Worthless Cops

[pretender]

I've heard all these stories about bad cops but thankfully I have never met one.

 

[insein]

Dont get me started on asshole cops. I hadnt got a ticket in 4 years. This past september i got 2 within 3 weeks. All they normally do is meet you in court and say ill plead you down to a lesser charge but the fine stays the same. Thats all they ever did for me. Obviously they want to make money for the township.

The first one i got pulled over for was making a left turn in a left turning lane at 12 midnight on a saturday. No traffic oncoming. No traffic behind. I turn. Cop must have been hiding in the business parking lot in pitch blackness (illegal in PA but try telling that to a judge). Pulls me over i dont say a word, go to court pleads it down i pay the fine but get no points.

The second one really pissed me off. I was driving in my Girlfrinds development in Levittown and the stop signs are usually a quick hit on the breaks, check then go. A cop happened to waiting at one on a morning when i was headed to work. He pulls me over what he said was a failure to stop when i stopped at the sign. Nevermind the fact that he couldnt even see due to a hedgerow in his way. When he pulls me over i ask him to let me slide because i was late for work. He said no. I go to court thinking he'll just plead me down like they all do. No this fucker decides to try me like im a felon. Brings all his notes and all his BS to the judge and i have just my word. I wasnt excpecting a trial otherwise i would have taken pictures of his vantage point. I explained it to the judge but being the bitch that she is says i dont believe your story. I believe the officers. So not only did i have to pay the full fine, i got 3 points on my license (6 points and you have to retake the test). They go away in 3 years but what the fuck did that do to protect and serve the people. You got your fucking money. thats enough deterent for me. No this asshole wanted to fuck me as well. Dont know what my insurance will be next go around.

So being in the poorest year of my life at the poorest time of my life i have to cough up $300 to some shit ass township for breaking their "traffic laws". Total Bullshit.

Go do some fucking police work and stop harrassing honest citizens.

 

[5stringJeff]

The only justifiable traffic policing I can see is cops around school zones. I am fine with keeping it slow around kids.

But pulling people over for doing 67 on the freeway?!? Gimme a break.

 

[freeandfun1]

The only justifiable traffic policing I can see is cops around school zones. I am fine with keeping it slow around kids.

But pulling people over for doing 67 on the freeway?!? Gimme a break.

I agree with you, but even school zones are often nothing but revenue generators.

My office is right across the street from a high-school. The police are never around when school is let out and the kids are racing up and down the street, showing off, etc. Yet, when classes are in and the students are all inside the building, the cops set up speed traps catching people and giving them $250 tickets (minimum) for going say, 20 in a 15. If they were really there to keep the kids safe, they would have the traps set up as school lets out and the streets are jammed with buses, kids jaywalking and cars going 30 - 40 MPH in a 15 MPH school zone. Not while classes are in and the streets look like those of a ghost town.

 

[Johnney]

The only justifiable traffic policing I can see is cops around school zones. I am fine with keeping it slow around kids.

But pulling people over for doing 67 on the freeway?!? Gimme a break.

67 on a freeway is kind of retarded, but technically you know the deal. breaking the law is breaking the law.
i jsut got my first speeding ticket ever a couple weeks ago! 80 in a 65. and that fucker came out of no where and suprised the hell out of me.

 

[no1tovote4]

The only justifiable traffic policing I can see is cops around school zones. I am fine with keeping it slow around kids.

But pulling people over for doing 67 on the freeway?!? Gimme a break.

Most of the time I would agree with you, if it was only your life on the line. When you are a Firefighter you get to see many accidents. I will tell you now and clearly the faster you are going the worse off you will look in the end. As I said, cleaning up your mess wouldn't be bad if there were nobody else involved but it is almost never that way. Almost always those who go out of control due to speed kill somebody else on the road while they survive with injuries. Speed limits are set for control capabilities. No matter how many people think they are the most awesome driver in the world, only one of them is right.

 

[dmp]

Most of the time I would agree with you, if it was only your life on the line. When you are a Firefighter you get to see many accidents. I will tell you now and clearly the faster you are going the worse off you will look in the end. As I said, cleaning up your mess wouldn't be bad if there were nobody else involved but it is almost never that way. Almost always those who go out of control due to speed kill somebody else on the road while they survive with injuries. Speed limits are set for control capabilities. No matter how many people think they are the most awesome driver in the world, only one of them is right.

Again - crashing isn't the result of speed; it's the result of poor driving.

