View Full Version : Cops hand out more and more speeding tickets
jetdawgg
04-09-10, 08:18 AM
The recession may be claiming a new victim: the 5-10-mph "cushion" police and state troopers across the USA have routinely given motorists exceeding the speed limit. <br />
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As cities and states scramble...
NoRemorse
04-09-10, 08:23 AM
No doubt the speeding ticket lawyer niche will have an economic boom. Most people would rather pay the fine plus a bit more to a lawyers and avoid points.
And this is just another way for the top brass to increase revenue. don't even try to tell me its about safety at this point. If you want safety look at the traffic control zones in Westchester county that artificially limit the speed of certain stretches of highway despite established state law and policies.
Yeah, sudden bottlenecks are real safe.
boomer56328
04-09-10, 08:34 AM
I use a 10 mph cushion myself and routinely drop the ticket to under 10 mph so it won't go against the driver's insurance. That is if I even write a ticket. That is just a personal choice though and I know several officers who only use a 5 mph cushion when writing citations. I was taught in radar school that we a re only required to give a 3 mph cushion because the margin for error is +/- 2 mph, so if a car to 3 mph over on the radar and it is working properly then they are speeding. I don't know anyone who uses a 3 mph cushion though. As for the other point in the article, my town has been hit hard by the economic downturn and aren't hiring new officers because of it. I haven't heard anyone trying to push us to write more tickets. I personally have leaned toward even more warnings lately because I know several folks who are having a hard time.
jetdawgg
04-09-10, 08:44 AM
I was driving on the NJ Turnpike last weekend when I saw a cop finishing up from writing a ticket as I passed him. He pulled out, got behind me. The speed limit was 65 (double fine zone) I was doing 63.
He then passed me as he saw another motorists doing about 67. The blue lights went viral and the car was pulled over to the shoulder. Can't tell me that this is not about revs as NJ is one of the most fiscally mismanaged states in the union.
boomer56328
04-09-10, 08:46 AM
I can't speak to other agencies and officers. I'm just telling you my situation.
NoRemorse
04-09-10, 08:48 AM
I was driving on the NJ Turnpike last weekend when I saw a cop finishing up from writing a ticket as I passed him. He pulled out, got behind me. The speed limit was 65 (double fine zone) I was doing 63.
He then passed me as he saw another motorists doing about 67. The blue lights went viral and the car was pulled over to the shoulder. Can't tell me that this is not about revs as NJ is one of the most fiscally mismanaged states in the union.
NJ Staties have been in a hiring freeze for years... Actually a lot of agencies in NJ have been in a hiring freeze for at least 3 years now.
Still better than being pulled over by highway one on the West Side Highway.
Old Marine
04-09-10, 08:55 AM
I have never seen a speed limit sigh that said the speed is 65 with a cushion of 10 MPH.
benw2200
04-09-10, 09:48 AM
Speeding in itself isn't inherently dangerous- being out of control of your vehicle is. In my opinion, we should be cracking down more on distracted driving, especially the alcohol-related stuff. I'm in a hell of a lot more control of my vehicle going 10 over on the highway than a guy who is coming back from a bar doing the speed limit with a stomach full of beer.
GSEMarine94
04-09-10, 10:00 AM
I have never seen a speed limit sigh that said the speed is 65 with a cushion of 10 MPH.
:thumbup:
Don't come to Rockford, Il and expect to not get a ticket because of a "cushion". I got pulled over 2 weeks ago on my way to work for being 2 miles an hour over the posted limit, even though I had not even got to the posted sign. ( I was clocked in the "decel" zone between the reduced speed ahead sign and the actual sign.) :mad: The officer issued me a verbal warning, and told me the only reason he wasn't writing me a ticket was because of my Marine stickers.
firedog974
04-09-10, 11:34 AM
Again, Mike......if you do not speed, you will not have to worry about all those meannie cops writing you a ticket. But just FYI...here in Fl, you can be pulled over for any speed over the limit but there is no fine if it is less than 5 over.
Wyoming
04-09-10, 01:06 PM
I have never seen a speed limit sign that said the speed is 65 with a cushion of 10 MPH.
:thumbup:
Old Marine
04-09-10, 07:28 PM
I can count the times I have been ticketed on one hand and I am 75 years young. I guess it may be because when I am behind the wheel I really pay close attention to what is going on around me. Don't own a cell phone, don't go down the street with blasting music so loud that your fellow drivers do not need a radio. Its called attention to detail. Wake up and smell the roses. Police on traffic patrol have a job to do and most are doing a damn fine job.
jetdawgg
04-09-10, 07:32 PM
I can count the times I have been ticketed on one hand and I am 75 years young. I guess it may be because when I am behind the wheel I really pay close attention to what is going on around me. Don't own a cell phone, don't go down the street with blasting music so loud that your fellow drivers do not need a radio. Its called attention to detail. Wake up and smell the roses. Police on traffic patrol have a job to do and most are doing a damn fine job.
http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/uncyclopedia/images/1/1c/Monster_Truck.jpg
Old Marine
04-09-10, 08:17 PM
Nice picture dawgg, but in the real world that truck is useless.
