Do You Think That You Should Be Punished For Letting Drivers Know There Is A Speed Trap Along Their Route? (page 3)

minimus

Ewww, a lot of people understand cops here!

james_woods

Believe it or not, most Ferrari owners - and officially the Ferrari Club of America strongly denounce public road speeding.

Owners are encouraged to take their cars to a track event if they want to drive them 9/10ths.

We are practically paranoid that bad publicity (like the big wreck in Japan) and an increasing level of nanny-state may eventually deprive us of the right to own such a car.

No - I do not signal other drivers of a speed zone.

But also NO - I do not think it should be against the law (free speech issue here - far less offensive than lying about your military record or medals).

The little town of Coburg, just north of Eugene, OR, has a couple miles of frontage on the west side of Interstate 5. A few years ago they were busted wideopen for speed trapping to the tune of half the city budget, roughly $750,000.00 per year in speeding tickets. The chief of police drove a city owned Cadillac Escalade.

google - Coburg OR speed trap.

jamesmahon

Don't know about the USA but over here speed traps are only supposed to be in places that are accident blackspots. Local motorists should be aware of this and so shouldn't speed and if they get caught more fool them. People that are not local will not be aware and if the police have not adequately informed people of either the speed trap or the danger on the road then I think that drivers who let other drivers know of the speed trap (and therefore the danger) are doing a public service.

finally awake

I don't have a problem with "speed traps", unless the legal speed limit is not clearly posted. As a driver, it is my responsibility to pay attention and watch for speed limit signs. I also use a GPS device when I am traveling in unfamiliar territory and it clearly displays the current speed limit.

The only thing that annoys me is the endless reduced speed construction zones - when there is no evidence of any work being done, no workers in sight, and the road itself looks completely normal. It's like someone just forgot to pick up the speed limit signs, and it drives me nuts. In my area, the minimum fine for speeding in a work zone is $350, so an area that normally has a 65mph speed limit but has construction signs reducing the limit to 45 mph is a huge difference. I'm fine with a reduced speed if the road is not properly paved, has a lane closed, or workers are actually present. But when all lanes are open, all the stripes/lane markers are in place, the pavement is fresh and perfect, and there are no workers or equipment within 20 miles, I shouldn't have to creep along at 45 just because someone failed to cover or remove the sign.

Kojack57

Cop's are criminals with badges. They can speed, but don't you do it.

Kojack

Nambo

Here in the UK, cops have to wear bright yellow jackets for health and safety, so you can see them a mile away anyway.

Was so funny when I lived in Glossop, they used to hide behind a bush but the vegetation is so sparse up there that you could still see all the bright yellow bits between the leaves.

What does get me is their hypocracy, I know Police motorcyclists and how fsat they ride their own bikes, that they could then nick somebody for going just a few miles above the speed limit when I have witnesses one of them going at least 3 times over the limit!

breakfast of champions

No, because consider the implications:

This means that if you see someone pulled over for notifying someone there is a speed trap and then notify others that there is a trap for those notifying others of the speed trap either:

a) you will get caught and have to pay an expensive ticket

or

b) the fabric of the Universe will unravel.

NCO

Warning other drivers is protected freedom of speech. It warns them to slow down, which is the legal goal of speed enforcement. And getting motorists to obey the posted speed limit and pay closer attention does nothing bad, it makes that stretch of road safer. Unfortunately, traffic laws have become yet another revenue generator for local governments. When someone messes with that by letting other drivers know that they should either follow the law or pay a fine, the corrupt revenue-hungry enforcers get a little upset.

Back in the 1970's, the town of Ludowici in Georgia was a notorious speed trap. Governor Lester Maddox finally had enough and paid for billboards to be put up warning motorists of the speed traps.

If the Governor of a state can warn motorists, there is no reason at all that anyone else can't do it!

Now on that note, ya'll slow it down! You'll still get where you're going eventually.

neverscreamagain

In answer to topic question- no. My reasoning is that warning someone has the desired effect of slowing someone down. Getting a ticket might do the same thing, and a warning by an officer might have the same effect. Conversely, while driving through a residential area, I had a sheriff flash his lights and siren as we passed and did not turn around and pull me over. No ticket and that one occurrence slowed me down, and I always watch my speed now.

Flashing your lights to warn an oncoming driver about a trap is almost an unwritten law here in Texas.

I remember one time driving in the Texas hill country a few years back. In the oncoming lane came this huge older model "tuna boat" of a car and behind the wheel was this white-haired grandmotherly type that could barely see over the dashboard. I noticed her because she had flashed her lights as I approached and she could not have been doing over 20 miles an hour. I laughed and thought to myself what a sweetheart. I checked my speed, and wasn't speeding, and sure enough up the road was a partially hidden DPS car. What she did was more like an act of courtesy, something that you would want people to do for you.

By the way, I also live and drive in Houston. The speed limit here is just a suggestion. Nobody drives the posted speeds on the freeways here.

Do You Think That You Should Be Punished For Letting Drivers Know There Is A Speed Trap Along Their Route?