Posted on 05/08/2014 6:37:19 AM PDT by heartwood
May 5, 2014 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- Red lights? Speed limits? They're apparently not a problem if you are driving the mayor of the city of Chicago.
Despite Rahm Emanuel's contention that red light and speed cameras are "all about safety," the ABC7 Eyewitness News I-Team learned those same cameras regularly catch the mayor's motorcade running red and speeding.
The city's website catalogs all red light and speed camera violations regardless of who you are.
The I-Team ran the plates of the two city vehicles in which Emanuel is chauffeured around Chicago. Since 2012, the cameras have caught the mayor's motorcade speeding near schools and parks or running red lights nearly two dozen times.
(Excerpt) Read more at abclocal.go.com ...
The “rule of law” of which I speak is that which distinguishes one office over another and grants privileges not common to all. It’s not that complicated, sir.
Slackers if they have only been notds less than 24 times since 2012.
The only thing that surprises me in this story is that Tiny Dancer wasn’t being chauffeured around in a Zil.
For cryin’ out loud, it’s an official motorcade!! “Man, those people in funeral processions, why do they get to run all the red light’s too? They should follow the law like everybody else. Who do they think they are?”
Fine, if there are.
Are there any laws on the books saying that the Mayor of Chicago does not have to stop at red lights, and can ignore speed limits?
Show those last to me, or shut up. You argue like liberal
I was just in a funeral procession. We stopped at stop signs; we stopped at red lights. We slowed down in the right lane and let the tail end catch up.
Mayors and governors break the traffic laws on the way to baseball games, fundraisers, glad handing appearances. It is seldom that they are on there way to emergency meetings or legislative sessions. No, they consider their time simply more important than anyone else’s and they have made their schedules accordingly.
When NJ Gov. Corzine had his accident, his lights-and-sirens entourage was travelling 91 mph, ran a startled motorist off the road on to the shoulder, and then swerved. What EMERGENCY was Corzine going to? Well he was going to facilitate a kiss-and-make-up-grovel-and-study session between Don Imus and the Rutgers women’s basketball team. I’m just glad it was Corzine who was hurt and not the poor schmoe they ran off the road.
I saw a funeral procession during my lunch hour. Pulled over while they went right through a red light. Must be a regional phenomenon.
Legislators and public officials routinely enjoy a more efficient traffic experience because they hold an office that is to be honored and upheld by the people. Begrudging them this small courtesy makes us sound like the lefties who cannot stand to see anyone prosper or get ahead.
I’m checking into the codes, sir. Meanwhile, I suppose you whine every time you see a citizen who does not come to a full stop at every stop light and exceeds the speed limit by 1 mile an hour. Well, let’s make a federal case our of Mayor Emanuel’s traffic habits and ignore his penchant for corruption.
Here you go:
(625 ILCS 5/11-205) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 11-205)
Sec. 11-205. Public officers and employees to obey Act-Exceptions.
(a) The provisions of this Chapter applicable to the drivers of vehicles upon the highways shall apply to the drivers of all vehicles owned or operated by the United States, this State or any county, city, town, district or any other political subdivision of the State, except as provided in this Section and subject to such specific exceptions as set forth in this Chapter with reference to authorized emergency vehicles.
(b) The driver of an authorized emergency vehicle, when responding to an emergency call or when in the pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law or when responding to but not upon returning from a fire alarm, may exercise the privileges set forth in this Section, but subject to the conditions herein stated.
(c) The driver of an authorized emergency vehicle may:
1. Park or stand, irrespective of the provisions of
this Chapter;
2. Proceed past a red or stop signal or stop sign,
but only after slowing down as may be required and necessary for safe operation;
3. Exceed the maximum speed limits so long as he does
not endanger life or property;
4. Disregard regulations governing direction of
movement or turning in specified directions.
(d) The exceptions herein granted to an authorized emergency vehicle, other than a police vehicle, shall apply only when the vehicle is making use of either an audible signal when in motion or visual signals meeting the requirements of Section 12-215 of this Act.
(e) The foregoing provisions do not relieve the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle from the duty of driving with due regard for the safety of all persons, nor do such provisions protect the driver from the consequences of his reckless disregard for the safety of others.
(f) Unless specifically made applicable, the provisions of this Chapter, except those contained in Section 11-204 and Articles IV and V of this Chapter, shall not apply to persons, motor vehicles and equipment while actually engaged in work upon a highway but shall apply to such persons and vehicles when traveling to or from such work.
