# Pros & Cons of calling Police in an accident **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [October 8, 2022, 9:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pros-cons-of-calling-police-in-an-accident/186790 "2022-10-08T21:01:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![weekend-warrior](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/weekend-warrior/32/26122_2.png) [@weekend-warrior](https://community.cartalk.com/u/weekend-warrior)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2022, 11:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pros-cons-of-calling-police-in-an-accident/186790/69 "2022-10-14T23:16:23Z")
Oh, and let’s not forget about the LOVE BUGS. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2022, 11:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pros-cons-of-calling-police-in-an-accident/186790/70 "2022-10-14T23:18:26Z")
Heh heh. Many moons ago I boosted a deer late at night just outside of a small small rural Minnesota town. I drove back to town and the only lights on were in a station with two guys. When I told them, they wanted to know exactly where, which way he ran, and so on. I think they were getting ready to close shop and go track the creature down. Probably been after him for years. I don’t remember how many points on the rack, it happened so fast. Might have called their deputy buddy to help in the search. ---
**Author:** ![Renegade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Renegade](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Renegade)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2022, 11:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pros-cons-of-calling-police-in-an-accident/186790/71 "2022-10-14T23:30:53Z")
> [@VDCdriver](#): > > Did you forget about the GIANT flying roaches? > 😉 Yep I did thanks for the reminder. ---
**Author:** ![Renegade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Renegade](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Renegade)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2022, 11:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pros-cons-of-calling-police-in-an-accident/186790/72 "2022-10-14T23:35:33Z")
> [@weekend-warrior](#): > > Oh, and let’s not forget about the LOVE BUGS. Florida LOVE BUGS are bad enough but I think Louisiana LOVE BUGS are the worst. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2022, 12:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pros-cons-of-calling-police-in-an-accident/186790/73 "2022-10-15T00:53:50Z")
I forgot about the sinkholes in Florida. More people in Florida means the ground water levels drop. That empties limestone caverns which cause the ground to collapse. 😱 ---
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2022, 11:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pros-cons-of-calling-police-in-an-accident/186790/74 "2022-10-15T11:51:40Z")
The bottom line is …… drum roll please…….If you are not at fault and you have nothing to hide there is no “downside” to getting the police involved with an accident report. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2022, 12:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pros-cons-of-calling-police-in-an-accident/186790/75 "2022-10-15T12:03:55Z")
> [@old\_mopar\_guy](#): > > Ah yes, the delightful palmetto bugs. Don’t you love euphemisms? If giant flying roaches are going to be called Palmetto Bugs, how about renaming Florida’s rampant Burmese Pythons as something else? Perhaps FL’s public relations people can start calling them… _Exotic Hugging Creatures_. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2022, 12:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pros-cons-of-calling-police-in-an-accident/186790/76 "2022-10-15T12:06:18Z")
Neck warmers. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2022, 12:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pros-cons-of-calling-police-in-an-accident/186790/77 "2022-10-15T12:07:12Z")
> [@jtsanders](#): > > Neck warmers. 😆 Yes! Giant Neck Warmers! ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2022, 1:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pros-cons-of-calling-police-in-an-accident/186790/78 "2022-10-15T13:05:05Z")
In order to get us back on topic, I will offer my own experience in this regard. About 15 years ago, a friend of mine had a close call with a deer, shortly after leaving my house. Because his old Honda Prelude didn’t have ABS, he wound up in a ditch, and he called me to come to the accident scene. Before I could get there, a passerby called 911, and just as I was arriving, a NJ State Trooper appeared on the scene. He was the epitome of a courteous, truly professional officer, and after making sure that there were no injuries, and just as he was finishing-up placing road flares, one of the local yokel cops arrived and the State Trooper departed. The contrast between the two cops was dramatic, as the local cop was hostile from the first moment. He never asked if my friend was injured, and he told my friend that he was considering the issuance of a ticket for reckless driving. I asked the local cop the following question: _Since Mr. X is clearly sober, not under the influence of any substances, and has a 20 year “clear” driving record, do you think that he intentionally drove his car into a ditch?_ _Do you really think that, under the circumstances, that ticket would stand-up to scrutiny by an attorney in a Court of Law?_ The cop cursed me under his breath, called for a wrecker, and left. So, I still believe that it is advisable to summon cops after an accident, but–unfortunately–their reaction to your situation might not be appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2022, 3:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pros-cons-of-calling-police-in-an-accident/186790/79 "2022-10-15T15:39:43Z")
