Speaking of traffic cops

[thetroy]

I think the opposite of you, pete. I think that they should implement a similar camera system on many of our roads and give tickets to people for going even 1 mph over posted limits. Don't bother pulling anyone over unless they're being reckless - just mail them the ticket.

The revenue generated from this would allow us to have a MAJOR decrease in taxes.

It would be like a tax on driving fast. If you're willing to pay the tickets, than you can drive as fast as you want without being pulled over.

[fett]

They weren't there this morning. They should have been. I was at the same stoplight waiting to make a righthand turn. This pickup truck wanted to go straight. The light was red and he stopped for about 3 seconds. The light was still red and that SOB drove through the intersection. He didn't run the red light. He just said "Fuck it" and drove when the coast was clear. That is how people get T-boned. What an asshole.

[CharvelRocker]

What I hate most are people who speed and blow through the stop in little neighborhoods. I want to throw nails out in the street and hope they're going too fast to notice them. The problem here is there are a lot of little (stupid) kids, and one of them is going to get hit. It's just a matter of the time. What gets me is the cops don't care. We've phoned them about one we got the number of, and all they could say was "Well unless you have other witnesses, we can't do anything" WTF?

Even petitioned with the township to have a speed bump/table put in. They never did anything. It's sad they care so much about speeders and what goes on in the main roads, but don't give a crap about the neighborhoods where there are also people and arguably more issues as people think they won't get caught.

That said, I AM against cameras. Unwarranted search and invasion of privacy. Fuck that, this isn't 1984.

[petedz]

The revenue generated from this would allow us to have a MAJOR decrease in taxes.

A MAJOR decrease in government spending would allow us to have a MAJOR decrease in taxes, but that's a different discussion.

[Spivonious]

I think that when you're outside driving on public streets there isn't much of an invasion of privacy by having traffic cameras. The CCTV cameras in Lancaster have helped catch a bunch of hoodlums and criminals.

I wish the cops would pull over the crazies instead of the people going 5 over too, but they're both speeding. Why should it matter to what degree? That would be like letting people who holdup a convenience store off and only arresting people who rob banks.

While we're all contributing, the thing that bothers me the most are the four cars behind the car waiting to turn in the intersection all going once the light turns red.

Close second place are the cars that slowly drift into the intersection waiting for the light to change, and then when it does change they aren't paying attention and hold up traffic.

Third place is definitely tailgaters. They really get under my skin.

[JacksonDean]

What I hate most are people who speed and blow through the stop in little neighborhoods.

I'm in agreement with you. I subjectively follow the speed limit, I'll admit it. But that's definitely the place that it's most necessary.

On my way to work, I drive through a particular school zone that has the 20 mph speed limit during school hours sign and flashing yellow lights. I thought the system was broken because at 7:30 when all the kids are standing out there waiting for the bus, the lights aren't flashing. Since I know there are kids out there, I always drive the 20 through there in the morning.

That said, I AM against cameras. Unwarranted search and invasion of privacy. Fuck that, this isn't 1984.

Yet.

edit: ...and this is not a personal gripe--I haven't been targeted by cameras, and I can't remember the last time I got pulled over.

Well, I didn't think it was personal; I'm not a fan of speed limits myself. But if I get pulled over, I don't "shoot the messenger" so to speak. Whether or not I agree with the cop that pulled me over or the policy that caused the encounter in the first place, he's just doing his job.

[thetroy]

A MAJOR decrease in government spending would allow us to have a MAJOR decrease in taxes, but that's a different discussion.

That's quite true.

I just find it funny that law enforcement often claims to need more funding.

If they enforced the current laws (TO THE LETTER - Speed Limit should actually be a limit instead of a recommendation) they would have more funding than they know what to do with...

[petedz]

edit: ...and this is not a personal gripe--I haven't been targeted by cameras, and I can't remember the last time I got pulled over.

Well, I didn't think it was personal;

Oh?

And I'd guess that the reason cops seem like dicks to you is because you have a bad attitude toward them.

[OnlineStageGear]

We have a few cities around here that are known for tickets. Liverpool NY with a population of 22K writes more tickets than Syracuse with a population of 160K. I have had been pulled over 5 times for speeding since I turned started driving 21 years ago.

1st was when I was 18 I was doing 86 in a 55. This was while I was living in Texas. The cop never turned in the ticket so I was off the hook. I deserved that one since I was being a dumbass and I was lucky he did clock me 1/2 a mile sooner.

2nd was the same year I was given a ticket for doing 42 in a 30. The cop didn't have a radar so he said he was guessing me speed and even wrote it down as etimated speed. Hmm, the cop never showed up in court so I was off the hook again. In Texas the cop had to actually show up in court or the ticket was dropped. One time I was with my girlfriend when she got a ticket for failing to stop at a stop sign and failure to use a turn signal. She paid the tun signal fine and decided to go to court on the other since you can take defensive driving and have one change removed. The cop was there but since he had changed jobs from a county to a city cop, the court had to drop the charges.

