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Early Addition
How much of an emergency is getting back to the Governor's mansion for a meeting between Don Imus and the Rutgers women's basketball team? Because the NJ State Police confirmed that Governor Corzine's SUV, which crashed last Thursday along the Garden State Parkway, was going 91 MPH, well over the 65 MPH speed limit.
Further, NJ State Police Superintendent Joseph Fuentes said that the speed of the state trooper-driven SUV probably contributed to the accident, versus actions of other vehicles. Which, as this excerpt from the NY Times shows, is a reversal from original
The results of the accident investigation contradict the original account the state police gave in the first 24 hours. Colonel Fuentes himself said Thursday night that “speed was not a factor” in the accident. When asked Tuesday whether he now believed that speed played a role in the accident, Colonel Fuentes replied: “What do you think?”John Jay College of Criminal Justice professor Eugene O'Donnell told the Times that speeding might be understandable if an official was responding to a disaster, but "an elected official trying to get a routine appointment would certainly be out of the scope of an emergency definition.” And the Mid-Atlantic spokesperson for the AAA said, "With all due respect to the governor and with complete compassion in mind for the injuries he sustained, he has set a poor example."“Speed is always a contributing factor in any accident,” he added later. “It goes to the heart of what damage you may have on the vehicle.”
Corzine suffered critical injuries during the accident, which occurred when he was sitting in the front passenger seat and most likely not wearing a seat belt. He faces extensive rehabilitation, after breaking multiple ribs and a vertebra as well as his left leg. The Post has a withering editorial about Corzine's apparent belief "he enjoyed a special dispensation" from traffic laws. And three years ago, the Mayor removed sirens and lights from city officials' cars after Deputy Mayor Carol Robles-Roman was caught by WCBS 2 for using them to commute between home and work.
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I'm pretty sure the speed limit on the parkway is 55 mph (65 mph on parts of the turnpike some of the time).
Jen, he broke his leg, not his leg leg :)
Imagine if this happened to some republican big wig, the post and fox news would be crapping their pants with 24hr news coverage with minute to minute recovery updates.
Although, to put in more in context, it the driver was trying to go slightly faster than surrounding traffic, 91 might not be that outrageous.
If the speed limit is 65, on a relatively open road during non-peak hours, wouldn't it be safe to guess many drivers would be going 75 or 80? Then 91 wouldn't be THAT much faster.
Using the lights is bogus though. A photo-op for a hot button issue that doesn't even concern the governor's office is definitely not an emergency.
The speed limit is 65 m.p.h. on the stretch of the GSP where the crash occurred, according to this account.
what's the point of us talking about the speed limit.. its not like any of us are following it, so wouldnt it be a little outrageous for us to expect him to? and btw, the nypost still sucks. and probably always will.
I wonder if the speed of travel and the emergency lights were the orders of Corzine.
Still, it is more proof that politicos think they are above the law.
I would be terrified going 91 without a seatbelt on. How can smart people be so dumb?
Imagine if this happened to some republican big wig, the post and fox news would be crapping their pants with 24hr news coverage with minute to minute recovery updates.
Yeah and you liberal left wing douchebag internet addicts would be posting about A) how you wish that person were dead B) how much that person deserved it and C) how they should be issued a citation.
All depends on your perspective.
How ironic that the governor of the state that invented asshole driving just about gets done in by first-class asshole driving. I had thought initially that the driver of the red pickup that overcorrected out of the shoulder might be a fine example of retard driving -- hello, depth perception -- but the speed suggests the governor had ordered full berries and sirens for his mighty two-car motorcade.
I can only imagine the self-important finance vibes he was giving off to the state trooper/driver, if not outright verbal lashing --those types never lose the compulsion to get there five minutes ago. "This is my chance! National news coverage! Racial reconciliation!"
the state trooper who was driving should be fired. he allowed the guv to ride in his escort vehicle without being buckled up. he failed to both enforce the law and guarantee the safety of his most important passenger. add to that the fact that he was speeding at almost 30mph over the limit, this guy should be toast. he wont be of course, he is i'm sure a "hero", most double standard hypocrisy. its disgusting.
I just wonder if the taxpayers of the State of NJ will get stuck with Corzine's medical bills. He should pay it out of pocket - his injuries are his own damn fault for not wearing a seatbelt (trooper had minor injuries, is almost ready to go back on duty).
