Super Speeder Law Failing Short Of Goal (Atlanta, Evans: cost, dangerous)

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by axemanjoe

Traffic enforcement and related issues have never been popular with the GA legislators. They seem to have this head-up-their-collective-butts mentality whenever the issue of traffic law revisions or new bills comes up.

I think a lot of people in the south believe it is their God-given right to haul ass whenever and wherever they feel like it, regardless of their effect on traffic or the safety of other drivers. And too many legislators bow to this mentality rather than standing up for what's right.

I know a lot of people who will freely admit that they just put their foot in it and go. It's not uncommon for people to live 30 or 40 miles from where they work or go to school, and they're frustrated and obsessed with speed.

One of my pet peeves is when I'm trying to exit a multi-lane road or make a right turn. I'll put on my turn signal way in advance and start looking for an opening to move right. It's obvious what my intention is.

Unfortunately, many people simply view this as an opportunity cut me off by accelerating quickly and passing me on the right. That forces me to slow down \more to move to the right and make my turn, and it bunches up traffic behind me. It also clogs traffic ahead of me as these speed demons try to get back in the lane of travel ahead of me.

If they'd simply refrain from trying to speed up for a microsecond, I could easily move right, get off the road and we'd all move along as smooth as silk.

[YBF]

Originally Posted by a|ex

best way to get rid of a tailgater is to drop down to the speed limit. they will eventually use the passing lane.

-a|ex

The best way IMO is to start cleaning your windshield!!!! I spray for a good 30 seconds and they either slow down or switch lanes...mostly slow down though

[YBF]

Im not surprised its off to a slow start since I rarely see police enforcing this law. ON 85 75 downtown connector 400 I still see speeds over 80 everyday!!!

[axemanjoe]

Originally Posted by arjay57

I think a lot of people in the south believe it is their God-given right to haul ass whenever and wherever they feel like it, regardless of their effect on traffic or the safety of other drivers. And too many legislators bow to this mentality rather than standing up for what's right.

I know a lot of people who will freely admit that they just put their foot in it and go. It's not uncommon for people to live 30 or 40 miles from where they work or go to school, and they're frustrated and obsessed with speed.

One of my pet peeves is when I'm trying to exit a multi-lane road or make a right turn. I'll put on my turn signal way in advance and start looking for an opening to move right. It's obvious what my intention is.

Unfortunately, many people simply view this as an opportunity cut me off by accelerating quickly and passing me on the right. That forces me to slow down \more to move to the right and make my turn, and it bunches up traffic behind me. It also clogs traffic ahead of me as these speed demons try to get back in the lane of travel ahead of me.

If they'd simply refrain from trying to speed up for a microsecond, I could easily move right, get off the road and we'd all move along as smooth as silk.

Well I started in law enforcement in Texas, 32 years ago (I'm showin my age now), it wasn't an every day occurrence to write a citation anywhere close to 20 over. Not a lot of people went that fast, in my finding anyway. Sure, there were speeders, but not like here and now. Here, it seems all I have to do is get the laser out and wait ten minutes or so and I'll have a super speeder violator. There also seems to be less officers actually doing speed enforcement.

I have been asking why there are so many GSP trooper running speed enforcement in Atnalta when they have their own PD that does that. There really is no need for GSP to be doing anything that active in a metro area when there is a greater need elsewhere. The last time I drove to FL I never saw 1 GSP trooper. I found out that there is a revenue sharing aspect to this law.

[PKCorey]

GSP gets to keep all the fines that are done within the limits of 285.

Guess that explains why when I read their annual report, Fulton County is #1 for tickets in the metro area for them.

When I drove to New Orleans last month, I saw one cop in GA. Some lil town. AL had a few troopers out but they were going in the opposite direction. Same for MS. The whole trip over the holiday weekend, I saw all together about 6 cops in the 4 states so its not just a GA thing.

[axemanjoe]

Originally Posted by PKCorey

GSP gets to keep all the fines that are done within the limits of 285.

Guess that explains why when I read their annual report, Fulton County is #1 for tickets in the metro area for them.

When I drove to New Orleans last month, I saw one cop in GA. Some lil town. AL had a few troopers out but they were going in the opposite direction. Same for MS. The whole trip over the holiday weekend, I saw all together about 6 cops in the 4 states so its not just a GA thing.

