Author Topic: Those crazy Floridians... (Read 1574 times)

Eagler · « **Reply #15 on:** May 23, 2003, 11:19:56 AM »

they should just put the hot dog selling thong ladies back on the corners ... ppl used to slow to catch the red lights at those intersections... cheaper than cops, tickets, courts and all the paperwork that goes along with it + better to look at than a hobo.

hawk220 · « **Reply #16 on:** May 23, 2003, 11:27:56 AM »

disguise yourself as a part of the population that most find invisible.

agreed. who really looks closely at a homeless person when they are on the streetcorner?

great idea. if you don't want a ticket, don't break the law. if you don't like the law, then change it.

nuchpatrick · « **Reply #17 on:** May 23, 2003, 12:32:12 PM »

In maitland, they use to run a sting with a cop sitting on a backhoe, and a gun and get people on I-4 all the time. There was a big wright up about years ago.. Newest things is the Camera at the traffic light, and at our toll booths. We have a thing calle e-pass. The speed limit is 35.. next year anyone going over 35 will be ticketed. There will be a zero tollerance though the booth. Talk about PINA!!:mad:

Eagle, but they cause more fender benders.. staring a the gril in the string thong. Thats how I got rearended at traffic light. Guy didn't notice the light turned red I stopped and well.. he was lookling at the chick instead of the car ahead. I'm glad their banned.

john9001 · « **Reply #18 on:** May 23, 2003, 01:05:19 PM »

traffic laws are all about safety, of course they are, thats why the state of florida has raised the traffic fines, the extra $200-$300 million is needed to balance the budget.... but it's all about safety.

Mini D · « **Reply #19 on:** May 23, 2003, 02:06:15 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by capt. apathy
IMO it's a brilliant tactic. disguise yourself as a part of the population that most find invisible.

I was thinking just how "aware" Floridians were to the homeless plight. My money says cops had never been so invinisible in Florida before that sting. I wonder how many people read the cardboard signs the cops had.

MiniD

Airhead · « **Reply #20 on:** May 23, 2003, 03:27:43 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Mickey1992

Since when is it the job of law enforcement to "solve" the homeless problem?

You want to solve the homeless program? Easy- drug test welfare applicants. Campaign for bans on panhandling. Outlaw (or enforce) drinking in public laws. Don't donate money to soup kitchens or overnight shelters, and if the community you live in spends your tax dollars on them then campaign to change it. These homeless derelects, addicted to drugs and alcohol, are the worst of subhuman filth. I don't want to "save" them, and if you enable them by giving them food, money and a place to stay then they have no reason to save themselves. They are like pigeons- the more you feed them the more of them there are. Fug em.

capt. apathy · « **Reply #21 on:** May 23, 2003, 03:36:59 PM »

Quote

I was thinking just how "aware" Floridians were to the homeless plight. My money says cops had never been so invinisible in Florida before that sting. I wonder how many people read the cardboard signs the cops had.

MiniD

exactly, they could have had signs that said " I'm a cop, and you are getting busted right now" and nobody would have seen them.

Maverick · « **Reply #22 on:** May 24, 2003, 10:46:35 PM »

Gscholz,

Some of those suggestions you made for taking care of the homeless have been tried. They used to be "rounded up" and taken to a hospital. Granted it was a mental care facility but they got care, food, shelter and a chance at rehab. The ACLU felt that was unreasonable and that the homeless were in fact being arrested instead. The court agreed and those folks were released back into the street.

