Occasionally, law enforcement officers actually know what they’re talking about. At least that’s what one intrepid motorist learned recently in Cortland County, New York.

According to the New York State Police (NYSP), a 38-year-old woman encountered a set of police barriers blocking a roadway in early April. The road had been closed due to flooding from the nearby Tioughnioga River, as heavy rainfall placed much of upstate New York under flood watch and forced numerous closures.

Undeterred, she took matters into her own hands — moving the barriers aside, surveying the waterlogged roadway and deciding she could make it through. She was wrong. Troopers later noted that she “didn’t make it very far.”

Fortunately, the woman was able to exit the vehicle on her own and make her way back home. She called 9-1-1 to report that she had already contacted a tow truck, but responding troopers determined it was too dangerous to retrieve the vehicle until the water receded.

The NYSP later shared the incident on social media with a pointed reminder: “Those barriers are there for a reason — to protect you. Driving around them puts your safety at risk and can quickly turn into a dangerous situation for both you and first responders.” Authorities did not identify the type of vehicle involved, though a photo from the scene suggests it was not designed for navigating flooded roads. The woman was ultimately issued a citation.

The takeaway, as the NYSP emphasized: when barriers go up, they mean it.