Heading to Gainesville on Saturday... Going with son to UF game... I guess I never realized how cheap relative to Jags Gator tickets can be if available... Looks to be tons of empty seats on Saturday night at BHG... But I always take it easy rolling down 301... the extra minute isn't worth it regardless...
Quote:I don't know what the law was 5 years ago, but now, you cannot be ticketed for speeds up to 5MPH over the posted limit. This is law per Florida statute 318.18 b
http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/inde...18.18.html
That sucks. Just like a cop, especially a Nassau county cop, to not let something as trivial as statute law prevent them from issuing citations. Tyrants! They're as bad as message board mods!
Quote:That sucks. Just like a cop, especially a Nassau county cop, to not let something as trivial as statute law prevent them from issuing citations. Tyrants! They're as bad as message board mods!
Nothing on this earth, nor ever conceived by the darkest mind of humanity could ever exist.
Quote:That sucks. Just like a cop, especially a Nassau county cop, to not let something as trivial as statute law prevent them from issuing citations. Tyrants! They're as bad as message board mods!
Quote:Nothing on this earth, nor ever conceived by the darkest mind of humanity could ever exist.
Two more names for The Book.
Quote:As far as quotas go, who cares? Don't speed.
If only it were that simple. I recall Waldo in particular employing a new trick with the "move over" law shortly before I left FL for college, where one squad car would nail someone for speeding, pull way off the side of the road, then a second officer would stand there and wave people to the side and ticket them for not slowing to 25 below the speed limit or whatever for the cop who was 50 feet off the road anyway. As I recall, as long as Waldo kept their ticket revenue at less than 25% speeding, their setup was perfectly legal. That type of scam is replicated nationwide. In Texas, they love their double-yellow lines, and some municipalities will ticket you for crossing one even if you crossed one in the process of entering an area where you could legally make the turn, or if you crossed the edge of a double-yellow while making a legal turn. Cell phone laws are also popular, because they change from state to state, and the odds of someone from out of state violating them are high. I think there are still a couple of states out there that don't allow right turns on red; I'd
love to see their ticket numbers.
Point being, it doesn't have to be speed, and most "quotas" aren't specifically linked to speeding tickets, just traffic infractions. If the local cop sees a car they like, especially if that car has out of state plates, they can always invent a reason to pull you over and write you a ticket, and in the small town kangaroo courts, those tickets will stick. If you're targeting nonresidents, virtually none of those tickets will end up on appeal, and the vast majority will just be paid by mail. It's a good old-fashioned strong arm scheme, and simply adhering to the speed limit doesn't do anything to make you safe from targeting.
Quote:Two more names for The Book.
Like I wasn't in there already.
Quote:If only it were that simple. I recall Waldo in particular employing a new trick with the "move over" law shortly before I left FL for college, where one squad car would nail someone for speeding, pull way off the side of the road, then a second officer would stand there and wave people to the side and ticket them for not slowing to 25 below the speed limit or whatever for the cop who was 50 feet off the road anyway. As I recall, as long as Waldo kept their ticket revenue at less than 25% speeding, their setup was perfectly legal. That type of scam is replicated nationwide. In Texas, they love their double-yellow lines, and some municipalities will ticket you for crossing one even if you crossed one in the process of entering an area where you could legally make the turn, or if you crossed the edge of a double-yellow while making a legal turn. Cell phone laws are also popular, because they change from state to state, and the odds of someone from out of state violating them are high. I think there are still a couple of states out there that don't allow right turns on red; I'd love to see their ticket numbers.
Point being, it doesn't have to be speed, and most "quotas" aren't specifically linked to speeding tickets, just traffic infractions. If the local cop sees a car they like, especially if that car has out of state plates, they can always invent a reason to pull you over and write you a ticket, and in the small town kangaroo courts, those tickets will stick. If you're targeting nonresidents, virtually none of those tickets will end up on appeal, and the vast majority will just be paid by mail. It's a good old-fashioned strong arm scheme, and simply adhering to the speed limit doesn't do anything to make you safe from targeting.
That is far too obtuse a statement to really bother too much with.
The fact of the matter is that 99.9% of those getting speeding tickets were actually speeding. Maybe you don't drive or spend any time on the roads these days, but the truth is that cops don't need to invent ways to ticket people these days. Speeders and those who commit other moving violations are all over the place and ripe for the picking. They said 12 tickets per 12 hour shift. Hell, I could legally write 12 legit moving violations on my way home from work every single day without fail.
Quote:That is far too obtuse a statement to really bother too much with.
The fact of the matter is that 99.9% of those getting speeding tickets were actually speeding. Maybe you don't drive or spend any time on the roads these days, but the truth is that cops don't need to invent ways to ticket people these days. Speeders and those who commit other moving violations are all over the place and ripe for the picking. They said 12 tickets per 12 hour shift. Hell, I could legally write 12 legit moving violations on my way home from work every single day without fail.
I agree. I wish traffic laws were more stringently enforced myself.
Quote:I agree. I wish traffic laws were more stringently enforced myself.
Now they have red light cameras which ticket 100% of violators. Before long, I wouldn't be surprised to see speed cameras which do the same thing. People complain now, but they have no clue how much worse it could really be.
Statistically, Florida doesn't even rank in the top 15 states for issuing moving violations. They are middle of the pack. And while I am talking statistics, 15% of the drivers get 75% of all moving violations.
