In the past few months, State Police have encountered numerous instances in which troopers or their cruisers are struck when they are on the side of the road, said David Procopio, a spokesman for the State Police.
Now, officials from State Police, the Massachusetts Highway Department, and AAA Southern New England are hoping a new law - "Slow Down, Move Over" - that goes into effect Sunday will eliminate some of those accidents.
There's no truth to the rumor that the bill was originally called the "Get Your Head Out of Your Ass" law...
What's next? The "Don't Shave Behind the Wheel" law? "Don't Stop in the Middle of the Road for No Reason" law? Do we really need a new law telling people they should move over and slow down when approaching an accident scene?
What frightens me most is this:
Passed by the State Legislature on Dec. 22, the law requires drivers approaching emergency situations to leave the lane closest to the incident if possible and to slow down to a reasonable rate of speed.
Procopio said there is no specified speed limit. Violators face a fine of up to $100, he said.
[Emphasis mine] Got that? You're supposed to slow down, but we're not going to tell you what to slow down to. Nope, no possibility of abuse there... Just "slow down" and you'll be okay. However, fail to "slow down" enough - or just catch the town at a time of low revenue - and it's $100 out of your pocket and increased insurance premiums.
No sir, I don't like it. Don't like it one bit.
That is all.
7 comments:
Don't forget if you slow down too much, you can be fined for impeding traffic.
In Texas, we have a similar law but the speeds are defined as part of it.
It is a move over or slow down requirement, not both.
I'm not allowed to carry when working with my fire department. I don't quibble over it; I just lock my gun in my truck when I get to the station.
There's more than a few nitwits I'd like to have ... um ... added some speed holes to their car.
Just yesterday, we went to a wreck, and blocked the road for room to work safely. Big heavy rescue across one end of the scene, my engine across the other end. I parked it in one lane with alllll the lights on, and laid flares across the other lane with a small gap so the ambulance could get through to leave.
I hadn't walked more than fifty feet from the engine when some nitwit drives AROUND the flares, PAST the BIG GREEN TRUCK, and then can't figure out where to go.
I made some clear gestures for turn around and go the other way and started walking his way... he backed up in a big hurry and left.
I've made it clear to my chiefs that if I'm working a scene and someone goes through at what *I* determine is an unreasonable speed, they're likely to be replacing a body panel or window.
We have gotten to the point of almost always closing the road while we work, simply because dealing with idiots is not reasonable for us.
I have to agree with Zercool. I've responded to scenes where the breakdown lane and RH travel lane are closed and had someone go down the 2nd lane going over 100 mph nearly clipping one of the workers. Luckily the State trooper doing the detail had a Charger. He finally caught up to the guy who was slowing down to 80! BTW - the trooper said he had the Charger up to 130 to catch the guy. I've seen too many secondary accidents caused by people speeding or following the lights right into an accident...
Thing is, guys, there's *ALREADY* laws against doing that sort of thing.
There's no reason to pass ANOTHER one, especially with NO guidelines.
Basically, the way this is written, you could be pulled over for creeping by at 10MPH and ticketed on the whim of the officer...
And believe me, this sort of thing (people ripping through accident scenes) is one of the reasons I didn't follow my dad into law enforcement.
Because I would be SORELY tempted to tase the dumb bastard to within an inch of his life for a dumbass stuny like that...
Sorry I wasn't more clear before: I am NOT in favor of making things "more illegaler". You cannot legislate common sense and manners.
Just throwing out an unrelated two cents. :)
It is a move over or slow down requirement, not both.
To be specific, it's move over if you can, slow don't if you cannot. It's what, 20 mph under the speed limit?
VA has the same law as Texas, or at least a similar one. When TX passed its law, I was living in VA & in one of the news stories on it a VA police official noted that they had the same law, but they didn't want anyone obeying it. At the time, he figured that changing lanes or slowing down would be more dangerous. Since having a rash of officers hurt/killed by people not following the law no one wanted them to follow, they've changed their tune.
I support laws of this sort, but not if they're redundant, and not if they do not provide clear guidelines of what to do when. Because then it's just stupid.
Here in Texas, the State Highway Patrol uses .357Sig ammo. Don't mess with Texas means just what it says.
As for avoiding dumb stunts around accidents, I have taught my son (already driving) and my daughter (next year) that the driver drives, and only the passengers rubberneck, while providing running commentary.
My wife, well, she always looks to see if the responders need help. Marry a doctor, get some unintended side effects.
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