I was recently given a ticket on Rte 91 for allegedly doing 91mph. There was no way that I would do 91mph as my car gets funky over 83mph. It’s a ’97 with a lot of miles. Your 0.4 second helps explain thing especially as my car is a honda with a sloped windshield, and my license plate is sharply bent backwards.

I have no record and according to Geico, even at 91 my rates will not increase. But what I found most amazing was the manner in which this young officer ticked me.

He was parked behind a bridge abutment, his car hidden. It was near noon, bright and sunny, he was at the far side of the bridge shaded. I estimate that I was about 200-240′ from him when abruptly I see this person, very quickly and determinately cross the road. The person moved with intent. I thought he was an inspector or worker. I had passed many construction areas a bit farther back. I thought “what a jerk.”

Abruptly the person stops, exactly mid-lane and faces me. This may seem odd to others but my thought was that this person was attempting to commit suicide. Why would I think that? Because I work for a corporation as an Occupational Health RN and two years ago, a Vietnam Era Veteran employee, parked his bike and then walked out into the middle of the road, to his death.

I was too close to slam on my brakes, fearing that I would lose control or by going slower would give him a better opportunity to get in front of me, so I did not brake but swerved to the far side of the right lane and passed him. I looked back in my mirror and saw a parked car. I had no idea that this was a police officer until I saw the blue lights.

Upon seeing the blue lights, I put on my directionals, pulled over, rolled down the window and put my hands on the upper part of the steering wheel.

This officer came to the window. He bent over, his right arm seemed to hover, his face was in a grimace, the tendons on his neck stood out, and he was shaking slightly. He said: “Why didn’t you stop, you saw that I was an officer!” I responded “No Sir, I had no idea that you were a police officer.” He repeated this a few times. I restated the exact statement again and again. He said “I can make this the worst day of your life.” (I believed this, I believed that he was enraged and dangerous, and I feared for my life.)

Eventually he seemed to calm down, and went thought the routine, “registration, license…” He went back to the cruiser, returned with the ticket. Lidar and estimated is checked. I took the ticket. Written in the margin at the top are the words: “had to chase down.”

This person in front of me, after quickly appearing to be crossing the road, and who abruptly turned and faced me remained motionless, arm by side. There was absolutely no hand signal indicating that whoever this person was that they wanted me to stop or pull over.

I turned my head and said: “May I say something respectfully?” He said: “Yes, make it quick.” I said: “In my opinion walking into the middle of a superhighway is suicidal.” His response: “You have no idea how many people do not stop, we are trained to do that.” He added: “I watch my back.”

As far as I am concerned this is a near miss fatality. I do not believe for a second that he was trained to walk in front of a 91mph car on a superhighway. I also do not believe that he is trained to state: “I can make this the worst day of your life.”

As a professional who has dealt with employees who have voiced suicidal and homicidal ideation I can identify an enraged and dangerous person. This officer should not have acted this way, and was a danger to himself and to me. (Though I would not have died in a collision had I hit him, I might as well had).

This officer, in my opinion is writing a mistruth: “had to chase down.” In fact a simple hand motion would have me pull over, if only for the fact that he might have needed medical help for someone. The moment his blue lights went on I pulled over.

Further, I do not believe for a second that any officer is trained to walk into the path of a car doing 60, much less 91 miles per hour. To call this a mistruth is generous, I think the word “lie” comes to mind.

I will fight this ticket as far as I am allowed. I hope I am allowed to subpoena and cross-examine his trainer for when his statement is shown not to be true then I believe that every other bit of evidence is circumspect.

Why was this officer enraged? Why did he endanger his life and mine? Why did he lie? And if he did lie, then why should anyone accept his evidence?

Why do we have officer that seem to have lost all respect for ordinary people? I cannot help but wonder if the fact that I had two photo id’s and a set of keys attached to a belt retainer in sight. My car is old and a bit of a beater but I truly have to wonder about things today when a State Trooper, who I have always held in the highest esteem, who are the most highly educated of our police system essentially assaulted me.

So I will join NMA and if possible I will take this to the Superior Court and to the State Supreme Court, even if they refuse to hear it.

Again, thanks for the article.