davesl708
Elite Member
Government agencies are growing so large the agency now controls the elected officials. If the elected officials do not appease the gov workers then they end up looking bad and don't get reelected.
Traffic Fines and Related Vehicle Code Infractions...
- Thread starter ultrarunner
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ultrarunner
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Very much the case... if the government workers don't have union support... it's a no-starter.
Doctors are going on strike next week... use they have a Union for Doctors and they are not happy.
Nurses go on strike all the time... I think 7 times the 5 years.
Several of my friends in law enforcement will say there is no quota system yet when it comes time for review... tickets issued are reviewed.
One local department expected officers to write two citations per shift.
My friend near retirement said no... he had 28 years in and said he writes tickets for flagrant violations and that's it.
A co-worker in her 20's is a single mom and her car was totaled... she needs to drive to get to work.
She found a deal on a car with a salvage title, no plates and did not realize she needed a brake and light inspection, a VIN inspection, an equipment inspection plus a clean smog test.
A Highway patrol pulled her over at 5:30 am on the way to take her child to grandma and then to work...
He told he could impound the car for 30 days and write several tickets and it could easily be $5000 when it was all done... he copied her information and let her go... the next two days she got all of the above done...
She really didn't know what she needed to do and the officer wrote it all done for her... he said he patrols the same area everyday and if he stopped her again the car would be impounded... went about and beyond...
California has suspended over 4.5 million driver's licenses for back fees/penalties and only 70,000 have been cleared... the person driving next to you is just as likely not to have a license... it's a real problem.
Twice I have been hit by unlicensed drivers and NOTHING was done... and one time the car didn't even have tags... police said it happened at the mall which is private property... the other time I was told all that would happen is license suspension which means nothing if you drive without...
There is a whole subset of the population where fines and rules mean nothing and since they know incarceration isn't going to happen... they don't care.
Doctors are going on strike next week... use they have a Union for Doctors and they are not happy.
Nurses go on strike all the time... I think 7 times the 5 years.
Several of my friends in law enforcement will say there is no quota system yet when it comes time for review... tickets issued are reviewed.
One local department expected officers to write two citations per shift.
My friend near retirement said no... he had 28 years in and said he writes tickets for flagrant violations and that's it.
A co-worker in her 20's is a single mom and her car was totaled... she needs to drive to get to work.
She found a deal on a car with a salvage title, no plates and did not realize she needed a brake and light inspection, a VIN inspection, an equipment inspection plus a clean smog test.
A Highway patrol pulled her over at 5:30 am on the way to take her child to grandma and then to work...
He told he could impound the car for 30 days and write several tickets and it could easily be $5000 when it was all done... he copied her information and let her go... the next two days she got all of the above done...
She really didn't know what she needed to do and the officer wrote it all done for her... he said he patrols the same area everyday and if he stopped her again the car would be impounded... went about and beyond...
California has suspended over 4.5 million driver's licenses for back fees/penalties and only 70,000 have been cleared... the person driving next to you is just as likely not to have a license... it's a real problem.
Twice I have been hit by unlicensed drivers and NOTHING was done... and one time the car didn't even have tags... police said it happened at the mall which is private property... the other time I was told all that would happen is license suspension which means nothing if you drive without...
There is a whole subset of the population where fines and rules mean nothing and since they know incarceration isn't going to happen... they don't care.
MoKelly
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Here in Missouri this issue is getting tons of daylight due to the Ferguson investigation by the DOJ and the conclusion by the DOJ that small municipalities (primarily in minority areas that have little to no sales tax revenues) use the police department as revenue generators to keep the municipalities in business.
The State law currently says no municipality can generate more than 30% of their budget from vehicle moving violation fines. However, upon investigating, it seems many municipalities don't file the required reports with the State to show the percent and many that do file the reports exceed the 30%. Up to now, there were no consequences and nothing happened.
However, the State legislature is poised to pass a law lowering the threshold from 30% to 15% and say violation of the rules (either exceeding 15% or not filing the reports) will result in the municipality being disbanded.
The municipalities are up in arms and say they will challenge the constitutionality of the law if passed.
In any case, this has shown that in many municipalities, the police spend the vast majority of their time trying to generate revenue for the municipality.