It may not be just a GA thing, but I live here and pay taxes here, so that's why I been houndin my local State Rep and Senator about it. There are other states that do a better job with their resources.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by PKCorey

Neil, that is true alot of time too. You have the one jackass in the bunch but it shouldn't be a problem for him, if the passing lane was being utilized correctly, imho.

Cell phones play a major portion in this too. Alot of times, people are oblivious to their surroundings because their on the phone.

My wife saw someone the other day who was talking on the phone and breastfeeding a baby while driving. That disgusts me ... not only is she doing things she shouldn't while driving, but she's putting her child at risk!

Cops here don't seem to care about anything except little local speed traps that don't really make the world any safer.

[axemanjoe]

Originally Posted by rcsteiner

My wife saw someone the other day who was talking on the phone and breastfeeding a baby while driving. That disgusts me ... not only is she doing things she shouldn't while driving, but she's putting her child at risk!

Cops here don't seem to care about anything except little local speed traps that don't really make the world any safer.

I disagree with your assessment of what we care about. We do not have speed traps. We use detection devices to detect speeders. Most of the traffiic related complaints we get from citizens are regarding speeding, loud mufflers and loud music. I do set up in a spots where motorists cant see me to make it conducive to catch violators. If you want to call that a trap, go ahead, I call it pro-active policing and responding to the communities concerns.

If you really want to know what we care about why dont you ask one of us, or even better, go to court and ask the crime victims what THEY think we care about.

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by axemanjoe

I do set up in a spots where motorists cant see me to make it conducive to catch violators. If you want to call that a trap, go ahead, I call it pro-active policing and responding to the communities concerns.

Don't you have to be visible for 500 feet? I thought that was the law in GA?

I do agree that if the cops could use unmarked cars to patrol, like almost every other state (maybe every other state?), that it would help. I don't believe in hiding with lights off or behind a billboard, but I agree that if you're not doing anything wrong, then you have nothing to fear. I think something has to be done to get a handle a pretty bad situation. This is a case where I'd rather pay more in taxes to provide better enforcement, and have that translate into safer roads and lower insurance rates. It might be a wash.

Georgia is the largest state in terms of area east of the Mississippi River (yup...larger than Pennsylvania or New York), but has one of the smallest state police forces in terms of uniformed troopers on patrol. There was an article not long ago in the AJC about how some counties had one trooper for a huge multi-county area, and other areas had no tropper coverage at night. The local Sheriffs were complaining that they had to do their own traffic investigations.

First, the local Sheriffs should shut up and do their job, and second, the state needs to provide more troopers to adequately cover our large state. Third, we should pay troopers more. The starting salary is a crime, but right now we're moving in the opposite direction.

[axemanjoe]

Originally Posted by neil0311

Don't you have to be visible for 500 feet? I thought that was the law in GA?

I do agree that if the cops could use unmarked cars to patrol, like almost every other state (maybe every other state?), that it would help. I don't believe in hiding with lights off or behind a billboard, but I agree that if you're not doing anything wrong, then you have nothing to fear. I think something has to be done to get a handle a pretty bad situation. This is a case where I'd rather pay more in taxes to provide better enforcement, and have that translate into safer roads and lower insurance rates. It might be a wash.

Georgia is the largest state in terms of area east of the Mississippi River (yup...larger than Pennsylvania or New York), but has one of the smallest state police forces in terms of uniformed troopers on patrol. There was an article not long ago in the AJC about how some counties had one trooper for a huge multi-county area, and other areas had no tropper coverage at night. The local Sheriffs were complaining that they had to do their own traffic investigations.

First, the local Sheriffs should shut up and do their job, and second, the state needs to provide more troopers to adequately cover our large state. Third, we should pay troopers more. The starting salary is a crime, but right now we're moving in the opposite direction.

The 500 foot visibility requirement only applies if the officer is using a radar from the vehicle. It doesnt apply to laser if the laser is not being used from a vehicle.

§ 40-14-7. Visibility of vehicle from which device is operated

No stationary speed detection device shall be employed by county, municipal, college, or university law enforcement officers where the vehicle from which the device is operated is obstructed from the view of approaching motorists or is otherwise not visible for a distance of at least 500 feet.

The sheriff's have a valid argument. There are way too many troopers in atlanta doing the work the atlanta, cobb, dekalb, clayton, and gwinnett officers do, or should be doing. The sheriffs and local elected officials have no say regarding the state highways in ther counties, so the state should indeed do their part in policing those roadways, that means assigning troopers to cover them. There are cerainly enough officers in the metro area. Those troopers should be where they're more needed.