"Hi Joe,
I have been reading your blog for several years now and have never commented on anything that you talk about. I thought that your commentary about the Salisbury Fire Department has been harsh at times. Now I know why....
Tonight at 9:20 pm, My husband and I were travelling south bound on US RT 13 at Peggy Neck Road in Somerset County when my husband made the statement that a police car had driven up behind of us in the fast lane. He moved over into the slow lane and the vehicle sped by. It was a Salisbury Fire Dept car with tag # LG 85125.
The vehicle was traveling well over the posted speed limit. The operator was driving in the fast lane and came up behind another vehicle pressing the driver to move to the slow lane like the police do when they are going somewhere in a hurry. The Fire Dept car then sped up again. We decided to follow in order see what the emergency was......The vehicle was traveling in excess of 75 mph. The operator made an abrupt turn onto UMES blvd where it accelerated again. The vehicle traveled onto the campus of UMES and then onto College Backbone rd where it entered the Eastern Region Training MFRI Facility. We followed the vehicle to the front door where the operator got out of the vehicle drinking a cup of coffee. We saw a number of people standing around in front of the door.
We were just wondering where the fire was ..................literally. What type of emergency negated high speed driving so far out of the Salisbury Fire Dept's jurisdiction?"
AHHHHH!!!! Taxpayers money at work you gotta love it!
ReplyDeleteAnd so we see what we get when we buy big toys for our big boys. They abuse the privilege.
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing on the MFRI training schedule for last night. Must have been a local event. Had to get there before all the good snacks were gone.
i'm sure they'll use the "trained driver" excuse.
ReplyDeleteIt's called "professional privilege" No cop would right a ticket to a marked fire dept. vehicle, because they do the same thing. Leave in time to make the exercise or meeting as long as you run the speed limit, which for them is 20 m.p.h. MORE than the rest of us. You stated he was more than 75 mph, ok he used the plus 10 we are are allowed, just over the 20 he gets free. Don't worry about it, happens all the time. Glad you had the time to follow him, next time do something constructive.
ReplyDeleteMy wife and I were wondering why this same car had the driver and his family heading somewhere on Sunday AM. It may be a case where he needed to have the car in case of an emergencywhile out BUT if thats the case, would he have just left his family where ever they were to respond? I doubt it. My wife stated, hey isnt the car Joe is always talking about. I guess we shouldn't worry about Salisbury's got plenty of money , right?
ReplyDeleteso what if they were speeding, you chose to get out of their way. They didn't have lights on did they? Don't you ever speed? If a cop had seen them, they would get a ticket...I don't see the big deal. Who knows why they were there. Im sure it was work related. Just my opinion.(and I dont work for the fire dept)
ReplyDeleteI ride with Hoppes all the time over 75, whats the big deal. He learned it from a champ, ride to BWI with him sometime.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing that has changed in 25 years is the internet and blogs. The speeding, drinking etc. that everyone once goy away with is now plastered everywhere. Is that a godd thing or bad thing? Big deal, a little perk for the type of job some people do. Ever see a State Trooper drive the speed limit, in a marked vehicle or his own. Why shouldn't the SFD be able to do the same thing?
ReplyDeleteInstead of complaining to this blog, these concerned citizens should call management of the fire department and file a complaint. Identifying the driver of that vehicle on that particular date and time should be very, very easy.
ReplyDelete9:50 Complain to management.. HOW FUNNY, it was management!
ReplyDelete9:35 "Get a ticket", what planet do you live on, cops and fireman are the same group, they look out for each other, wouldn't happen.
You think they even care if someone is speeding? they could care less, no different than if someone called my husband and told him i was speeding. So what? Get a life.
ReplyDeleteSaw SFD vehicle north of Bridgeville, DE last week--speeding north on Rt. 13.
ReplyDeleteWhat gets me is the cop(s) that uses their "stop you lights" to go thru a red light, and then turns them off after they get thru the light. How convenient! And the story they are going on a case, forget it. Not happening!
ReplyDeleteWho cares. There time will come.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteIt's called "professional privilege" No cop would right a ticket to a marked fire dept. vehicle, because they do the same thing. I beg to differ I know a Pittsville Brush truck (Brush-7) was pulled over for speeding back in September of 2004 (on the way to the Salisbury Fireman's Muster).
The driver was Ricky Powell.
Nobody is above the law.
ReplyDeleteThe irony of this is, have you noticed how police and fire vehicles are always nice and clean? They do that to promote a positive, professional image to the general public. Yet they destroy the clean car image by blowing by law-abiding citizens projecting a "f*ck you, I'm better than you" attitude. Police and fire vehicles speeding is a result of piss-poor management. If management starting charging these people and taking away some leave I guarantee these highway cowboys would slow down in a heartbeat. This speeding up and down the highway is disrespectful and a disservice to the reputation of the profession and agency they represent.
ReplyDeleteSigned,
Retired Cop
It was probably management driving the car.
ReplyDeleteIf this poster is such a law abiding citizen how do they know the car was going 75? they couldn't have been going over 55. Pot calling the kettle black?
