Well, another law enforcement post...

"505Turbeaux" (505turbeaux) 01/30/2014 at 08:58 • Filed to: None

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From a friend of mine this morning, who is actually a friend to many law officers in this particular state: "So, I'm not one to speak ill of the police, but the actions of a state trooper this morning have me quite fired up. My ex wife (while taking our kids to school about an hour ago) popped the bead on the front right tire of the accord due to low air while getting on at the exit 4 rt 9 south on ramp. At the end of said ramp where it merges onto highway, she pulled over, hazards on, in the breakdown lane and called both myself and the new boyfriend to assist.
While enroute to get my kids so they could get to school, I get a call from my daughter in which she informs me a trooper stopped, and FORCED her mother to drive a DISABLED VEHICLE, not further off the side of the road, not back down the on ramp a bit, but from where she was stranded the complete distance between the two exits, to the exit 3 commuter lot.........

Forget the fact she was IN THE BREAKDOWN LANE safely to the side, forget the fact an otherwise perfect tire is now destroyed (and quite possibly the inner rim as well), forget the fact there were two kids in the car......but there was help on the way (no more than 10 minutes out) to get the kids as well as put the spare on the car and get it moving.

I have never heard of and officer forcing someone to drive a disabled vehicle when the was not threat of further traffic complications, especially when said person did not feel safe driving the car at all........"

So anyhow, I know this area well having grown up there, and if she was on the right shoulder, she was safe to wait for a tow. Tire and rim are now toast. Would you send them the bill? (note: stock image, I didn't get one from the Accord)

Dukie - Jalopnik Emergency Management Asshole > 505Turbeaux 01/30/2014 at 09:01

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You're gonna need a lot of supporting information to get them to pay for it. Name, Badge number, vehicle number, time, date, location...

I would, but make sure your ducks are in a row. The PD is gonna look for any way to fuck your ex when she asks for money from them.

Tom McParland > 505Turbeaux 01/30/2014 at 09:01

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Yeah that is pretty messed up.

505Turbeaux > Dukie - Jalopnik Emergency Management Asshole 01/30/2014 at 09:02

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this was a friends ex, but still, I hear you. Just a crazy situation, esp with kiddos in the car

Dukie - Jalopnik Emergency Management Asshole > 505Turbeaux 01/30/2014 at 09:03

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I no read gud soon after sleepy.

willkinton247 > 505Turbeaux 01/30/2014 at 09:05

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From the picture I thought you were going to say a trooper shot out your ex wife's tires...

davedave1111 > 505Turbeaux 01/30/2014 at 09:06

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It's never very safe to wait on the hard shoulder, even in ideal conditions, if traffic on the road is moving at a normal sort of speed. (If the traffic's all stationary, it's different, but otherwise you're at serious risk of the car being hit by someone going highway speeds.) Personally, I'd have considered the tyre expendable in exchange for not putting oneself plus kids into such a dangerous situation.

I don't know whether the police officer 'forced' the person to do something, or merely strongly recommended them to do it, but what ended up happening is just what should have happened. Hopefully the cop accompanied the limping car to the next exit.

In general, it isn't worth changing a tyre on the side of a highway just to save the cost of a tyre, because you're risking your life for a fairly small amount of money. It's definitely not worth doing when you have your kids in the car.

505Turbeaux > davedave1111 01/30/2014 at 09:13

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I would have thought the trooper would have at least put the kids in his cruiser for the duration if this was the case and it was not an ideal place and time.

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > 505Turbeaux 01/30/2014 at 09:14

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This is the time you remember officers are public servants and you don't always have to their "Advice"

Jonathan Harper > 505Turbeaux 01/30/2014 at 09:16

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A cop did this with my mother once when she had a blowout on the west side highway, no shoulders so it was necessary.

If it were me and I knew I was in a safe spot, I'd tell the cop no I'm waiting for AAA. The difficulty then, on some particularly shitty NY parkways, is that AAA isn't allowed to service certain roads. In which case a ruined rim may be cheaper than the price hiking tow sharks that service said parkways.

505Turbeaux > Jonathan Harper 01/30/2014 at 09:19

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yeah I have been disabled in some pretty hairy spots in NY, usually a cop comes and pushes you off with almost no warning. "we are pushing you to safety" booms the voice from the loudspeaker behind you.

This was one state to the east of you in NY, no restrictions for AAA and I know for a fact where she was was safe to sit for help/tow

George McNally > 505Turbeaux 01/30/2014 at 09:20

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I feel for you, but I'd probably side with the cop.

If I was in a similar situation....I'd probably trash a tire just to get off the highway (even if I was safely in the breakdown lane) the safety of your kids is worth the price of a tire.

God forbid someone talking on their cellphone drifts off to the side a foot or two and hit your ex-wifes car with your kids in it-it just ain't worth it.

davedave1111 > 505Turbeaux 01/30/2014 at 09:31

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Are they allowed to do that? If so, I'd say that's a good idea. I hadn't thought of it, though, so I can't be too critical if the people involved didn't either. Maybe the policeman could have given everyone a lift to the nearest exit, then they (no longer needing the assistance of the cop) could have met up with the rescue party, off-loaded the kids, and gone back to the vehicle to drive it off the highway - perhaps with someone who felt more comfortable driving it behind the wheel - accompanied by another car.

crowmolly > 505Turbeaux 01/30/2014 at 09:53

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Tough to say without seeing the spot and situation, really.

Trying to put myself in the trooper's shoes, maybe he saw a van full of kids on a NY highway and wanted them to get completely out of harms way before a stroke of bad luck becomes a front page news story. Some of those guys see a lot of bad stuff happen on the side of the road.

Look at it this way. The truck below should not have to go all "baby got back" with an impact attenuator since it has a giant lit sign attached to it, but enough people slam into trucks that it's a necessity.

Van full of kids on the side of what I assume is a busy highway in NY during a cold, wet winter? Might have been the right call. However troopers are human and he could have made a mistake or was just being a dick.

jariten1781 > 505Turbeaux 01/30/2014 at 10:34

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Nitrogen in a Caravan tire? Seems a bit overkill.

This situation really depends on the road. If this is a 60-70 mph road with traffic moving at normal speed I'd wait for the cop escort and get the hell out of there. <40 mph road I'd just swap on the spare and go (or wait for assistance if needed).

WhiskeyGolf > davedave1111 01/30/2014 at 11:52

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In general, it isn't worth changing a tyre on the side of a highway just to save the cost of a tyre, because you're risking your life for a fairly small amount of money.

I'm going to send that one to my dad, who once crossed 2 lanes of highway traffic to retrieve his shoes, which had been left on the roof and blew off when merging on the highway.

TwoFortified > 505Turbeaux 01/30/2014 at 19:07

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Too late. She shouldn't have complied. At worst, she would have gotten arrested, which would have lead to either the cop going away (ideally) or her getting wrongfully arrested for not complying with the big-dick-swinging asshole in blue.

Too late now.

505Turbeaux > TwoFortified 01/30/2014 at 19:15

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no doubt

Dead_Elvis, Inc. > 505Turbeaux 02/01/2014 at 19:14

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Connecticut? VT 9 & MA 9 are east/west.

505Turbeaux > Dead_Elvis, Inc. 02/01/2014 at 19:15

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yep, CT