Traffic Violations

[Kaisonic]

Well, just tonight I was pulled over for the first time. My girlfriend and I were on our way home from our one-year anniversary date, and her curfew was in about 30 minutes whereas we were about 30 minutes away from her house. I did a steady 84 for no real reason except getting her home on time, and of course, just my luck, I pass right by a cop. As soon as he starts to follow me, I'm freakin' out and don't even notice that I'm tailgating the guy in front of me. So he cites me for that instead of speeding. Then later, I get pulled over a second time - a car was driving the opposite direction as me, and when it was far from passing me (still in front of me), it turns on its lights, speeds past me, and makes a U-turn. I pull over to let it pass, but lo and behold, it stops behind me. Apparently I was going 50 in a 35, which I disagree with, but I'm also straying from the point.

I want to point out how random cops are when they pull over people for traffic violations. In the first case, I just happened to be the first car in his sight that he caught speeding. There were bound to be more dangerous speeders behind me, not to mention the guys that probably slipped past him going next to a truck or something. And in the second case, that's even more random - the guy behind me was easily going as fast as I was, and if he was in front of me, he would've gotten pulled over, and I would not have. I just think the whole enforcement of traffic laws is arbitrary.

What do you guys think? Do you think our country's traffic laws and their enforcement need a complete makeover? Do you think the cops need to pay less attention to guys going slightly over the speed limit and more attention to say, people in accidents about a block away? (There actually was one too).

[KD8CPP]

Nope, it depends on who the cop is, and the type of dispatch system. If they are really cracking down on things, i.e. speeding, they will mark themselves out of service, 10-7, and they, in most dispatch systems, will not get called to a small accident. I just NEVER speed. it is dangerous, and un-necessary. If you are going to be late, I'd call your GF's parents, and let them know you might be late, rather than running the speed limit. If I were her parents, I would rather have her be late, than getting killed in a car accident because of speeding, drunk drivers, etc.

Just my 2 cents.

[rock]

The traffic system is another point where bureaucracy fails. We have some of the worst speed traps, like a 35 where there are 0 houses, 0 people that might be running around, no sharp turns or turns really at all in a 3 mile strait away. Does that sound like it should be a 35? 55 minimum, there arn't accidents there, and there is always a cop behind a bush on the side into town. Honestly, speeding is dangerous but really, stupidity is more dangerous. Don't drink and drive of course, and do high speeds in a community are where children may be around. Going fast on a strait away with a limit 20 mph to low doesn't kill people.