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: 6
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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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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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I'm sorry, but I love cops. Take cops off the streets and see how quickly things fall apart. They are underpaid, overworked, and often the brunt of hostile remarks by many people they interact with. No one wants to be ticketed and it is natural to want to take it out on the person writing the summons. By the end of a shift I would be clinching my teeth. Do police use funds from tickets to support programs within the deparment? Absolutely. Do I believe that all speed traps are solely to protect and serve vs. bringing in the income? Absolutely not, but then again, speeders have to pay the piper when they get caught. Cops use routine traffic stops for a multitude of reasons. Sometimes they are given specific orders before they start their patrol to pull over certain colored cars, certain aged drivers, etc, etc. In Philly, back in the day at least, just driving down certain streets gave cops reason to make a traffic stop (high drug areas, etc). If their intent is to deter drugs, solicitation, or keep gangs on their toes, some areas will be much "hotter" than others.
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SGT Kristin Wiley
I'm not saying there is anything wrong with cops. My problem is that everytime I see a police officer I cringe because I think I'm going to get ticketed for something I didn't do or didn't even know I wasn't allowed to do in the first place. I can hardly memorize all the laws in every place the military stations me. I'd rather see and cop on the street and feel safe and protected then feel like I'm going to be accused of something.
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