 

[-Cp]

Most accidents could be prevented if drivers were required to go thru the same strengent training as Commercial Airline Pilots... It's not like flying is THAT much more difficult it's just that there's far less room for error - same could be true of driving... but that'd upset too many people who feel it's somehow their "right" to drive and don't understand that it's not a right, but a pridiledge and one that can be taken away..

 

[no1tovote4]

Again - crashing isn't the result of speed; it's the result of poor driving.

The level of damage is the direct result of your speed at the time you lose control. I was clear in my post. And as I said so long as it is only your life taken or detrimentally effected I will agree that speed limits should never be set. However it is rarely so and therefore I simply disagree. The speeds set are for your safety as well, other drivers may not be as good as you are. They set them at a speed that most crappy-ass drivers will not lose control and endanger you and your family with their SUV.

Now the cop giving the ticket has the ability to determine the time and place. 4 in the morning, 5 miles above the speed limit? 10? I wouldn't give a ticket and would agree the cop is just being an ass.

I will agree that driving courses might stop people from endangering more lives than speed limits, but which way is most cost effective?

 

[dmp]

The damage is the result of speed. I was clear in my post. And as I said so long as it is only your life taken or detrimentally effected I will agree that speed limits should never be set. However it is rarely so and therefore I simply disagree.

The symptom is speeding under the wrong conditions...the illness is 'poor driving judgement', or 'inability to control a car at speed'. Improving the training we give drivers will go further than simply shackling drivers with insanely-low speed limits. Even if accidents are more likely to cause deaths at speed, the total number of deaths would decrease - drastically - if we simply taught people better.

(shrug)

 

[no1tovote4]

The symptom is speeding under the wrong conditions...the illness is 'poor driving judgement', or 'inability to control a car at speed'. Improving the training we give drivers will go further than simply shackling drivers with insanely-low speed limits. Even if accidents are more likely to cause deaths at speed, the total number of deaths would decrease - drastically - if we simply taught people better.

(shrug)

Understood, but which State Government is going to take away the priveledge of most people to drive? Which is more cost effective, keeping poor driver's speed down in order to not endanger you and yours with their vehicles or forcing everyone to take a course?

I would challenge you to find a politician in support of forcing everyone to take a course such as were suggested above before they could get a license. I don't believe you would find one willing to commit to such a politically damaging course. However setting limits to the speed in which people drive is cost effective and doesn't get them voted out of office.

 

[Johnney]

The symptom is speeding under the wrong conditions...

there is a right condition?

 

[Johnney]

However setting limits to the speed in which people drive is cost effective and doesn't get them voted out of office.

im in favor of at least doubling all traffic related fines. then maybe there wouldnt be a need for driving school. after you have recieved your first ticket, keep doubling it for each occurance

 

[dmp]

Understood, but which State Government is going to take away the priveledge of most people to drive? Which is more cost effective, keeping poor driver's speed down in order to not endanger you and yours with their vehicles or forcing everyone to take a course?

I would challenge you to find a politician in support of forcing everyone to take a course such as were suggested above before they could get a license. I don't believe you would find one willing to commit to such a politically damaging course. However setting limits to the speed in which people drive is cost effective and doesn't get them voted out of office.

I'm advocating raising the driving age to 18 - and requiring MUCH harder tests, which include evaluations of judgement. Research how German Licensing laws work. Adopting those policies will save lives. We haven't adopted those policies for a couple of reasons - I speculate them to be #1 Insurance Companies make MILLIONS + off raising rates for 'speeding' tickets. Wealthy organizations are lobbyists. Another reason, however much a stretch - Governments make LOTS of money off young speeders.

I'm not advocating 'going back' and changing what people already have obtained as far as licensing; more a new start...eventually those licensed under the old system will die, or retire from the road. We have to start sometime.

 

[no1tovote4]

I'm advocating raising the driving age to 18 - and requiring MUCH harder tests, which include evaluations of judgement. Research how German Licensing laws work. Adopting those policies will save lives. We haven't adopted those policies for a couple of reasons - I speculate them to be #1 Insurance Companies make MILLIONS + off raising rates for 'speeding' tickets. Wealthy organizations are lobbyists. Another reason, however much a stretch - Governments make LOTS of money off young speeders.

I'm not advocating 'going back' and changing what people already have obtained as far as licensing; more a new start...eventually those licensed under the old system will die, or retire from the road. We have to start sometime.

This would work for me. Some sad young people, but they can't vote. You might even be able to get a politician to support it.