Not so fast!

Glenn Reynolds has reminded me of something I really didn't want to remember: the fact that those who would rule over us exempt themselves from the rules they impose. (Or enforce.)

Policemen and their families have long held a de facto exemption, and now they want a de jure one.

In Pennsylvania, the governor has enjoyed a similar exemption. Routinely traveling on the highways at speeds well in excesss of 100 mph, the police ignored him because he was the governor.

Rendell's state-owned Cadillac DeVille DHS is driven by state troopers assigned to his security detail. Turnpike cops have never ticketed the governor's drivers.

Sources said a turnpike trooper clocking traffic with a window-mounted radar unit first reported Rendell's zooming Cadillac in November. After the radar registered the Caddy's speed in the triple digits, the turnpike trooper gave chase, according to the sources.

The chase quickly ended when Rendell's driver picked up the limo's police radio and broadcast, "This is Executive One," the sources said.

Troopers running radar clocked the Caddy at triple-digit speeds eight more times, according to sources.

Now that the turnpike troopers recognize the car, they no longer give chase.

"They don't want to know," one source said.

The turnpike cops worry what would happen if the governor's car crashes at high speed, the sources said.

"It's just outright dangerous," one source said. "It only takes someone else to do something stupid, and it's going to cause a very severe accident. There's no reason they need to be zooming up the road in triple digits with the lights flashing. I don't care who you are. It's against the law. This is just transporting the governor to and from Philly. There is no emergency."

How the press managed to catch up with "Executive One" I don't know. (Maybe it was a slow news day.)

I am reminded -- once again -- of the special lanes for officials in the old Soviet Union. (We already have special "HOV" lanes in place, and the police are exempt; can bureaucrats be far behind?)

It can't happen here, of course....

By the way, the governor doesn't have to wear seat belts either. (So much for the argument that fast driving is intended to protect his safety....)

UPDATE: In a follow-up here, local columnist John Grogan opines that the governor is "not a crown prince," and ought to obey the same rules as the common folk.

Now there's a radical idea!

posted by Eric on 04.04.04 at 05:20 PM





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Comments

This is also posted at Spoons, but I think it is still worthwhile reposting a bit:

Okay

You are shocked, shocked, that someone who would write a money ticket to the wife of someone that they work with?

Please parse this into human terms and see if it still makes no sense. You work with someone. Now, you don't depend upon this person to research the articles you write or to spell or grammar check the things you write. You expect that person to show up when you are going to an armed robbery, or a breaking and entering, or domistic violence and you fully expect that person to cover your back, and shoot to stop someone who is trying to hurt you, jump into the fight, an generally help to save your ass.

Okay. Now. Think for a minute, because this happened about 15 years ago to me... I'm going to assist a police officer in a town next to me, but, gosh, he wrote my sister a speeding ticket. Did if effect me? Nope, because despite looking like a geek, I do my best to kick ass and take names.

But... what makes more sense? Thinking, Hmm, that SOB wrote my sister for going 8 MPH over the speed limit, so I'll go the speed limit to his request for assistance. Now, while I am not enthused about the whole speed issue, I am enthused about writing people for running red lights and stop signs, but it remains a significant issue, to expect to piss off the people you also expect to save your ass in an emergency.

Leo   ·  April 5, 2004 06:34 AM

ALRIGHT! I'm now able to use the "Clinton Defense" if I get pulled over for speeding in Pennsylvania!

El Jefe   ·  April 5, 2004 01:15 PM

Reminds me of the dustup in New York City several years ago: policemen were violating parking regulations and not writing tickets for each other. In a place like New York, a serious problem: parking is at a premium.

The police union was outraged that anyone would "call them on it" saying "We have jobs where we put our lives on the line every day. We shouldn't have to worry about parking tickets."

My father read that, and said, "Big deal. Cabdrivers get killed every day in this city, and the police ticket THEM at every opportunity. So what makes Them exempt? Just that they have the power, and want to abuse it."

Thought it was an interesting comparison.

Arnold Williams   ·  April 6, 2004 02:05 PM

Government has a tendency to either exempt itself from the laws, or else violate them with impunity. Government vehicles are exempt from smog requirements. Building codes. The biggest slumlord in every city is the city itself. I could go on and on.

And they're only moved to do something when they're caught in a particularly egregious violation of the public trust, at which time they may decide to appoint committees (filled with cronies) to discuss "reforms." These things usually get no further than the committee level, unless the public uproar refuses to die down after the committee's report. In that case, they might have to appoint a review committee to "review" the results of the first committee. They might also commission a "study" (all at your expense, of course....)

Sometimes I wonder whether the old-fashioned smoke-filled rooms and blatant corruption were really any worse....

Eric Scheie   ·  April 9, 2004 12:41 AM


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