Posted on Nov 17, 2014
What if the media used freedom of the press to report speed traps?
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I know this is a strange question, and I have never worked with local law enforcement so please provide substative information. As I was driving home the other day, I couldn't help but wonder what would happen if during the traffic update on the radio we were told the locations of speed traps. Yes we all know it's illegal to speed, but getting a ticket for going 5mph over the speed limit seems like wasted time. I know these tickets are used to fund state operations, but if the media reported these and the police gave less tickets, would more significant crimes get more attention?
I have personally grown up with a very negative perception of the police, and feel that no matter your intentions or knowledge of certain laws they will give a ticket for just about anything. I am wondering if the media reported certain activites (ie speed traps) routinely, if it would force the states to retask the police towards apprehending real criminals.
When I came home on leave from Iraq, I had to stand by my dad getting pulled over by a cop three times in one week. None of these occurences was my father doing what the cop gave him a ticket for. If my dad hadn't restrained me, I definitely would have given these cops a firm talking to about harassing law-abiding citizens and some random stuff about the real defenders of the country are serving overseas so you have these rights. It upsets me to no end that my fellow SMs and I are risking our lives for this country, while cops harass our friends and families.
Just wondering what everyone's thoughts are, and hopefully I'll come out of this discussion with more consideration for the police force.
I have personally grown up with a very negative perception of the police, and feel that no matter your intentions or knowledge of certain laws they will give a ticket for just about anything. I am wondering if the media reported certain activites (ie speed traps) routinely, if it would force the states to retask the police towards apprehending real criminals.
When I came home on leave from Iraq, I had to stand by my dad getting pulled over by a cop three times in one week. None of these occurences was my father doing what the cop gave him a ticket for. If my dad hadn't restrained me, I definitely would have given these cops a firm talking to about harassing law-abiding citizens and some random stuff about the real defenders of the country are serving overseas so you have these rights. It upsets me to no end that my fellow SMs and I are risking our lives for this country, while cops harass our friends and families.
Just wondering what everyone's thoughts are, and hopefully I'll come out of this discussion with more consideration for the police force.
Police
Crime
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 7
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This is how they do it in Germany.
it is illegal to warn other motorists at all so many people take a sign with the word RADAR very large in the middle, at the top it is written very small "I support" then the large RADAR at the bottom is says "Traps"
so in the end she holds a sign that says "I support Radar traps" but the motorists only can read the word Radar.
In the USA they woudl cart you away to jail either way but not in Germany, it has become somewhat of a sport, some get all dressed up like the lady in this photo:
https://twitter.com/thomas_bildde/status/ [login to see] 84215042
it is illegal to warn other motorists at all so many people take a sign with the word RADAR very large in the middle, at the top it is written very small "I support" then the large RADAR at the bottom is says "Traps"
so in the end she holds a sign that says "I support Radar traps" but the motorists only can read the word Radar.
In the USA they woudl cart you away to jail either way but not in Germany, it has become somewhat of a sport, some get all dressed up like the lady in this photo:
https://twitter.com/thomas_bildde/status/ [login to see] 84215042
“Der Liebling der Autofahrer in #Hamburg: Brigitte Finken(52) mit ihrem cleveren Schild als Radarwarnerin! #Radarfalle”
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SGT Kristin Wiley
That's awesome. And likely just as effective if there isn't a radar trap up ahead. I'm not saying speed traps are a bad thing, but they need to account for human error.
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CW5 (Join to see)
They used to announce radar traps or red light cameras on the (German) radio in Germany, SGT Steven Eugene Kuhn MBA. Something must have changed.
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SGT Steven Eugene Kuhn MBA
This obviously does not cancel the radio messages, there are not a couple thousand radar warn volunteers hanging out all day. Noting changed, they still have the traffic warnings with radar mentions but they now use highly camouflaged and sometimes unseen radar as well as IR Radar in tunnels so no flash is needed that startles drivers, meaning no one sees the flash and no one slows down.
Not every radio station does the reports and they are moving constantly, you see in the photo the camera in in the back of the van. They even have cameras now in the cars that drive on the autobahn that measure the difference between there and your speed, if you are speeding they simply pull you over.
