Venting...ranting...yet another citation!

[nfpgasmask]

Thanks for the words, Scott. I was hoping you would comment.

Like I said, the officer was a nice guy, just his job, etc, etc. And like I said, I really can't fault the officer. The biggest problem I have with my ticket yesterday is that I personally feel there are too many places in Reno where the speed limit is 5-10mph too slow. That's all.

And maybe its just me, but I was not taking a conscious risk yesterday. I was driving along at what felt like to me a normal, safe speed given the location and prevailing conditions. I didn't see the cop, I didn't look at my speedo, I just got nabbed and had to believe him when he said I was going 52 (I'm sure I probably was).

So I think my issue is only partly because of the situation, but mostly because I think the "system" is set up to create "traps" for decent people to fall into. He wasn't sitting in that very spot on that very stretch of road because he just happened to be there. He was there because he knows the speed limit is low, the traffic light, and that the few people driving there will speed a little. See what I mean? A "non-innocent" trap laid out for more-or-less "innocent-people". THAT is what bothers me. He wasn't there to keep the roads safe. He was there to tag speeders and make the city money. I know its his job, I don't fault him, I just don't like the setup.

That's all I can say.

Its 4th of July weekend, and you know the cops (and drunks) will be out, so drive safe everyone!!

Bart

[VXobsession]

Hey guys, don't forget about the times when there's a LINE of traffic going 10-15+ over the speed limit and you're the one that gets pulled over. Cop told me one time, "well, it's too much trouble to try to stop all of you, you're just the one I decided to pull over, at least the city'll get YOUR money". Did everything in my power not to slap that a**hole.

[ZEUS]

I live 1.5 miles from work. There is a "speed trap" where a cop or sometimes up to 3 are waiting for folks to come up and over a viaduct. People in the middle lane jockey for a position in the right lane "one more car ahead of where they could be" knowing full well which lane they need to be in to enter the interstate before they even come up and over. They hit speeds of 55+ in a 45 just before the exit. Then they slam on the brakes as they wedge themselves in between the people who were conscientious and polite enough to get there casually/safely. No disrespect, Bart, as these two scenarios are probly apples to oranges, but I agree with traffic cops swarming in this area to bust these people in a speed trap fashion. I have to question tho... Is it possible that if the speed limit in the area you mention were raised by 10 mph people would then be traveling at 10 over that new figure? You know they would... because people view speed limits as suggestions and really nothing more... like they should with seat belts!

So really, I'd say it's our own fault if speed limits are set "too low". It used to be that nobody would go more than 5 over, then it became 10 was the norm... seriously, it has to stop somewhere. So with that mindset, if a cop pulls you over for doing 12 over, in any place, I have to say, you had it comin.

[vt_maverick]

No county, city, or state can survive on taxes alone so there must be alternative streams. Fines and penalties are an example.

I think you could argue speed traps are just another form of tax - it's a tax on people in a hurry, kind of like how lottery tickets are a tax on stupid people or tolls are a tax on people who need to use a road. Perhaps more appropriately it's that no politician's political career can survive based on raising taxes across his entire constituency. Traffic fines are more elegant because the politician can always say, "Well if you didn't choose to speed you wouldn't have had to pay the fine." And because most of us get lucky most of the time, we all just cross our fingers rather than charge the state house in protest.

[FlyingV77]

I can and will blame the cops for "doing there job". being a police officer is something you have to work for and go to school to become. Its not like there working for burger king and they have no other choice. They CHOOSE to become jack booted thugs. There are 3 kinds of people that become cops.

1 people that were bullys in school and want to continue being a bully
2 people that were bullied, and what revenge.
3 People that want to make a difereance..... this is the worst kind, because they ALL eventual become jaded, and more corupt than the other two.

and yes i do have friend and family that are cops, and they admit, off the record, that there sole job is to generate revinew. as for preventing crimes, only if it doesnt interfere with writing tickets.

[Ebenezr]

I smell roast pork. Burnt pork. sorry Moncha I grew up in a time when we called cops something else.

[VXR]

I really don't want to talk about the red light cameras. Getting a ticket for one of those when I lived in Chicago was the final FU from that freakin' place before I moved.

Its freakin' criminal and completely unfair and unconstitutional if you ask me.

Bart

I had just commented to a coworker about how those things are BS money makers. Well I guess I jinxed myself because a few days later got one in the mail. I had no idea just how BS they are. I got a ticket for taking what I thought was a "free right" and not making a "complete" stop. There is no way I was endangering anyone as there were people turning left in front of me so don't give me the safety argument. $135.00 Lynnwood WA.



and we all just sit back and say thank you sir may I have another...

[VX KAT]

You hit it on the head man!!!

I just realized, that I started this thread for one reason, because I got a ticket and I feel that I DID NOT deserve it. Pull me over, give me a warning, OK. But wait for the REAL speed demon. Wait for the 17 year old girl that you can see texting while driving. Wait for the seriously negligant. Don't screw over normal people going to work. It just makes us hate "the man" even more.

Bart

First off, IMHO, the police have to have the toughest job in the world, often dealing with the scum of the earth on an almost daily basis....I have very close friends that are cops...I don't know how they deal with that, and have my utmost respect.

