Ohio Radar Guns

[SkooterG]

No need for sorry. I hadn't had my cup of Joe yet when I posted. Wait......I don't drink coffee. I guess that's the problem.

Without getting into a dissertation on the subject, once upon a time I worked for two different agencies and for both I had to be certified in visual estimation of speed to become radar certified. I don't know about anybody else, but I was damn good at it. Just like most things in life, practice makes perfect. I would take my county attorney friend out on ride alongs with me he just couldn't understand how I could be so accurate, especially at night. I wasn't perfect, and there are lots of variables involved, but it's a learned skill like most things in life.

In six years I wrote two tickets based solely on visual estimation. (Couldn't get a radar reading due to other traffic). The first, the car was doing 110+ (Or 'Freaking Fast' - it's pretty damned obvious, especially when passing every other car on the interstate like they are standing still.) and I wrote for 85 in a 75 or something like that. The second one - well it went to court and I won. And that's all I am saying about that.

 

[Ignacio]

Seems to me like it's a pretty well documented fact that traffic citations go up based on local fiscal conditions. At least according to this study.
Plus I heard it from an ex-cop who's also an LD rider.

It's not....and that's not even a study...just a link to an abstract. It appears to covers one state....not the whole nation. Like most things in our nation...especially those things governed by state laws....there are a multitude of answers. One size rarely fits all. One of the reasons I always look for subject matter experts to want to try and populate this area.

Areas that ticket revenue does go to the local municipality I would agree. Areas that purposely redirect money to non-related budgets...not so much.

I know in the state I live that a small amount of the ticket stays local (< 10%) Most goes to state programs that don't directly benefit police budgets. It's done deliberately by lawmakers and there's little motivation for a local cop to do it just for revenue. Ask cities and counties in WA if there's money in tickets and they say it's not worth it and not even close to break-even for the cost of an officer and a car.

Ohio? Maybe so. I've long avoided that state and avoid spending money when I have to go through.

As for the estimation confirmation thing....I'm looking at a ticket I'm contesting Tuesday in Idaho. Officer's notes say "Est: 65, Conf: 65, Zone: 50". I'm not a cop, but what Skooterg says is the truth from what I've seen as an amateur ticket contester...as well as another LD friend that was a CA trooper for MANY years doing traffic.