A Hit & Run.....911......Information You May Need to Know

I live in Nassau County; Long Island, New York. Everyday I probably drive on the 495....the Long Island Expressway. This stretches out from the Hampton's straight into New York City. You have a HOV lane, plus three regular lanes and service roads. I prefer this over the Northern State Parkway with only two lanes, excluding turning lanes. Recently there has been road work on both LIE and NSP. The LIE however can defer traffic to the service road for the exits under construction while the NSP would just be closed for those exits.

Unfortunately for me, on August 16, 2007 at exactly 3:00am while driving home from my boyfriends house (which is in Suffolk County, east of Nassau) I was the victim of a hit and run. A hit and run by a tractor trailer; an 18 Wheeler! I couldn't believe it, this was my worst driving nightmare! Thankfully I wasn't hurt, my car suffered all the damage. I drive a 2002 Volkswagen Passat which is - or was in mint condition.

When I was hit, all the traffic was on the service road due to the road work. There is only two lanes on the service road not including turning exits. This is very tight space for vehicles and tractor trailers to be confined to with bumper to bumper traffic. I was dramatically waving my arms and beeping my horn at the truck driver we made eye contact for me to motion to pull over ahead. I immediately pulled the car over and the first available turning lane. Luckily through all of this I was able to catch his license plate number. I pull to the side, throw on my hazards and begin climbing over to exit the passenger side of my car (this was the safer side of the car to exit). I then get to watch him continue to drive past me!

Oh Great! I get back to my seat and call 911 from my cell phone. I am directly connected to the Suffolk County Police through the tracking or signal on my phone. I explain the incident and my location and they advise my that I must stay at this location and a car will be with me in five minutes. Ten minutes later I get a call back from the Suffolk Police stating that they are unsure of my where abouts. I explain to them for the second time that I am westbound on the service road, probably between exits 50-48. I told the 911 operator at Suffolk that I was pulled over at the entrance to The Hamlet (a gated community) and that across the expressway was a Sheraton hotel. To me, this was a pretty good description, especially for a police operator. The 911 operator again said an officer would be with me in five to eight minutes.

Another eleven minutes later the 911 operator calls back; mind you it has been twenty minutes since my initial call. The 911 operator wanted to verify I had the license plate number. After we hung up another 911 operator calls me, from a different number and she is now telling me that this doesn't fall into Suffolk jurisdiction. In fact, I am in Nassau County. This meant for me that the past thirty minutes was spent figuring out whether or not I'm in the right location. It took thirty minutes to figure out I wasn't in their county. Even though, the tracking on my phone keeps directing me to their district. Even though for the past half an hour someone was going to show up in five minutes.

At this point I am extremely frustrated. Frustrated by my cell phone directing me to a police operator who is not basically responding to my emergency call. What other number can I dial besides 911? I am also frustrated at the fact my car which I was about to sell is now damaged, the fact I'm sitting on the side of the unlit service road with trucks still flying by me and the back and forth of "who has to come to help me". I sternly say to the 911 operator that I didn't care who had to come, but that I can only reach this branch and someone better be here soon! I continued to tell her how long I had been sitting there waiting, wasting time being told someone was coming. I questioned why they instructed me to stay on the side of the road waiting, all while no one was going to come. The 911 operator then interrupted and told me she understood my frustration, but said she didn't have to take hearing this and hung up on me!

Again, I at this point was thankful that I am not in a worse condition, that I was not running out a phone battery or in an area that sitting in the darkness with just the lights of the cars and trucks flying by that I can feel somewhat safe. I still had the uncomfortable feeling of getting hit again by my positioning. Luckily when you call 911, you will probably get a different operator each time. When I call in again to question what I should do, they tell me they alerted the Nassau County Police of the situation and they will be with me shortly. Fabulous.

We are now an hour into the confusion. Nassau finally shows up and tells me that this is actually Suffolk County where the incident took place, but Nassau county where I was pulled over (throwing distance). Before the Nassau office left, he asking if I was wearing a bathing suit (he could only be referring to the string tied at my neck because I was wearing capri pants and a shirt) and I said yes-why? The advised me to get some clothes and left. I then sat in my car for a moment to fully take in this entire event. Initially I was outraged, but this has shifted into a completely baffled state.

So now I have to again call 911 to be directed to Suffolk Country Police Operators. At this point they know my voice of have my number flagged maybe, because they know its me. I tell the 911 operator that Nassau has left declaring it Suffolk County jurisdiction. Finally an hour an a half later Officer "D" arrived and was the positive twist I needed. He apologized for my inconvenience and questioned the Nassau County officer for leaving me in this situation. The Nassau officer could have at least sat his car behind mine flagging the situation; basically protecting me from the oncoming traffic or worse. While filling out the report the officer explained to me that the other driver would be served a summons for leaving an accident.

If I didn't stay on top of the 911 operators, I could have been sitting there till who knows how long. I can understand jurisdiction, but if I'm being connected to this particular branch - it is for a reason. I guess it is too much to ask for compassion while being in an upsetting situation or in the very least to not be hung up on in such a time. I guess that the job outline does not include the concern or any idealistic thoughts I have associated with the 911 Emergency/Police facilities. Protect and Serve, if your in the right place, and 911 didn't handle this as an emergency.

So the guy who hit me, got to continue on his way; while I had to wait two and a half hours to continue on mine. A few days later, I recieved a phone call from the poice station now telling me that the driver would not be served a summons. I questioned this and his reply was that..."We were not there." I agreed and said that it was a hit and run and I sat waiting for assistance for two hours. We exchanged thoughts for a few moments until the officer firmly said that the other driver was not going to get a summons and maybe if someone would have arrived earlier to me, he would have recieved one.

Well, I hope that this story can better help in another. I still do not know what I should have done to better protect myself, or have the other driver properly punished. Knowing what could go wrong is always helpful. Safe Driving!