Posted: 2/22/2004 5:58:33 AM EDT
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I have read on other forums where police post, that many times they won't issue a speeding ticket unless a driver is going more than 8-10 mph over the speed limit, and in some cases I have read some cops say they won't ticket until 15 over. My question is why is this? Let's use my worse case and say you ticket at 15 over. If the speed limit is 70, the speeder will have to be doing 85 to get a ticket, or 80 from an 8-10 kind of guy. I think people should get a ticket at 5 over, that being an acceptable amount of error. If tickets don't get issued until 10 to 15 over, why even have a speed limit? |
| Because the goal of traffic enforcement is to get people to slow down. We recognize that sometimes there will be variances in speedometers and that for brief periods of time someone may lapse over the speed limit. We therefore write tickets to those who appear to be in intentional violation. |
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Quoted: I have read on other forums where police post, that many times they won't issue a speeding ticket unless a driver is going more than 8-10 mph over the speed limit, and in some cases I have read some cops say they won't ticket until 15 over. My question is why is this? Let's use my worse case and say you ticket at 15 over. If the speed limit is 70, the speeder will have to be doing 85 to get a ticket, or 80 from an 8-10 kind of guy. I think people should get a ticket at 5 over, that being an acceptable amount of error. If tickets don't get issued until 10 to 15 over, why even have a speed limit? Hey troll...back again huh? Well see...if we issued tickets at 5 mph over the speed limit than we'd have to listen to you rant about how that is unfair and that you sensed we might execute you. |
| We don't have time to stop and ticket every single person going 5 miles an hour over the speed limit- that would be virtually every driver on the road. We're too busy dealing with the shootings, stabbings, assaults, domestic disturbances, mentals out of control, etc. Plus, the general public, who pay our salaries, would never stand for it. Giving someone a ticket for 5 over is horrible community relations, and our liberal muni judge would dismiss it and chew the officer out anyway. Plus, that many additional traffic stops just means more chances for innocent citizens to be murdered by us trigger-happy cops, right? I would think you would want to limit the interaction between us and innocent people, not increase it. |
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One must be careful what one asks LE to enforce. Citing drivers for minor infractions such as 5mph over the limit will have a far more negative impact on community relations and civilian/police cooperation than any possible benifit dervived by such an action on average road speed. But I suspect the poster knows that already. Regards, Gary |
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There is no in stone rule, and it will all depend on the patrolling officer. In general, LEO's would much rather catch the alpha male then a runt.. why get every 5 over when you can get the big 15. This is not to say people going 5 over never get pulled over, because it's happened to me and it has happened to people I know. Keep in mind 5 over in a 25mph zone is worse than 5mph on the highway, and is often treated as such |
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Let me clarify this a little. What I meant was that it doesn't seem to do much good if we allow 15 over before getting a ticket. You see what I mean? I really do think driving cars too fast is bad and can and does cause needless accidents. I'd personally like to see people get tickets above 5 over, and I'd like to see speed limits set at 25 mph in residential one lane neighborhoods, and 35 in residential 2 lane neighborhoods. 55 for loops and freeways in the city limits. I don't care how mush people whine, the roads would be safer. |
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You still don't get it. Why have a speed limit if you won't enforce it until 15 over? If you enforcered at 5 over, you still wouldn't be stopping anymore people then you do now, because of the number of cops doing it. Another thing, why do you have to be so rude? Another thing, you should be careful about that descretion you talk about. Before long I'd bet you won't have that anymore. People are gonna start suing over not being treated like another person was by a cop, and the politicians you work for will pull that loop hole, as soon as one of them sees they might be able to pander to a certain voting block. IMO. For what it's worth, I think Shotars response was best. Thanks. |
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Quoted: You still don't get it. Why have a speed limit if you won't enforce it until 15 over? If you enforcered at 5 over, you still wouldn't be stopping anymore people then you do now, because of the number of cops doing it. Another thing, why do you have to be so rude? Another thing, you should be careful about that descretion you talk about. Before long I'd bet you won't have that anymore. People are gonna start suing over not being treated like another person was by a cop, and the politicians you work for will pull that loop hole, as soon as one of them sees they might be able to pander to a certain voting block. IMO. For what it's worth, I think Shotars response was best. Thanks. Join your local PD and make a difference. you obviously have it all figured out. |
