Diplomatic Drivers: Hundreds Pulled Over for Serious Offenses

[cpzilliacus]

WRC-TV (NBC4): Diplomatic Drivers: Hundreds Pulled Over for Serious Offenses

The records show one-third were caught drinking and driving, including a Russian first secretary charged with DWI and trying to elude police in Chevy Chase. Also on the list? A defense attaché for Yemen whose Mercedes was involved in a hit-and-run in Great Falls. He'd been pulled over three years earlier for reckless driving on Gallows Road.

Most on the list were pulled over for reckless driving. The son of the former Cameroon ambassador was pulled over for going 93 mph in a 55 mph zone in Chantilly. Records show a first secretary of Jordan was clocked going 100 mph in Fairfax. One year later, police charged him with DWI while driving the same Mercedes in Rockville.

After tracking down the individual tickets, the I-Team discovered the vast majority of diplomatic drivers were pulled over in Fairfax County.

One country had four times as many names than any other: Saudi Arabia. We found tickets for reckless driving, DUI and possession of marijuana. Remember, this is a country where it is illegal to possess alcohol or drugs.

[jeffandnicole]

I had to yell at one once approaching Int 1 of the NJ Turnpike.  Long lines of traffic in the open lanes, and some guy with Dip plates came shooting down into a closed lane.  I yelled (more or less) at him that the lane was closed.  He yelled back at me why was I yelling at a diplomat.  I forget exactly what I said, but it was along the lines of I don't care who he was, the lane was closed and he'll have to back up.

[cpzilliacus]

I had to yell at one once approaching Int 1 of the NJ Turnpike.  Long lines of traffic in the open lanes, and some guy with Dip plates came shooting down into a closed lane.  I yelled (more or less) at him that the lane was closed.  He yelled back at me why I was yelling at a diplomat.  I forget exactly what I said, but it was along the lines of I don't care who he was, the lane was closed and he'll have to back up.

I recall reading in Looking for America on the New Jersey Turnpike that (at least when the book was written in the late 1980's and early 1990's), the Turnpike Authority had a strict policy that persons driving diplomatic vehicles and caught speeding more than once would not be issued tickets because of diplomatic immunity, but they would be banned from driving anywhere on the Turnpike Authority's roads, and if caught after being banned, the N.J. State Police were given the job of escorting them off the Turnpike at the next interchange.

[Pete from Boston]

This is a frequent slow-news-day story going back as long as I can remember.  New York news outlets often trot out the outrage over UN missions' parking violation immunity. 

[DeaconG]

This is a frequent slow-news-day story going back as long as I can remember.  New York news outlets often trot out the outrage over UN missions' parking violation immunity. 

Heard the same thing when I was living in PG County in the 80s concerning diplomats in DC. SSDD.

[Alps]

This is a frequent slow-news-day story going back as long as I can remember.  New York news outlets often trot out the outrage over UN missions' parking violation immunity. 

Very slow news day tonight. One of the stories was "house on fire in New Jersey".

[triplemultiplex]

Diplomatic immunity?

[GCrites]

James Bond doesn't get speeding tickets.