Almost Got Killed That Day

[SinePari]

Well, there I am at a single-car MVA off the road into the trees. The driver is hurt real bad, and there are FOUR cruisers, TWO ambulances, TWO fire trucks and a flat-bed on the scene in the BDL.

One of the fire crews decides to put little orange cones around their truck, into the travel lane which is making cars squeeze into the high speed lane. Since this is causing more chaos than we want, we decide to take the travel lane altogether to give us more room.

I back up my cruiser in the travel lane and then start to set up some flares. I get a nice taper going while watching traffic whiz by, hardly slowing for all of this (65 mph zone). There is plenty of visibility down the road. I turn my back to walk back into the BDL and a TT unit almost takes me out, skids about 100 feet from the travel lane into the high speed lane becaue he didn't slow down and merged late, and rear-ends another looky-loo.

After I got my stomach out of my throat, a lady slows to ask me if she can speed through because she's late for an appointment.

[curlyblue]

Sorry about your scary close call. There are a lot of self-centered dum-dums around and we will never have to worry about job security--one of the reasons I got into LE in the first place.

[Bodie]

Won't be your last close call. Police sre supposed to handle traffic and routing not fire or ems. They are there to aid victims so you should from intial response to clearing of scene be in charge of accident traffic routing. AND if it's safer to shut down the whole road and stop everybody like it may have been in this case so be it until injured can be removed and squads and fire are clear of scene.

[chiefhuntr]

Way To Be Supportive

Won't be your last close call. Police sre supposed to handle traffic and routing not fire or ems. They are there to aid victims so you should from intial response to clearing of scene be in charge of accident traffic routing. AND if it's safer to shut down the whole road and stop everybody like it may have been in this case so be it until injured can be removed and squads and fire are clear of scene.

How about "been there, done that, hope it never happens again."

[bigcop97]

"Been there, done that, hope it never happens again."

I hate directing traffic around accidents. Everyone wants to look and see what happened and they dont pay attention to you or where they are going.

Then you get those "special" people that just have to get around you and do not want to go where you tell them...

Then you get the people that stop in the middle of all the traffic and ask for directions or ask you what happened while 100's of motorist behind them are waiting to go...

[Mr. John Doe]

"Been there, done that, hope it never happens again."

I hate directing traffic around accidents. Everyone wants to look and see what happened and they dont pay attention to you or where they are going.

Then you get those "special" people that just have to get around you and do not want to go where you tell them...

Then you get the people that stop in the middle of all the traffic and ask for directions or ask you what happened while 100's of motorist behind them are waiting to go...

I do agree with you on directing traffic. Had to do it during a non serious accident, but we had to close the highway down, and reroute traffic. People were not happy, the semi-truck drivers were the worse. I damn near got taken out to, and its NO FUN.

I also believe highway patrol should enforce the move over law. Its been over a year, and I haven't heard anyone use this law.

[Delta784]

Congratulations on surviving your first encounter with a HUA driver (Head Up ***). It won't be your last.

[SinePari]

This stretch of the big road was in a town with part time ding-dings. Apparently their SOP is to put little cones around the rigs at crash scenes. And if there are injuries at the scene, the FD is "in charge" of that scene.

I guess there have been some chest bumpings in the past concerning who's supposed to do what at crashes. So we just do what we do, and they do what they do and park wherever they want to...usually with the butt-end of the rig sticking out into the travel lane.

Oh, BTW, junior guy (me), with not-so-new cruiser, puts his cruiser at the tail of the scene. First one to get hit I guess

[gotthblues]

we had the who got the bigger jimmy problem to...but it got resolved..we also used a template from the nation highway safety office,,cant member what it was sorry,,but you use fire trucks at back of accident (what do you want to protect you, a boulder or a peeble) we are responsible for traffic,,but ultimately what ever the higher priority was had charge of the scene. if a life was in the balance,,ems had priority,,shut down all traffic,,to heck with the impatient people whose golf game was more important,,but trucks or cars at the scene had to be out of the way a traffic

[BrickCop]

Glad to hear you're ok bro.

Off topic note- Do you have the urge lately to drive out to NB and laugh heartily at the new recruits?

[colaking]

When i was doing my practicum i heard a conversation that i will never forget:

Driver: excuse me officer, can you let me through, i'm in a hurry.
Deputy: Can your car fly?
Driver: No.
Deputy: Then you are stuck here like everyone else.

I thought that was great, and will hopefully use that one some day.

[SinePari]

Do you have the urge lately to drive out to NB and laugh heartily at the new recruits?

Not really, because the sooner they hit the road, the sooner I get seniority over someone

[Centurion44]

My experience with the lanes is never block half a lane. You don't want people moving through it, so just park your car there or cone it off.

In GA we have a relatively new "Procedure for Passing of Emergency Vehicle" law. Affectionately called the "Move-over" law. This law requires any vehicle approaching another with flashing red, blue, or amber lights to make a lane change one lane over. If such a lane change is not possible, the vehicle is required to "slow down below the posted speed limit and be prepared to stop." I take the last part literally. If it doesn't look like you can stop your vehicle on a dime when passing an emergency vehicle, then you're in violation of the law, IMO.

If you are a GA LEO it's OCGA 40-6-16. If your state has a similar law please get out there and enforce that joker. I'll pull up on anyone with flashing lights, turn on my lights, and wait for violaters. In GA it imposes about a $500 fine. The only way to make people drive safe is to hit 'em in the wallet. If we can get enough guys out there writing this one, word will spread fast enough and hopefully it'll save an officer's life. Who knows- it might even be mine (and that's the important thing here)

[Mr. John Doe]

My experience with the lanes is never block half a lane. You don't want people moving through it, so just park your car there or cone it off.

In GA we have a relatively new "Procedure for Passing of Emergency Vehicle" law. Affectionately called the "Move-over" law. This law requires any vehicle approaching another with flashing red, blue, or amber lights to make a lane change one lane over. If such a lane change is not possible, the vehicle is required to "slow down below the posted speed limit and be prepared to stop." I take the last part literally. If it doesn't look like you can stop your vehicle on a dime when passing an emergency vehicle, then you're in violation of the law, IMO.

If you are a GA LEO it's OCGA 40-6-16. If your state has a similar law please get out there and enforce that joker. I'll pull up on anyone with flashing lights, turn on my lights, and wait for violaters. In GA it imposes about a $500 fine. The only way to make people driver safe is to hit 'em in the wallet. If we can get enough guys out there writing this one, word will spread fast enough and hopefully it'll save an officer's life. Who knows- it might even by mine (and that's the important thing here)

We actaully have a sign on our interstate that says to move over if there is a vehicle on the shoulder.

Does anyone else have this law in there state.

IF YOU DON'T, I AM PRETTY SURE YOU CAN GET THEM FOR RECKLESS OR CARELESS DRIVING.

[SinePari]

Currently our MV laws do not cover passing emergency vehicles. The only thing covered is when emergency vehicles are approaching you must yield to the curb and stop.

Hopefully we'll catch up to everyone else.