I didn’t realize this but apparently the state patrol in Minnesota issues tickets if you slide off a slippery road into the ditch. Need to have control of your vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2022, 5:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pros-cons-of-calling-police-in-an-accident/186790/80 "2022-10-15T17:23:15Z")
Virginia will issue those too, “failure to maintain proper control according to conditions” or wording to that effect. ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2022, 5:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pros-cons-of-calling-police-in-an-accident/186790/81 "2022-10-15T17:25:33Z")
> [@bing](#): > > tickets if you slide off a slippery road into the ditch. Like your day wasn’t bad enough already. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2022, 6:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pros-cons-of-calling-police-in-an-accident/186790/82 "2022-10-15T18:39:37Z")
Yeah, 45 mile drive for wife’s clot shot appointment on treacherous road. Cars in ditch but not me. Never gone in ditch in a million plus miles. News reported an older lady went in ditch and called patrol and husband. Patrol called a wrecker and gave her a ticket. Men in maroon. And yeah patrol clarified their position like running out of gas. Preventable situation. ---
**Author:** ![old\_mopar\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6bbea6/32.png) [@old\_mopar\_guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/old_mopar_guy)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2022, 7:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pros-cons-of-calling-police-in-an-accident/186790/83 "2022-10-15T19:05:02Z")
I recently returned from a few days in North Carolina (a place i hope to not need to visit again) and between the Southern drawls and the euphemisms, i nearly needed a translator. It seems people down south don’t die, they “pass”. Someone there told me i had a “blunt” manner of speaking. I respnded with “yeah, so whats it to ya?”. But seriously, were these folks taught the same English language as you and I? ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2022, 7:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pros-cons-of-calling-police-in-an-accident/186790/84 "2022-10-15T19:10:31Z")
> [@old\_mopar\_guy](#): > > But seriously, were these folks taught the same English language as you and I? I can’t answer that, but I will point out that North Carolina has–overall–many of the better public school systems in The South, so if the English usage in NC is problematic, you probably shouldn’t venture into some of the Southern States where the education system is truly at the bottom of the barrel. 😉 When we would get transfer students from NC & VA, they were almost always up-to-par for their grade level. Trust me… you don’t want to know about most of the other states down there, with Louisiana’s schools being essentially on the level of a Third World Country. None of our students who transferred to NJ from Louisiana were ever able to pass the NJ HS Proficiency Test, even after intense remediation and multiple test attempts over the space of 2 or 3 years. ---
**Author:** ![old\_mopar\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6bbea6/32.png) [@old\_mopar\_guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/old_mopar_guy)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2022, 7:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pros-cons-of-calling-police-in-an-accident/186790/85 "2022-10-15T19:13:32Z")
The only area in the South where i feel comfortable is southeast Florida, where it feels like the 6th borough of New York City. ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2022, 7:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pros-cons-of-calling-police-in-an-accident/186790/86 "2022-10-15T19:20:29Z")
Can’t tell you how many times my heels were run into by carts in the grocery store when behind you is a new york accent staring at the shelves lamenting theres no bagians here! Parking lot seemed safe enough though. Lantana, Del Ray and Daytona. ---
**Author:** ![old\_mopar\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6bbea6/32.png) [@old\_mopar\_guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/old_mopar_guy)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2022, 7:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pros-cons-of-calling-police-in-an-accident/186790/87 "2022-10-15T19:44:59Z")
Del ray is still southeast Florida. Daytona is starting to push a bit into the “country”. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2022, 8:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pros-cons-of-calling-police-in-an-accident/186790/88 "2022-10-15T20:12:01Z")
> [@old\_mopar\_guy](#): > > Daytona is starting to push a bit into the “country” But, you can drive on the beach! I did that, many years ago, and I enjoyed it–even though our '66 Ford Galaxie 500 got stuck temporarily in the sand. [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pros-cons-of-calling-police-in-an-accident/186790.md?page=3) [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/pros-cons-of-calling-police-in-an-accident/186790.md?page=5)