California law essentially makes paying traffic fines VOLUNTARY!!

[Fang]

"The policy will help ensure people's lives are not derailed by traffic tickets", said Sen. Bob Hertzberg, a Van Nuys Democrat who has championed the issue in the Legislature.

Uh... Traffic tickets are there to ensure public safety. If someone "derails" their life because they keep running red lights or speeding so be it. The Liberal mind never ceases to amaze.

 

[Ernie S.]

Fines are not extortion, They are penalties. Is a prison sentence for extortion, extortion?

I think he's referring to selective application. Imagine extortionists being sentenced only when it's convenient to the system.

I am specifically speaking of what I said—laws that are enacted and enforced, not to promote any rational concept of public order, safety, or fairness, but specifically to trap people into breaking them, so that they may be extorted into paying fines.

Anyone who has ever lived in downtown Sacramento, in an apartment complex that doesn't offer off-street parking, would be very familiar with one clear example. There are certain times and days when you may not park on certain sides of the street. The signs announcing this cite “street cleaning” as the reason, though, in the time I lived in that situation, I never saw any relevant street-cleaning activities. It gets tricky to keep track of where you may leave your car when, and I don't think anyone who lives there very long avoids getting an occasional parking ticket. I think that it is quite clear that the true purpose of this confusing and irrational set of parking restrictions is specifically to catch people violating them, for the purpose of fraud and extortion.

I believe that similar principles are behind many traffic regulations, especially speed limits. I'm not saying that there should be no speed limits, but I often find them to be implemented in a way that shows no clear connection to safety. I'll point out, as an example, Gerber Road, in the Sacramento area. At the east end, where it meets Excelsior road, the posted speed limit is 55 miles per hour. At that point, it's a rather rough, unlit, narrow road, poorly maintained, and as heavy as my right foot sometimes tends to get, I say that 55 is too fast for that section of road, but that's the posted speed limit. After a few miles of that, going west, it crosses Bradshaw, and becomes a much better road. The condition of the pavement is better, it's wider, better lit, and in every way built to support a higher speed, but now the speed limit drops to 50. A few miles further west, it crosses Florin-Perkins, the road condition becomes even better, but now the posted speed limit drops to 40. If the speed limits were being set according to legitimate safety concerns, then the posted speed limit would be lower at the east end, and go higher as it went further west, rather than doing the opposite. 40 would be a reasonable and rational limit for the portion that is posted at 55, and 55 would be reasonable and rational for the portion that is posted at 40.

Speed limits have more criteria than road conditions like traffic volume, pedestrian traffic, schools, churches, businesses etc.
I'm very sorry that you feel the "system" is out to get you, but in my experience, those that feel they shouldn't be bound by the same rules as everyone else pay a price for their arrogance.

 

[Ernie S.]

Every time I get a seatbelt ticket here in NC I fight it. Got 1 dropped after a year of court as did my father. Another one I appealed lol. I would pay them if they wouldn't cost me 162$ a piece. Now I warn people where the cops are sitting so they can avoid them. I always wear my government is corrupt shirt to court plead not guilty and then get several continuances because usually its the state patrol that pulls me over here and they get transferred sooner or later.

So you lose 2 or 3 days of work and pay a lawyer to avoid a 162 dollar fine. Would it not be simpler to wear your seal belt?
If you go through life assuming the government is out to get you, the government is going to punish you for disregarding the law. Forget that you think seatbelt laws are unjust. I tend to agree. I've fought for the elimination of helmet laws in 2 states even paying for my activism with blood in one instance until I realized that working within the system would yield better results than bloodying a state cop's billy club with my head.
Your shirt will no impress the Judge. It may, in fact piss him off. But then, if that's your intention, good for you. I'd much rather organize a meeting between a group of people who shared my views and my elected representative than miss a few days of work. Maybe you too will grow up one day.

You're assuming he works.

I also assume he lives in Mamma's basement, but I was trying to be kind for once.

You would be wrong...somehow I have a feeling you make a habit out of that snowflake. My folks live 100 miles from me. I pay rent on a wonderful 4 bedroom house that me and my wife rent.

Every time I get a seatbelt ticket here in NC I fight it. Got 1 dropped after a year of court as did my father. Another one I appealed lol. I would pay them if they wouldn't cost me 162$ a piece. Now I warn people where the cops are sitting so they can avoid them. I always wear my government is corrupt shirt to court plead not guilty and then get several continuances because usually its the state patrol that pulls me over here and they get transferred sooner or later.

You're such a rebel

Oh I know such a Jesse James I am!

Snowflake? Me? So you rent a 4 bedroom home When I was your age, I owned (paid for) 110 acres and 2 rental properties. Since,I've owned 4 more homes and a few more rentals. I've retired to Alabama where I own a home on 3.5 acres that I paid cash for.
Yes, I see laws that I feel are unjust. I suck it up and work within the system to change them.

 

[ShootSpeeders]

"The policy will help ensure people's lives are not derailed by traffic tickets", said Sen. Bob Hertzberg, a Van Nuys Democrat who has championed the issue in the Legislature.

Uh... Traffic tickets are there to ensure public safety. If someone "derails" their life because they keep running red lights or speeding so be it. The Liberal mind never ceases to amaze.

Damn right. Why can't blacks and latins just obey the law.? End of problem.