This is why I run a radar detector with a clear conscience...

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Such bull$hit. If it had anything to do with safety, they'd be wearing hunter orange vests and have their lights flashing to make folks slow down. No, it's all about money and nothing else. The radar guns are probably donated by insurance companies.

Moses · 12-08-2006, 08:56 AM

You are precisely correct. That is just chicken*****. If ever there was a doubt about the commitment to public safety vs. taxation, it is now gone.

Freybird · Freybird's Garage

Florida: Homeless Speed Trap Is Back
Ocala, Florida brings back the homeless cop speed trap.

Police in Ocala, Florida have brought back the practice of dressing up like the homeless in order to generate significant traffic ticket revenue. Sergeant Billy Woods, a white officer with a mustache, sat behind a cardboard sign in shabby clothes while wearing a Rastafarian cap and fake dreadlocks. The sign hid his radar gun and a radio used to summon a gaggle of chase officers hidden down the road at South Pine and Southeast 17th Street.

A sting on Tuesday at an intersection where the speed limit had been temporarily lowered to 25 MPH resulted in 58 motorists being cited for at least one infraction, generally speeding. A few received an additional ticket for neglecting to wear a seatbelt. Ocala police are not concerned that their actions may be seen as insensitive to the plight of the less fortunate.

"If we can think of it, we'll do it," Sergeant Lou Biondi told the Ocala Star-Banner.

Police in other Florida cities such as Palm Beach have used the same tactics, even going as far as adopting military camouflage to hide their actions from the motoring public.

Source: Hobo cop (Ocala Star-Banner (FL), 8/31/2006)

Bill Verburg · Bill Verburg's Garage

Wait till Photo radar moves in

the · 12-08-2006, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Rick Lee
The radar guns are probably donated by insurance companies.

Unreal.

And yes, the radar guns are donated by ins. companies so you'll get tickets and they can jack your rates up.

GEICO is one of the largest in the scam.

Jims5543 · 12-08-2006, 09:22 AM

You fight back with your wallet.

I am planning a trip this summer up Historic 441 and it will go right through Ocala, now I am going to jump on the Turnpike for a while and bypass the town and its speedtraps.

I was pulled over just outside of Arcadia Florida in a speed trap by plane. Now when I travel across the state I use other routes and will not go through Arcadia, therefore not spending my money in their town anymore.

I used to stop off in Georgia when I travel to North Carolina, since being nailed in a speed trap and seeing countless others I plan my refueling and my hotel stays so I do not give Georgia my business anymore.

Its easy for me to do this and if more people that travel around and spend money would abopt this attittude businesses would feel the affect of their "protect and serve" police force and cry for them to stop harrassing us.

goat · goat's Garage

Wow in that homeless speed trap they mention temporarily lowering the speed limit!!
That does not seem fair. Like stacking the deck.

Jeff Higgins · 09:42 AM

I saw one on I-405 recently hiding behind a broken down pickup truck. He has his car parked in front of it in such a way to where the truck was hiding it. Saw the same truck broken down again, with another officer hiding behind it, a couple of weeks later. Must be a pretty unreliable truck...

Too bad this is really the only exposure Joe Average Citizen ever gets to our police. The various municipalities make the decision to deploy their police in this manner; most cops I know hate traffic duty and hate writing tickets. I think they know what this does to destroy the good will of the people with them. Jim has the right idea. Maybe even follow up with a letter to city hall, or the county seat, explaining why you go out of your way to avoid their area. Of course if they do it where you live, that's not an option, but you can write your city or county and explain how this needs to change. Good luck with that, by the way...

As far as the temporary lowering of limits, simply return after the trap moves on and photograph the area. Get the speed limit sign with other things to verify its location. Have a newspaper or magazine with the date visible in the foreground of all photos. Use film, not digital. Bring your photos to court. Make the cop explain why it was lower than its norm on that particular day. Make them bring the ticket count from that location on that day, and another day outside of their speed trap dates for comparrison. The judge, if he/she is honest at all, will have his ass. I watched a guy do this one day in court; it was priceless.

