Another Traffic Pwning :)

[radiocerk]

Cellphones...

At least in my city, it's an offense, but it's only a secondary offense. Meaning they can't pull you over for it, they can just tack another fine on if you get pulled over for something else. Don't I wish they'd change that. Good way for the cops to make their salaries.

And if you're speeding, you deserve it. You knew the law, you chose to break it. I don't care what law you're breaking, I'm going to consider it karma when you're caught and you get in trouble.

[Chromatix]

In Britain, speeding is a primary offence (pull over, fine & penalty points), and so is non-hands-free mobile phoning. Which is fine by me.

What actually annoys me is that the speed cameras have to be ultra-visible like nothing else on the road. It means that drivers are looking at the camera and at their speedometer, not at the road - and usually at an accident blackspot which was the reason for the camera in the first place. Which is why, according to at least some statistics, the accident rate has actually gone *up* with Gatso introduction.

By all means, put up a sign saying there are cameras in the area. But *hide* the damn camera itself. That's the only way to keep people honest, it seems.

[crazylegs]

Good way for the cops to make their salaries.

The fine is merely punitive, there is nil profit on tickets, infact they make a small loss each time they issue it (all the admin costs, salaries etc).

[protege]

The fine is merely punitive, there is nil profit on tickets, infact they make a small loss each time they issue it (all the admin costs, salaries etc).

Same here. If you look at the breakdown, nearly all of the cash goes to things like our EMS services, fire department, etc. Very little actually goes to the police department itself.

[Chromatix]

More about mobiles, from the BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7568293.stm

[PepperElf]

how fast was she going over the speedlimit? was she driving reckless (minus the cell phone)...

Well you don't have to be "reckless driving" to get a speeding ticket. From what mom & dad tell me, that road is a popular road for people to actually speed on... and from what i saw, i think she was over 5mph above the speed limit.

and i have to agree... you can get away with 5mph in most areas, but beyond that... drivers shouldn't complain about tickets. it's part of accepting the responsibility of getting behind the wheel.

and yeah this is ny state so... the cell phone usage was illegal too. she was definitely NOT using the hands-free mode.

But now, because of some co-workers I do know the laws on reckless driving... at least the laws in VA.

20 Miles over the limit is automatically reckless driving. The ticket will not have the little "just pay the fine and skip court" box checked off - so the drivers HAVE to go to court (a co-worker went through this for doing 75 in a 55 & then whined about it non stop). You can also get the RD ticket for other things, like driving too fast in the rain or snow... and by the cop's judgement. (Don't forget VA is a commonwealth - or as we called it communistwealth - state, so cops have some freedom in determining what's against the law).

Also... if you go fast enough, you skip the RD and go right to an arrest. One of my friends told me that one of his students got arrested on the way to class for doing 80 in a 25 zone... so yeah, 55mph over the limit will do that. (and no, your teacher cannot tell the cops to not arrest you in that kind of case... tho she did call him and asked him to talk to the cop)

[otakuneko]

Once, on the way to work, I had this stupid Toyota SUV tailgating me -- while doing 70 in the left lane. She must've been going the same way I was, as when it came time to change highways, she followed me onto the exit. The exit ramp starts out as two lanes and loses one near the end. She took the opportunity to zoom past me (mind you, I'm still going 70.)

She ended up zooming past a cop, who very quickly went after her. Unlike the turnpike we'd just been on, the highway we'd just merged onto was very heavily patrolled you see. I laughed as I took the very first exit, an excellent start to another day at a job I hated.

Yesterday, I got to see some idiot in a Jetta nearly pwn himself. As I'm driving to work, I like to keep up with traffic. Traffic usually moves around 60mph even though it's only a 45 zone. I'm in the left lane--there's a slow-moving truck in the right. Anyway, as I'm nearing the truck, some fool in a VW is coming up behind me. Fast. Not only does he flip his lights at me, oh no. He whips the car into the right lane, nearly rear-ends the car 2 lengths ahead of me (behind the truck), then he whips the car into my lane...and nearly rear-ends the car in front of me! He had to slam on (nearly locking) the brakes just to avoid wrecking. I was back far enough all I could do was go What was he in a hurry for? To get off at the next exit (which leaves the highway on the left)--I was still going at the same speed when I passed him. Was it really necessary to drive like a fucking idiot?

It's this kind of driver, not the average speeder, that needs to be pulled over and taught a lesson by the cops. Although I find these guys less of an annoyance than slow drivers. (not to say they're not still idiots) The aggressive, weaving drivers I can predict easily. It's the slow ones I have to keep an eye on. I know that Ricky Bobby over there's gonna change lanes, but what's Gramma about to do? To me, driving's all about predicting and being predictable. I drive with such in mind.

