Highway State Patrol Cars in Metro Area (Roswell: vs, design)

[Schemula]

Originally Posted by billl

You succeeded in creating a strong impression.

There are some folks on this board who would be quite serious with such an exaggeration. It can be hard to tell the difference.

But the point is, you get my point. Sure there is some "safety" aspect to regulating speeds, esp around schools and in neighborhoods and on roads where people need to safely pull out of their neighborhood without some teenager going too fast, but it's a sham for the most part.

I was behind a truck on I-75 with what looked to me like an insecure load. A bunch of acetylene tanks and stuff. Loose wrenches, who knows. I simply got left and passed the truck. Not boy racer, but, I did get past the truck. I suppose, sure I was technically speeding there for a second, but, the cop literally tried to run me off the road in his amped up effort to pull me over. He sticks a few tickets on me and they were moving violations -speeding, lane change, some other one. One was expired tag or something. Points, insurance, fines.

I take a day off work, go to the Marietta courthouse, and I had my little charts and stories all straight.

Mr. Schemula how do you plead. Guilty (speeding). Guilty (tags) and not guilty to the other two.

You have tags? Yes sir. Ok and you have cash? Yes sir. And are willing to pay today? Yes sir.
Ok we'll dismiss the other two. Go pay.

Now my speeding was not of the hooning variety, I was executing a move I thought was in my safest interest and of zero danger to other drivers, but I lost the laser tag game. I go to the cash window and peel off a few hundreds in CASH. Just like the person in front of me and just like all the people behind me were about to do.

When I got to court I was mad about the 7am or 8am early court time. When I left, I was cool with the early start because the line to get into the Marietta Court house was 2 blocks long!

You are going to have a real hard time convincing me that speed traps are anything other than a cash cow.

[billl]

Originally Posted by Schemula

But the point is, you get my point. Sure there is some "safety" aspect to regulating speeds, esp around schools and in neighborhoods and on roads where people need to safely pull out of their neighborhood without some teenager going too fast, but it's a sham for the most part.

I've seen so much BS on I-75 that I can't completely agree. Moron drivers tailgating at 80+ mph, weaving in and out of traffic, and acting like they own the road and have every right to do whatever speed they want.

Can it become a cash cow? Absolutely. And it has, that's for certain. The law about 11 over exists to prevent at least some of the worst of the money grab and to give motorists a bit of a buffer on the speed limit. Personally I'd like to see them issue more tickets for "following too close" as I perceive that to be a far greater safety hazard than just speeding. But it's harder to prove that one in court.

I've been in a similar situation to the one you described. I was near what I considered to be an unsafe driver heading south on I-75, so I sped away. And got tagged by a GSP. My experience at Marietta Court wasn't nearly as bad as yours. My court time was in the afternoon and there wasn't a line to get in. I asked to speak to the prosecutor. She checked my record (which was otherwise clean) and she reduced the violation by 5 mph and took me out of "super speeder" territory. My regular fine wasn't any less, but I did pay with a credit card. And my insurance hasn't gone up.

My view of it: even though I felt I was moving away from a potentially dangerous situation I still deserved the ticket. So I paid it and moved on with life.

The truth of the matter for both you and I: we did have the option of slowing down to get away from the hazardous vehicle. But we chose to speed up instead.

[Schemula]

Following too close is as bad as ever. With the way the GSP works I-75 now, everyone is needles and pins 70-71mph. There's nowhere to go.

I driven the autobahn. I loved it. I never have thought anything other than "that would never, ever work in America. Ever."

We have a car culture but are generally terrible drivers.

[ttownfeen]

Originally Posted by Schemula

We have a car culture but are generally terrible drivers.

QfT. That's the heart of the issue. Self-driving cars and computer controlled highway traffic cannot get here soon enough.

[bornjacksonian]

Originally Posted by PKCorey

I figured as much. When the speed limit was 55, you had to be going 80+ to get pulled over (used to fly pass them all the time coming from work and they never pulled out on me).

I'm not feeling the new paint job for Dekalb cars either especially for the Chargers.

I drive pass them as well. I saw an officer sitting over there by the digital signs this morning on my way going westbound to work. I thought about this thread lol. I never think of the speed limit being 55 (seriously). Most times I look down at my speedometer to make sure it's at about 75 if I see an officer on the side. Once I passed them up, I'm back to my regular commute.

As for the new colors of the cars....... the look like Dekalb County schools resource cars.

[PKCorey]

Originally Posted by bornjacksonian

I drive pass them as well. I saw an officer sitting over there by the digital signs this morning on my way going westbound to work. I thought about this thread lol. I never think of the speed limit being 55 (seriously). Most times I look down at my speedometer to make sure it's at about 75 if I see an officer on the side. Once I passed them up, I'm back to my regular commute.

As for the new colors of the cars....... the look like Dekalb County schools resource cars.

With it being, 65 now on the southside, I think, they are going for more super speeders than anything.

I've passed them at 75-80 and knew my morning was going be ruined but nothing.

You are right, they do look the Dekalb School resources cars .

[GeorgiaLakeSearch]

Originally Posted by Schemula

Oh, so those services are free?

You won't catch me driving through Brookhaven right now either. They have a wish list of things they want and I'm not paying for it by going 46mph in a 45.

You do realize these cities collect property taxes just like Atlanta? You probably don't like these cities for political reasons.

[Schemula]

Originally Posted by GeorgiaLakeSearch

You do realize these cities collect property taxes just like Atlanta? You probably don't like these cities for political reasons.

Friend, allow me. The only one who has betrayed their politics here, is you.

Originally Posted by GeorgiaLakeSearch

You do realized their privatized services are more cost-effective than typical public employees.

[ATL Golfer]

My favorite is Roswell County Courthouse. I got a ticket there last year. It was earned.

The funny part is handful of TV monitors instructing people that they can avoid court and just pay the fine in the adjoining room. No need to fight your fine, or get a reduced penalty, just go next door and pay and this will all be over.

I got them to reduce my fine only AFTER I asked for a court date at my arraignment. Two court trips. Model for efficiency. "Just pay now, and you don't have to come back".

What a racket and I can't believe people put up with it.

[erick295]

Originally Posted by ATL Golfer

My favorite is Roswell County Courthouse. I got a ticket there last year. It was earned.

The funny part is handful of TV monitors instructing people that they can avoid court and just pay the fine in the adjoining room. No need to fight your fine, or get a reduced penalty, just go next door and pay and this will all be over.

I got them to reduce my fine only AFTER I asked for a court date at my arraignment. Two court trips. Model for efficiency. "Just pay now, and you don't have to come back".

What a racket and I can't believe people put up with it.

Wow. Just wow. In what way is it a racket to give you the choice between defending yourself in court or allowing you to pay a fine to get on with your life and not waste the court's time if you know you're guilty anyway? You decided to go regardless so you could penny pinch the fine that you "earned" in your own words, and somehow that's their fault? Now there's treachery afoot? Please. You sound like the folks who say getting pulled over in the first place is some kind of scam, as if the cop made them break the law.