me!
Maybe we should have a pool or something.
Why in the hell was he going in the first place? The governor's appearance at an apology doesn't seem to be a government function. His ignorance will cost the taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars, if, not millions, for his showboating.
Every Democrat in the nation is about to have a conniption fit to see who gets to kiss the Arses of the Rutgers B-ball team next. Its a photo-op that cant be dismissed. Even Queen Hillary is going there. I am surprised Pelosi hasnt flown her plane up to see them.
Democrats Law of the land : You shall do as I say, and not as I do .
As I understand the incident. A red pickup cut infront of a white pickup, causing the white pickup to slow down which it successfully did and avoided a crash with the red pickup.
Corzine’s driver was following too close for conditions and driving too fast for conditions and hit the white pickup.
It is ALWAYS the fault of the vehicle in the rear that read ends the vehicle in the front (unless in reverse gear.)
Plain and simple. The state trooper was not a good driver. He is under no obligation to disobey the laws because his passenger is above the law.
yep
My husband was recently brought to the hospital by the Rescue Squad in our town. Since he was stabilized at home the driver told me that they would NOT be exceeding the speed limit, they would NOT go thru red lights, nor would they be using their flashing lights.
While it was an emergency, without a doubt, it was not life threatening at that moment.
As I was following in my own auto, I appreciated their consideration of others on the road. It was a long 40 min. drive but we all arrived safely and no one else on the road was in jeopardy.
I have never lived in a state that I am aware of where emergency vehicles were legally allowed to violate the speed limit with the exception of criminal pursuits. The obvious reason for it is that ambulances and firetrucks are very heavy and hard to manuever and if you get them going to fast you are more likely to CAUSE an accident than get to the one you were dispatched to.
The whole 91 MPH thing is going to have to be answered for. There won’t be a way to sweep that one under the rug. I doubt any criminal penalty will be forthcoming but it will be a political tatoo on Corzines forehead forever along with his union floozy. Just another case where one of the NJ bosses ignores the laws that everybody else has to follow. Welcome to the Garden State everyone!!
I agree. I just read an article about his many and severe injuries and I wonder, did his airbag fail?
Absolved? He will be canonized. He is a liberal democrat governor of a liberal democrat state. This will somehow come to be the fault of the evil Republicans.
If I was the driver of the other vehicle I would leave the state. Remember what happens to those who cross the democrats purposely or otherwise. The full weight of the state will come down on him... maybe even an “Jerseycide” type accident.
Looks more like the air bag fired and nailed Corzine way back into the cargo area.
Ummm...more money than brains?
Here’s my take on this situation...without actually knowing what happened...I’m just guessing.
The white pickup wasn’t paying attention. the red pickup was. The red pickup saw the approaching cop car and realized how GOSH DARN STUPID FAST it was coming and got over real real quick. The white pickup hasn’t got a clue and is probably one of those bozos that goes “huh what was that?” everytime an ambulance passes him on his right. And because he wasn’t paying attention, he almost hits the red truck as it is attempting to get out of the way of the cop.
Well, the cop(going stupid fast) sees the red pickup getting out of the way and makes the assumption that the white pickup is smart enough to do the same. He was wrong and now everyone is paying for the cops poor judgement.
91 MPH 5 seconds before impact?
You can bet it was 101 MPH , when 10 seconds before impact, when he slowed as he approached the two trucks that completely blocked him.
Thats why the “mentaly impaired” exited the road. He saw an impact / explosion comeing his way.
I was hit with an airbag, once. I was wearing my seatbelt and was hit on the side by a car, which set me rolling over and over 2 and 1/2 times, landing driver’s side down down with the hood smished in. I made it out with nothing more than a severe case of road rash. No broken bones. And I am 5’ 2”, and had the seat pushed all the way to the front. I was going about 60 when hit. The road rash came about because my truck skidded on the drivers side for about a half mile after rolling, breaking the door glass and grinding glass and road into my left arm.
This is prime example of why many people severely mistrust law enforcement and elected officials, who act above the law. EVERYONE knows and has seen examples of this type of behaviour from the cops. And the NJ troopers originally tried to pin blame for the accident on the driver of a pickup truck. Now it turns out the pickup driver was simply trying to get out of the way of the speeding motorcade.
Had their not been numerous witnesses, who knows what would have happened to the driver of the pickup truck.
Corzine: not wearing a seatbelt, contrary to state law.
State trooper— 26 mph over the limit, not responding to any emergency. In many states that constitutes automatic reckless driving, a heavy fine, and license suspension.
Irony: according to NY Slimes article this morning, Corzine proposed LOWERING the speed limit on the highway from 65 to 55 to.... cut greenhouse gasses.
“I wonder what charges you or I would be facing if we caused an accident while using unauthorized emergency lights at 91 miles an hour as the govenor and his crew did.”
We would be in a world of legal doo-doo. And we would have been charged, even if in a hospital bed, as soon as we were conscious.
Thank goodness there were numerous witnesses so that the blame for this doesn’t get pinned on an innocent driver just trying to get the hell out of the way of the Limousine Liberal.
“Not legal advice, I am not an attorney, but I see nothing in the above law that allows any police officer to use his emergency flashers and siren (as Governor Corzine’s driver was doing while under Corzine’s supervision) and exceed the speed limit by 26 miles an hour for the purpose of getting the Governor from one place to another. Nowhere was it reported that the SUV was being driven, “in response to an emergency call or in the pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law.””
about 10 yrs ago I was “waddling” across a street, nine months pregnant with a toddler by the hand in a small town.
A village police car whipped around the corner, no lights, no siren - tires screeching and going like a bat out-a-hell.
He nearly took me out.
I later called the station and asked why an officer didn’t have have lights or siren on during a call.
When I gave the time of the incident I was told there was no call.
So I explained what happened, but I doubt anything ever came of it.
Cops know they can speed and no one is going to stop them.
He wrote me a speeding ticket for 72 MPH, which I accepted without discussion, and most politely. (I was speeding, ya know.) However, before meekly writing my check, I did question, not protest, the manner in which he initiated the chase, the damage done to the median, and to his cruiser, to his supervisors.
He was reprimanded, and the citation withdrawn, since he had no way of clocking my speed. It turned out the damage he caused totaled over $3500! Needless to say, I have been a model citizen on the roads ever since. And I have a very healthy respect for the NJ State Police, who treated me in a very responsive and polite fashion. After all, they are the guys who got Bruno Hauptmann!
I know from personal experience what a nightmare that ride to the hospital can be.
Thanks so much. He has had surgery and is now on the way to recovery.
Hope all is well in your life as well.
It must have been the end of the month for the officer - filling a quota and you just happened along?
At least they reprimanded him, and it’s surprising they let you off. We don’t see that attitude around here.
They tried to arrest my husband at work one day.
Turned out they had a warrant for someone with the same name - but different spelling and different birthdate.
no apology.
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