Speeding

[Bowtie Killer]

Dallas and the state of Texas will launch a 30-day speeding ticket frenzy. The state estimates that 9 million dollars will be generated in speeding tickets. 1 million will go to pay state troopers and Dallas Police officers overtime. There will be 50 police officers and state troopers in the Metroplex on duty at all times patrolling the 10 main intersections and highways.

They are the following:

I-35E north and south

I-20 east and west

75 north and south

635 entire loop

114 east and west

183 east and west

175 north and south

North Dallas Tollway north and south

George Bush Turnpike east and west

360 north and south

Now 5 mph above the limit can justify a ticket and every officer is supposed to pull a car over and write a ticket every 10 minutes. They have issued 30 brand new unmarked Crown Victoria cruisers and they are bringing all their part timers on full time. If you work in Dallas or the surrounding areas you must take one of these interstates, routes, or parkways. It's up to you how fast you are doing when they do. WBAP-820 AM confirmed all of this yesterday morning.

[smooth]

The state estimates that 9 million dollars will be generated in speeding tickets.
. It's up to you how fast you are doing when they do.
Micheal, the police force will still appreciate all your contributions.....:laugh:

[wskier]

We sent this to Mike but a later check at urban legends shows it might be a hoax.

[Venix]

If thats true i dont see how it is legal. They are already an ass to everyone without being told to pull someone over every 10min. I think they should pull over suv's for speeding over sports cars. After all, who will get into a wreck first? An SUV going 80, or a Corvette going 80?

[Oz98Cobra]

Definately an urban legend. Besides, DPD cannot buy new Crown Vic cruisers right now, and I really don't think the TX DPS is going to issue 30 new patrol cars for some 30 day blitz?

Speaking of DPD patrol cars, I saw a nice shiny new DPD Dodge Charger pull over a speeder on the 75 last week - looked pretty mean and I'm sure the DPD officers will be fighting to get into these speedy Hemis after dealing with clapped out old Crown Vics that should have been retired years ago. I had seen a few DPD Intrepids around, so it's no surprise to see them in Chargers?

Here's a link to similar hoax info:

http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_oc_speeding_ticket_frenzy.htm

and...

http://www.snopes.com/politics/traffic/newjersey.asp

[nitrofish]

I saw a Collin County Sheriff in a black Charger a few days ago. Pretty cool looking with the light bar on top.

[Lyle]

Not exactly 100% urban legand, last night on the news, Plano, Carrollton, and Irving have announced that they are stepping up their patrols for speeders (with lower leeway).

[02StangGT]

My stepdad works for Overnight and they told all there drivers this last week, and said Trucks can be stopped for 3miles over the posted speed limit. :surprised

[Oz98Cobra]

... Trucks can be stopped for 3miles over the posted speed limit. :surprised

... in a 30MPH zone maybe .... but the same goes for cars! These rumors crack me up - show me in the Texas traffic code where there is a stated number of MPH over the limit where a cop can pull a truck or anyone else over for that matter?

A cop can legally pull you over for 1 MPH over the limit if they wanted to - but if they were in the habit of ticketing everyone they catch doing 3 miles over the limit in a 65 zone, the courts would be completely overloaded with traffic ticket cases that even the most useless lawyers could win!

My guess is that the statistics have blown out some, and they need to be seen to be doing something about it. Anyone who thinks the cops are harsh in this town needs to get a reality check - everyone drives like freaking maniacs in North Dallas! And my experience has been that the cops haven't even been giving us a second glance unless you're doing at least 10mph over the limit - which is a lot in a 30 or 40 zone! That's certainly the case in Plano. So perhaps they will go back to using the 10% over rule - I don't have a problem with that if that's the plan?

[nitrofish]

Anyone who thinks the cops are harsh in this town needs to get a reality check

Oz is right. I do plenty of volunteer time with the Allen PD and I assure you, most officers don't have it in them to take the time to write tickets. They'd rather look the other way. I've been in the car with them when they do it.

[Venix]

Well ill give every cop, minus Plano a break. Plano cops are the Debil. I think i get pulled over there 60% of my trips through there no matter what kind of car i am in. The just seem to hate people.