Not every radio station does the reports and they are moving constantly, you see in the photo the camera in in the back of the van. They even have cameras now in the cars that drive on the autobahn that measure the difference between there and your speed, if you are speeding they simply pull you over.
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OK.... I admit that I was a Military Police officer and, therefore, not the most unbiased person to provide an answer to this question, but...
Police are sworn to enforce all laws. We cannot allow them to pick and choose which to enforce and which not to. Enforcement of traffic regulations is certainly not exempt.
The only reason the roads are as orderly as they are (yes, I know there is room for improvement) is because people know that they are patrolled by the police and that, if they violate a traffic regulation, they will be ticketed. If the rules of the road were not enforced, chaos would ensue, as everyone would do whatever they wanted with impunity. To actually think that people would "self-police" is a fantasy.
If you were on the other side of the equation (i.e., if you were a police officer), you would know that, for everybody who complains about police running radar/enforcing traffic laws, there are folks who complain that they don't do it enough. I used to get multiple calls a week asking that we increase traffic enforcement in housing areas, school zones, congested areas, etc., etc.
I'm not going to bore you with the stats that show that traffic accidents are a major cause of death and injury in our country and that speed is a major cause of accidents (along with DUI), but it is a fact. Enforcement is necessary to maintain control of the roadways and to reduce accidents.
Many jurisdictions actually do advertise where they will be conducting enhanced traffic enforcement. They also use roadside radar devices that simply advise drivers of their speed.
Are there officers and jurisdictions who go overboard? Certainly, but I think they are in the minority. Most are simply doing their jobs and many of those are conducting the traffic enforcement operations as ordered by their supervisors in response to citizen complaints/requests or known traffic safety issues.
I won't even comment on the remark about "apprehending real criminals", except to say that, while most speeders are not what one might call a criminal, they are, nonetheless, lawbreakers.
OK ... That's the MP talking. Now everyone is free to beat me up. :-)
Police are sworn to enforce all laws. We cannot allow them to pick and choose which to enforce and which not to. Enforcement of traffic regulations is certainly not exempt.
The only reason the roads are as orderly as they are (yes, I know there is room for improvement) is because people know that they are patrolled by the police and that, if they violate a traffic regulation, they will be ticketed. If the rules of the road were not enforced, chaos would ensue, as everyone would do whatever they wanted with impunity. To actually think that people would "self-police" is a fantasy.
If you were on the other side of the equation (i.e., if you were a police officer), you would know that, for everybody who complains about police running radar/enforcing traffic laws, there are folks who complain that they don't do it enough. I used to get multiple calls a week asking that we increase traffic enforcement in housing areas, school zones, congested areas, etc., etc.
I'm not going to bore you with the stats that show that traffic accidents are a major cause of death and injury in our country and that speed is a major cause of accidents (along with DUI), but it is a fact. Enforcement is necessary to maintain control of the roadways and to reduce accidents.
Many jurisdictions actually do advertise where they will be conducting enhanced traffic enforcement. They also use roadside radar devices that simply advise drivers of their speed.
Are there officers and jurisdictions who go overboard? Certainly, but I think they are in the minority. Most are simply doing their jobs and many of those are conducting the traffic enforcement operations as ordered by their supervisors in response to citizen complaints/requests or known traffic safety issues.
I won't even comment on the remark about "apprehending real criminals", except to say that, while most speeders are not what one might call a criminal, they are, nonetheless, lawbreakers.
OK ... That's the MP talking. Now everyone is free to beat me up. :-)
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Apparently, there is now some "app" that tells people where speed traps are set up and the police are not happy. They claim it endangers everyone but I'm sure the lost revenue doen't factor into the equation...lol. I drive like an old man now. When I got back from Iraq, those first few months were ROUGH!
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SGT Steven Eugene Kuhn MBA
all navigation systems have them in Europe, you can push a button and add a radar on the navi and it sends it out to all others
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CPT (Join to see)
As to every situation you'll find the "Pro and Con" and diverse views:
Con:
The NY State ( I believe) is trying to call on Google [Waze App, owner] to take that option away. Their claim is for Police Officer security.
Pro: The original author 's reason.
Con:
The NY State ( I believe) is trying to call on Google [Waze App, owner] to take that option away. Their claim is for Police Officer security.
Pro: The original author 's reason.
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