(Source: P.A. 89-710, eff. 2-14-97; 90-257, eff. 7-30-97.)
You know what sounds like a lefty? Whining about things that are of little consequence and detesting the fact that certain people have certain privileges on account of their office.
I already knew the laws for other states which read similar.
Where again is this privilege you talk about? It is ASSUMED to be there, when it is not. It's certainly not in evidence in what you bring.
There was no "emergency" which the mayor needed to attend in the normal course of his own duties. It56's not up to me or anyone else to "sue" to find out.
Going about his normal governmental admin functions, or to political meetings, or being on time for his massage at Man's Country, don't count.
You are the whiner here. You got caught bowing as a peasant, and now seem to demand that I do the same to help ease the public embarrassment I caused you for pointing it out.
On the contrary, the Illinois Code testifies in my favor. The Mayor of Chicago has privileges you do not have. Does that bother you? Are you surprised?
One of the prnciples of my America is “all men are created equal..”.
Now one might hold an important office with great power,and with that great power should come rsponsibilty in all things.
Shutting down the transportation networks and inconveniencing tens of thousands when a president comes to town for fundraising is elitist bullshit regardless of party affiliation.Mayors and governors running in high speed convoys and running red lights for routine business just bolsters their smugness for no good reason.
One of the reasons this nation is in such a mess is the arrogance and sense of entitlemen felt by too many recipients of a government paycheck.From the punk cop so quick to shoot and kill an old lady to the punk president who is killing coal mining and affordable electric,all the people ned to be reminded that they are not exempt from the laws of man or God.
And the same for the moneed sports star ,entertainer,or whomever.
The American Revolution was fought to throw off the system of “our betters” running our lives.
What?!
Are you saying the mayor’s limo is an authorized emergency vehicle?
May your chains rest lightly upon you and may we forget we ever knew you.”
We do not know what was “authorized” in Rahm’s case, do we? Feel free to get all bent out of shape over this. Officials running red lights is not my cup of tea when it comes to bitching about abuses of power.
Rahm Emanuel does not have the privilege of running red lights and ignoring speed limits. He's not a cop responding to an "emergency" or a fireman, or his limo an ambulance responding to an emergency. He is merely an elected official.
Since when is routine travel for a mayor "an emergency"? The law you brought does not make the exceptions you are looking for. Perhaps somewhere else in code of law you could be able to find what you are looking for? Keep looking.
But so far, can you tell that by law, that when not responding to an emergency, and/or using lights/sirens, that police vehicles, including patrol vehicles are by law required to observe traffic laws?
Some states spell that part out better. That this aspect of law is rarely enforced in respect to law enforcement patrol vehicles does not make it "legal".
As it is, I'm not sure if you can't admit to being wrong, or if you are actually stupid enough to think you are correct.
Either way...not exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer, are you?
Bow, peasant, bow.
Like hoosierham said,
meant to include you since I mentioned your name.
I do find it ironic that you and hoosierham would lecture me about “chains” when it is you who would not allow for the slightest civil departure for the sake of official expedience and efficiency. It is one occasion where the red tape can be cut, and here you are hankering for its enforcement. Go figure.
It’s an official motorcade, not Rahm driving around town with his ballerina bimbos. Get it?
Let me try to put it another way.
There is a certain amount of latitude we ought to grant to civil authorities so they can go about their business, because they occupy offices that are for the benefit of a wider population. Dad makes the rule: “Don’t run in the house.” But Dad may break his own rule to serve his household. Since I am not privy to the conditions under which Rahm’s motorcade had to get somewhere, I have no idea how to assess things. But I do know this: in the scheme of things it simply does not frost my bagel to see an official motorcade run red lights.
I totally understand there are abuses, and Emanuel can easily be made a case in point. I also count you both as fierce defenders of liberty and do not fault you for pointing out the air of hypocrisy that attends to any and every unnecessary flouting of law. It is unfortunate that our mutual tones have led to some acrimony.
My entire point is to place a check on the tendency to reject legitimate authority and the privileges that attend to it, and to stress the fact that there really are occasions when running a red light may be the better course of action.
Lastly, as you probably have sensed by now, this is relatively low on my list of abuses we suffer together under the current administration.
God bless you both. We really are on the same side, yet, as another has put it, we may agree to disagree on this point.
Absolutely not. Are you?
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