Normally, I drive 70 on the highway (5-10 over, depending on the area) or go with the flow, whichever comes first. Only reason I've been trying to drive slower lately is because of gas prices. I try to stay out of the left lane if I'm not doing 70, but it's hard not to just speed up and park it in the left lane.

[Nashida]

Forget speeding, is there still states that don't have a driving-while-talking law? The cell phone is enough of a distraction to warrent the pull over. Together, speeding and cell phone, the chances of an accident increase quite a bit.

MA sure doesn't, which annoys me to know end when I'm getting tailgated by someone yapping on their phone on the freeway, only to pass me still yapping and doing 90 mph (I do 70 mph in the slow lane; cops around here don't nab ya if you're 5 over, but 6+ over and you're pwned).

[PepperElf]

which reminds me... one of the stupidest things they would do in va....
Pass you on the left at 70+... just so they could get in front of you and take the exit on the right... Yeah, almost causing a traffic accident to get where they'd have gotten anyway if they'd have waited 30 more seconds...

idiots

[One-Fang]

we were heading on the the highway one night las winter and near the on roamp they had a DUI check point set up. A few cars back one driver decide he didn't want to be involved with said checkpoint. Te cops were prepared they had an unmarked car hiding on a side street a little ways back to get the people that did that.

Hehehe. A friend was once telling me he did that. He simply didn't want to take the time to be held up by the DUI tests. He was not drunk at all, just chose to turn around and take a different route home.

Got pulled over not very far past. They did every test they could and were apparently damned disappointed this was really not a drunk driver trying to avoid them.

[protege]

Hehehe. A friend was once telling me he did that. He simply didn't want to take the time to be held up by the DUI tests. He was not drunk at all, just chose to turn around and take a different route home.

I did something similar awhile back. At the time, the state police would hold checkpoints all over rural SW PA. Driving drunk is a *big* problem down there. Anyway, when I was driving back to Grandma's after a long day of college classes, I took the back roads. Most of those roads were usually deserted, and great fun to drive in the Tercel. Plus, I didn't want to get caught by the coal train in town

Anyway, as I'm a few miles away, I see flashing lights. At the time, I thought "it looks like an idiot has wrecked." Nope, it was the state police. We were heading into a long weekend, and they'd set up a checkpoint. In the middle of the afternoon, I might add...

It was *just* past the intersection. Surprisingly, the cops let me turn off without making me take the DUI test.

[Geek King]

which reminds me... one of the stupidest things they would do in va....
Pass you on the left at 70+... just so they could get in front of you and take the exit on the right... Yeah, almost causing a traffic accident to get where they'd have gotten anyway if they'd have waited 30 more seconds...
(

Not just in VA. I see it everyday here in Ohio. I-675 around Dayton seems to be the local favorite for the Fast and the furious wannabees.

[Seshat]

Before anyone brings up an analogy with aircraft pilots and ther radios, let me head that one off. Pilots are trained and assessed for ability to handle the radio at the same time as flying. Also, when flying, hazards generally do not show up with only seconds' notice - and when they do, you damn well know about it.

And 99% of the radio conversations pilots have are with other pilots, flight engineers and air traffic controllers. The few exceptions are consultations with ground-based flight-emergency personnel.

None of those people are going to interrupt a pilot who's just said 'Oh shit!'

[Jay 2K Winger]

Reminds me of something I saw once with my Dad. We were driving up to Delaware to visit my grandparents, and we're stopped in traffic somewhere in Eastern Maryland or somewhere. We see this car pull out into the shoulder and drive on past us. Dad goes, "Real nice, buddy, nice to see you're so much more important," generally kinda pissy, and who wouldn't be?

I lean against the window, watching Jackass driving down the shoulder, and I see another car pull out behind him. I'm about to comment on how now another person's doing it, when I see the flashing lights come on in the back window of the second car. "Ha! A cop just caught that guy!"

Traffic started moving not too long after, and we get to cruise past Jackass as the statie writes him a ticket.

Almost as good was this one time I was driving back from Otakon with my girlfriend. We're just getting onto I-95 out of Baltimore when this car goes zipping past us and keeps going. We watch this cop car just come zipping up behind him, but the way this cop was going, it was like he was just ambling up behind the guy, then pops his lights on. We laughed ourselves silly about it.

[Javarod]

i have a small problem with this...

how fast was she going over the speedlimit? was she driving reckless (minus the cell phone)...


i think that cops do that kind of thing just as a revenue generator. I understand they need revenue, i guess i just don't like the way they go about it.

You know, this is like the argument against speed cameras here, people are basically arguing that its their right to break the law. Mmmmm, no, i don't think so, yes its a revenue generator, because most people refuse to believe speed limits apply to them, so ifn the cops want to make money off of their attitude problem, i've no problem with it.