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Driver Thanks Officer Who Gave Him Ticket
WPBF West Palm Beach ^ | September 15, 2010

Posted on 09/16/2010 12:11:43 AM PDT by UncleHambone

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- When Stephen Carroll got a ticket in June for not wearing his seat belt, he was not pleased. He started buckling up -- not because he was a believer, but because he didn't want another $130 citation.

Then, three weeks later, something life-altering happened.

"Forty years of driving, (I've) never been in a car accident," Carroll said.

But less than a mile from his home, his van was plowed into by a driver who ran a stop sign. The van completely overturned and then landed on its wheels.

Carroll knows his seat belt made all the difference.

"I had my seat belt on, and I can't imagine what would've happened to me if I didn't have my seat belt," Carroll said.

The father of two reached out to the Port St. Lucie police officer who wrote the ticket. Sgt. Kacey Donnell said he initially thought Carroll was calling to complain.

"I've gotten choice gestures and quite a few words and expletives -- even had people, you know, tell me (they) hope I get shot," Donnell said.

Instead, he was stunned to receive a thank you.

"I was pleasantly surprised," Donnell said. "In 13 years of law enforcement, I've never had anybody contact me back to thank me for issuing them a citation."

Carroll admits he only wore his seat belt because of the ticket, but now he's thankful that he did.

"If I did not get a ticket, I would not have been wearing a seat belt that day," Carroll said. "That's a conclusion I can be certain of."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: safety; seatbelt
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To: excalibur1701
The fireman on scene said had he been wearing his seat belt, he would most certainly have died. But we don’t hear these stories.

We don't hear about them much because they are a small minority. Most people survive a crash because they wore their seatbelt - that's a fact.


41 posted on 09/16/2010 5:44:48 AM PDT by reagan_fanatic (YouTube My Space and I'll Google your Yahoo.)
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To: UncleHambone
What a sweet story. It is about graciousness and someone reaching out to the person he credits with saving his life.
42 posted on 09/16/2010 5:47:52 AM PDT by Protect the Bill of Rights
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To: UncleHambone

Woopty f*ckin Doo!

I have a friend whose life was saved because he did not have a seat belt on.


43 posted on 09/16/2010 5:54:30 AM PDT by ohioman
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To: UncleHambone

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that seatbelts and motorcycle helmets are a good idea. This is the kind of guy who would learn bomb disposal by the trial and error method-sometimes you just have to use your brain.


44 posted on 09/16/2010 6:06:58 AM PDT by Spok (Free Range Republican)
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To: sandboxshooter

Just remember the late, air headed, dim witted Princess Di. Of the four people in her death car, only the young security guard in the right front seat, who used his seat belt, survived.


45 posted on 09/16/2010 6:45:14 AM PDT by libstripper
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To: UncleHambone
I have raced everything from karts (no belt), to outlaw karts (karts on steroids - 500cc two-cycle dirt bike engines, wings, roll-cages and 5-point harness), to open-wheeled sprint cars, and street cars on autocross tracks and drag strips. I'll not drive anywhere without a seat belt.

That being said, it's not the state's business.

Truly ridiculous story: Back in the early 90s, a buddy of mine had his VW bug run into in a parking lot. He wasn't in the car, he was in the store shopping. The first thing the insurance company asked was if he was wearing a seat belt. The only way to answer was "yes" or "no". He said no, they tried to raise his rates because of it.

46 posted on 09/16/2010 7:24:51 AM PDT by IYAS9YAS (Liberalism can be summed up thusly: someone craps their pants and we all have to wear diapers)
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To: coaltrain
If I ever was in a rollover, I’d just brace my legs against the seat and hold the wheel tight so I don’t move.

Guessing sarcasm. If not, then I say "Good luck with that."

47 posted on 09/16/2010 7:28:21 AM PDT by IYAS9YAS (Liberalism can be summed up thusly: someone craps their pants and we all have to wear diapers)
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To: WoofDog123
Studies have conclusively shown that wearing a seat belt increases your chances of survival and decreases serious injury when involved in a car crash.

If my friend had been wearing his seat belt, he would almost certainly have survived the wreck that claimed his life last week.

48 posted on 09/16/2010 7:29:00 AM PDT by allmendream (Income is EARNED not distributed. So how could it be re-distributed?)
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To: IYAS9YAS
I remember the movie “Fearless” with Jeff Bridges.

Guy survives a plane crash. Another survivor is wracked with guilt because she was holding her baby during the crash and it was torn out of her arms. She lamented ‘if only I had held on tighter!’.

