Sometimes, it’s just safer for drivers not to swerve out of the way or stop for animals who are in the middle of the road. Something like a deer running into the road can happen in the blink of an eye, which can end up turning a regular drive into a terrifying one.
This video was posted to TikTok and shows two people who are taking a turtle that was seated in the middle of the road to a safer location. Even though the deed was pretty admirable, a nearby officer apparently didn’t think the same.
The two were then hit with a ticket by that officer, who reportedly wasn’t very nice throughout the whole transaction. Fortunately, the internet seems to think differently, congratulating the woman for her actions and for making the roads safer.
Considering what she says in her storytime that was posted after the fact, other cars had swerved out of the way to avoid the turtle. So, why didn’t the officer try to stop any of them?
The Good Deed Ended With a Citation
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@ellenjaz17 When you save a turtle from being ran over, then 30 seconds later you get a ticket 🤦🏽♀️😂 The cop was watching us the entire time #wildlife #turtle #turtles #saxophone #trending ♬ Saxophones getting louder – Sped Up – AntonioVivald
The short video features the driver’s daughters as they pick up and move a turtle that can be seen lying in the middle of the road. They carefully pick it up and move it to the side of the street it was heading towards.
According to another video that the same woman posted, the officer who pulled her over was not kind at all. In fact, he apparently acted rudely throughout the conversation, giving the driver a citation without telling her exactly what it was for.
The ticket also requires her to show up in court and pay the citation. Fortunately, commenters were on her side about the entire situation.
Commenters Thought the Officer Should Have Helped the Turtle Instead
The overwhelming majority of commenters thought the driver should fight the citation in court, with many convinced a judge would throw it out. One person wrote, “Don’t pay the ticket and go see a judge. Explain it was a road hazard and the police watching you do it should have been doing their job.”
Another simply said, “Fight it. Judge will throw it out.” The creator later revealed that they had already hired a lawyer to handle the case.
Others were frustrated that the officer allegedly watched the entire situation unfold without stepping in first. “Because why didn’t HE save the turtle?” one commenter asked, while another argued that clearing hazards from the roadway “is the cop’s job.”
Several viewers also pointed out that the animal appeared to be a protected gopher tortoise, saying the law exists for good reasons but criticizing how it was allegedly enforced in this situation. Even people who acknowledged the citation said they still would have stopped, with one commenter writing, “It would be worth the citation for me to have saved that turtle’s life.”