I'll never worry about getting pulled over, EVER.
I don't worry about it either.
Here comes the personal accountability side. I don't think I deserve it and I'm not gonna pay that, it should be reduced. WHY? For once, the police got it right and you were in the wrong, end of story. The rules are not ambiguous....SPEED LIMIT 55.
Don't get wrong - I think that particular rule is set up for revenue generation, not the protection of the public but I don't view all traffic laws that way, nor all speed limits. 25 in a residential area, for example, actually seems fast sometimes. The courts are a means of helping people who think they've been treated unfairly by the law. 55 on a modern interstate is ridiculous. Cars have come lightyears in technology since the national 55 MPH speed limit was imposed. The laws are to protect stupid people from themselves, now things like ABS, tuned suspensions, computer aided traction, tire technology etc. take a lot of the risk out of higher speeds. I'm not saying everyone should be driving 85 MPH everywhere they go, but I am saying a 72 MPH ticket is BS.
You may feel the justice system is about $ but that's what gets people's attention. What would you consider, a barter system. Bring in 2 goats and we'll call it even?
It is about revenue generation. The amount of money being charged for most traffic offenses is not enough to get most people's attention. It is enough, however, when you have enough volume to fill the coffers of the municipality. I know you want (need, actually, given your profession) to make this a black-and-white argument but the reality is that laws are set up so that some offenses are more egregious than others. It allows judges and prosecuters to decide who should be punished and who simply pays a "tax".
What I propose, if speeding is really so dangerous; if speeding is such an outragous crime, if it's such a blight on society that you take cars away from people. Revoke licenses. Mandatory jail time. Things like that get your attention.
Let me assure you the police DO care about speed and improper turns since we're the ones going to the accidents caused by this neglegence. The judges in the sterile courtroom don't have to witness HUMAN BEINGS dying 2 feet away from you when they're trying to talk. Seeing this happen (and I have) only makes you take on traffic idiocy more agressive and want to stop stupditiy before it kills more. Let me assure you that your speed kills!
Realistically, how many people are killed as the result of going 72 in a 55? How many people are killed as the result of going 50 in a 55? Is the 17 MPH difference the difference between life and death? I doubt it. What's the threshold? I don't know, I don't think anyone really does. So we set speed limits to allow for a range of behaviors. This is why I can blow by a cop at least once a week on my way to work going 70+ in a 55. 80 in a 65. During rush hour, driving any slower actually impedes the flow of traffic, which is breaking another law. It would be great to get behind some of the "speed kills" statistics. What speeds were these people "dying 2 feet away from you" traveling at? What put them in this situation? Inattention? Hit by someone else? Debris in the road? I'd argue that there are way too many factors in an accident to blame speed entirely. There are many that say the 65 MPH highways are more dangerous, there are many that contradict those statistics. Unbelted passengers in SUVs are skewing the fatality statistics. Injuries on 65 MPH highways are down while deaths are up. But if you consider the popularity of SUVs, the lower safety standards, idiots who don't buckle up, and the higher probability of a roll over you'd find that 65 MPH highways are safer.
If you're willing to pay 1/2 of your mistakes then you're somewhat there, but still think it's a game to win. It's no game, you got caught this time and you should pay what it's worth. What gives you the right to only foot 1/2 the bill?
The law gives me that right. It gives me my day in court. Everyone should take advantage of it.
Driving 12 over the limit isn't like buying a new car at sticker price. You're an innocent customer seeking the best deal. You're not a law violator seeking to minimize financial loss due to your own neglegent actions.
I didn't say driving 12 over the limit is like buying a new car at sticker price. I'm drawing a distinction between the law and the fine. The law is created to collect the fine. I'm not arguing the fact that the law was broken and that you should pay. I'm saying that what you pay is negotiable.
I must ask, when was the last time you acutually got caught by your boss, or significant other and instead of taking that huge horse pill and the damage that goes with it, tried to take the low road by say "it wasn't me" or whatever so you could minimize the damage. YOU DID IT, FESS UP TO IT, TAKE YOUR MEDICINE AND GET IT OVER WITH. You'll have much more respect by those who come in contact with. They'll know you're a stand up guy. Right now it sounds like you're of the weasel type. The simple truth is "YOU PLAY, YOU PAY".
Caught doing what? You're saying that people who speed or break traffic laws also commit other "crimes" and don't own up to them? Holy cow! You're really up there on your high horse. If you must know, I attribute my personal and professional success to taking responsibility for my own actions. Everything I do is carefully calculated, I'm a pretty risk-averse individual. If I do take a risk, and it doesn't work out, I'm the first to admit I f'd it up. Honestly, in corporate America you earn the respect of your peers and superiors by taking responsibility. It seems like a really simple formula, but the reality is while everyone else is dodging responsibility or covering up their misdeeds those that don't do that stick out. But we're really digressing here....
I love seeing your kind in court. The magistrates just roll their eyes listening to some song & dance about a sick mother or late for school, wasn't familiar with the area, or just going with traffic. Then it's "Deputy do you have anything further. No your Hornor". "Pay at the counter, I'm finding you responsible based on the testimony today".
I'm not sure what "my kind" is. I don't make excuses for my actions - I never have. All the judge wants to hear is whether or not you did it. It's pretty cut and dry, as you've pointed out. Did you speed? Yes. How could you argue otherwise? Radar is really tough to argue against. I have successfully argued against a careless driving ticket (it was total BS, though you'll find that hard to believe from "my kind"). The judge doesn't care whether you did it or not. He knows you did it; you know you did it. He wants to know what you're willing to pay. You talk to the prosecuter beforehand and see what kind of deal you can cut. They don't want to be there all night, nor do you. I've had a 100% success rate with the prosecuters. I'd never go before a judge and argue that I wasn't speeding - it's suicide.
MORAL OF THE STORY....go the speed limit, check all your bulbs, don't put on unnecessarily colored lights on the car, don't illegally tint your windows and don't put the newest fad smoked license plate over your license plate and drive normally, what's the point!!! You're just playing Roulette, then'll complain when you get pinched.
My points are with regard to speeding. I'm not questioning any other laws (though some I could). It's convenient for you to lump it all together to get the most bang for your argument buck.
Look, I have all the respect in the world for cops. You've got a tough job and quite frankly I couldn't do it. My grandfather is a cop, my uncle's a cop, my friends are cops. I know it's frustrating to be out there writing tickets while the courts keep letting people off. I think you need to take a look at why that's happening, that's all. (hint: it's because *some* tickets are BS) It's your job to write them, I know, but the justice system as set up an avenue of appeals that works for the public. The towns get their money, the public's inconvenience is minimized.
Jim
Flame Away....
PS: None of this is intended as a flame or to offend. If you look at my history here, you'll find that "my kind" isn't the flaming sort.