Jeff's character takes her in a car and gets her to hold a 20 lb sack. He tells he to be sure to “hold on tight, tight as you can” and then he slams the car 30 mph into a wall. The sack went flying!

I don't think people really have any concept of the magnitude of the forces involved and how quickly they are applied.

49 posted on 09/16/2010 7:32:38 AM PDT by allmendream (Income is EARNED not distributed. So how could it be re-distributed?)
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To: jospehm20
"Apparently bikers have better lobbyist than the general motoring public."

Neurosurgeons can be a demanding group with deep pockets.

50 posted on 09/16/2010 7:32:43 AM PDT by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
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To: MuttTheHoople
I broke 7 ribs on my left side

Ouch....I always commiserate when I hear such things; I've had ONE cracked rib a couple of times, and it's agonizing trying to get a decent breath, let alone any sleep.

51 posted on 09/16/2010 7:35:35 AM PDT by ErnBatavia (It's not the Obama Administration....it's the "Obama Regime".)
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To: bikerman
Cars were built to take crashes better than the plastic hunks of junk of today. The bumpers of yesterday would total out the cars of today.

Untrue. I used to think the same thing until I watched this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQvd5_PMACI

In 1967, the Chevrolet Nova underwent a major change toward occupant safety. Outwardly, the vehicle wasn't changed much, however the interior went through some big changes. The dash was no longer simply a metal dash, but was padded to help prevent severe injury should the passenger come into contact with it. The steering column was also re-designed to collapse upon impact, lessening the hit to the driver's chest, and the steering wheel was padded. The car only came with lap belts, and in a frontal collision, the driver and passenger were very likely to impact the dash or steering wheel.

52 posted on 09/16/2010 7:42:02 AM PDT by IYAS9YAS (Liberalism can be summed up thusly: someone craps their pants and we all have to wear diapers)
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To: tanuki

No.
Rush lives about 55 miles south on Palm Beach.


53 posted on 09/16/2010 7:52:09 AM PDT by Joe Boucher ((FUBO) Less gubmint is best gubmint. I wants my free gubmint cheese)
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To: UncleHambone

What I’m curious about is where in the freaken constitution does it give the gub mint any power to force seat belt use?


54 posted on 09/16/2010 7:53:30 AM PDT by Joe Boucher ((FUBO) Less gubmint is best gubmint. I wants my free gubmint cheese)
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To: UncleHambone
Wear your seat belt....................with that said, seat belt laws are a way around the 4th amendment, it gives any LEO a reason to pull any one over.

All they have to say is "I could not tell the person was wearing the belt" once you are stopped they can initiate any search they chose.

55 posted on 09/16/2010 7:58:36 AM PDT by Kakaze (Exterminate Islamofacism and apologize for nothing....except not doing it sooner!)
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To: coaltrain

Morticians/Undertakers will make sure you will have a freshly ironed shirt, no wrinkles, when they show your remains. Unless it is a closed coffin.


56 posted on 09/16/2010 8:01:19 AM PDT by GOYAKLA (Flush Congress in 2010 & 2012)
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To: bikerman
THIS video rather effectively refutes your claim about surviveability, don'tcha think?
57 posted on 09/16/2010 9:54:00 AM PDT by Don W (I keep some folks' numbers in my 'phone just so I know NOT to answer when they call...)
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To: Cowgirl
I said a prayer for the policeman who gave him a ticket. My son paid the $ and I thought if it keeps him from getting in an accident, it was well worth it.

Yep -- been there. Had several officers of the law have little chats with my offspring before any serious trouble arose (that I know of). Offspring between the ages of 15 and 25 are a large source of anxiety to parents, because they are testing their limits all the time.

58 posted on 09/16/2010 10:35:34 AM PDT by Albion Wilde (Government does nothing as economically as the private sector. - Ronald Reagan)
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To: ican'tbelieveit

God bless you and the angel who threw you!!


59 posted on 09/16/2010 10:40:57 AM PDT by Albion Wilde (Government does nothing as economically as the private sector. - Ronald Reagan)
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To: ErnBatavia

Two of the ribs broke in two places and one punctured a lung. A month or so later, we were watching the Miss America pageant. My sister, and her 20-something friends, were getting sloshed on wine and bashing the contestants (as any group of 20 and 30-something single ladies will do). Anyway, they had to make my sister stop her “ballet dance” (she had just enough as an 8 year old to have some sort of “form”) when I started laughing so hard my ribs began killing me.


60 posted on 09/16/2010 2:49:19 PM PDT by MuttTheHoople (Democrats- Forgetting 9/11 since 9/12/01)
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