Now here is another bit of information. Quite a few of these folks do NOT want to be anywhere but the street. Not all of them but a fair number prefer to do what they are doing. You can throw money at this problem until you are blue in the face but it won't solve it, unfortunately.

capt. apathy · « **Reply #23 on:** May 25, 2003, 12:29:32 AM »

rehab only works for a small percentage.

if you legalize, they can get much more for a lot less $$. which leaves 2 options-
1. they need to steal a lot fewer stereos to get their fix.
2. or for the truly out of control, they'll just get more faster. soon leading to an OD(not many relapses from a fatal OD)

I'm not saying to kill or hurt these people but I don't see where we as a society are obligated to save every handsomehunk from himself.

not only that but the money we would save on police, courts prisons, ect could really be used for something useful like schools or guarenteed rehab available for those who are smart enough to want it (those who rehab is most likely to work on).

not only does it have no repeats but a grave is much cheaper than even just the first round of forced rehab.

-Concho- · « **Reply #24 on:** May 25, 2003, 02:11:14 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by john9001
traffic laws are all about safety, of course they are, thats why the state of florida has raised the traffic fines, the extra $200-$300 million is needed to balance the budget.... but it's all about safety.

What else are we going to do that would get your attention? A traffic fine is just a friendly reminder that we could be washing you off the highway with a fire hose if you keep up your stupid behavior.

GrimCO · « **Reply #25 on:** May 25, 2003, 07:26:15 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by john9001
traffic laws are all about safety, of course they are, thats why the state of florida has raised the traffic fines, the extra $200-$300 million is needed to balance the budget.... but it's all about safety.

Yeah right, the lawmakers thought to themselves: "Let's make it illegal for people to run red lights, that oughta raise a few million bucks for the State"...

If you think traffic laws were created for the sole purpose of generating revenue with no thought of safety in mind, you've sure got a unique perspective on things. Breaking a law must have a punishment or the law would have no validity. I suppose you'd rather them throw you in jail instead of just nailing you with a fine. That way, it wouldn't add any money to the State's coffers. In fact, it would even cost the State money to keep you in jail. What an idea!

Airhead · « **Reply #26 on:** May 25, 2003, 12:21:23 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by GScholz
Sure. This is all about how a society is responsible to its people, and what standards are accepted.

Bulls**t- people are responsible to society, not the other way around. Let's define terms here- by "homeless" I'm refering to the mostly single male drug and/or alcohol addicted derelects walking my neighborhood, looking for an open garage door and the opportunity to rip off a bicycle, or some tools, or my fishing pole...

Then they sell what they steal or panhandle for drug/alcohol money and eat at a soup kitchen and, when the weather is cold, they stay at a free homeless shelter supported by MY tax money. Oh, and it has nothing to do with "capitalism."

In fact the capitalist system we are priveleged to live in removes barriers on the potential economic achievements we can enjoy. Derelects are derelects because the choose to be so- not because they are "victims" of a "cruel capitalistic society."

Maybe feeding homeless derelects might give you a warm and fuzzy feeling, but all you accompish is that you enable them to continue to be addicts and suck off Society's tit. Tell the business owners in San Francisco who have to clean up the human feces from their doorways every morning that the soup kitchen on the corner is a good thing. Tell the guy (me) who had to get blood tests monthly for six months because a derelect scratched my hand that enabling these people to continue to use drugs is a good thing.

Sorry GScholz, in principle providing for these people seems like a good idea, but all that accomplishes is they can spend all their efforts panhandling or stealing to support a drug habit. Fug em.

NUKE · « **Reply #27 on:** May 25, 2003, 12:25:06 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Airhead
Bulls**t- people are responsible to society, not the other way around. Let's define terms here- by "homeless" I'm refering to the mostly single male drug and/or alcohol addicted derelects walking my neighborhood, looking for an open garage door and the opportunity to rip off a bicycle, or some tools, or my fishing pole...

Then they sell what they steal or panhandle for drug/alcohol money and eat at a soup kitchen and, when the weather is cold, they stay at a free homeless shelter supported by MY tax money. Oh, and it has nothing to do with "capitalism." In fact the capitalist system we are priveleged to live in removes barriers on the potential economic achievements we can enjoy. Derelects are derelects because the choose to be so- not because they are "victims" of a "cruel capitalistic society."

