I did my part today as a citizen.....

[fishing n autograph]

So.....here's my story, i'm heading home, westbound on the 401 after a long shift at work. When I notice that there's a guy in the passing lane going about 120 and was drinking from a silver can and smoking something that didn't look like a cigarette. So, I strategically slowed down and followed him.....

 

I started following him from about Mississauga Road in Mississauga and I noticed he was doing the good ol' bob and weave in his lane, riding the shoulder and going back and forth from 120 to 150 kmph.... so.....

 

I picked up the phone like a good little citizen I am and called 911....told them who I was and what i was doing....so I followed him somemore.....

 

I watched him weave out of his lane numerous times.....

 

I watched him almost side swipe many cars and trucks....then I saw him aggressively changing lanes to go faster....

 

So again, I strategically followed him.........in my personal car that is.....

 

so for about 30 minutes i'm on the phone with OPP dispatch.....doing a running commentary of what was happening.....

 

Then suddenly he jumps off of the 401 on Townline Road in Cambridge...and he came millimeters from crashing into the driver in front of him as he took the ramp at 110....

 

So I followed.....and i followed....then he stopped at Timmies and seconds later the OPP show up with Waterloo Regional....not one...or two....but six cruisers show up....

 

Well....to my surprise...the driver wasn't impaired by drugs or alcohol...but by fatigue...the dude had so much ephedrine and caffine in him that he had been up for 3 days.....

 

needless to say the opp did a hell of a job showing up so fast and getting to my location because the way that driver was driving he came close to hurting a lot of people....

 

I was told that they had to turn around on the 401....and come back 2 exits before they could get to my location....

 

The driver...although wasn't charged with Impaired driving, he was charged with careless driving....

 

They were grateful for my help but I felt bad because....professionally speaking.... i was certain he was impaired by alcohol...he was driving worse than any impaired i have had....

 

So I dropped by their station and gave them a Timmies Ten.... and chatted with them for a while....

 

 

 

 

Oh and to clear the air of some false ideas......the officer that was charged with racing/stunt driving....had been followed for a long time because of his "issues" at work and his driving was something that used to put the nail in the coffin....like all jobs, there are bad eggs in policing....and as such, they are punished eventually....

[BillM]

It's to bad they'll never get that careless charge to stick....

[fishing n autograph]

It's to bad they'll never get that careless charge to stick....

 

they have a good chance...long 911 tape will be pulled as evidence...30 minute commentary about what he's doing behind the wheel

[bigfish1965]

Don't we have 'Driving while ability impaired' laws too?

Doesn't 'under the influence' cover all materials from booze to cough medicine?

[ketchenany]

I don't go to Timmies – but waht is a Timmies Ten? Good work probably saved an accident.

 

They should have someone posted at 400 and 7 at 5:30 when jerks are in the passing lane and see traffic ahead at a standstill and swing over 3 lanes at rediculous speeds to exit at hwy. 7, I've come close a few times trying to avoid them.

[Baptiste]

Oh Sure...you're on your own until you report that he pulled into Timmies. All of a sudden six cruisers, Hmmm?

[Rich]

Oh Sure...you're on your own until you report that he pulled into Timmies. All of a sudden six cruisers, Hmmm?

 

LOL!

[Terry]

hold it

 

hold it

 

the guy was doing 120, so you slowed down.................................................LOL

[Pachone]

hold it

 

hold it

 

the guy was doing 120, so you slowed down.................................................LOL

 

Touche! LOL!

[Stoty]

drinking from a silver can and smoking something that didn't look like a cigarette

What was he drinking/smoking?

 

 

 

the guy was doing 120, so you slowed down.................................................LOL

HAHAHAHA

 

Oh Sure...you're on your own until you report that he pulled into Timmies. All of a sudden six cruisers, Hmmm?

