Port Arthur Police Officer Rickey Antoine

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Jackie from Groves asks- Officer Antoine, I recently read your article where you spoke very clearly about the dangers of texting while driving, in which I agree with you 100%. With that said, I think an equal danger on the roads are drivers who allow their dogs to be all over their body while driving, mostly having their head and legs out of the driver’s window. I’m not an animal hater, I have two wonderful fur friends, but they’re not allowed to be on me while driving. Officer Antoine, is having a dog all over the driver a distraction and is this legal, or why isn’t this illegal?

 

Answer- Good question Jackie. You’re right, dogs in the lap of motorists while they’re operating a motor vehicle is definitely a distraction. Jackie, keep in mind laws are made only after something happens, so in the state of Texas, I thank God nothing monumental has occurred to someone because a dog was sitting on the driver’s lap. Therefore there’s no such law in Texas that requires a dog to wear a seatbelt or be restrained in a crate while a motor vehicle is being driven. Only Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire and Rhode Island have laws that enforce the safe crating or restraining of a dog while they are being transported in a motor vehicle. I must say I’m not a hater of our furry friends, but I, like you, have trained my dogs to sit down while in a motor vehicle. Jackie, let’s hope we never have to make animals in drivers lap a law in Texas.

 

Jerry from Nederland asks- Officer Antoine, I experienced something the other day on the road and now I need clarification on the use of blinkers. The other day I found myself on Twin City Highway behind a lady in a big truck that was driving in the inside lane with her turn signal on to change lanes. Well, her signal stayed on and on and on and on from 39th Street to Gulfway, and I’m sure beyond that I can’t confirm because I turned off at Gulfway. Officer Antoine, she never changed lanes and I was furious behind her waiting like a dummy for this woman to change lanes. I looked and looked for a policeman but none was found in that area, where were you Officer Antoine? Exactly how far can someone drive in a truck with their blinker on and not change lanes? 

 

Answer- Good question Jerry. Hopefully you’ve calmed down by now sir. I’m also glad to hear this didn’t turn into a road rage incident. Jerry, I can’t really tell you where I was during this moment when the driver of the big truck drove from 39th Street to Gulfway, with her turn indicator continuously activated. But even if I was right behind her, there wasn’t much I could do because it is not illegal to drive with the turn indicator on continuously and not turn or change lanes. The Texas Transportation Code says a motorist must signal at least 100 feet before turning. The Code doesn’t address the maximum a signal can be on. If you are going to change lanes you must first signal and wait until it’s safe for such movement. Jerry, there are approximately two million crashes accounted for annually in this country because someone failed to properly use or failed to use their turn signals, and over half of motorists surveyed admitted not using their turn signal. It’s not like your turn indicator runs out of fluid.

 

Nancy from Nederland asks- Officer Antoine, thanks for your continued column in The News. I have a question about school zones. Oftentimes on weekends or after school zone times, the yellow flashing lights are still flashing. The last thing I need is a ticket, and OMG I’d just die if it was you stopping me for something I should know. If the school zone lights are flashing, is that an active school zone?

 

Answer- Good Question Nancy. I’m glad you inquired about the flashing lights in our school zones. The flashing lights are mechanical, and like all equipment, they are going to malfunction. The city installed a school zone sign with printed times and that won’t malfunction. Nancy, you should always look for the sign in school zones to be certain of the school zone times. I’ve seen school zone lights flashing on the weekend and that surely wasn’t a school zone. The flashing lights are to get motorists attention, but the sign is the law. So Nancy, if the school zone lights are flashing outside the posting school zone times, the school zone is not enforceable.

 

Join Me, Officer Antoine and the CREW Stephen “Buzzard Boots” Mosley, Lelo “mouth of Hwy 69/73” I Washington & Tejas “Lil Man”Morning Star for Ask A Cop live, on KSAP 96.9 FM The Breeze radio station, every Tuesday for at least 2 hours from 1to 3 p.m. and beyond. Tune in and listen as Officer Antoine discusses in detail the newly released “Ask A Cop” article that’s printed in The News. You can also tune in via internet at www.ksapthebreeze.org. Feel free to call in and ask your question live to Officer Antoine at (409) 982-0247. Feel free to email your questions torickey.antoine@portarthurtx.gov, or call 409-983-8673 and leave a voice mail question, or mail them to: Ofc. Rickey Antoine, 645 4th Street, Port Arthur, Texas, 77640. If you happen to see me in public you can always free and comfortable to approach and “Ask A Cop.”