[Oz98Cobra]

Well ill give every cop, minus Plano a break. Plano cops are the Debil. I think i get pulled over there 60% of my trips through there no matter what kind of car i am in. The just seem to hate people.

Perhaps it's Venix who is the Debil? ;) Sure it's not your driving that is attracting the attention of the Plano cops?

Leah and I have lived in Plano for 5 years - neither of us have front license plates, and neither of us drive like grandmothers - I'm usually only doing 10 over (because I always seem to be waiting for the year to be up before I can take another Defensive Driving class? ), and Leah is usually belting around at 15-20 over - and in all those years, the only time either of us have been pulled over by a Plano cop was when I didn't see the cruiser waiting at the light and layed down 2 nice 60' strips off rubber peeling out of my driveway :smoker: oops! And he just gave me a warning!

Another encounter with Plano cops was most pleasant - I stupidly tried to drive leah's old Mazda across town to get a dead alternator replaced right in the middle of peak hour traffic, and of course Murphys Law kicked in and I stalled it slap bang in the middle of the intersection of Parker and Independance. Boy did I feel like as ass! I didn't even have time to get through the AAA phone system when a Plano cop arrives on the scene - I was mad at myself and expected the cop to be pi$$ed at the idiot who has a dead clunker in the middle of a busy intersection during peak hour causing mayhem - but he was super cool - don't worry about it, that's life he says - he blocked the road with his cruiser, went and recruited a couple of fellas from a truck that was now blocked in, and then helped push the car off the road into the strip mall car park. Then he called the city tow truck and waited with me until it came about 15 minutes later. Definately an example of the "serve" part of Protect and Serve! And with a smile as well! :)

So no Debils around here in our experience?

[Oz98Cobra]

One thing you don't want to do in Plano in future is run a red light. Several intersections now have "photo enforcement" cameras on them which will result in a ticket in the mail if you run them (a warning notice will be sent until March 1st).

I don't really have a problem with red light cameras - they have been around for ages downunder - but I am concerned that cities can and are instigating their own programs - outside the State traffic code. I see this as a dangerous trend - it can lead to confusion between standards and signposting, etc., as well as the potential for violation of privacy - if red light running is a problem then there should be a uniform system that is partof Texas law, not the law of every podunk town who sees fit to come up with their own systems. It is interesting to note that the systems being installed in Plano and Richardson have actually come about because the company who makes them actively lobbied he cities to install them - they market them as a no risk "investment" since the cameras pay for themselves. Seems to me that this is upside down - a "solution" looking for a problem? Shouldn't it be the other way around?

So what's next? Cities installing there own speed cameras outside the scope of the traffic code? parking cameras perhaps? :confused:

[Oz98Cobra]

One thing you don't want to do in Plano in future is run a red light. Several intersections now have "photo enforcement" cameras on them which will result in a ticket in the mail if you run them ........

A couple of more alarming points about this red light camera business - read this excerpt from the Plano Police wesbite:

Under what authority can the City of Plano impose a civil penalty for running a red light?
In September 2003 the Texas Legislature ratified Senate Bill 1184, which amended Section 542.202 of the Texas Transportation Code. This amendment authorized municipalities to impose civil penalties against the owner of a motor vehicle for a violation of a municipal ordinance. Chapter 12 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Plano was enacted in August of 2004, which establishes a penalty to be assessed against the owner of a vehicle that enters an intersection after the light changes to red.

What does this mean? Firstly, it means that any city in Texas can implement it's own traffic laws and enforce them! Think about that for a minute? Everywhere you drive in Texas can and will have different traffic laws that no citizen could possibly no when he is in violation or not! Furthermore, it leaves the door wide open for unscrupulous podunk town to enact traffic laws purely for revenue raising from passing drivers! In this day and age when we really should be moving towards more uniform traffic laws nationally, Texas has taken us back into the 19th century! Unbelievable! :confused:

The second big problem I see is with the way this red light camera law has been implemented in Plano - it assesses the penatly against the OWNER and not the driver! In other words, the city of Plano is not interested in penalizing the perpetrator of the offense, they are only interested in getting their fine money, and they have passed on the responsibility to the owner - a citizen - of trying to recoup the penalty amount from whoever may have been driving their vehicle. Excuse me? Have I missed something, or is the city of Plano trampling all over the fundamental legal rights of American citizens? Unbelievable! :mad:

In Australia where red light cams have been around for ages, they still have the basic premise of law that a citizen is innocent until proven guilty - so if a driver receives a red light ticket but where not driving the car at the time, the sign a legal affidavid on the back of the form swearing that they were not driving the vehicle and nominating the person that they entrusted control of the vehicle to at the time of the offense - it is then up to the authorities to pursue the person who committed the offense, not the owner of the car.