Superman · 12-08-2006, 09:47 AM

At the risk of sounding like I might not be a liberal after all (don't be fooled, I am the liberalest of liberals and don't you forget it), I have to say I've got a lot of respect for the men and women in blue, particularly the ones who are the best prepared and most professional. Washington State Patrol troopers used to write tickets at a 30% rate. Only 30% of stops involved a citation. That was when they focused on safety. They are trained and prepared and effective when it comes to promoting public and traffic safety. Unfortunately, they're no longer in the safety business. They are in the revenue business. That's got to be frustrating for them. I would prefer to have them do the job they are so good at. Protecting the public. And they would like that too.

As I say, my hat's off to the Washington State Patrol. Those folks are, for the most part, true professionals. Too bad they are not allowed to practice their craft.

Jim Richards · 12-08-2006, 09:52 AM

RL, where was this picture taken? In NoVA?

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

No, that photo was in FL, where they are famous for such stunts. The cops don't even have to try to hide like that in VA, since detectors are illegal and most folks don't run them. But the fine for getting nailed with a detector in your car is lower than the lowest speeding ticket AND carries no points AND they no longer confiscate them. So I use a detector with pride in both my cars.

id10t · 12-08-2006, 10:01 AM

Jim - turnpike ends just south of ocala... hit I75 and stop by and see me at work on your way instead...

mschuep · 12-08-2006, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Rick Lee
But the fine for getting nailed with a detector in your car is lower than the lowest speeding ticket AND carries no points AND they no longer confiscate them. So I use a detector with pride in both my cars.

Good information! I will remember that on my next trip through there with my trusty V1.

kach22i · kach22i's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by the
Unreal.

And yes, the radar guns are donated by ins. companies so you'll get tickets and they can jack your rates up.

GEICO is one of the largest in the scam.

Are you serious?

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Matt, I do make an attempt to hide it pretty well. But the bonus of living in a state with a detector ban is that the cops use antiquated radar equipment, which is no match for the modern detectors. You're only in trouble if they stop you and then notice the detector.

KFC911 · 12-08-2006, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by goat
Wow in that homeless speed trap they mention temporarily lowering the speed limit!!
That does not seem fair. Like stacking the deck.

Kind of like reducing the 'yellow light intervals' for red light camera intersections ...nah, they would never do that

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Speaking of Geico, who gets cheap rates from them? My motorcycle insurance through Progressive is $440 a year. When I did the online Geico quote thing, it came back at $1900 a year!!!!!!!! Unreal. I love their commercials, but will never be a customer. BTW, years ago a friend who worked at Geico was fired for driving into their parking garage without a seatbelt on. Security camera nailed her and they actually canned her for it.

Jim727 · 12-08-2006, 10:26 AM

Jim -

Great idea; suggest we also write the Chamber of Commerce of the cities being bypassed with an explanation of the reason and a note that their towns and ticketing practices are being posted on auto-enthusiast bulletin boards.

These guys are the ones with a financial stake in having business come through town, but they have to know they are being avoided and why or they won't know enough to care.

Jims5543 · 12-08-2006, 10:38 AM

Excellent Idea.

I was so pissed about the Arcadia one I almost bought www.arcadiasucks.com just to warn people not to drive through there.

I am going to write to the respective towns chambers and let them know.

As far as Georgia goes? The board of tourism I guess.

john70t · 12-08-2006, 10:41 AM

Ohio is notorious for nailing Michigan travelers on US-23. If you can't pay on the spot, they arrest you.

Back in the 90's I was driving north through Ohio and it was 65mph all the way- except it somehow changed to 55mph near the border. No signs.
One cop came from behind, and another pulled out of the median right in front of me and blocked both lanes...of the freeway!!!
I skidded off onto shoulder barely missing him and got the ticket.

Needless to say I eat and fill up before the border now, and haven't been back to Cedar Point since.