 

HAHAHAHA

[fishing n autograph]

1) A Timmies 10 is a box of coffee which is the equivalent of 10 Large Coffees

 

2) It looked like he was smoking a joint the way he was holding it because no one in their right mind held a lit cigarette like that - but it was a cigarette...go figure

 

3) 400 x 7 was 2 seconds from my station and no where near where i was

 

4) I was on my own until i got to timmies because the closest WRPS cruiser was on Hespler Road and they took forever to get the call because the OPP dispatch couldn't transfer the call....the OPP crusiers were on the West Bound Side of the 401 just past Hespler Road so they had to go all the way to highway 7/8 and turn around and come back to Franklin Blvd....bout 10km distance.....and the driver didn't got to timmies...he went to the short stop for smokes

 

5) Rick - they couldn't give him an impaired charge because the OPP don't have DRE - Drug Recognition Officers - only York, Waterloo and Ottawa have them. Besides, no alcohol was consumed either....he was just an idiot....and yes Drive While Ability Impaired covers Alcohol and Drugs as well as care and control....

 

6) yes, I slowed down to 120...flow of traffic was about 130-140 on the 401 in Mississauga...

[Sebastian]

6 cruisers showing up to get the guy at Timmies isnt surprising.

 

And You're signature about firefighters and police......you seem to forget the paramedics that come and save both of you....

[fishing n autograph]

6 cruisers showing up to get the guy at Timmies isnt surprising.

 

And You're signature about firefighters and police......you seem to forget the paramedics that come and save both of you....

 

 

They deserve a better pay cheque....i have nothing but respect for them for the incredible work they do. There is not friendly rivalry between EMS and Police because EMS are highly respected in the emergency services field

 

The fact that this happened near a Tim Hortons and 6 cruisers showed had nothing to do with the coffee shop....6 showed up because it was an impaired...4 OPP...2 Waterloo....thats the way we're dispatched

[Sebastian]

lol im just kidding about the Timmies thing. Everyone loves Timmies no matter what job they have.

 

[Terry]

well I guess it's against the law to impede the normal flow of traffic

so you had to keep up with the other cars around you

[Stoty]

yes, I slowed down to 120...flow of traffic was about 130-140 on the 401 in Mississauga..

 

Hmmmm......that excuse doesnt seem to work on Cops. Believe me...I have tried!

[fishing n autograph]

well I guess it's against the law to impede the normal flow of traffic

so you had to keep up with the other cars around you

 

something like that

[danc]

A while back, a local woman spotted her stolen van and followed it, cell phone in hand, and gave directions and details to the local police. When they finally caught up with her and the van, she got charged with careless driving. They got the thieves too, by the way.

 

Good job FishnNAutographs. It's nice to know that even off duty cops are watching out for us. Thanks.

[JeffBornFishin]

A few years ago I was headed up north late at night.

 

A car passed me and seemed to be an inpaired driver all over the road.

 

Called OPP. Stayed on the phone etc.

 

Cops nailed the driver 20 minutes later.

 

I pull well behind to see if they needed more info etc.

 

Not impaired...had flown from overseas somewhere and rented a car at Pearson airport.

 

Had been up for over 24 hours.

 

Police seized the rental car.

 

Dunno where the driver went.

 

Thanks for going the extra mile FishinNAutographs!

[brickNblock]

6 cruisers......Hmmmmmmm??????

 

FishN....had you run the guys plates for priors?..or had the police on the cell check them out?

Im thinking it was just because a fellow officer was making the cell phone call whilst off duty and knew there was an arrest to go down eventually....(Alleged)

 

I cant see why there would be that many ON DUTY officers involved for a single impaired with no signs of violence that was mentioned...or threatening of any sort...granted..impaired is a threat to everyone BIGTIME.

 

Another,...you slowed down to 120

........Ive never been able to say I was going with the flow of traffic.

Its like saying if 20 fellas in front of you walked off the end of the cliff to their deaths when the sign clearly stated DANGER-Steep Cliff....why or would you follow them...THAT DOES NOT WASH ANYWHERE.

The law is the Law is the Law......Correct???? or NO?

 

Still dont like the comment on firefighters in your signature but......

What you did was beyond your days work..or as you said...a long days shift and for that I applaud your actions.

-pete

Edited May 21, 2008 by brickNblock

[Big Cliff]

Good on you!