2nd was when I was 26 I got cought doing 42 in a 35. Ya, lock me up for that one.

3rd was in Florida in Orlando. There was an access road leading to the highway. this runs right alongside the highway and merges into the highway. No side streets or intersections or anything, but it was a 30mph zone for some reason. Ya, can u say speed trap.

4th was a couple years ago I was doing 81 in a 65. The cop asked me how fast I thought I was going and I was honest and told him I thought I was doing 75. He said since I was honest he would just write me a ticket for failing to follow a roadsign. I guess that is still true since the sign I was failing to follow was the 65 speed limit but he could have wrote me up for the 81 in a 65 and I would have deserved it.

Traffic cops HAVE to be out there. There are a lot of people who should not be on the road. Maybe they write more tickets than they have to, but if that helps keep them out there so they can keep Billy-Bob-Dumbass from driving home drunk and T-Boning someone's wife and kids, then I will gladly pay those fines.

Matt

[lerxstcat]

I think that when you're outside driving on public streets there isn't much of an invasion of privacy by having traffic cameras. The CCTV cameras in Lancaster have helped catch a bunch of hoodlums and criminals.

I wish the cops would pull over the crazies instead of the people going 5 over too, but they're both speeding. Why should it matter to what degree? That would be like letting people who holdup a convenience store off and only arresting people who rob banks.

While we're all contributing, the thing that bothers me the most are the four cars behind the car waiting to turn in the intersection all going once the light turns red.

Close second place are the cars that slowly drift into the intersection waiting for the light to change, and then when it does change they aren't paying attention and hold up traffic.

Third place is definitely tailgaters. They really get under my skin.

A lot of areas are telling cops not to initiate high-speed pursuits because so many have ended with injury or fatal accidents involving innocent 3rd parties. The idea is that the guy doing 90 is more apt to run than the gou doing 5 over. Let him run so he at least doesn't kill someone while trying to outrun cops. There is logic to that idea.

As far as them giving tickets when they could be after "real" criminals, believe me, if they get a call for a "real" crime while they have a speeder pulled over, they will take off and leave you there. You'll probably still get your ticket in the mail, but that reason is also bullshit.

Bottom line is, if you speed and you're the one caught, tough shit. You got unlucky and you're guilty. Pay the ticket and quit sniveling.

[thetroy]

Bottom line is, if you speed and you're the one caught, tough shit. You got unlucky and you're guilty. Pay the ticket and quit sniveling.

That's ridiculous. There is no excuse for inconsistent enforcement of laws.

[lerxstcat]

That's ridiculous. There is no excuse for inconsistent enforcement of laws.

The fact that the police can't possibly catch everybody who's speeding means that it's inevitable the law will be enforced inconsistently. Your rationale is like saying because we can't catch every murderer we shouldn't try to catch the ones we can. Now THAT'S ridiculous! And as I said, they're thinking of the public safety when they don't try to chase some guy doing 100mph in his Ferrari. Better to catch him on a camera and send him his ticket, or a tow truck to impound it if he's tagged for reckless driving.

[fett]

Traffic cops have to see a violaton. Then they have to chose which one of five or six drivers need to be stopped. The intersection I was talking about had, at least, 3 cop cars there. I'm not ragging on the cops. I think thay are doing a good thing. There were thousands of drivers that saw those flashing lights just behind a nabbed dude. I am sure they made their point.

[åron]

If this is the US we're talking about, then the way of things is EVERYONE breaks the traffic laws to get ahead. Even the Police don't observe the laws. If you get caught, you pay up. If you don't like it, or can't afford it, drive slow and careful.

At least that's the lesson I've learned. From corporations, to millionaires, to blue collar workers, people bend the rules until they get caught and have to pay. The states and municipalities need money. Who better to tax than unaware lawbreakers?

[thetroy]

The fact that the police can't possibly catch everybody who's speeding means that it's inevitable the law will be enforced inconsistently. Your rationale is like saying because we can't catch every murderer we shouldn't try to catch the ones we can. Now THAT'S ridiculous! And as I said, they're thinking of the public safety when they don't try to chase some guy doing 100mph in his Ferrari. Better to catch him on a camera and send him his ticket, or a tow truck to impound it if he's tagged for reckless driving.

I never said any of that. The current speed limit enforcement rules if applied to murder would be like this:

Instead of arresting every murderer, they only arrest the ones who murder people in a particularly violent way which is totally up to the individual officer.

It is pure bullshit that I can drive right past a cop while doing say 45mph in a 40mph zone and not get in trouble *IF HE'S NOT OTHERWISE ENGAGED*.

It is called a Speed LIMIT. LIMIT meaning you CANNOT go over it AT ALL.

Either change the name to Speed Guideline or change the rules regarding enforcement.