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heh... how much money do you have? how much do you pay in taxes? how much would you like you taxes to increase in order to get enough cops on the road to start writing for 5 over? how many real crimes would you like to allow to go un investigated in this trade off? where i am, there is a dedicated traffic unit... they seem to have no shortage of people to write for 10 over but I don't know what their personal limit is. most patrol guys are busy going from call to call to call and the only time you have to self-initiate traffic need to be worth it. oh, and another thing... after you do become a cop and decide to make the streets safe for little kids who play on the side of the interstate, try writing a few 5 over tickets and then stand in front of a judge and read your tired little screed about your theory on traffic safety to him and her. |
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Quoted: No tough guy, I didn't say that, but it sure seems hard to get a good answer. Thanks to the posters who tried to answer the question. Maybe if you didn't come in here and act like a douche bag so many times in the past, we would be more inclined to help you out. You and a few others, have been burned into our memories as a troll. I don't remember names all that much on here, but yours is one that I roll my eyes every time I see. It has nothing to do with us being smarter, dumber, or "tuff guys" it's simply your track record here that gets you the smart ass comments. |
| just remember MURPHY'S LAW. Just when you get the guy doing 5 over the limit, someone else comes by you at mach 1. If I can keep the motorist at just doing 5 to 10 miles over the limit on the interstate highways with Police presence alone then it's a good day. The motorists doing anywhere from 15 to 35 miles over the posted speed limit are the dangerous drivers that need picked off. |
| If you ticket for just 5 over, as has been said, you'd be getting just about everyone.You'd also be getting those people whose speedos are off a few MPH's due to things like off-sized tires. Ticketing at 15 over gets the people who are showing a clear intent to exceed the posted speed limit; there aren't any excuses they can give the judge as to why they were that far over the limit. It also gives the ADA who's going to be in court some wiggle room as far as offering a reduced speed in exchange for a guilty plea. If you cite for 5 over, what can the ADA reduce it to? Nothing. At 15 over, the ADA can reduce it to 9 over, most people will take that with a guilty plea and the number of trials is slashed significantly.Thats a savings in time and money for everyone involved. |
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Quoted: Thanks for the well thought out reply, but unlike you, I think speeding is dangerous, and don't think people should be "allowed" to exceed the limits by much. I was simply wondering why that is, sorry if that upsets you. In your zeal to blame cops for traffic safety problems, as you perceive them, you are not looking at or seeing the big picture. Traffic managment is not just cops and drivers. Law enforcment does not set the speed limit, traffic engineers do. But guess what.... they know that if they put it at 50, the average flow is going to be at 55-60. So if a road is safe for 55-60, the post it for 50. It is human nature to push the envelope, and they recognize and allow for that. LE allowing for this just works into the system. If anything, its simple minded drivers who drive the limit exactly or even under when traffic around is flowing faster that cause unsafe conditions, not running 5-10 over when the road design allows it to be safely done. "Speeding" is not dangerous, driving too fast for conditions is. And driving slower than the pace of traffic is also. |
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Quoted: You still don't get it. Why have a speed limit if you won't enforce it until 15 over? If you enforcered at 5 over, you still wouldn't be stopping anymore people then you do now, because of the number of cops doing it. I'm going to assume you don't know what a speed limit is set for. It's what the county,city,state has decided to be around the maximum speed at which a driver can operate their vehicle within boundries considered to be safe before crossing a threshold in which accidents become more serious and more regulard. A patrol units number 1 priority is to reduce accidents... is the getting someone at 15 over 5 making sense yet? |
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Quoted: In your zeal to blame cops for traffic safety problems, as you perceive them,... This has got to be the all time stupid cop quote that I have ever heard. LMFAO. And yours has to be one of the stupidist things said by anyone here, considering I am not, have never been, and have no desire to be in law enforcment. You came here with the idea that speeding is a traffic safety propblem, and it is caused by cops allowing folks to go over the limit. I posted the truth of the matter and so far you have ignored it. |
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Quoted: In your zeal to blame cops for traffic safety problems, as you perceive them,... This has got to be the all time stupid cop quote that I have ever heard. LMFAO. Actually, sounds like a guy that has worked traffic for a while, has something to do with implementing or planning traffic control/ or patterns. MadCain: This is your ONLY warning. DO NOT COME BACK OVER HERE. You are obviously anti-LEO, that's your opinion, good for you, but this is not the place. Like I stated, we read GD as well as BOS. For the rest of you, I'm locking this thread, it's run far enough. Guys, don't feed the[:K] [:D] Stay Safe Art in KY |