#3 has a good point, the post had the headline "bucklehead" and a photoshopped crash test dummy with corzine's face on it, the second line, as if the illustration wasnt enough, literally called him a dummy. hardly a respectful or tasteful commentary for anyone, let alone an elected official, even if it was a stupid thing for him to have not had his belt on. had that been jeb bush or some other gop fuckwad, i'm sure the cover would have been all black with huge white type saying something retarded like "our prayers go out to so-and-so after horrific crash".
If he was doing 91 on the GSP, he was probably still getting passed.
There is no way that trooper is going to go back on the job yet. Troopers get paid more on injury leave then on the job.
He is probably going to wait 3-6 months before going back on duty, at the minimum.
wow, you expect so much of the post. impressive.
Yeah and you liberal left wing douchebag internet addicts would be posting about A) how you wish that person were dead B) how much that person deserved it and C) how they should be issued a citation.
All depends on your perspective.
Keep typing, it makes you seem like the wonderful person I'm sure you are.
By the way the calling me a "douchebag internet addict" was just too perfect.
SP - Thanks for describing The Post's awful cover. I did a double take on Saturday when I saw the cover at the news stand.
How ironic if it is true that the crash was caused by a driver trying to get out of the way of the governor's totally unnecessary lights and sirens.
And how hypocritical of NJ to want to issue the trooper who was driving a citation. Don't you think Corzine travels like this all the time? And NOW they want to cite the driver, who was probably just obeying the orders of the governor? What's he supposed to do, say "I'm sorry Governor Corzine but the purpose of this trip does not justify excess speed and the use of lights and sirens"? Maybe he didn't know they were going to see Imus. Maybe he was just following orders and if he said no he would wind up directing traffic the next day at a rest stop in Elizabeth. Who knows?
BTW, if the car's black box showed speeds of 91 MPH at the time of the accident it's still quite possible (probable actually) that they were actually going faster at some point during the trip.
91mph on GSP is normal traffic flow. But Jen Chung doesn't have a car. She probably doesn't even know where GSP is.
"And NOW they want to cite the driver, who was probably just obeying the orders of the governor?"
They're both just as guilty. The trooper didn't have to buckle under pressure, and I'm sure knew full well, as IT IS HIS JOB to know and inform others that speeding to that extent isn't safe.
I see troopers speeding like that on the GSP just to get back to their little hiding places in the median.
Hey, I know the GSP is in NJ! But it's true, I don't have a car.
Sure, 91MPH on the GSP might be normal, but, as many people have pointed out, 91MPH on the GSP and sitting in the front passenger seat without a seatbelt is just not smart.
Anyone with common sense knows that the "Regular" speed limit is, or should, be based on traffic, weather and road conditions. Even in the best of times, I rarely go above 75-80 mph. If there's heavy traffic and everyone is going 70-75, you are asking for trouble if you push it far above 10 mph over that. Anyone in front could easily slow down for whatever reason and now you are going 30 to 40 mph above them. Believe me, reaction times when going 90 following a 60 mph car are much worse than going 70 following a 40 mph car.
Aside form the logic of keeping up with traffic, and with all due respect, Corzine has a habit of not following rules because he's rich and powerful. He bought his way into the Senate. Then, when he felt that he had no real executive power, he bought his way into the Governorship. The man is hurt and I'm sorry, but he has had a mentality that he can buy or order his way out of following rules for regular folk.
Owning a car or not, 90mph in Chevy Suburban -- any car, for that matter -- makes that vehicle a brick, stable in no direction but where it's pointed. At probably almost two and a half tons of vehicle weight, the driver's instinct of a behemoth like that should NOT be to steer away from a hazard but to drive through or over anything smaller than a tractor trailer.
A State Trooper is in no position to disobey the governor if he says to drive faster than the speed limit. Obviously, there are times when the governor will legitimately need to speed for some kind of crucial state business. Speeding to a meeting with Imus was the governor's decision -- just as it was his decision to not buckle up. A trooper is in no position to disagree if the governor tells him to go faster.
It doesn't matter what 'normal traffic flow' is. The only ting that matters is that Corzine broke two laws and he should be ticketed for breaking both laws just as you or I would be.
"t doesn't matter what 'normal traffic flow' is. The only ting that matters is that Corzine broke two laws and he should be ticketed for breaking both laws just as you or I would be."
And voted out of office.
I wonder if he's going to use this to further the call for safer driving conditions in New Jersey ? Also do the Troopers plan on handing the Governor his summons for not wearing his seat belt ? I think they should process him the same way they would a regular person . That would show that Jersey's serious about safety ! But we all know this won't happen .