GUILTY

Not_A_Hat_Person, RN · Mar 21, 2012

I was pulled over once, for a busted tail light, while on my way to work. It was assisted living, so I was in street clothes. The cop was almost aplolgetic, and I was let go with a warning.

I live 45 minutes from the Canadian border, and 2 hours from Montreal. The first time I made the trip, 6 weeks after I moved up here, Canadian Border patrol detained me at the border. Apparently, carless Vermonters don't do day trips on Greyhound. Fortunately, I had my work ID with me. After about an hour, they let me in. Now I bring my work ID whenever I cross the border. An ICE agent searched my trunk once, then thanked me for doing what I do.

frankie,RN · Mar 21, 2012

ive been pulled over a couple of times and gotten out of tickets. my favorite time was when i told the officer i was in a hurry to get home because i hadnt peed in 13hours. he laughed as he told me to go. he was married to a nurse and said his wife does that too.

oh yeah, ive never been mistaken for a doctor.

GitanoRN, BSN, MSN, RN · Mar 21, 2012

gitano :you are sooo not guilty.
you probably would not have gotten a ticket if the cop had known you were a nurse anyway.
consider it a perk of your job.
i make sure i keep my hospital parking tag on my mirror and (as i am engaged to a detective and former cop) i have a fraternal order of police sticker on by rear window.
this is like double protection!!
no tickets here, lol.

you always manage to bring a smile to my lips

K+MgSO4, BSN · Mar 21, 2012

Hmm slightly off topic but where I work at the intersection of 2 busy streets there are 5 hospitals one of the 2 trauma centres in Victoria (Australia), a private hospital, women's hospital, private women's hospital, and a children trauma centre.

There is a new police station across the street that has got a new inspector (senior police office in the station). He is starting a blitz on jay walking. Don't think that we will be getting off tickets!

OCNRN63, RN · Mar 22, 2012

let me begin by stating the following, this has only happened to me once... and so it goes, i was rushing to my work when the flash-lights of the patrol-car came into view in my rear-view mirror. needless to say i thought "s*## now i'm gonna be late for sure" i pulled out my i.d. and registration before the officer asked as i heard him say "doc, did you realized you were doing 80 on a 65 speed zone, are you in some kind of hurry or something? i said "i'm going to work sir, my apologies for speeding i"... he then interrupted me by saying "are you going to st.joseph's hosp.?" i said "yes" he then said "well doc, i'll give you an escort since i'm headed that way and step on it" before i could say anything he got in his car... i think since i was wearing my scrubs and had my stethoscope around my neck he assume that i was a physician... therefore, i'm guilty for not correcting him on my line of work..my question is, has this happened to any of you?

i had policemen pull me over but let me go when they saw i was a nurse. (ftr, my driving habits are much better; i think age, plus getting good car insurance cured me.)

i think you should have told him you were a nurse. i mean, we don't like it when cnas/mas pretend to be nurses/don't clarify that they aren't nurses. same situation here. he probably would have given you a profession courtesy anyway.

NO50FRANNY · Mar 22, 2012

Scrubs are great for traffic infringements, I did an illegal U turn in the middle of the night on my way to night shift in front of a police car (yes I am that silly- I didn't see them). Their whole demeanour changed when they saw my uniform "Emergency Nurse" is embroidered on the shirt. Female officer, asked me where I was going after I said to her that I would be receiving the stupid award for the night, then said "Well, I'm not going to give you a ticket, we've all got to work together don't we?" It's up to the coppers' discretion whether they want to book you or not, if you don't feel entitled and are happy to pay your fine then I think it's nice occasionally to get out of them. Incidentally, we work so closely with police officers and I always look after them too. Uniform = VIP.

SandraCVRN · Mar 22, 2012

Recently a nurse got a ticket on the way to work and made a smart remark to the cop...something to the effect of I hope you never have to have me work on you, etc......things get around. Not sure if the cop reported her or what, but she ended up on probation and resigned......

NO50FRANNY · Mar 22, 2012

"Recently a nurse got a ticket on the way to work and made a smart remark to the cop...something to the effect of I hope you never have to have me work on you, etc......things get around. Not sure if the cop reported her or what, but she ended up on probation and resigned..."

I read a police blog about something similar to this a little while ago, he gave an ER doctor a ticket for doing something pretty dangerous and she said something like, I hope you never need help in my Emergency Room. The policeman politely asked her if she would like to be on the receiving end of a complaint along the lines of threatening an officer- I think she deserved it.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Mar 22, 2012

i got pulled over on my way home for doing "65 in a 45 mph zone." i was probably doing 75 on my way home from a night shift on a saturday morning. it was a construction zone, hence the 45 -- but no one about doing any construction. i think it was when i fell asleep waiting for the cop to run my license and registration that he took pity on me . . . let me off with a warning and told me to "slow down and be safe." i could have kissed him because even with the 10 mph "gift" that would have been an expensive ticket!

klone, MSN, RN · Mar 22, 2012

I got pulled over after work, immediately after pulling out of the parking lot. Didn't have my license with me, but he said he was impressed that I actually had my license number memorized, and he had never encountered that before in 25 years as a cop. He let me off with a warning. I wasn't sure if the warning was the professional courtesy thing, or because he was so impressed by my super-duper memory.

GitanoRN, BSN, MSN, RN · Mar 22, 2012

first of all, i would like to thank everyone that wrote a sincere response to my topic. honestly, i'm overwhelm with the sincerity in which all of you divulge your experiences on this issue...once again thank you...as i wish all of you the best always...aloha~

wanderlust99 · Mar 22, 2012

My dear friend who is a neurosurgeon fellow (female) was pulled over recently and the cop assumed she was a nurse so he let her off. She didn't correct him. It made me LOL:)