Maybe feeding homeless derelects might give you a warm and fuzzy feeling, but all you accompish is that you enable them to continue to be addicts and suck off Society's tit. Tell the business owners in San Francisco who have to clean up the human feces from their doorways every morning that the soup kitchen on the corner is a good thing. Tell the guy (me) who had to get blood tests monthly for six months because a derelect scratched my hand that enabling these people to continue to use drugs is a good thing.

Sorry GScholz, in principle providing for these people seems like a good idea, but all that accomplishes is they can spend all their efforts panhandling or stealing to support a drug habit. Fug em.

Airhead, I thought you were liberal. Liberals love creating conditions benificial for bums.

capt. apathy · « **Reply #28 on:** May 25, 2003, 12:40:53 PM »

I think traffic fines where originally and for the most part still are set up for public safety.

but they are often exploited as a cash cow for local areas. I work construction and travel all over the country. mostly to small towns. and while it's not the norm it also isn't rare when local cops look to these out of town guys who seem to be making lots of cash (they forget that while we are usually making more than your average local in the same line of work we are also supporting a home as well as the residence we maintain in their area) as a wonderful new revenue source.

the cops often lie and fabricate violations. months before a large project starts some areas will raise the fine for many violations (usually to a little less than a days work pays, so as not to make it worth your while to fight it) then give a reduced fine for locals so they can get the most from their rape of out of towners.

they also like to schedule court dates for many weeks later so you would have to drive hundreds of miles to go back to court and fight the ticket.

and how do you fight it?
I had one 2 years ago. was nearing an intersection when my radar detector went off (wasn't speeding). so I looked around and saw one of the guys I work with going into a convenience store. I honked and waved to him as I pulled up to the stop sign. knowing how the local cops can nit-pick for a violation I actually stopped twice (once at the stop sign, which was to far back from the intersection to see oncoming traffic, and again at the edge of the lane I was turning onto). I take the turn and get up to 30 mph (in a 45) as the cop pulls me over. he says I didn't stop and writes a ticket for $320.
luckily I had the detector and knew to start protecting myself (by gathering witnesses before hand) and the job ended 2 days before my court date so me and my witness stayed and fought it and won.

but what if I didn't have the detector? (most cops and many judges see your possession of one as a defacto admission of guilt)
what if I hadn't had a co-worker handy who could look over as I honked to witness my stopping?

I'd have been screwed, as has happened many times (at least 3 in the last 6 years) and it doesn't even come close to ending with the fine. the convictions from the times they get away with it are used as evidence of your guilt as a 'pattern of behavior' when you are fighting the next one. and the big ticket $$ is what it does to your insurance rates.

for speeding tickets you used to be able to ask to see the gun reading but lately the cops have been told not to 'lock-in' the speed. that way you can’t ask to see it (the reading isn't there).

why would this be a policy other than a deliberate attempt to defraud the public? isn't it part of a police officers job to preserve evidence? wouldn't leaving the reading locked in until after your stop is over so you can exercise your right to review all evidence brought against you seem to fall under that responsibility?

the bottom line is many cops lie. they lie often and without conscience, some daily.

I guess it's similar to the old 'absolute power corrupts absolutely'. when people (courts) automatically believe whatever you say ( so long as concrete evidence to dispute you isn't available). and those defending themselves are not believed unless the can prove they are telling the truth. you eventually start believing you can say whatever you want, and then start doing it.

what ever happened to guilt beyond reasonable doubt? in a situation where you have your word against a cop, without further evidence (logged reading on a radar gun, tape from the camera in most cars now) it seems to me a toss up. either could be lying, not near enough margin for error for any type of conviction.

Airhead · « **Reply #29 on:** May 25, 2003, 12:48:17 PM »

Wow Apathy, amazing- Why do you suppose the police are picking on you? Do you look funny? Have bumper stickers on your car that say "F**k The Cops?" I'm curious because I haven't been pulled over in about 20 years now, much less gotten a ticket.