Update - Given a Speeding Ticket in an Ambulance

[Guest guest]

So after giving it more thought, probably time to cool off, and think

rationally, and reading all of your posts, and replaying in my mind the EVOC

classes that I have taught in the last 6 years, I realize that I was wrong in my

actions. I can hear myself repeatedly saying that we need to adhere to all

traffic laws while driving non-priority traffic, and even VFIS recommendation

for driving priority traffic is to adhere to the posted speed limit. It is not

easy to admit that I was wrong, even-though that little voice in the back of my

head is screaming, YES you are!!!

I guess the biggest thing that I was surprised about with the whole situation is

this question: what happened to Professional Courtesy? This led me to an

entirely new thought. Maybe it is “US " the EMS community that is taking

advantage of this whole “Professional Courtesy” bit, by driving the way I was

driving and have been guilty of driving in the past. I know that when I arrived

to the EMS scene in the Houston Area in 1996, you did not see the number of

ambulances that you see on any given day driving around the streets of Houston.

Even if a small percentage of these ambulances are pushing the “Professional

Courtesy” envelope by speeding, reckless driving, or any other of the offenses

that could be imagined, it could only cause this type of response from an

officer of the law. I do not know about this officer, but I could have been the

3rd or 4th ambulance that had come by him while he was sitting on the side of

the road and " blew his doors off”. He could have had enough, and decided this

is the only way to get “US” all to slow down. Or he may be under directives

from on high to crack down and give all ambulances citations, regardless of

“Professional Courtesy.” This is probably the most likely scenario. At least it

makes me think more of him if this is the case, instead of just being a

bucket-head.

I have read in a couple of the responses how it is probably the “Private”

ambulances that are causing this problem, but I don’t work for a “Private”

ambulance service. So, I was a “911” ambulance adding to the percentage of

ambulances seen everyday by Law Enforcement and other citizens of the community

breaking the law. The way I look at it “WE” (Private and 911 Ambulances) are

all viewed as the same thing in the eyes of the public “Ambulances”. Just as

there are only “Doctors and Nurses” in a hospital, and “Paramedics” on

ambulances to the general public.

I was not acting very professional with my actions of driving 76 miles per hour

with a speed limit of 60 miles per hour. The one thing I emphasize in my EVOC

classes is the fact that speed kills and that the majority of all EMS related

traffic fatalities are secondary to speed alone.

That being said, I’ve learned my lesson. I will take DD, pay my fine, and slow

down. I hope to be an example for all EMS professionals.

Mr. Marcus Finney

mdfinney@...