So we shouldn't have a problem with red light cameras per se, but we should definitely take issue with the way they are being implemented and enforced, and likewise with other "municiple traffic laws"! The only way dumb laws get changed is when the people get vocal, so don't wait until it effects you directly - do something on a state and local level like write a letter or two before this stupidity gets further out of hand!

I'll get off my soap box now :paranoid:

[nitrofish]

LOL @ Oz talking to himself in this thread!

[Oz98Cobra]

LOL @ Oz talking to himself in this thread!

I've been renovating - the glue I've been using in the attic must be taking it's toll :dazed: ;)

[Lyle]

Oz, one thing to remember is that a parking ticket is the same way, the Owner of the vehicle is responsible, not the perpetrator. Same thing if your vehicle is stolen and used to commit a crime or some traffic violation or is involved in an accident, the owner (or their insurance) to cover all damages unless the police actually catch the bad guy (even then with the way the liberal courts look at it you still may be at fault)

[Oz98Cobra]

Oz, one thing to remember is that a parking ticket is the same way, the Owner of the vehicle is responsible, not the perpetrator. Same thing if your vehicle is stolen and used to commit a crime or some traffic violation or is involved in an accident, the owner (or their insurance) to cover all damages unless the police actually catch the bad guy (even then with the way the liberal courts look at it you still may be at fault)

So does that make it right? Hell no! If that's the way parking tickets are, then perhaps that should be changed also? Provide a way for the owner to nominate who was in control of the vehicle at the time?

Don't frighten people about the liability for damages in the case of a theft - US law is far from perfect, but it does still have the concepts of culpability and negligence - provided you took reasonable steps to secure you car - locked it and took the keys - and reported the theft as soon as you became aware of it - in other words you haven't been negligent in your responsibility as an owner - then you - or your insurance co - are not liable for anything. A court would have to demonstrate negligence on your part. If it was the situation, society wouldn't be able to function - none of us would own a car and we would all be holed up in our houses with our .44s! :ermm:

[Lyle]

I'm not disagreeing with you, just pointing out some of the times an owner is responsible and not the driver.

You are correct in terms of criminal courts (provided you took reasonable steps as you stated) but remember that there are civil courts that don't seem to require as much proof (or common sense). There are many cases where criminals are allowed to collect monetary damages (from the victims) because they were injured (usually because of their own stupidity), this seems to happen mostly in Calif. and believe it or not Austin.

[SVTCop]

I saw a Collin County Sheriff in a black Charger a few days ago. Pretty cool looking with the light bar on top.

I have a lightbar on my car. Better watch out Brian or I'll pull you over and haul your @$$ to jail.

[Tex Arcana]

... in a 30MPH zone maybe .... but the same goes for cars! These rumors crack me up - show me in the Texas traffic code where there is a stated number of MPH over the limit where a cop can pull a truck or anyone else over for that matter?

A cop can legally pull you over for 1 MPH over the limit if they wanted to - but if they were in the habit of ticketing everyone they catch doing 3 miles over the limit in a 65 zone, the courts would be completely overloaded with traffic ticket cases that even the most useless lawyers could win!

My guess is that the statistics have blown out some, and they need to be seen to be doing something about it. Anyone who thinks the cops are harsh in this town needs to get a reality check - everyone drives like freaking maniacs in North Dallas! And my experience has been that the cops haven't even been giving us a second glance unless you're doing at least 10mph over the limit - which is a lot in a 30 or 40 zone! That's certainly the case in Plano. So perhaps they will go back to using the 10% over rule - I don't have a problem with that if that's the plan?


1 mph over is ridiculous, because thta's such a low percentage of the total, that it's well within the margin of error on most speedos, even the cop's, and even the guns. Most cops would ratehr NOT have to pull you over unless they're running radar, meaning they're being forced to do that.