Author Topic: Radar Detectors  (Read 2321 times)

Offline ROX

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Re: Radar Detectors
« Reply #30 on: March 20, 2008, 11:48:56 AM »
"Traffic regulations are not intended to gain "revenue".

Regulations (laws/ordainances) no....how it's "enforced", yes.

The town of Rockport, Arkansas had been encouraging the police there to ticket drivers (especially out of town/out of state) for literally any traffic offence they could...even driving 2 to 5 miles over the speed limit.

A co-worker of mine (who was also their IT consultant) asked them about it and the cops laughed, and bragged that it was true, and the ticket money was what funded their latest round of raises and the new computer system.

Over the years the town police passed out thousands of these kinds of tickets.

The state received hundreds of complaints, and threatened to cut off state funds.

They kept doing it anyway.

Last year, a group of angry area citizens sued Rockport over the issue....and WON.

Offline Elfie

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Re: Radar Detectors
« Reply #31 on: March 20, 2008, 11:53:32 AM »
Quote
Last year, a group of angry area citizens sued Rockport over the issue....and WON.

Did it stop the excessive ticket writing?

Quote
Regulations (laws/ordainances) no....how it's "enforced", yes.

A few years ago the Denver police wanted *something*, (I forget what it was exactly), but they got their way by NOT writing tickets for several weeks. After hundreds of thousands of dollars of lost revenue the city of Denver caved in to the police demands and the police started writing tickets again.
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Offline hubsonfire

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Re: Radar Detectors
« Reply #32 on: March 20, 2008, 12:34:27 PM »
How do you think it would work to drive where you have no reasonable expectation that other cars will stop at stop signs, red lights, stay on one side of the road or drive at an expected speed?

If anyone wants to know what this is like, I suggest a quick trip to either Chicago or Indianapolis, where you can find out firsthand.  ;)
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Offline rpm

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Re: Radar Detectors
« Reply #33 on: March 20, 2008, 01:19:46 PM »
Mav, while the laws were not "intended" to be revenue tools, they most certainly have been turned into such. Take Dallas for example. They installed red light cameras to prevent accidents and improve safety. It did just that. Unfortunately it also cut the amount of revenue the city was getting. Now Dallas is turning off those cameras so it can make up the cash shortage.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/editorials/stories/DN-cameras_20edi.ART.State.Edition1.45f8c23.html
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Offline ROX

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Re: Radar Detectors
« Reply #34 on: March 20, 2008, 02:19:42 PM »
Did it stop the excessive ticket writing?

A few years ago the Denver police wanted *something*, (I forget what it was exactly), but they got their way by NOT writing tickets for several weeks. After hundreds of thousands of dollars of lost revenue the city of Denver caved in to the police demands and the police started writing tickets again.

For the most part, yes.  That police department took a beating in the state & local press, and the state put even more pressure on them.  That county's judge also took a beating in the press for upholding the ridiculus tickets in court.

Worst case scenerio, their just laying low until the smoke blows over.

It's the "live meet" horseracing season at Oaklawn now, the time of year when Rockport cops are most apt to be out hunting.  We'll see what happens.


Offline Shuffler

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Re: Radar Detectors
« Reply #35 on: March 20, 2008, 02:47:11 PM »
Mav, while the laws were not "intended" to be revenue tools, they most certainly have been turned into such. Take Dallas for example. They installed red light cameras to prevent accidents and improve safety. It did just that. Unfortunately it also cut the amount of revenue the city was getting. Now Dallas is turning off those cameras so it can make up the cash shortage.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/editorials/stories/DN-cameras_20edi.ART.State.Edition1.45f8c23.html

That is just plain funny. Houston & Pasadena have gone the camera route too. Will be interesting to see where that leads.
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Offline Vulcan

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Re: Radar Detectors
« Reply #36 on: March 20, 2008, 03:31:58 PM »
He not only has detectors, but he also has jammers. ;)

Jammer. Just the laser, but the cops doing ticket quota's always seem to be using lasers. And it works really well too :)

Offline DREDIOCK

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Re: Radar Detectors
« Reply #37 on: March 20, 2008, 04:08:46 PM »
Kinda gives new meaning to the term "Highway Robbery" now doesnt it.
And thats what sickens me.
Not the police themselves as most of the time they are just doing what they are told.
But the fact they are used more as glorified revenue collectors then as a police force.

Think about it.
They way they are used By townships with their unofficial quotas is really little more then having armed gunmen stop you and demand your money.

God bless em. cause ya know they didnt really sign up for that.
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Offline Vulcan

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Re: Radar Detectors
« Reply #38 on: March 20, 2008, 04:43:55 PM »
Fight da man like I do. The smug scale maxes out as you get the evils driving past a cop with a laser who can't get a reading off you.

Offline Maverick

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Re: Radar Detectors
« Reply #39 on: March 20, 2008, 08:45:09 PM »
RPM,

I find it a bit hard to believe that a camera equiped intersection results in fewer citations issued. The real cops can't be there 24/7 like the camera can.

I think the real problem with the camera situation is the 50% cut the state is raking off of the camera tickets. Nice scam there, I wonder how they did that one.
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Offline RAIDER14

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Re: Radar Detectors
« Reply #40 on: March 20, 2008, 08:47:51 PM »
RPM,

I find it a bit hard to believe that a camera equiped intersection results in fewer citations issued. The real cops can't be there 24/7 like the camera can.

I think the real problem with the camera situation is the 50% cut the state is raking off of the camera tickets. Nice scam there, I wonder how they did that one.

Time the lights so people are caught in the intersection when it turns red which triggers the camera

Offline rpm

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Re: Radar Detectors
« Reply #41 on: March 21, 2008, 12:56:59 AM »
RPM,

I find it a bit hard to believe that a camera equiped intersection results in fewer citations issued. The real cops can't be there 24/7 like the camera can.

I think the real problem with the camera situation is the 50% cut the state is raking off of the camera tickets. Nice scam there, I wonder how they did that one.
You might find it hard to believe, but it's a cold, hard fact.

You are right about Austin taking 1/2 the money in a scam. How did they do it? Republican legislature.
« Last Edit: March 21, 2008, 12:58:31 AM by rpm »
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Offline Obie303

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Re: Radar Detectors
« Reply #42 on: March 21, 2008, 08:07:36 AM »
Radar units or jammers won't detect Lidar.  And like Maverick and Repo said, most cops don't leave the radar units on.  They turn the unit on when a vehicle is within range.  Save your money and slow down.

Oh and most cops that I know dont stop a vehicle unless it's traveling at least 10 mph over the speed limit (on a weekend, maybe 7 mph looking for drunk drivers).  And they dont start writing tickets unless the speed is over 15 mph.  But you always get that one driver that insists on "holding court" on the side of the roadway.  They usually end up with a citation no matter what the speed is.  Being polite goes a long way.

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Offline Vulcan

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Re: Radar Detectors
« Reply #43 on: March 21, 2008, 04:23:11 PM »
Radar units or jammers won't detect Lidar.

Keh? The only legal jammers are LIDAR jammers, and they work very well (except the Rocky Mountain Radar 'passive' junk). Radar jammers are extremely rare not not legal (due to radio transmitting regulations).

Offline Aqualung

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Re: Radar Detectors
« Reply #44 on: March 21, 2008, 04:28:37 PM »