New Texas Law - Watch Out!

[Ed Csoltko]

I just found out that there is a new Texas law. I you are passing any police or emergency vehicle parked with flashing lights on the side of the road , you must slow down to 20mph no matter what the posted speed limit is. Fine is $200.

[Doug I]

I thought you had to slow to 20 below the posted limit.

One of the guys on FFCobra found out the hard way about this new law, and started a thread over there.

http://www.ffcobra.com/cgi-bin/ultim...c;f=1;t=030988

* SB 193 requires drivers nearing a stopped emergency vehicle that has lights activated, unless otherwise directed by a law enforcement officer, to:
* Vacate the lane closest to the emergency vehicle, if the highway has two or more lanes traveling the direction of the emergency vehicle; or
* Slow to a speed not more than 20 miles per hour (mph) less than the posted speed limit when the posted speed limit is 25 mph or more; or
* Slow to a speed not more than five mph when the posted speed limit is less than 25 mph.
* A violation is a punishable by a maximum fine of $200. If the violation results in property damage, the maximum fine increases to $500. If the violation results in bodily injury, the offense is enhanced to a Class B misdemeanor.
Yes, I got a ticket for going less than the posted speed limit for this.

Just noticed this ..... you only have to slow IF there is no lane you can move to. If you move to the other lane you don't have to slow down at all. Of course we all do slow in case we have to stop ...

[DAVID GAGNARD]

We have the same or very similar law here in Louisiana,and they just recently started advertising it on the tv and now are enforcing pretty good.....

David

[Mrs 66 Snake]

I was thinking about this law while I was on 75 yesterday.

But I got to thinking about the fact that since the left lane is for passing only (at least supposed to be) that would make for an awfully crowded middle lane.

[mattr762]

That law is going to cause more wrecks with people slamming on their breaks.

[tcolley1]

Ed,

I started this thread on the ffrcobra forum on December 24th 2003. Take a look at the comments that were made concerning this situation.

Regards,

Terry

[Johnnyquest]

The law made headlines but not everyone saw it! The law states when a emergency vehicle is observed you have two options:
1. Move move one lane and continue
2. Stay in the lane you are in ( next to where the emergency vehicle is ) and drop you speed I thought 20 mph.

Many other laws went into affect:
1. No keeping your car running outside a convenience store $200
2. Racing is a not a ticket anymore, possible jail time and enpoundment $ Big Bucks
3. License plate bracket deal everyone has heard about
4. Others I forget!

Pleade ignorance but ones I have heard they don't care!

[ff2_emtb]

Being a firefighter, I myself am glad these sort of laws are on the books. Almost every day you can log onto one of the firefighting websites and see where another firefighter, cop, emt, or other responder got hit and killed by some driver who wasn't paying attention, wasn't slowing down, and wasn't going to slow down for anything, but continue to rubberneck as they go by.

We have the same law in Iowa and the sheriffs dept I work for enforces this law extremely well.

Sorry guys, but there is no excuse for NOT slowing down when approaching any type of emergency vehicle.

t.

[Johnnyquest]

I couldn't agree more! Most people either forgot or didn't have any formal training on what to do when approaching or being approached by a Emergency Vehicle. You are supposed to YIELD YOU IDIOTS! Everyday I watch these dumbass people drive all over the place.

[Bill V]

It's bad in Florida though they did pass stricter laws recently to cover this kind of thing.

I don't understand how people got their licenses down here in the first place. You have to see it, when emergency vehicles or even police approach, nobody gets out of the friggin' way.

Where I learned to drive up north, you're taught to pull over and give them the right of way and then keep a safe distance. But not here, hell, they don't even require parallel parking to get a license. Road tests are conduted in parking lots, at least in St. Lucie county anyway. Forget about using signals, they're practically non-existent.

It's a tossup between who's worse. The young teenage drivers (male and female) or the seniors (again, male and female).

I do understand why they have enstated tougher traffic laws and support the idea though somehow I feel that the good drivers are the ones being punished in the process.

[Trueoo7]

OH, so I guess its still OK to maintain the speed limit past the average citizen who's broke down on the side of the road since he must be less of a target especially without those big flashing lights on the top of his car.
Now I know some will say that police are subjected to this hazard more or that people should wait in their cars for police to show up and while I agree with that logic, I believe that whats there to protect some should be there to protect all.

[lewismc]

Two years ago I had a tire blow out in my truck and I found myself sitting on the side of the road with a flat spare in the middle of BFT. When I finally saw a sheriff, not only did he not move over a lane or slow down, he DIDN'T EVEN STOP. I guess at that point my broken down truck was no longer a potential form of income for his county.

However, I ALWAYS have and ALWAYS will move over or slow down when I approach a vehicle on the shoulder of the road. Reguardless of whether it,s an emergency vehicle or a passenger vehicle. IT'S THE SAFE THING TO DO. LAW OR NO LAW.