ReplyDelete9:50, that would take some nerve & backbone. It is apparent that the writer has neither!
ReplyDeleteJust a coward wanting to stir poop.
I hear a lot of people saying it's some sort of "professional courtesy". If that is true, why didn't a certain States Attorney receive that courtesy. Why have we seen officers arrested for DUI's. I think this person was doing what a lot of us do when we're late for something. We all hope we get away with it. He's just doing it in a Bill Board. Like was said before, file a complaint with the FD and let the FD handle their own just as you would Perdue Farms or any other company.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteIf this poster is such a law abiding citizen how do they know the car was going 75? they couldn't have been going over 55. Pot calling the kettle black?
11:46 AM
Damage Control!!
Who cares its one of the perks of the job, if you want to do it, be a fire chief or cop. Every job has its perks, just some are cooler than the others
ReplyDeleteOh and i guess you were going atleast 75 also since you saw the whole thing even him getting out of his car. So shame on you
ReplyDeleteReport it to who, Gordy or Fatso? It was probably one of them doing the speeding. Someone on that city council needs to pull this persons ass in front of them and ream him a new one. Take the car away from him for starters, let him drive his POV like a maniac. THIS is one of the many reasons city vehicles are in poor condition with only 50k miles on them.
ReplyDeleteLast Sunday about 75 motorcycles blasted past our City of Selbyville neighborhood. I have nothing against Bikers. However, this was in front of 2 school zones of 20-25 mile per hour limits. This group of motorcycles were accompanied by numerous Police escorts also on Motorcycles. Does the presence of police escort legalize the 50 MPH speed entering our town?
ReplyDelete11:04 Ok "stopped", did he get a ticket? Big differance friend!
ReplyDeleteIs this the same SFD car in the pilots parking lot at the airport?
ReplyDeleteEveryone knows that they are above and beyond the law.
ReplyDelete1:56-It was probably a benefit ride going through Selbyville. It would be difficult to maintain that speed for that many motorcycles at one time.
ReplyDeleteIt was Gordy driving the vehcile. What good is it to report it to him. Report it to Jim Ireton. Maybe he will tell him to leave the vehicle parked, and good bye.
ReplyDelete9:56 Everyone has a boss.
ReplyDeleteBoth Gordy and Hoppes drive at extremely high, unnecessary speeds. It is only a matter of time before an innocent person is hurt from their reckless behavior.
ReplyDeleteNew cop on the block. Don't worry, if I see this, I WILL PULL YOU OVER AND YOU WILL BE TICKETED!! Think you can get away with this in my area, think again boys....NOT GONNA HAPPEN!!! Don't believe me, try me!
ReplyDeleteTo the person writing this post, PLEASE put your name on this information and send it to Mayor Ireton. Copy the city council.
ReplyDeleteThis is abuse. This kind of driving burns up vehicles. More of your tax money.
Take a stand, people, or shut up.
Wow,a lot of attention to this....Think about this story a minute.....This person alledgedly paced the SFD vehicle to obtain the vehicle's speed, tailed the vehicle and obtained the tag number, and followed it to its destination where they observed that the driver got out drinking a cup of coffee. BUT NOT ONE SENTENCE DESCRIBING WHAT THEY DID ABOUT IT!! It just seems funny that this person went to such great lengths to obtain all of this information, to only complain about it on a local blog. I think this story is a little stretched if not totally made up.
ReplyDelete11:17 To suggest the story is "stretched" is a stretch in itself. You can tell by the detail in the post it happened. But I agree with you not much will come from it by posting the complaint on a blog.
ReplyDeleteTo the new cop on the blcok, go right ahead, your day will come! Just wait until you need something, and you will...... every now and then a "new cop" has it out for the fireman, history shows it won't last long, they wise up. Oh, and just you make sure you keep that Crown Vic at the posted speed ass****
ReplyDelete8:43 Your right, furthermore the same "new cop" with that attitude will not only burn his bridge with you guys (fireman) but no doubt be a di** to others. He will get slapped down soon enough.
ReplyDeletefolks, hold up........ it was an emergency, the responder was in route to keep Jester from hurting someone again in his version of "training"
ReplyDeleteGo to the new fire house in person and file a complaint. Put it in writing and they will also record your complaint. That is for any complaints you have. If you are not happy going there to complain then report it to the state police or city hall.
ReplyDeleteThe firedepartments in Somerset County has been given tickets in the ambulance by State Police for speeding going back to the station from a call.One was given a warning for going 60 in a 55. So dont say the firedepartments gets off. I know some take avantage but not all of us.
ReplyDeleteOnly 75? Wow, I do 85-90 normally with no lights on! Have a nice day.
ReplyDeleteNot agreeing with the speeder but that's no different than the police not wanting to wait for a light so they hit the lights and blow the light or running 90mph down rt 50 for no reason. I have been run off the road by the police on more than a few occasions, so it's not just the fire department.
ReplyDeleteLets say your house is on fire and you still have a loved one inside , would you really care if the Fire Department was speeding. I wouldnt. The sooner they get there the better if you ask me. -Hawns
ReplyDelete