My brush with TSA

[5030]

I'll jump in here and say I haven't had a speeding ticket in the last 30 years and that's a lot of professional driving in just about every state (except California I never went there), plus all my driving in my own car and truck.

The one ticket I had was in a burg with a JP of all things and it never showed up on my license (as best I can remember). I thought at the time of the ticket and impromptu court appearance, I was just contributing to the local bar tab.....

I've always felt that traffic enforcement, especially speed traps and seat belt enforcement (popular here in Michigan) was nothing more than a revenue generator, but then, I always wear my seat belt or my motorcycle helmet and 99.5% of the time, I drive at or below the posted limit in a car or commercial vehicle and that .5% of the time is the time I catch myself over the posted limit and instantly correct to be legal.

I'd just as soon see the national speed limit return to 55. People might actually allot enough time to get somewhere instead of going 80 in a 70 zone, but then, it's human nature to speed. It's also human nature to get caught or at least odds of getting caught are pretty good, especially in revenue starved areas. Speeders are easy targets from my perspective. I see a sign on the cars..... 'I'm speeding and I have the money to burn in gas and citations so I'll take a safe driving award'......

When someone blows past me at 80 or 90, I just think to myself that life is short enough. Take your time and enjoy it. That 18 gage steel coffin yoiu are riding in will be just that at 80...a coffin.

 

[mjncad]

When I started on the police department, there was no "quota" as such, but every 10 days, the sergeants had to review their troops' "activity"; i.e., add up the citations issued and people put in jail, and average the numbers. The low guys on those numbers were called in for "counseling" and their next 6 month numerical performance rating might be lowered, if they consistently stayed low. And those performance ratings were part of your final score if you tried for promotion.

Around here one can tell when traffic ticket quotas haven't been met as the cops are on the streets more near the end of the month. The departments say there is no quota. I say BULL!

I'd just as soon see the national speed limit return to 55.

To that I say BOOO...HISS! When the double nickel was the standard thanks to Jiminy Peanut I found myself more distracted from mind numbing boredom than when I drive 70 or 80.

He!!, I'd like to see 90 - 100 on the interstates away from major population centers. After all if Europe in all its crowded glory can have the autobahns, why can't the USA? Would I want to see 90 - 100 on I-25 and I-70 through Denver? Nope; but get east of DIA (Denver International Airport) on I-70 and it's flat and boring. Granted my car gets wheezy around 100; but it can do 90 no problem.

 

[Soundguy]

yep.. it's not just a police issue.. it's the total package from the judicial to the states atty.

all have a hand in crafting the laws and ordanances.. then you get into the local gov't input and state lawmakers.. dot.. etc.. yuck! like making hotdogs or sausage. just terrible to watch!





soundguy

Chris, another thing that's happened is the judicial system. I lived in Oklahoma until I was almost 17. Then in Texas. Traffic cases initiated by county and state officers went to Justice of the Peace courts in both states. Fine money was supposed to be sent to the state and "court costs" were assessed by the JP and that was his pay. If the arrested, or cited, person was found not guilty, the JP didn't make a nickel, so you can guess how many "not guilty" decisions were handed down.

Unfortunately, I had paid a fine twice to a JP in Texas, and when I applied to the police department, I listed those on the application, but there was no record of them. In other words, the JP kept both the fine and the court costs; never sent anything to the state. Whether that money was shared with the officers, I have no idea.

Eventually, Oklahoma solved that problem by eliminating the office of Justice of the Peace, and Texas at least partially solved it by putting the JPs on a salary, based on the population of their precinct.

 

[TripleR]

really? you don't think it's easier to confiscate a candy egg vs.. say.. tracking down a criminal on the run.

just looking at the facts.. I can't see how it is anything other than that.

mind you i'm not saying law enforcement is only looking for easy jobs or the easy way out.. remember.. this was in response to another post that lamented the fact that there was time to stop candy egg importers.. vs other crimes..

heck.. you do what you can.. and if some of the 'can' is easier or more lucrative.. well.. there you have it.

soundguy

soundguy

I don't want this to turn ugly, but I was referring to your generalization on traffic enforcement being all about "revenue enforcement baby! that's what it's all about." I have worked around and with far too many departments and Officers from large to small and had too many friends killed doing traffic stops to trivialize their efforts. Missouri lost another Officer last night when sitting up spike strips and assisting another department.

While what you say may be true somewhere, it is not the "norm" at least not around here.

I am not getting near the whole candy egg thing and I believe I have posted my thoughts about Homeland Security before.

 

[Soundguy]

Um.. it'l only turn ugly if you get ugly about it... There's nothing trivial about money. I never said there was.. ever.. none of my posts indicate I've ever trivialized money.... in one form or another ( money = resources ) is what the entire -WORLD- is about. wars have been fought over resource control ( IE MONEY ).. probably more people killed in the pursuit of money than just about any other venture.. not sure how the crusades stacked up.. but that was a power/control issue... and power is simply a fixture to control money/resources....

