Given a Speeding Ticket in an Ambulance

[Guest guest]

I am still dumbfounded over 24 hours after receiving a citation from Houston PD

for speeding in an ambulance while transporting a patient to the Houston Medical

Center yesterday. I was cited for 76 in a 60. A $245.00 fine. The flow of

traffic was pretty much traveling at the same speed, I was passing vehicles on

the road and at the same time was was being passed by vehicles. This occurred

about 1/2 mile from the speed limit changing from 65 to 60 miles an hour.

I am a paramedic with over 16 years experience. 13 years of this in the Gulf

Coast Area transporting numerous patients into the medical center. An EVOC

instructor for over 6 years, so before you say it, YES I should have known

better.

Here is my justification for my actions. The patient I was transporting had a

femur fracture from a fall that occurred on 01/10/2011, but was not transported

to our local ER for evaluation until 01/11/2011. This patient was then being

transferred to a hospital in the Medical Center for further evaluation and

treatment. The patient had a low H&H, and therefore was in need of blood

products. The patient has a history of HTN and anxiety (more about that later).

The patient started with a blood pressure around 100/60 with a heart rate in the

120’s, obvious signs of compensating shock. We are transporting from a rural

hospital about an hour from the medical center. The patient in my professional

opinion meets the criteria for a priority emergency transport. Due to the

increased risk of transporting a patient priority traffic and the patient’s

history of anxiety; I chose to transport the patient non-priority traffic.

While on the highway to the Medical Center the traffic as stated earlier was

moving very well and traffic was for the most part light in nature for about

15:30. I was traveling in the left hand lane of the road with a group of

vehicles that were all traveling about the same speed. We had just passed 2

other patrol cars that were sitting on the side of the road, but they chose to

leave us alone. This officer chose me out of the group to pull over.

He asked what is the reason for the excessive speed, and I advised him that we

were transporting a patient to the medical center that is in need of blood

products. He asked, " oh so you have a patient in the back? " and I advised him

that we did. He responded " but they are not bad enough to need the lights and

siren? " I advised him that I did not want to use the lights and sirens and

before I could explain why, given the patient’s anxiety, he asked for my license

and proceeded to his patrol car. Upon returning he stated that being that there

is no explanation for the speed, I was getting a citation. “Please sign here.”

I can assure you that the look on my face was priceless, non-verbally it read

“REALLY? YOU ARE GIVING ME A CITATION....REALLY?.....NO REALLY...A CITATION!!!!”

I am just venting, and also putting the word out that obviously you can and will

be pulled over and receive a citation in the City of Houston for speeding while

transporting a patient to the hospital IN an ambulance if you are not following

ALL traffic laws.

Questions:

1. Has anyone else had this happen?

2. If so, what did you do about it? Did you go to court and fight, or did you

just take it as a lesson learned and pay the fine?

Mr. Marcus Finney

mdfinney@...