And the discussion spiraled downhill from there as Arif, the poster child for the "Damn! I'm Good!" crowd uses the wrong points of the article to further promote the self-centered "I should be able to drive as fast as I want and no one should be in the left lane when I'm in the area" way of thinking and driving.
Left-lane blockers, "poor driving skills and lack of courtesy" aren't the issue -- it is the disregard of Virginia laws by out-of-state police officers. The New Jersey cops seemed to think they should have been given a break because they are cops (not that they would give the same break to any non-cop who tried using the same lame excuses they have).
To recap, with an updated article from Sunday, from the paper that carried the initial report, the News Virginian in Waynesboro, Va.:
"Jersey convoy stop sparks debate By MICHAEL L. OWENS and ALICIA PETSKA The News Virginian Sunday, October 2, 2005
New Jersey Sheriff Jerry Speziale - labeling Virginia law enforcement as distrustful - remains adamant that his officers should have received a free pbutt to cruise along local roads at nearly 100 mph.
SpezialeÕs call to Augusta County Sheriff Randy Fisher on Thursday was more cordial than his fiery diatribe against a county deputy almost two weeks ago. Yet the only compromise that Fisher and the Pbuttaic County sheriff could reach left them at a standstill.
ÒWe ended up agreeing to disagree,Ó Fisher said.
Even with FisherÕs claims that a deputy clocked the New Jersey convoy traveling the Weyers Cave stretch of Interstate 81 at 95 mph, SpezialeÕs office demands proof.
It was on Sept. 18 that Augusta County Sheriffs Deputy Mike Roane spotted a convoy of New Jersey officers - from Pbuttaic County and the Wayne Police Department - in police cruisers returning home from a Hurricane Katrina relief mission. Virginia State Police had received multiple 911 calls from I-81 motorists complaining the convoy, with as many as 13 cars, had forced them off the road. Roane was dispatched because a trooper was not available.
Roane managed to stop five or six cruisers, while the rest continued down the interstate. He asked them to cut off their emergency lights and to slow down. Virginia law bans police cruisers from topping the speed limit and using lights unless responding to an emergency."
See BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031785404105&path= (or
The first story about the stop is at FWNVBasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031785317943&path=!news!localnews (or
The speed of the convoy was an issue, but not the issue -- the cops returning FROMhurricane relief were traveling with their emergency lights on. Drivers in front of them, having no idea who they were or what they were doing, moved out of the way just like they were supposed to. After seeing that they moved over for non-Virginia police cars (and there is no telling how insistent the Jersey cops were in getting people to move), some drivers were not happy. From the first article, ÒIt was causing a dangerous situation, and basically we had to do something,Ó Fisher said. ÒPeople were pulling off to the left and people were pulling off to the right getting out of the way of these guys.Ó
Per the Code of Virginia, " Sec. 46.2-920. Certain vehicles exempt from regulations in certain situations; exceptions and additional requirements.
A. The driver of any emergency vehicle, when such vehicle is being used in the performance of public services, and when such vehicle is operated under emergency conditions, may, without subjecting himself to criminal prosecution:
1. Disregard speed limits, while having due regard for safety of persons and property;
6. Pbutt or overtake with due regard to the safety of persons and property, while en route to an emergency, stopped or slow-moving vehicles, by going to the left of the stopped or slow-moving vehicle either in a no-pbutting zone or by crossing the highway centerline; or
B. The exemptions granted to emergency vehicles by subsection A of this section shall apply only when the operator of such vehicle displays a flashing, blinking, or alternating emergency light or lights as provided in 46.2-1022 and 46.2-1023 and sounds a siren, exhaust whistle, or air horn designed to give automatically intermittent signals, as may be reasonably necessary, . . . (snip insurance requirements)
C. For the purposes of this section, the term "emergency vehicle" shall mean:
1. Any law-enforcement vehicle operated by or under the direction of a federal, state, or local law-enforcement officer (i) in the chase or apprehension of violators of the law or persons charged with or suspected of any such violation or (ii) in response to an emergency call;"
Since it would be difficult to make a case that New Jersey cops would have any jurisdiction en mbutt in Virginia, and a real stretch to convert "in a hurry to get home" into "response to an emergency call" it looks like the police were leaning heavily on "professional courtesy" to cover up their violation of Virginia laws. Even if they were only driving at 66 mph, having their lights on as a means to clear their way is really pushing the boundaries of good driving practices.
Bruce in Blacksburg
-- Bruce Harper Blacksburg Virginia vtwebman at hotmail.com
