Speed Traps

[MasterOfNone]

I can visualize the machine spitting out paper as I drive down the road.

Demolition Man?

Could be handy in an emergency.

If the goal is truly to promote safety, the better option would be for the car to govern itself at the detected speed limit. But I wouldn't want that either.

[Pawpaw]

I can visualize the machine spitting out paper as I drive down the road.

Demolition Man?

Could be handy in an emergency.

If the goal is truly to promote safety, the better option would be for the car to govern itself at the detected speed limit. But I wouldn't want that either.

I was talking about the movie Demolition Man.

Every time Stallone cursed or did anything to show anger, some machine would spit out a ticket and advise him to, "enhance your calm."

[sjfcontrol]

I can visualize the machine spitting out paper as I drive down the road.

Demolition Man?

Could be handy in an emergency.

If the goal is truly to promote safety, the better option would be for the car to govern itself at the detected speed limit. But I wouldn't want that either.

Where's the revenue in that? Never Happen!

[Rex B]

It would be interesting to make a FOIA request for the statistics about how many of what types of citations are written in my Town. My guess is that the failure to use signals or failure to maintain proper following distance would never appear on that list. That may be a quirk of the system where speeding (because there is a machine which verifies the infraction, not just the word of the LEO) is easier to prosecute. It is probable that the Town purposely does not keep those statistics to avoid such an inquiry. The recent case of the judge sentencing children to detention solely to keep the detention facilities full indicates the need for some oversight in enforcement matters.

My sense is that many local governments, including mine, have been perverted. Our Town has one of the worst reputations for traffic law enforcement in the area. It isn't clear whether that zealous enforcement has had any impact on our traffic accident statistics versus our less vigorously enforced neighbors but the Town's revenue for such matters is much higher than for our neighbors. Such over enforcement is not limited to our police force, however. Last year, I had dealings with our building department and it is equally overzealous in its execution. There is no part of the local codes and ordinances that is not taken to an extreme. The irony is that as code enforcement has become more and more ridiculous (and I heard that from countless tradesmen, many of whom will no longer work in our Town), more and more building work is taking place without any permits or inspections. People would rather take their chances in getting caught after the fact than to deal with the Town and their eccentric demands. Again, it appears to revolve around permit and inspection fees and not in seeing that future owners of a property don't have to deal with substandard construction and repairs.

The point is that there is no check and balance for these behaviors. For traffic enforcement irregularities, one would expect the DPS to have some stake in the matter but there may be no legal basis for an scrutiny, let alone an intervention. For the building code zeal, the Town points to public safety as the basis and that is hard to argue with until you start seeing at the operational level how far from safety the demands really are. There is no one anywhere who could blow the whistle. Graft and corruption could be present and even rampant.

The Town counsel appears to take a completely hands off approach to all of this.

Combine recently had similar issues. They fixed their problem.

http://blackpoliticalthought.blogspot.c ... of-13.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Rex B]

Traffic laws are about money, period.

While I won't argue the fact that revenue generation is the end goal of some traffic laws in many jurisdictions, I WILL argue that traffic laws, and the enforcement of traffic laws, creates a safer environment for citizen drivers.

I have lived and traveled all over the world, and the nations that failed to enforce traffic laws were always far more dangerous than those that did, and the accident and fatality rates, if they were kept, would show that to be true.

I was stationed in Germany, they're pretty strict about traffic laws. I went to Italy, they have the same laws but don't enforce them at all. Yea, Italy was more dangerous for fender-benders, but not for any real safety stuff.

Somewhere, Ukrane maybe, some city took down all traffic signs and lights and speed limits. They didn't have traffic laws to enforce. Drivers didn't just go by signs, they had to look, and traffic got safer. Moved smoother, too.

I saw something kinda like that in Berlin. The big wide streets only had stripes at the intersections. In between, they didn't have any "lanes", people drove where their car fit. And it worked pretty good!

I saw the same thing when i first got to Germany and the TMP van took me to my first duty station. Two lane road, at least that's how it was marked but it was wide enough for four cars. I tried not to scream "were all gonna die!" when the van driver passed a car while another car passed an oncoming car and we met 4 wide going opposite ways. The drivers watched the other cars and I was conditioned to look at the stripes. They were safer drivers than me.

someone once said that the difference between European drivers and Americans is the Europeans know the dimension of their car down to the millimeter .

[Rex B]

I posted this a while back on a similar topic but I think it's relevant here:

A couple of legislative sessions ago I emailed several legislators asking them to increase the fine for being in the left lane without passing, up to the same as speeding 15 over the speed limit. I am convinced traffic enforcement is based on how much revenue it brings to the local jurisdiction. Not that the average LEO is not concerned about safety but why would a LEO spend the time to pull over and cite someone for something of low pay-back (though more unsafe) like impeding traffic flow or NOT actually passing in the passing lane when they can spend the same time with a bigger pay back like speeding 15 over the limit. My logic is if they made the fines at least the same, the LEO would then have more incentive for not only bring in their precious revenue but actually do something constructive about the traffic jams. I had a few sincere responses but most were just Thank You form letters.

I contend that at the front of every traffic slow down or jam is someone in the passing lane, cruising along, probably on a cell phone, driving at the same or slightly higher or slower speed, than the vehicle in the next lane over. I'm not talking rush hour type traffic, I'm talking normal driving around traffic, 10:00 AM Saturday. It doesn't even have to be on a freeway or interstate highway. It could be just the four lane road you take the store. These are the people that I assume think, "I'll be turning left in about four miles so I better get in the left lane".

So for the people unclear on the concept of "Slower Traffic Keep Right" or the very clear signs saying "Left Lane for Passing Only" here is an easy test:
Regardless of the speed limit or how fast you are actually going, look in front of you. Is there a long gap between you and the next car in front of you? Now look in the mirror. Are there two or more vehicles following close to you? (if it's only one car, they can easily be just a run-of-the-mill idiot) Have you noticed you've been alongside the same vehicle for a couple miles? Or have several people been passing you on the right? (quite possibly showing you the International hand sign of discontent) If the answer to these easy to understand questions is yes, MOVE OVER!!!! It's not your job to regulate traffic speed. That's what we pay the police to do. Remember, it's not speed that causes problems, it's the difference in speed. Anyone that ever drove in Germany can attest to this.

OK,,, I'm off the soapbox.

I would add that banning 18-wheelers from the left lane should be expanded to statewide.
that alone would free up I35W in N ft Worth considerably every evening.

And Pappagun is correct, traffic fines are too punitive. For someone living paycheck to paycheck, it's a crippling financial hit, way out of proportion to the offense, at least for them. For those of us that can afford an occasional fine, it's an irritation and the cost of doing business.

I haven't had a ticket since 1999 (looking for some wood) though I've had a couple BIG (73/35!) warnings. I drive the limit (or close) more than ever before.
My wife gets them fairly often, she can afford them.