I drive on a road every day that a large portion of it has no speed limit. The places that do have metered speeds have traffic cameras. They take your picture and mail you a ticket. Never tested the waters but I've been told that 2 K over will get your picture taken.
Traffic accidents on the autobahn are as rare as black pearls. There is some weird laws though, such as if your car runs out of gas and you get out and abandon it long enough to go buy fuel you will get a ticket.
There seems to be more common courtesty out there than a lot of American roads. Driving and talking on the phone or even driving and eating carries the same penaltys as drunk driving. Get two of em and you'll be riding the bus for the next 10 years.
boomer56328
04-10-10, 06:48 AM
Speeding in itself isn't inherently dangerous- being out of control of your vehicle is. In my opinion, we should be cracking down more on distracted driving, especially the alcohol-related stuff. I'm in a hell of a lot more control of my vehicle going 10 over on the highway than a guy who is coming back from a bar doing the speed limit with a stomach full of beer.
There have been several drunks that have been caught because they were pulled over for speeding. A radar is a tool used to help enforce those laws as well.
Sgt Leprechaun
04-11-10, 07:31 AM
Contrary to 'popular' opine, Police can write you for 1 mph over the limit. Like it or not, it's perfectly legal to do so. However, most officers won't, since it's considered a 'chump' or 'petty' ticket by other coppers, and when it gets to court will often be dismissed, and it makes the officer look like a jerk. Really, there is little need to do so most of the time, since many folks routinely go 10 mph or more 'over' the limit (or, many do, not all).
However, those signs say 'limit', not 'Suggested'.
Last bit, speed and stop light cameras are FAR more of a 'revenue grabber' than a uniformed officer. Protest THOSE (since they are just 'idiot devices' that only take a picture of your plate) as money hogs. At least with a copper, you stand an even chance if you have a good excuse. No such luck with the traffic cams.
Oh, and no law enforcement administrator in their RIGHT MIND would go out and tell his/her cops "Hey, folks, revenue is DOWN this year, so you have to produce more cites". Because sure enough, someone will blab that right to the media (not 'McPaper') and the hue and cry will be loud (rightfully so) because it implies a quota system.
NoRemorse
04-12-10, 08:16 AM
Contrary to 'popular' opine, Police can write you for 1 mph over the limit. Like it or not, it's perfectly legal to do so. However, most officers won't, since it's considered a 'chump' or 'petty' ticket by other coppers, and when it gets to court will often be dismissed, and it makes the officer look like a jerk. Really, there is little need to do so most of the time, since many folks routinely go 10 mph or more 'over' the limit (or, many do, not all).
However, those signs say 'limit', not 'Suggested'.
Last bit, speed and stop light cameras are FAR more of a 'revenue grabber' than a uniformed officer. Protest THOSE (since they are just 'idiot devices' that only take a picture of your plate) as money hogs. At least with a copper, you stand an even chance if you have a good excuse. No such luck with the traffic cams.
Oh, and no law enforcement administrator in their RIGHT MIND would go out and tell his/her cops "Hey, folks, revenue is DOWN this year, so you have to produce more cites". Because sure enough, someone will blab that right to the media (not 'McPaper') and the hue and cry will be loud (rightfully so) because it implies a quota system.
I'll have to search for the articles later but it's happened in New York. They weren't implicitly saying revenue is down but they did indicate that a certain number of tickets or arrests had to be made in certain sectors.
This turned into a rather nasty expose for ticket writing in particular in NYC; so you are of course correct, Sgt Lep; the admin wasn't in his right mind.
hrscowboy
04-12-10, 09:44 AM
lep there is a Mayor in Missouri just north of St Louis that did just that, He ordered the police dept to write more tickets and suggested racial profiling as he had a problem with black and Mexican. I know the chief of police very well as we attended academy together 21 years ago and the chief politely advised him that he was not doing that and the Mayor fired him right on the spot. In Kansas City Kansas they have decided they need a new sales tax and we are all voting on that tues. sales tax is now 8% on everything you buy and the city wants a 9.5 % sales tax its just one thing after another that we all hear in these citys when are they gonna realize people can no longer do this..
Why get all over guys we are paying to do a job, I hated to write tickets for any reason but it was part of the job. Most people who get tickets get them because of thier attitude not all but a good share of them. There are some jerks out there who love to write tickets but not many, it just means more paperwork and court time which most police officers hate. 25 years on the job.
Sgt Leprechaun
04-12-10, 06:44 PM
Cowboy and Remorse...thanks. I would have flat out refused THAT (or any) order along those lines as unlawful. And would have advised my officers to do the same. Orders like that are illegal, immoral and only get the poor line officer hemmed up. Our jobs are difficult enough without fathead politicians making them far worse.
Kudos to the Chief even though it cost him his job. Were I him, my next stop would have been the local media outlets.