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There has always been an argument in the city forums about police departments writing tickets to generate revenue, and you have people who defend it, and people who detest it. The defenders usually say it is for safety, and they want police to ticket "dangerous" drivers.
The problem is that they don't ticket dangerous drivers. They ticket speeders.
Consistantly cited by AAA as the biggest money making speed trap in Florida, a small town called Waldo on U.S. 301 [18 miles n/e of Gainesville]Speed limit drops from 55 to 45 to 35 within a few thousand feet.
But actually the biggest cash cow for cities is revenue cameras on traffic lights. Politicians call them red light cameras for safety.
When Houston introduced the cameras, the company operating them said it was all about safety, not about revenue. Fast forward to 2010, the citizens of Houston voted to do away with Red Light Cameras, and the City notified the comnpany that they were going to turn them off. Guess what the operator did? Yup, they are suing the City of Houston for something like 45 Million dollars.
There has always been an argument in the city forums about police departments writing tickets to generate revenue, and you have people who defend it, and people who detest it. The defenders usually say it is for safety, and they want police to ticket "dangerous" drivers.
So, now comes a state who needs the money that is going to pass a law to jack up the price of speeding below ten miles an hour above the speed limit, and then keep more of the coin by not reporting it to insurance companies.
If anyone ever wondered if tickets were issued for "protection", well here is one state who now admits is is solely a cash generating policy.
It's not "soley" a cash generating policy. The #1 cause of accidents is too much speed, and speed limits force people to use less fuel too, since lower speeds improve MPG's. True, the government can't save us, but the reason for speed limits in the first place is tried and true.
Plus, this tax is 100% avoidable, just don't speed. And it's not like muncipalities are taking the cash and buying rosewood desks or city issued Merceedes; the money is going back into the public realm.
There has always been an argument in the city forums about police departments writing tickets to generate revenue, and you have people who defend it, and people who detest it. The defenders usually say it is for safety, and they want police to ticket "dangerous" drivers.
So, now comes a state who needs the money that is going to pass a law to jack up the price of speeding below ten miles an hour above the speed limit, and then keep more of the coin by not reporting it to insurance companies.
If anyone ever wondered if tickets were issued for "protection", well here is one state who now admits is is solely a cash generating policy.
I live in Oakland, CA. All in all I like this city but traffic enforcement is nonexistent. The roads here are a freaking free-for-all. Everyone knows there is no enforcement and drive accordingly. I too am guilty. When I cross the bridge into Alameda, I drive like a saint because I know that if I break the law, a SWAT team will descend upon me before I make it two blocks. Funny how that works. Every bridge into the city of Alameda is clearly marked that speed limits are strictly enforced and they're not joking around.
It's almost funny that when leaving Alameda across the 25 mph Park street bridge, engines rev and tires squeal just as they hit the blacktop on the Oakland side. The speed limit is still 25 but you'll be flattened if you don't at least make 50 within a block.
Oakland is a very dangerous place for pedestrians and bicyclists (drivers too) while Alameda is safe. So, while I realize that traffic tickets are a cash cow, it's quite evident that they also help to ensure public safety. It seems like a win-win to me.
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