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REALLY, OFFICER? Many years ago I was at home after being up all night on call. It was an uncommonly busy night and I think I did 7 or 8 deliveries. I was beat. I was not supposed to be on call that day, but even so I got a call around 10 am on Sunday morning that a baby was having severe heart rate decelerations and needed a STAT c/section. The on-call doctor was in another delivery and they could not find anyone else to help. According to the charge nurse, the baby was dying in front of them and I had to come right now.

On the way I was pulled over doing 70 in a 55 zone. I was driving carefully, in good weather, on a mostly empty major highway without construction or other hazards. I explained calmly and respectfully what was happening, why I was speeding, and asked if there was any way she could let me go and give me a citation at the hospital after I did the c/section. I offered to have the officer call the hospital.

What followed was the most bizarre interaction I have ever had with an officer. I have had a great working relationship with police officers throughout my career, but this officer berated me, purposefully stalled, and called the labor unit to demand that the charge nurse give her the patient’s name and a second identifier. The charge refused. After about 30 minutes she finally let me go, after telling me that “doctors are not gods and can’t just speed around everywhere.” She also followed me to the hospital after telling me that she would arrest me if she tracked me going even a mile over the posted limit.

Again, every other officer I have ever met personally or professionally has been great. I don’t know what the issue was.

I raced into the hospital, and did the section. The baby required some CPR. pH was around 6.9 (low) but the baby did ok. I paid the $172 ticket and later took a class to avoid points.

I realize that nobody is above the law. However, I also suspect that the officer involved would have no issues driving 70 in a 55 if, for example, someone from her family had a stroke, or was shot, or was bleeding to death. I did not expect to escape from a citation, but I did not need to have the officer yell at me when I was trying to save a baby.

Ambulances, fire trucks and police cars speed around all the time. I wonder if it would be helpful to have emergency lights and a “first responder” driving course for doctors who live in communities where emergency response doctors need to get to the hospital rapidly.