It is a reall mess.
MoKelly
The State law currently says no municipality can generate more than 30% of their budget from vehicle moving violation fines. However, upon investigating, it seems many municipalities don't file the required reports with the State to show the percent and many that do file the reports exceed the 30%. Up to now, there were no consequences and nothing happened.
However, the State legislature is poised to pass a law lowering the threshold from 30% to 15% and say violation of the rules (either exceeding 15% or not filing the reports) will result in the municipality being disbanded.
The municipalities are up in arms and say they will challenge the constitutionality of the law if passed.
In any case, this has shown that in many municipalities, the police spend the vast majority of their time trying to generate revenue for the municipality.
It is a reall mess.
MoKelly
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ultrarunner
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It's too great a temptation except here in California much of the fees and charges are blessed by the State.
When the budget for the courts was going to be reduced the idea was floated to just tack on a surcharge with that money going directly to the court budget...
When the budget for the courts was going to be reduced the idea was floated to just tack on a surcharge with that money going directly to the court budget...
PILOON
Super Star Member
In Montreal they installed traffic cams last year on a 'test basis'. Naturally the made Millions but bragged that accidents were down so they will install many more as it saves lives.
In the same news release, being on a austerity program, they are going to reduce the 'Radar warning sign' to a smaller pictogram in order to save money.
The most prolific offense area was at the entrance to a tunnel. (sign is in the shadowed area at the bottom of the down ramp).
Naturally no car gathers speed going downhill!
In the same news release, being on a austerity program, they are going to reduce the 'Radar warning sign' to a smaller pictogram in order to save money.
The most prolific offense area was at the entrance to a tunnel. (sign is in the shadowed area at the bottom of the down ramp).
Naturally no car gathers speed going downhill!
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ultrarunner
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The local city had to refund hundreds of thousands collected after a retired engineer got a camera ticket.
He set up extensive monitoring devices and found the yellow light did not stay illuminated long enough to meet State Standards... this was an intersection he drove daily for 25 years.
There has also been an increase in rear end collisions... people now jam on the brakes the moment the light turns yellow...
Something wrong when a camera through a third party can issue a citation with the weight of law... and the proof is the installation did not even comply with state law...
A friend had a big fight to get her ticket expunged... she never had a ticket and was driving home when an ambulance with lights and siren and horn was behind her... there was no way to go but forward and all traffic was stopped... she got a red light violation...
He set up extensive monitoring devices and found the yellow light did not stay illuminated long enough to meet State Standards... this was an intersection he drove daily for 25 years.
There has also been an increase in rear end collisions... people now jam on the brakes the moment the light turns yellow...
Something wrong when a camera through a third party can issue a citation with the weight of law... and the proof is the installation did not even comply with state law...
A friend had a big fight to get her ticket expunged... she never had a ticket and was driving home when an ambulance with lights and siren and horn was behind her... there was no way to go but forward and all traffic was stopped... she got a red light violation...
PILOON
Super Star Member
This also happened to me....so from now on they have to literally push my car out of the way...... In my case I paid the fine and lost 3 demerit points in the process..... to make matters worse I think the ambulance was not on a call by the way he was driving so slow.
Late one evening I was stuck behind a patrol car for 12 miles on my way home. That car 'blew' 6 stop signs all of which would have cost me $$ and demerit points had I done the same thing.
Good example of do as we say not as we do.
Chief claimed they were 'on a call' --What? no lights? no siren?
I was asked what time, day and date so guess someone got a talking to.
turnkey4099
Elite Member
Nothing is going to cure cell phone use while driving until they equip them with a circuit that disables them if they are moving over a certain speed. Yes it is being discussed at high federal level.
Harry K
turnkey4099
Elite Member
I saw a quick clip of testing how distracted it is. They first ran the subject thkrough a course with multiple signs that lit up requiring braking or stopping (I forget which) then ran them through it while ltexing. One dirver refused to believe that he ran 6 of them and didn't even notice.
Harry K
PILOON
Super Star Member
Getting to see more and more stopped cars any old place texting , like around blind corner, at traffic lights, gas stn,. Quite frustrating and still in many cases dangerous.