Beware.....Lake Havasu is a tourist trap (Lake Havasu City, Kingman: costs, moving)

[ZonyPony]

[rich67]

[rich67]

Originally Posted by taratune

but I can't help but think of the little boy trying to save the starfish. He was on a shoreline covered with stranded starfish, as he was picking them up and throwing them one by one back into the sea.....a man came up to tell him that he was wasting his time and ask him....how he could possibly think that he could make a difference.....The little boy picked up another one and while throwing it back into the sea........said........."I made a difference to that one".

[Havasu]

I throw a picture in this mess. But how do I make it non clickable?
Anyways it says Welcome to Paradise, and above that it says GO TO JAIL.

[taratune]

I notice the sign doesn't say.....anything about a $185 fine for making a little ripple that the police will call an excessive wake and of course it doesn't tell you that you have no realistic opportunity to defend yourself in Lake Havasu City's infamous crony court ...or that the court makes you appear in person.....sometimes several times......in order to contest the charges.

Lucky for me I read about another family who traveled to Lake Havasu 8 times trying to defend themselves.....only to have the video that proved their innocence disallowed by the Judge.... The same Judge...who used to be a supervisor for the same police department that is writing the excessive tickets and .....The same Judge who is bragging about all the money that he is bringing into the city.

I have also read the posts of several locals who have tried to cover up Lake Havasu's predatory policies by blaming the victims and making personal attacks against those of us who tell our stories in an effort to warn others. I could see through this tactic when I read the post of the other tourist and I am sure that most readers will see through this tactic when they read through my posts and those who have lined up their opinions against me.

I am sure that they will see that..... This is not about me.....or any other tourist.......this is about a predatory city policy that is a fact....a matter of public record....and NOT an opinion.

I have benefited from the experiences of others who have posted their stories about Lake Havasu on the internet and I am adding my personal experience to the mix so that other tourist might be more cautious. Even if I only help to "save" a few tourist from being preyed upon.....it is worth it.

[ArizonaBear]

NOTE:

Whether it is Havasu or Chicago: one has to go to the court that services the above jurisdiction. It is just the nature of the beast that LHC is pretty much out of the way----------I would know having lived there some years ago.

[taratune]

Sorry ArizonaBear,.....in Chicago you can contest your ticket by mail.... you only have to show up for the hearing itself....not go to Chicago in person to say that you want to contest the charges and then go back another time for the hearing.

Traffic Court

...and I might add that in Chicago a speeding ticket is only $95.....I didn't see how much an "excessive wake" ticket is....but Chicago sits on a rather big lake so I'm sure they have such a fine. I am willing to bet you that it is no where near $185.

[Arizona Bound]

Today's News-Herald - Havasunews.com - Serving Lake Havasu City & The Lower Colorado River Area - News - News

In all, 88 officers were investigated internally since 2005, and 27 received some form of discipline. In that time, at least eight police officers were either fired or left the department, and five were suspended for at least one shift.

You do not get fired for being a "good" cop...
That's all I'm saying...

[ArizonaBear]

Originally Posted by taratune

Sorry ArizonaBear,.....in Chicago you can contest your ticket by mail.... you only have to show up for the hearing itself....not go to Chicago in person to say that you want to contest the charges and then go back another time for the hearing.

Traffic Court

...and I might add that in Chicago a speeding ticket is only $95.....I didn't see how much an "excessive wake" ticket is....but Chicago sits on a rather big lake so I'm sure they have such a fine. I am willing to bet you that it is no where near $185.

Point taken about Chicago.

Here in Arizona one needs to be in court in person for the hearing obviously. I do not remember if I was able to handle the rest by phone or not prior to my court date.

I received a citation for passing in a 'No Passing Zone' (the section of road used to allow it but had been restriped due to the high number of accidents and I was unaware of the change since I did not pay full attention) on Hwy 95 between LHC and Parker back in 2004-----------had to go to court in Parker to contest it. One violation was tossed but I was found guilty of the other. Oh well.

[taratune]

Thank you Arizona Bound for the information on the problem officers. That seems to be a sizable number of ex-officers for such a small police force. I am encouraged that maybe there are some reform efforts underway in Havasu.

And AZBear....I got a ticket a little over a year ago for speeding on the I 5 in Irvine. I was going with the flow of traffic.....and we were all speeding after being in gridlock for hours..........I wondered why me....others were going faster......but then I figured that it was probably my turn to get a ticket since I hadn't had one in more than 30 years and everyone speeds on the freeways around here almost all the time. (You should have seen all the people coming up fast behind me even in the slow lane and then flipping me off while they sped around me because I was careful to stay at 65 mph the rest of the way home to San Diego.) I had to pay a fine of about $125 and another $45 for "comedy" traffic school so that the ticket wouldn't raise my insurance rates. It was a long day....not really too funny but it was certainly better than the alternative. I could have ask for a hearing by mail and then travel up the coast to have my day in court, I know that sometimes you get a lowered fine if you show up....or sometimes you even get off if the officer who ticketed you can not come to court that day....but......Since I did the Crime ......I was more than willing to do the time. Thanks again for the support and take care.

By the way .....I am bound for Phoenix next month to attend a professional conference. Have you ever heard of a cajun restaurant there called Papadeux's. It is one of my favorite places to eat. After the conference I may head over to Tucson to see family and check out some property that we have been looking at that is adjacent to the Saguaro National Park. We are seriously thinking about retiring there some day and I have heard that the property that we are interested in has a lower price now. I wonder how the folks around there feel about Californians? I guess maybe I should check this out before we buy any property.