Highway Patrol

[latetotheparty]

Originally Posted by Bowie

I heard a news story on the radio that said due to the need to increase revenue, Texas law enforcement agencies are eliminating the cushion on speed enforcement. 1 mph over is now enough of a violation to get you pulled over. Watch where you set that cruise control!

and this is not just in Texas ..... it's EVERYWHERE these days......

Originally Posted by catman

If I drove less than 5 mph over the speed limit on the highways around here, I'd be a hood ornament by now.

HAHAHAHAHA .... NO doubt.....

Originally Posted by Cathy4017

The best part is when some smarta** goes flying by me on I-10 (while I'm driving 80).....and then I pass them a few minutes later when a b&w has them pulled over.

Mwahhahahahahahaha!!

that just makes my day when that happens.....

[EmergencyOps]

Originally Posted by EpBoy915

Hudspeth County is notorious for speeding violations. I've been pulled over 3 times in that area. I usually set my cruise control at about 84 through most of the state, oh and a radar detector also works well.

Doesn't sound like it worked too well for you...unless you got the detector after those 3 incidents. A phone app like Trapster doesn't hurt either. You can choose to hear voice warnings when approaching reported "traps", and hearing "there's one of them newfangled red light cameras ahead" (or something to that effect) in the redneck voice mode is awesome.

[Stone1]

Part of what you may be seeing is federal grant money for special programs which target speeders, seat belt violations, DUI's and other violations. When this grant money is given out standards must be met and the intent is to reduce crashes and fatalities.

About 2 years ago a term "0" was starting out and it is catching on around the country. I was supposed to mean 0 deaths on our roads but you may also enturpuet that to mean 0 tolerance for violations.

[stillkit]

One thing you have to know about the DPS is that while they are a state police force, they are generally assigned by counties and take their day to day instructions from the county government.

What that means for you, Mr. Driver, is that there is no uniform enforcement standard in Texas. It varies by counties and those which are in need of money, or just like the extra income, are better places to get at ticket than those who aren't. Some, such as Van Zandt are notorious for scalping travelers who happen to pass through. It was so bad there for years that a common bush in the median which the DPS used as a hidey-spot was known as the "Million Dollar Bush."

On any typical trip from DFW to El Paso, you'll generally see lots of black and whites but, if you'd made the trip often enough, you'll have a pretty good idea where they'll be and where you're free to roam. One thing about them is that they seem to be creatures of habit and tend to concentrate their efforts where it's paid off before.

You'll also see cars pulled over being searched, but unless you're black or an Hispanic, it generally won't be a problem. No, they don't profile...they just happen to search an inordinate number of blacks and Hispanics. If you're white and middle aged, you could haul a truck load of dope through Texas and they'd never give you a second look.

On occasions, you'll see swarms of them in one place. Usually, what's happening is that they've either gotten intelligence about a dope shipment coming through or the county they're in has added extra enforcement to make the highways "safer," which is code for "bring in more money." They recently pulled that one in Cooke County and it lasted for several days. That county has had a few fatalities recently in a construction zone, so the "solution" for that was to write a bunch of tickets for whatever reasons they can find to anyone who passes through, whether near the construction zone or not. God knows how much money they raked in.

If you're driving a big truck, you can expect to be specially targeted because log book fines are big bucks and most drivers are dumb enough to drive around with the log book behind. You can also expect few, if any, breaks for speeding or anything else. The DPS, and the counties, use big trucks like an ATM machine and have for years.

That's my take on it. (As you may have guessed, I drove a big truck for over 30 years and did NOT consider the DPS as my friends.)

[SoldierBoyBliss]

The Drug Cartels have stepped up their game. There may of been a bolo out. ( bolo = BE ON THE LOOK OUT )

Had you made the split onto I20 yet or were you still on I10?

[LV702]

Originally Posted by SoldierBoyBliss

The Drug Cartels have stepped up their game. There may of been a bolo out. ( bolo = BE ON THE LOOK OUT )

Had you made the split onto I20 yet or were you still on I10?

I was on I-10.

I didn't get a ticket. Hell the first thing out of the troopers mouth was it's just a warning.

That's what made me think they were looking for something/someone.