Worst State for PoPo and tickets?

[Ignacio]

Now it is legal to possess/smoke Marijuana

BAD direction to try and take the thread. It is political crap and not about motorcycles.

Divert the discussion back to 'Worst States for Police and Tickets' or some people are going to get their feelings hurt.

Thanks.

The Management

 

[ionbeam]

To drift a bit off the ticket thread --

Some places it is hard to do the speed limit due to road design, and it's compounded when driving/riding a highly competent vehicle like the FJR and sports oriented cars. On one road a FJR can do 50 mph and still be very conservative and well within safety limits for vision lines, stopping and turning distances, yet that same 50 mph could be wildly unsafe in a Yugo. The traffic limits are generally set for the lowest common denominator.

I'll be riding along behind a line of cars at 40 mph in a 40 mph zone and swearing away at the pokey cars when Pillion reminds me that we are going the legal speed limit. I will go out on a limb and guess that the majority of us that get out of the urban areas exceed the speed limit most of the time to the point we get casual about it. Nothing like blue & red lights to bring us back to reality. Ticket time is a matter of give and take. The officer gives and we have to sit and take. No matter what, or else. This is in part what makes it difficult, being in a situation where you have no control and have to accept what comes your way with no recourse (at the time).

My town has several roads that are posted 40 mph but beckon you to drive 50 mph. We have a very serious police department in our town of 4k people and they are there to administer the law unto you. When they stop you, you get an ear full to go with your ticket. I guess this is the 'style' that our police chief wants to use to run his department 'cause every one of the police that patrols the roads acts like this. I guess that this is the point, there may be individual officers that deviate from the middle grounds but in general the officers follow the middle ground as set by their boss. In my town the boss sets a ****** middle ground. If you get stopped and the police officer really oversteps what needs to be said or done, get his badge number and drop his/her boss a line. In the police departments my LEO brother has worked for they do pay attention to letters from the public.

 

[Bugnatr]

Seems like any state i'm in.

+1

 

[Top_Speed1]

Now it is legal to possess/smoke Marijuana

BAD direction to try and take the thread. It is political crap and not about motorcycles.

Divert the discussion back to 'Worst States for Police and Tickets' or some people are going to get their feelings hurt.

Thanks.

The Management

For once I agree w Iggy. Not a good comparison either; weed to radar detects.

So thinking (within the ticket realm), does anyone know of someone who had their bike lifted for excessive speeding (differs between States of course). Now that would be a real kick in the Moosballs. Ya make bail, find (maybe on foot) the impound station and pay that fine as well. Hop on and ride your bike home with much more than your pride put away between your tail and _______________ (insert sheep joke here, just keep it to yourself!)

 

[Longrider]

Last ticket 1949. Excessive noise (loud pipes)

Many stops since. No citations. Verbal warnings mostly, a few written warnings.

Travels include all states but New England, deep South, and far Eastern Canada.

Also a few miles in Germany and Russia.

Why no citations? I have not a clue.

Longrider

 

[HotRodZilla]

Now it is legal to possess/smoke Marijuana

BAD direction to try and take the thread. It is political crap and not about motorcycles.

Divert the discussion back to 'Worst States for Police and Tickets' or some people are going to get their feelings hurt.

Thanks.

The Management

For once I agree w Iggy. Not a good comparison either; weed to radar detects.

So thinking (within the ticket realm), does anyone know of someone who had their bike lifted for excessive speeding (differs between States of course). Now that would be a real kick in the Moosballs. Ya make bail, find (maybe on foot) the impound station and pay that fine as well. Hop on and ride your bike home with much more than your pride put away between your tail and _______________ (insert sheep joke here, just keep it to yourself!)

Oh give me a break. Whaaaaaaaaa....Weed does not compare to radar-detectors. Ok...So I don't hurt any feelings, substitute "weed" with anything you want, Helmet laws, varying speed limits, seat-belts, whatever...It wasn't stated in a "political" way. It was a simple comparison of a law one place that doesn't exist elsewhere...Oh...Just like the apparently 'non-political' bitching about radar detectors in Virgina. Just cuz you are on FJRForum doesn't mean you have to check your reading comprehension at the door.

Here's the deal...I live in New Mexico and I know I can't take a radar detector into Virgina. If people in the states surrounding Virgina are too stupid to read the signs and then claim, "Oh, I forgot..." well then, they deserve to have thier stuff taken from them.

I'm walking away shaking my head.

 

[NMRoadRunner]

I been shakin my head for the last two pages, thats 15mins I'll never see again. It does appear the consensus of all this is If your an A**hole you'll get you some tickets along the way. Show a little respect and you'll get by more often than not. At least thats been my experience

 

[Intech]

Here is the virginia code in case anyone is interested:

§ 46.2-1079. Radar detectors; demerit points not to be awarded.

A. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a motor vehicle on the highways of the Commonwealth when such vehicle is equipped with any device or mechanism, passive or active, to detect or purposefully interfere with or diminish the measurement capabilities of any radar, laser, or other device or mechanism employed by law-enforcement personnel to measure the speed of motor vehicles on the highways of the Commonwealth for law-enforcement purposes. It shall be unlawful to use any such device or mechanism on any such motor vehicle on the highways. It shall be unlawful to sell any such device or mechanism in the Commonwealth. However, provisions of this section shall not apply to any receiver of radio waves utilized for lawful purposes to receive any signal from a frequency lawfully licensed by any state or federal agency.

This section shall not be construed to authorize the forfeiture to the Commonwealth of any such device or mechanism. Any such device or mechanism may be taken by the arresting officer if needed as evidence, and, when no longer needed, shall be returned to the person charged with a violation of this section, or at that person's request, and his expense, mailed to an address specified by him. Any unclaimed devices may be destroyed on court order after six months have elapsed from the final date for filing an appeal.

Except as provided in subsection B of this section, the presence of any such prohibited device or mechanism in or on a motor vehicle on the highways of the Commonwealth shall constitute prima facie evidence of the violation of this section. The Commonwealth need not prove that the device or mechanism in question was in an operative condition or being operated.

B. A person shall not be guilty of a violation of this section when the device or mechanism in question, at the time of the alleged offense, had no power source and was not readily accessible for use by the driver or any passenger in the vehicle.

C. This section shall not apply to motor vehicles owned by the Commonwealth or any political subdivision thereof and used by law-enforcement officers in their official duties, nor to the sale of any such device or mechanism to law-enforcement agencies for use in their official duties.

D. No demerit points shall be awarded by the Commissioner for violations of this section. Any demerit points awarded by the Commissioner prior to July 1, 1992, for any violation of this section shall be rescinded and the driving record of any person awarded demerit points for a violation of this section shall be amended to reflect such rescission.

(1962, c. 125, § 46.1-198.1; 1975, c. 108; 1976, c. 90; 1978, cc. 87, 91; 1981, c. 303; 1989, c. 727; 1992, c. 825; 1998, c. 300.)

 

[Intech]

The detector can only be taken if it is needed for evidence. Once any legal action is completed the detector is to be returned.

 

[Top_Speed1]

It is Friday, winter water cooler talk at best.

I was entertained enough to stay with it ...I guess?

 

[Fred W]

I been shakin my head for the last two pages, thats 15mins I'll never see again. It does appear the consensus of all this is If your an A**hole you'll get you some tickets along the way. Show a little respect and you'll get by more often than not. At least thats been my experience

Shake your head if you like, but I disagree.

You do not have to be an ******* to get some tickets along the way. Yes, ******** will score more awards, but Joe Regular will get his share too. Just drive or ride like an average citizen and you are highly likely to get your turn to donate. If you are an average rider you will be breaking the law and you will pay the fines. It really doesn't matter how much respect you show when donation time comes either. If they want your money you will pay.

No crying, whining or gnashing of teeth here. You'll pay your fine to the court systems and then you get to pay more to the insurance companies that have co-opted the government into sharing this information about all of these dangerous public offenders. Because that is "the system" and the sheepish public will continue to accept it ad infinitum. Who or what would ever stop it?

 

[luvtoride]

When it's completely legal to use in every other state in the country (discounting Washington DC, which is kind of an extension of VA) it is hard to see why it would be "something we shouldn't be doing" there.

You are aware I'm making suggestions for speeding in a state where RD are illegal. I don't make the laws... but I do think it's ridiculous so many complain about it.... when all you really need is self control to speed. (10 over is the norm for me & usually less for speed limits under 55) & opening your eyes (to look for po po) works well, also. Although, I travel in other states a ton, I've never felt a need to get a radar detector. Knock wood... I haven't had a ticket in years. I probably just jinxed myself.

 

[mcatrophy]

...The typical retort to the unpopular speed limit situation is that if we set the speed limit to 75 drivers would all just go 85 or 90. Not if it was strictly enforced they wouldn't. I mean, wouldn't it be more sensible to set a reasonable speed limit and then enforce it to the letter? The idea that they will (may?) give you a 10-15 mph leeway, or knowing that you probably won't get nabbed because everyone on the road is running that much over the limit is a big problem, IMO.

...

In the UK, the national speed limit on all dual carriageways is 70mph unless otherwise indicated. On motorways, much of the traffic moves routinely at around 80, and normally the police aren't interested. Recently, as a response to this real-world behaviour, the powers-that-be considered upping the speed limit on some motorway sections to 80mph. BUT there would be strict "1mph over and you are busted" enforcement.
The choice of sections over which this might happen would be limited to those where there are variable speed limits* already in operation, in other words where speed cameras are already in place to catch any transgresion. I happen to think this would be a stupid choice of where an 80mph limit might be appropriate, but I might turn political, so I won't go into that.