Yes, the seriously negligent:
My brother's son (age 30!) in S. FL recently had an accident at 3 AM on the freeway. A car had broken down in #1 lane, no flashers on. Nephew has heavily modded hi-po sports car, was going well over speed limit, smashed into the back end.......and was drunk as a skunk! In what I consider to be simply unbelievable....the cop on scene grabbed him, pushed him toward my brother (who had been called) and said "get him out of here now", clearly knowing he was drunk. The cop made some negative commentary about illegal aliens (in the other car, unharmed as they were on center birm).

Amazingly, he only suffered a punctured bladder and had a urostomy bag for 2 months while his bladder healed up, along with many sore muscles and bruises.

Why in the world they didn't ticket him is simply beyond my comprehension! He was as wrong as it gets, and unbelievably lucky he wasn't more severely injured, and even luckier he didn't injure or kill others. He's healed, and unfortunately......back doing all the same things now.........
Definitely think a whopping DUI/DWI ticket and some jail time (since it was #2) may have helped this spoiled man-child grow up a bit, and make the public a little safer.....

....this all seems so backwards..

[VXR]

Red light cameras, nothing more than money making for the city, enabled by naive do gooders and alarmists on the local editorial boards:
http://blog.motorists.org/6-cities-t...es-for-profit/
http://www.theagitator.com/2008/03/1...h-mayhem-acne/
http://www.theagitator.com/2010/12/0...-making-money/
http://reason.com/blog/2008/08/12/la...nals-red-light
http://www.officer.com/news/10247476...gned-citations

X2

[Triathlete]

I can and will blame the cops for "doing there job". being a police officer is something you have to work for and go to school to become. Its not like there working for burger king and they have no other choice. They CHOOSE to become jack booted thugs. There are 3 kinds of people that become cops.

1 people that were bullys in school and want to continue being a bully
2 people that were bullied, and what revenge.
3 People that want to make a difereance..... this is the worst kind, because they ALL eventual become jaded, and more corupt than the other two.

and yes i do have friend and family that are cops, and they admit, off the record, that there sole job is to generate revinew. as for preventing crimes, only if it doesnt interfere with writing tickets.

I am sure we could pigeon hole everyone in your lne of "work" into a few stereotypical catagories as well.

[Triathlete]

I live 1.5 miles from work. There is a "speed trap" where a cop or sometimes up to 3 are waiting for folks to come up and over a viaduct. People in the middle lane jockey for a position in the right lane "one more car ahead of where they could be" knowing full well which lane they need to be in to enter the interstate before they even come up and over. They hit speeds of 55+ in a 45 just before the exit. Then they slam on the brakes as they wedge themselves in between the people who were conscientious and polite enough to get there casually/safely. No disrespect, Bart, as these two scenarios are probly apples to oranges, but I agree with traffic cops swarming in this area to bust these people in a speed trap fashion. I have to question tho... Is it possible that if the speed limit in the area you mention were raised by 10 mph people would then be traveling at 10 over that new figure? You know they would... because people view speed limits as suggestions and really nothing more... like they should with seat belts!

So really, I'd say it's our own fault if speed limits are set "too low". It used to be that nobody would go more than 5 over, then it became 10 was the norm... seriously, it has to stop somewhere. So with that mindset, if a cop pulls you over for doing 12 over, in any place, I have to say, you had it comin.

Zeus...the voice of reason?
Did someone hack into your account?

[FlyingV77]

in my line of "work" i dont steal peoples hard earned money confesacte there property under the ruse of helping.

as for stereotypes, are there because they are based on facts, the good ones AND the bad ones.

[PK]

OK youse guys - what have you done with the real Zeus?? Some things just not right here.

But I gotta say - you do the crime, you pay up.

I have been pulled up by good cops, and by bad cops. Might have even been the same cop on a bad day - we all have them. (Bad days that is.)
One thing for sure, I have never been pulled up when I didn't deserve to be in the eyes of the law makers.

We just all need to live within the guidelines and laws that the majority of society have laid down for us. If you don't like it - move somewhere else.

We have the insidious mobile hidden speed cameras in Tasmania.
But we all know that they are set at 8kph (5mph) above the speed limit.
How close do you want to push it and run the risk??
The cameras are everywhere, and run by a private company.
The more tickets they write, the more money they make. They get a percentage of the fines.
No cops involved.

Is that enough to make me move interstate??
No, to many other benefits of living where I do, so I put up with it, and when I get a ticket, I get angry with myself - no one else.

Next time you get a ticket, have a look in the mirror, and get angry with that guy (or gal).
You might get less tickets then.

PK

[Moncha]

I can and will blame the cops for "doing there job". being a police officer is something you have to work for and go to school to become. Its not like there working for burger king and they have no other choice. They CHOOSE to become jack booted thugs. There are 3 kinds of people that become cops.

1 people that were bullys in school and want to continue being a bully
2 people that were bullied, and what revenge.
3 People that want to make a difereance..... this is the worst kind, because they ALL eventual become jaded, and more corupt than the other two.

and yes i do have friend and family that are cops, and they admit, off the record, that there sole job is to generate revinew. as for preventing crimes, only if it doesnt interfere with writing tickets.

Thank you so much for your myopic point of view...

[VXR]

They CHOOSE to become jack booted thugs. There are 3 kinds of people that become cops.

1 people that were bullys in school and want to continue being a bully
2 people that were bullied, and what revenge.
3 People that want to make a difereance..... this is the worst kind, because they ALL eventual become jaded, and more corupt than the other two.

hey flying generalize much?