 

I have called in a couple of suspected impared drivers, one I saw drinking from a beer bottle, no plates on the car and no temp permits visable. within 10 minutes there were three police cars all over this guy, turned out he had water in the beer bottle (no idea why) but there was a problem with the car. Never heard any more about it.

 

Just recently, I was following a van, speed from 55 to 90 in an 80 zone, drifting from the sholder to over the center line, I called it in to the OPP as it was on hwy 7 and gave them the plate #, they stayed on the line with me while I kept him in sight, by now he was drifting right across into the on coming lane at times, fortunatly there was nothing coming when he did. He turned off the hwy and onto a local road and the dispatcher got the local police involved, next thing I knew there were 3 crusers boxing him in. Don't know what happened, the dispatcher thanked me and told me I could continue on my way.

 

If more people would take the time to get involved and report suspected impared drivers we might just save a few lives.

[Chris]

Thumbs up to you for reporting a possible impaired driver

 

Thumbs down to the force for wasting taxpayers dollars with 6 cruisers

[fishing n autograph]

Thumbs up to you for reporting a possible impaired driver

 

Thumbs down to the force for wasting taxpayers dollars with 6 cruisers

 

 

Actually, sending cars isn't a waste of tax payers money. What happened was that it was a call that went from OPP territory to waterloo's area....the O Dots responded and the area cars from Cambridge responded which tends to happen when both forces get the same call....happens in the GTA too

[fishing n autograph]

6 cruisers......Hmmmmmmm??????

 

FishN....had you run the guys plates for priors?..or had the police on the cell check them out?

Im thinking it was just because a fellow officer was making the cell phone call whilst off duty and knew there was an arrest to go down eventually....(Alleged)

 

I cant see why there would be that many ON DUTY officers involved for a single impaired with no signs of violence that was mentioned...or threatening of any sort...granted..impaired is a threat to everyone BIGTIME.

 

Another,...you slowed down to 120

........Ive never been able to say I was going with the flow of traffic.

Its like saying if 20 fellas in front of you walked off the end of the cliff to their deaths when the sign clearly stated DANGER-Steep Cliff....why or would you follow them...THAT DOES NOT WASH ANYWHERE.

The law is the Law is the Law......Correct???? or NO?

 

Still dont like the comment on firefighters in your signature but......

What you did was beyond your days work..or as you said...a long days shift and for that I applaud your actions.

-pete

 

1) I can't run plates from my own personal car....nope 6 cars 4 OPP 2 Waterloo...because it crossed jurisdictions and with any call a minimum of 2 cars have to show....so 2 waterloo....the 4 OPP were because the driver crossed 2 areas so hence 4 OPP cars were on it...not because it was me...

 

2) That many on an impaired...yes...it happens....because they have a general idea of were the car was but cars move

 

3) yep the law is the law...i've always driven a little fast...even before i got my badge and yes, like most on the board I've been given speeding tickets...

 

4) I was coming off a night shift not a day shift....this happened from 6:30 to about 8 AM

[Rustic-Fisher]

6 cruisers......Hmmmmmmm??????

 

FishN....had you run the guys plates for priors?..or had the police on the cell check them out?

Im thinking it was just because a fellow officer was making the cell phone call whilst off duty and knew there was an arrest to go down eventually....(Alleged)

 

I cant see why there would be that many ON DUTY officers involved for a single impaired with no signs of violence that was mentioned...or threatening of any sort...granted..impaired is a threat to everyone BIGTIME.

 

Another,...you slowed down to 120

........Ive never been able to say I was going with the flow of traffic.

Its like saying if 20 fellas in front of you walked off the end of the cliff to their deaths when the sign clearly stated DANGER-Steep Cliff....why or would you follow them...THAT DOES NOT WASH ANYWHERE.

The law is the Law is the Law......Correct???? or NO?

 

Still dont like the comment on firefighters in your signature but......

What you did was beyond your days work..or as you said...a long days shift and for that I applaud your actions.

-pete

Agreed about the Firefighter comments!!!

Should come for a ride out in downtown T.O, whats sleep, LOL....

Give it 10 yrs or so and you'll see the light LOL......

 

RY