I believe this idea has been dropped because of the environmentalist lobby.

Personally, I'd much rather see real police watching motorists instead of cameras. The standard of driving I observe in the UK has dropped dramatically over the past decade or so, in my opinion at least partly due to the reduction of police on the roads.

* Variable speed limits are used in sections of some of the busier motorways to try to regulate the flow of traffic and reduce the stop-go concertinering (is that a word?) of heavy traffic. Overhead gantries carry computer-controlled speed limit signs and speed cameras.

 

[stevec677]

Hey Fred W: speaking of different laws in different states..... Does Vermont post any signs that it is legal to pass on a double yellow? How is someone from outside VT supposed to know about that law? BTW - I love that law!!!!!!!

 

[Fred W]

Heidi,

I get that. When I'm in VA my RD goes into the trunk because I know that their RDDs can sniff out my crappy old RD a mile away. And none of us here make these stupid laws, but that doesn't mean that we have to like them, or even accept them for eternity.

I mean, here you are advocating breaking the law (albeit by a relatively modest amount of 10 mph) and using other (visual) means to alert yourself to enforcement presence (which is a very good idea even with electronic assistance from an RD, by the way).

How is that any different than running 20 or 30 or 40 over and/or using a radar detector or any other means to look for the cops?

It's black and white. You are either intentionally breaking the law or you are not. You are either looking out for those enforcers (by whatever means) or you are not. I cannot appreciate any real difference here, and I don't see why people are offended by other people calling out this irony to public attention.

I don't live in VA, so have no vote nor say in the laws of that Commonwealth. If I did I very well might be interested in mounting a campaign to override this arcane and repulsive law. Same thing applies in (most of) Canada, by the way, so don't think I am singling out VA. Any society of people who just passively accept intrusive over-regulation in their lives deserve exactly what they end up with.

I better go have a drink... or better yet maybe one of those Colorado Kools.

 

[ionbeam]

I better go have a drink... or better yet maybe one of those Colorado Kools.

Gives a whole new meaning to the Mile High City, donit.

 

[Fred W]

Hey Fred W: speaking of different laws in different states..... Does Vermont post any signs that it is legal to pass on a double yellow? How is someone from outside VT supposed to know about that law? BTW - I love that law!!!!!!!

No. There is no announcement at the border. Which does cause some problems. Many drivers (both in and out of state) do not know the law and become upset if you pass them on a double yellow, even if they are below the posted speed limit. Usually its out of staters though 'cause the instate slow pokes are usually too stoned to care.

I've had leaf peepers from MA and CT speed up and chase me after I passed them (at the speed limit as I went by) because they were offended. I did not have to try too hard to lose them.

 

[Bugnatr]

I been shakin my head for the last two pages, thats 15mins I'll never see again. It does appear the consensus of all this is If your an A**hole you'll get you some tickets along the way. Show a little respect and you'll get by more often than not. At least thats been my experience

You do not have to be an ******* to get some tickets along the way. Yes, ******** will score more awards, but Joe Regular will get his share too.

No ****. I have been respectful and still got a ticket every time I've been pulled over, one exception and he was a Sheriff-the better guys.

Even got a ticket in the cage on my wedding night (should have been an omen as that marriage didn't last) back in Minnesota-really pissed me off with his "I wouldn't want to find you and your pretty young bride in the ditch" lecture.

You guys getting out of tickets wearing knee pads?

 

[HotRodZilla]

"Arcane and Repulsive?" Haha...You have the political Mumbo-Jumbo ******** down. Now all you gotta do is sell it. If you use those words enough, someone will listen and follow your cause.

"Average" drivers don't get cited very often, and I know it is hard to believe, but cops are people too. We have families, worries, and mothers, just like everyone else. Some of us like writing tickets and some don't. Some follow very close to the letter of the law and some won't. I will either give an ***-chewing or a ticket. I will NOT do both, some will. I like writing tickets, and every one I write is deserved...Sort of like every one I have received.

Your idea Fred that higher speed limits will get people more in line with the written law has been disproven over and over again. It is true that if the limit is 75, people will go 80, 85 and 90, consisently. Here's an example: I used to be a detective, and as such had unmarked cars: Awhite CrownVic that looked like a cop car. A brown Impala and a maroon Impala that did not. My coolest one was a blue Ford Explorer with tinted windows and a great light package.

With the Impalas I wouldn't write tickets until 90+. Wrote probably 15 a week. With the Explorer, I wouldn't write until over 100mph. I consistently wrote 10 per week in the posted 65 and 75 mph zones. People will do anything to try to circumvent the rules, just like high school. Don't let age fool you.

 

[BigOgre]

I think

was posted on the Forum once before but it might add to the conversation here.
(I'd welcome an embedding assist.

)