Eratic Driver Rant

ncfd4303

Member
May 20, 2010
163
Corning, NY
So I was riding passenger in my girl friends car this evening, enroute to the shopping mall to pick up an outfit for a wedding this weekend. about 30 minutes prior to our departure, there was a reported car vs tractor trailer on the same highway; truck rear ended the vehicle, no entraptment, no injuries, only blocking one lane.


Now, I was in the shower at the time the call came out, and we live about 11 miles from where the accident had occured, just so you have a time table here.


We proceded to leave, and driving down the interstate, there is no sign of an accident, IE no backed up traffic, nothing really. Out of nowhere a NYS Trooper comes up onto my girlfriends vehicle, she changes lanes to the driving lane. He continues to accelerate past us, no lights/siren activation, and comes up onto a tractor trailer. He then pulls into the shoulder, thats right, the LEFT hand shoulder, inches away from the jersey barrier and a mere 2 foot from the trailers rear bumper. He swerves back and forth, to get this guys attention, no lights on yet, however he cannot move over because there is another tractor trailer in the driving lane. The trooper then decides to get in the driving lane to pass, but discovers that he cannot, because there is a truck there too. He moves back to the left side of the rig and then activates his lights for about 30 seconds. Still no reaction out of the driver of the rig, meanwhile dust and god knows what else is being stirred up from the median onto the road. I am assuming that the driver was aware of the trooper behind him, but could not SAFELY pull to the right for him. Finally the rig has enough room and merged over. The trooper takes off again, to only start braking hard because there was a trooper already in the driving lane merging people over to the uneffected lane.


When we finally passed the scene, everyone was standing there waiting for the wrecker to show up. There was no true emergency at the time.


I could not believe what i was seeing tonight, and felt completely disgusted in this troopers driving behavior at that time and I felt that it was necisary to report the sitings and pictures taken to his supervisor for his troop. Mainly because I am tired of seeing emergency responders, Fire, EMS and LEOs alike, dying while responding to calls, and they all seem to be non emergencies to begin with.


My father called me about an hour after this whole incident took place. I told him about it and he practically took my birthday away because he claims that now they will persue to "get" me. I have nothing to hide, do nothing illegal, drive the speed limit etc etc etc. He has been a professional firefighter for 16 years now, and I thought that sharing how reckless this guy was driving, that he would agree that I did the right thing, because if I were to ever drive to a call that fast for no reason, I can guarantee that I would have a talking to, whether it be from my superiors, or a LEO. This is a small area, and there are alot of the back door politics, however I do not think that I am in the wrong by being concerned about a person's driving, somebody needs to let these guys know that they are human, and so are everyone else around them.


So, am I wrong here and missing the picture for doing what I did? Or am I looking too far into it...I have always believed to do the right thing and by turning my head away from this didn't sit right with me.
 

TCO

Member
May 21, 2010
808
Malvern,Pa
sorry but even though you where doing the right thing you just made yourself a target. good luck with that
 

cutiger

Member
Jun 11, 2010
370
SC
TCO said:
sorry but even though you where doing the wrong thing you just made yourself a target. good luck with that
You mean right thing right?
 

cutiger

Member
Jun 11, 2010
370
SC
Not a problem.
 

Mike L.

Member
May 21, 2010
261
Everett, WA
I don't really see an issue. That trooper obviously knew something you didn't. Keep in mind that a fire dispatch is different from a police dispatch. The trooper might have thought that he was talking to the semi in front of him on a CB when in reality he might have been talking to a diff one. Hence the no lights. Also, nothing wrong with driving the left shoulder in an emergency. Without knowing all the details and not being there I am going to withhold difinitive judgement. However, I will tell you that as a LEO you go through more EVOC than a FF and TROOPERS go through more EVOC than a LEO. In fact WSP has a month long EVOC program for their troopers.
 

colby4601

Member
May 23, 2010
64
Southeastern Saskatchewan
Just like the saying goes, "Sometimes doing the right thing, ain't always doing the right thing." This is one of those things. It wasn't necessary to report the Trooper as you did not and do not have all of the information pertaining to what he knew while responding to the call. Not only that, you might have very well made yourself a "target". Especially if you live in a rural area where the Troopers know who you are. Personally, I don't think it was necessary to report him at all.
 

Zoe

Member
May 28, 2010
776
Deerfield MA
It sounds like you made a lot of assumptions regarding what that trooper was doing (or why he was doing it).


While I don't think anyone can ever be in the wrong for reporting perceived wrong-doing... it's important to remember that it is just your perception.


(I know that I have personally been the recipient of complaints that in the end were just a result of the reporting party not have all the information or a proper understanding.)
 

TNFF412N

Member
May 22, 2010
387
San Antonio, Texas
What you did was no differnt then calling in a civilan driver.... you dont know whats going on when you make that call, this time it was just a trooper. you reported what you saw. I personaly wouldnt have made the phone call, but cant fault you for making it...
 

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