Makes me wonder if those who are so opposed are in that 15%. I haven't had a moving violation since 1998, and only 2 in the last 25 years, personally. So, that whole fear of cops and quotas really doesn't apply to me
Quote:I agree. I wish traffic laws were more stringently enforced myself.
Agreed. As a person who regularly rides a motorcycle in city traffic here in Jax, I can attest to the fact that people are constantly breaking one law or another, putting the lives of others in jeopardy constantly.
I was heading to the first preseason game a couple of weeks back doing the speed limit on the motorcycle. I had this car running up on my rear trying to get me to speed up and get out of the way. I found a safe opening to move over, and the JSO cruiser blew right by me, cut in front of me, and got off at the same exit as I.
I've had people drift into my lane, cut me off, or pull out in front of me when I'm on the bike. I see them talking on the phone while smoking a cigarette, steering with their knees. I see them texting and oblivious to the fact that they're all over the road. I've seen people with a book on the steering wheel. I've seen women doing their makeup. You name it, if you've been on the road long enough, you've pretty much seen it. People really don't pay much attention to what they are doing behind the wheel. All they care about is getting from point A to point B a half second faster than the guy in front of them.
Quote:Agreed. As a person who regularly rides a motorcycle in city traffic here in Jax, I can attest to the fact that people are constantly breaking one law or another, putting the lives of others in jeopardy constantly.
I was heading to the first preseason game a couple of weeks back doing the speed limit on the motorcycle. I had this car running up on my rear trying to get me to speed up and get out of the way. I found a safe opening to move over, and the JSO cruiser blew right by me, cut in front of me, and got off at the same exit as I.
I've had people drift into my lane, cut me off, or pull out in front of me when I'm on the bike. I see them talking on the phone while smoking a cigarette, steering with their knees. I see them texting and oblivious to the fact that they're all over the road. I've seen people with a book on the steering wheel. I've seen women doing their makeup. You name it, if you've been on the road long enough, you've pretty much seen it. People really don't pay much attention to what they are doing behind the wheel. All they care about is getting from point A to point B a half second faster than the guy in front of them.
You're a braver man than I. I grew up riding bikes (dirt) from about the age of 8-9, and I wouldn't ever want to do freeway travel on a bike. No way no how.
The problem with speed limits is that the limit is arbitrary and inconsistent. I hardly ever go more than 5 over the limit, but when you just all of a sudden slap a 45 MPH speed limit on a highway like on Butler it doesn't make much sense to me. It's dangerous if anything to go 45 when everybody else is going 70.
Quote:You're a braver man than I. I grew up riding bikes (dirt) from about the age of 8-9, and I wouldn't ever want to do freeway travel on a bike. No way no how.
There's definitely a risk, and in some areas it's far more dangerous than others. I tend to avoid those areas when possible. One of my least favorite stretches of highway is between 295 and the World Golf Village on I-95. For whatever reason, people stand on the gas pedal when they hit that bit of the interstate, and you have to be aware of everything going on around you. Toss in construction, and it's even scarier.
Quote:The problem with speed limits is that the limit is arbitrary and inconsistent. I hardly ever go more than 5 over the limit, but when you just all of a sudden slap a 45 MPH speed limit on a highway like on Butler it doesn't make much sense to me. It's dangerous if anything to go 45 when everybody else is going 70.
I understand the speed limit going from 60 to 45 on JTB once you get close to I-95. The congestion in the area demands it so people can safely navigate on to I-95.
Now, the ridiculous speed fluctuations on US 301 when you get to towns like Waldo or Lawtey? When it goes from 65 to 35 in a matter of a couple of miles, that's ridiculous and truly dangerous. But, it's a revenue generator, so it stays.
Quote:Two more names for The Book.
But I meant "tyrant" in a good way!
Quote:But I meant "tyrant" in a good way!
Sorry, the ink is indelible. One your name is in The Book, your days are numbered.
Quote:Two more names for The Book.
You're referring to the Book of life right?
Quote:I understand the speed limit going from 60 to 45 on JTB once you get close to I-95. The congestion in the area demands it so people can safely navigate on to I-95.
Now, the ridiculous speed fluctuations on US 301 when you get to towns like Waldo or Lawtey? When it goes from 65 to 35 in a matter of a couple of miles, that's ridiculous and truly dangerous. But, it's a revenue generator, so it stays.
Yet, people still have a brake pedal when they drive, as well as the right to vote. Hell, they don't even need an ID, so they can "power vote" if they feel very strongly about the issue.
If people don't like the laws, they can change them via the elected officials.
Then again, some federal judge may overturn the will of the people, so I may have to retract all of the above at some point.
Quote:You're referring to the Book of life right?
Ignorance of The Book earns one's name a place in The Book.
Quote:Yet, people still have a brake pedal when they drive, as well as the right to vote. Hell, they don't even need an ID, so they can "power vote" if they feel very strongly about the issue.
If people don't like the laws, they can change them via the elected officials.
Then again, some federal judge may overturn the will of the people, so I may have to retract all of the above at some point.
I don't know. I needed my ID on Tuesday to vote as our precinct got those newfangled scanner gizmos that pulls your information up from your license. I guess I should have complained.
As far as following laws, if we are learning by example, we don't need no stinking laws.