i can't believe people don't wear seatbelts.
that's just plain stupid.

ok...ima be traveling alone from st louis to kansas city some time over the holiday weekend.
please don't ticket me.

it's gonna suck, cuz it's only 2 lanes each way. and with semi's in the right lane, even the slow people feel like they need to be in the left lane...so there's always a line of 25 cars in the fast lane only moving 3 mph faster than the semi in the right lane. pisses me off to no end.

i realize i'm not supposed to pass on the right, but when there are morons driving, i have no other option.

 

Here's a *game* I useta play with my kids, years ago, when I would drive up to Detroit to spend the weekend with them (once every other month, because that was all I cud afford, at the time)... I dreamed this up because their mother wasn't rilly into making them wear seatbelts:

Anyone NOT WEARING a seatbelt, once the car starts rollin, gets to get hit by everyone in the car WEARING a seatbelt, until they can get their seatbelt on. Made for some fun contests, sometimes. Just try getting your seatbelt on with 2-3 other people poundin on you! Go ahead, I dare ya. They even caught me, once or twice (its ONLY fair if EVERYONE in the car is involved). Ever try to drive off while putting your seatbelt on AND getting pounded on by a couple pairs of bony little teen-aged fists?!?!? It ain't easy, lemme tell ya.

Seatbelts have saved my life, twice! I never roll without them.

No matter HOW STUPIT the driver looks, ALWAYS wear your Safety-Belt!

 

I guess what I mean, is why do they have to have a campaign for it every year? Sure public awareness and all, but do the cops actually put more emphasis on looking for it at this time, and only this time?

Also, another question:

Your take on red light cameras?

I understand the incidences of rear-end accidents go up at intersections with cameras...

That is not to mention the other mitigating circumtances that may require rolling a light just a hair late for the sake of safety, such as carrying a heavy load....or perhaps the tanker truck riding your ***... But the camera don't take such things into account.

I also hear tale that when they install cameras on a light, they also shorten the duration of the yellow while they are in there...certainly that is just a dirty rumor, right?

All of this seems contra-indicated for safety, and in favor of the almighty dollar.

I also hear tale that if you just don't pay the red-light camera ticket, there's really nothing they can do, as they have to summons you in order to prove that you every even received the ticket???

 

I know police officers have a lot more to do then hand out tickets, but are there expectations from your superiors? Are you expected to issue a certain amount of citations? If so what happens if you don't? Sorry if this has already been asked.

 

Nope, No, Nothing! I know it seems like that but we have nothing saying we have to cite people, there is actually a guy we make fun of cuz he makes like 1 stop a year! It's just not his thing!

 

Some municipalities DO, in fact, shorten the yellows when they install cameras. DC had a very big stink about it, a year or two ago, after they installed their red-light cameras. The local papers caught it, actually, and there was a LOT of community outcry about it, so they had to roll them back. Some even got extended longer than they were before.

It does happen. It depends on the REAL reason whythe cameras go up, I think. If the genuine intent is to break people of the habit of running reds, they dont. If all they are rilly after is revenue, then they will. I, personally, KNOW the time for ALL the yellow lights for the areas I regularly drive, believe it or not. Its pretty easy when your normal route only takes you through a handful of lights. Now, outside of my normal drive, I err on the side of stopping for the yellow... Unless I'm too close, or someone is following too close. I cannot speak for ALL municipalities but, I do know that, in DC propper, if you stop IN the intersection and get flashed, and flashed again while stopped (like, backing up to clear the intersection, you CAN beat that ticket in court. I have a couple of friends who have beaten that.

 

I don't see any other reason than revenue. They are proven to make public safety worse, and documented cases of shortening the yellows further supports that.

I'm not going to belabor this issue anymore here, just wanted to get a real cop's opinion on it.

 

They don't really have em round here by me! We have speed cameras...

 

Since the cameras (at least in my area) are owned and maintained by a FOR PROFIT COMPANY that takes a percentage of the fines collected, I would concur that they are a revenue generator.

The ones here start a video when the light turns yellow and then snaps stills if any cars go through the red. When they send you the ticket you get copies of the stills and an internet link to the video. If the video shows an "extenuating circumstance" they are pretty quick to dismiss the infraction, but only if you push the issue.

 

Of course they are a revenue generator, they are also the perfect revenue generating for your safety excuse. The damn things make the perfect argument for their own existence. They are for your own good. So long as they can make that claim, they can always justify them.