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Speeders, beware: That innocent-looking Chevrolet Camaro, Ford Fusion or SUV you're about to blow past just might be the law.
In their effort to reduce speeding — a factor in nearly one-third of all highway deaths — state and local police agencies around the USA increasingly are using unmarked patrol cars, sports cars and even "ghost" cruisers with obscured markings.
Thoughts?
I"m glad, GA doesn't allow unmarked cars to pull you over.
This is for the birds. Aside from the government wanting strict control on everything (and big deal with speeding, there are way more serious crimes), I think unmarked cars are sketchy and a good way for any creep to abduct/murder people on the side of the road.
I wouldn't feel comfortable pulling over for an unmarked car.
Traffic speeding tickets are pretty much the last revenue stream standing for municipalities, and ticket issuance has been on the rise for the past two years, so its not surprising that police forces are doing more to cite the public for speeding.
I know the Virginia State Police have used plebeian Civics on 95 for years, South Carolina uses drug- possessed cars like Escalades in its force, North Carolina uses cameras in panel vans to catch speeders. I don't think this is anything new, maybe just more prevalent now.
I'm pretty sure CA doesn't allow traffic enforement using unmarked cars, either, and for the same safety reason cited above. Just a few months ago, some creeper dressed up a Crown Vic to look like an unmarked cop car (spotilghts, back seat cage, etc.) and tried to pull over some young girl driving late at night. Thankfully, she felt something afoot, made a quick turn onto a side street, and lost him. The guy could have easily nabbed someone else unfortunate enough to be less aware of their surroundings.
Lawmakers and police don't actually want you to stop speeding, or they'd run out of money to pay their salaries. If everyone stopped speeding tomorrow, then new, really anal laws would start getting written to make up the deficit. Traffic enforcement is a multi-billion dollar industry.
Less than 3% of all drivers have accidents each year. And yet average speeds are up. So obviously 97% of the driving public is safe, even at these elevated speeds.
I was actually thinking of this the other day. Unmarked cars catch people acting more in their normal behavior. While marked police cars give a presence that would keep someone from robbing or speeding.
I guess you want both to get the best of both worlds.
Traffic speeding tickets are pretty much the last revenue stream standing for municipalities, and ticket issuance has been on the rise for the past two years, so its not surprising that police forces are doing more to cite the public for speeding.
I know the Virginia State Police have used plebeian Civics on 95 for years, South Carolina uses drug- possessed cars like Escalades in its force, North Carolina uses cameras in panel vans to catch speeders. I don't think this is anything new, maybe just more prevalent now.
We had a cop that confiscated an acquaintances's Toyota Four runner for drug possession and the force used it for a couple years here. That was right before they got the Camaros.
I live way out in the country with the main highway being a two lane with lots of hills and curves and only two areas in about fifteen miles where it's even halfway safe to pass a slower car. After a particularly bad accident (head on with fatalities) at the end of one of those areas, the police picked up the patrol with unmarked vehicles. Saw the usual Chargers and Crown Vics but the oddest one was an 90s model Ford F150. Wouldn't have spotted that one in a million years.
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