Hum Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) ? An Iowa man who was pulled over for speeding as he rushed his pregnant wife to the hospital said he was determined to keep going despite the police lights flashing behind him. Tyler Rathjen planned to keep going as his wife, Ashley, began giving birth to their son in the passenger seat. But a red light with heavy traffic finally forced him to stop. "I should not stop, I'm not going to, I'm going to get to the hospital," Tyler Rathjen recalled thinking in an interview with Cedar Rapids TV station KCRG. The baby's head and arms were already out by the time Iowa City Officer Kevin Wolfe reached the passenger door. "We were all having a different experience," Wolfe said. Ashley Rathjen gave birth to her third son, Owen, just blocks from Mercy Iowa City hospital on March 10. "I kept saying: there's no break (in contractions) there's no break," she said. "He was coming at that time." Wolfe helped with the final steps of delivery and then escorted the Williamsburg family to the hospital. His dashboard camera captured the episode. Owen is now home with his parents and two brothers. more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crisp Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 But he could of stopped to begin with, and then got a Police escort to the Hospital... fusi0n and Davo 2 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fusi0n Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 But he could of stopped to begin with, and then got a Police escort to the Hospital... True, but in a state of panic you are not always thinking logically.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rippleman Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 depending on distance, and traffic, sometimes speeding is no faster. Traffic lights along main corridors and travel routes are set up to keep traffic flow moving at the posted speed limit. Moving faster (or slower) then the posted limit just means you will hit the next traffic light while red. And too, speeding does't save too much time unless you are traveling a large distance. Speeding to save 30~60 seconds on your short trip isn't much savings. Even ambulances have speed limits here. Having said that, I too would blow a red light if the intersection was indeed clear if I was taking someone to the hospital. ozgeek 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pes2013 Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 I hope he got a fine. No matter what the emergency, a personal vehicle cannot under ANY circumstances speed. If he didnt, the police officer was a nice guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hum Posted March 20, 2013 Author Share Posted March 20, 2013 Next time, take the helicopter. fusi0n 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fusi0n Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Yeah again.. he was panic mode.. he wasn't thinking clearly.. Does not excuse this but he was doing all the math in his head at the time to figure out if would get him there faster.. he was thinking.. hospital.. faster i go the faster i get there.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McKay Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 I hope he got a fine. No matter what the emergency, a personal vehicle cannot under ANY circumstances speed. If he didnt, the police officer was a nice guy. Over here if you're caught speeding because someone is giving birth in your car you'll either get an emergency ambulance called or given a police escort to the hospital, you're allowed to speed if youre under duress and childbirth is classed as that. Its amazing how quickly a small complication in it can lead to the death of the baby and mother. fusi0n 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crisp Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Over here if you're caught speeding because someone is giving birth in your car you'll either get an emergency ambulance called or given a police escort to the hospital I'm sure they do across the pond to... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McKay Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 I'm sure they do across the pond to... I wasn't denying that, I don't know what the law was in the states, I was referencing the guy who said a vehicle can't speed for any reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hum Posted March 21, 2013 Author Share Posted March 21, 2013 I hope they put a big towel on the seat ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Growled Member Posted March 21, 2013 Member Share Posted March 21, 2013 I hope he got a fine. No matter what the emergency, a personal vehicle cannot under ANY circumstances speed. Oh, there is still time for someone to be a jerk and charge him with something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.Rik Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 I hope he got a fine. No matter what the emergency, a personal vehicle cannot under ANY circumstances speed. If he didnt, the police officer was a nice guy. Around here you can put your vehicle in emergency march, in cases of...emergencies and if it doesn't endanger others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pes2013 Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Over here if you're caught speeding because someone is giving birth in your car you'll either get an emergency ambulance called or given a police escort to the hospital, you're allowed to speed if youre under duress and childbirth is classed as that. Its amazing how quickly a small complication in it can lead to the death of the baby and mother. Yes, the police escort you. Thats not the driver. I wasn't denying that, I don't know what the law was in the states, I was referencing the guy who said a vehicle can't speed for any reason. And my point stands. A personal car cannot speed. There is a difference between speeding and being escorted. Oh, there is still time for someone to be a jerk and charge him with something. The law the is the law. This would give other dumbasses excuses to speed for something much less.... Around here you can put your vehicle in emergency march, in cases of...emergencies and if it doesn't endanger others. First, clasify "emergency march" because that can be speeding or slowing down. In the case of slowing down, your are correct. In the case of speeding, you are not. No vehicle (this includes police cars) can go over the speed limit. Only special vehicles under very specific circumstances can go over the speed limit in specific situations. Speeding (and going below the slowest possible limit) causes many deaths. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Detection Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Everyone should have an LED ticker in the rear window to tell cops to help them get to hospital Car thieves would love it :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kami- Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Around here you can put your vehicle in emergency march, in cases of...emergencies and if it doesn't endanger others. First, clasify "emergency march" because that can be speeding or slowing down. In the case of slowing down, your are correct. In the case of speeding, you are not. No vehicle (this includes police cars) can go over the speed limit. Only special vehicles under very specific circumstances can go over the speed limit in specific situations. Speeding (and going below the slowest possible limit) causes many deaths. I'm sorry, I didn't realise you were up-to date on the laws in Portugal... Laws differ from state to state within the US, never mind from country to country. In some places (dependant on circumstances) it is legal to exceed the posted speed limit. .Rik 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McKay Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Yes, the police escort you. Thats not the driver. And my point stands. A personal car cannot speed. There is a difference between speeding and being escorted. The law the is the law. This would give other dumbasses excuses to speed for something much less.... First, clasify "emergency march" because that can be speeding or slowing down. In the case of slowing down, your are correct. In the case of speeding, you are not. No vehicle (this includes police cars) can go over the speed limit. Only special vehicles under very specific circumstances can go over the speed limit in specific situations. You are allowed to speed in the UK if you are under duress, such as life threatening situations where speeding would save you. Police cars are allowed to exceed the speed limit in emergencies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Detection Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 such as life threatening situations where speeding would save you. Does that cover escaping from the police in a stolen car ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McKay Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Does that cover escaping from the police in a stolen car ? Try it and report back :rofl: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Detection Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Try it and report back :rofl: If you don't get a reply for the next 2 years, it doesn't cover that particular emergency :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinggus Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 I hope he got a fine. No matter what the emergency, a personal vehicle cannot under ANY circumstances speed. If he didnt, the police officer was a nice guy. Hope you never need to dial 911, I would hate for you to complain to the officers for speeding to assist you in an emergency. How old are you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astra.Xtreme Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Hope you never need to dial 911, I would hate for you to complain to the officers for speeding to assist you in an emergency. How old are you? You clearly missed the part where he said "personal vehicle"... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinggus Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 You clearly missed the part where he said "personal vehicle"... You clearly missed the quote I was responding to... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astra.Xtreme Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 You clearly missed the quote I was responding to... Umm, no I didn't. Read what I said... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSoft Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Umm, no I didn't. Read what I said... umm....with Astra on this one. He clearly said personal vehicle, even though I don't agree with what dinggus has said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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