Around here.. where I live.. which is all i'm concerned about anyway, when it comes to traffic laws....

It's revenue enforcement baby.. that's what it's all about.

and none of that diminishes the dangers of said revenue chasing... it is what it is. being the most sought after thing int he world does tend to make the chase that much more dangerous.

think drug dealing is safe? why sell drugs.. why make drugs? .... m-o-n-e-y

if there was no money in it.. .. if the cartels couldn't make a dime on it... it wouldn't be so widespread...

( PS.. do you think 'revenuers' destroying mountaintop stills were about public health? or taxes? )

just about everything revolves around money.. and money is usually dangerous.. in large quantities like we are talking about. just a simple fact...

soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

ps.. 'waldo' was the name of the other speedtrap city I was trying to think of earlier.

if there were no cars, waldo and lawtey would have about 80% less city budget to work with..

soundguy

 

[dynasim]

Also, while I laud people who put their lives in danger for others, I would like to point out one thing:

Almost all useful people put their lives in danger for others. Being a LEO is not the most dangerous job, nor the least. Is their sacrifice any more or less than the farmer, the bridge builder, the fisherman, the tunneler, etc. etc?

People tend to give them faux respect because they are in a position of power. That is not real respect, it is being a sychophant. I find the stickers placed on the rear windshields of cars saying "I support LEO's by paying a fee to some barely charitable organziation" utterly offensive.

In fact, people ought to give respect to others, whether they are LEO's or not. I give treat LEO's in a subdued manner because I understand their risk matrix. I have never had a situation where a LEO has indicated any concern with me, and I am 6'9", 270 lbs. Acting in any other way would be uncivilized.

So, with all due respect, please stop the blather about respect and sacrifice. LEO's are not soldiers fighting foreign wars. I would note how relevant this specific topic is to the beration and mocking of TSA agents by some.

Best Regards
Chris

 

[Bird]

Also, while I laud people who put their lives in danger for others, I would like to point out one thing:

Almost all useful people put their lives in danger for others. Being a LEO is not the most dangerous job, nor the least. Is their sacrifice any more or less than the farmer, the bridge builder, the fisherman, the tunneler, etc. etc?

People tend to give them faux respect because they are in a position of power. That is not real respect, it is being a sychophant. I find the stickers placed on the rear windshields of cars saying "I support LEO's by paying a fee to some barely charitable organziation" utterly offensive.

In fact, people ought to give respect to others, whether they are LEO's or not. I give treat LEO's in a subdued manner because I understand their risk matrix. I have never had a situation where a LEO has indicated any concern with me, and I am 6'9", 270 lbs. Acting in any other way would be uncivilized.

So, with all due respect, please stop the blather about respect and sacrifice. LEO's are not soldiers fighting foreign wars. I would note how relevant this specific topic is to the beration and mocking of TSA agents by some.

Best Regards
Chris

I believe the correct spelling is sycophant. Yes, there are more dangerous jobs, but how many of them require applicants to meet the same level of physical fitness, education, and background? How many are on call 24/7? How many can lose their job for something done when not on the job? Other people may get too many traffic tickets, get arrested for DWI or petty thefts, get into minor altercations with others, etc. and it doesn't affect their job, but it sure can end a police officer's career. And I'm not complaining about that because I think it should be that way. But the officers usually are required to set a better example both on and off duty. And yes, I know that in spite of polygraph exams and background investigations, some bad ones do get hired. Part of what makes the physical danger a bit different is the fact that a great deal of the danger comes from other people rather than machinery or other inanimate sources.

So not everyone who respects LEO is a sycophant, though some may be. As for the stickers on vehicles, I'm with you.:laughing: I think it's a shame that LEO organizations allow fund raising companies to use their name for a 10% cut of the take.

And yes, the LEO is not fighting a foreign war, though some might say it's a domestic war. And while I have tremendous respect for the soldiers who actually are fighting foreign wars, I don't consider myself a sycophant, and we also know that some of those soldiers (a small minority, thanfully) turn out bad, just as some LEO do.

 

[tungularafishcamp]

Why should leos be any different from farmers, teacher, dr.s, accountants, truck drivers, judges, or politicians(well better leave politicians out) in that most of them are good people doing the best job they can at what they want to do for a living. There are in all occupations a few bad folks that love to take advantage of other people because of their position, usually financially but also in many other ways. Unfortunatly the more power your position gives you over other people the more people a "bad" whatever can take advantage of. That gets compounded by others of the same occupation "protecting their own".

I try to remember that when I want the rip the head off that TSA snark that there are plenty of other TSA folks around with a smile on their face, being polite, and just doing their job.

Rick

 

[Bird]

You've got it, Rick. I strongly disagree with some of the TSA rules and policies, but that doesn't mean I don't respect the individuals who are trying to do the job the best they know how.