How hard should cops crack down on some traffic offenders?
No one likes getting a traffic ticket. Speeding, running a red light, rolling through a stop sign, it doesn’t matter. The increased heartbeat and dry mouth that comes when you see those police lights in the rearview mirror are never welcome.
A motorist in Virginia probably felt that way, and more, after he (or she; I don’t believe it was specified) got stopped recently. The Washington Post reported on Sunday that a motorist who violated the high-occupancy vehicle law got slapped with a $1,000 ticket.
To be fair, it was the driver’s fourth violation. And police said drivers violating the HOV lane law is one of the most frequent calls they receive.
Most motorists are irked by the $75 or $100 fines that come with a standard moving violation in the St. Louis area. So how would a $1,000 HOV ticket go over? Does that sound excessive, or does the punishment fit the crime?
For the past several months, the Post-Dispatch has been reporting extensively on how the laws against DWI are enforced, or not. Obviously, that’s a different kind of problem. Or are all traffic offenses a slippery slope that let drivers think they can get away with nearly anything?
As far as I know, we have no highways or interstates with special HOV lanes in the St. Louis area. They’ve been suggested, in the past, and gone nowhere. Maybe our traffic woes aren’t that bad. If we did have them, would you be able to use them, legally? Or would you envy the fast-flow and scoot on over, anyway?
Anytime you have a specially designated lane, there will be people who abuse it. Look around you here in STL. when you are trying to navigate in rush hour, there is always several people who think they are special and above the law, as they cut you off or speed viciously, tailgate or abuse a lane. I say more enforcement is needed and prosecute these morons to the fullest. Letting people off easy or doing nothing only encourages more bad drivers to violate.
Anything that brings in money. Other little things like pursuing violent criminals are secondary.
Jerry - You would be surprised by the felony arrests that result from traffic stops.
Traffic laws are laws nonetheless. I personally think traffic fines should depend on income. As it stands, traffic fines are just a drop in the bucket for higher income people, but can be a serious hardship on lower incomes.
The problem is people think that no matter how bad they drive, it’s their business. But when you are putting other people’s property and safety at risk, it’s a law enforcement thing that has nothing to do with making money. I say raise all the fines until it hurts, like $500.00 for 1st offense. And if someone is injured, mandatory jail time! That may encourage those tailgaters and lane weavers to drive the correct way!
The only time I’ve been ticketed was when I lived in Massachusetts on a town road while going 53 in a 35. It was a legitimate ticket I paid and have since worked off of my insurance, and I’m the better driver for it. Growing up there, I had never heard of “ticket fixers” who argue it down to a non-moving violation. If people get caught speeding, running red lights, switching lanes dangerously, etc, they should be fined and have points applied to their license, leading to higher insurance premiums (and lower ones for people who obey traffic laws). It is a person’s choice to speed excessively (10+ mph over posted limits) and drive dangerously; they shouldn’t choose what fine they do and do not get to pay after that.
It do seem to be excessive that the lady received a $1000 fine for having to many people in a vehicle,but laws and rules are there for a reason.One thing I don’t understand is that for years young gang bangers and criminals have been using vehicles with Illinois temp tags that are obviously bogus,stolen or illegally obtained.The criminals use these vehicles to commit all sorts of crime.All area police forces in the Metro St.Louis area must be given a “blank check” to pull over any vehicles with Illiois temp tags to check for criminal actvity.BE PROACTIVE,NOT REACTIVE!!
What is fare for one is fare for all. Not so! As long as you have lawyers and judges eating lunch and or dinner together, it’s never going to be fare. In the court system, money talk and BS walks.
The problem today is that different cities, small communities police departments and traffic courts operate differently. That amount of money seems excessive to me. However if that is the set fine for that law, that’s what it is as long as it is assessed to all that break it.
I for one don’t think that the traffic law are enforced very well anywhere. The attitude today is do what you can get away with until you get caught. Then get a good lawyer and go on with your life.
How would you like being a police officer that spent several hours arresting and processing a very drunk driver only to find that the charge was reduced to an unlawful muffler by a lawyer, prosecutor, judge relationship.
Tough to enforce laws when the enforcees are breaking simple rules left and right as well. How about issuing tickets for not using turn signals, or missing headlights, or tailgating? I suppose if you do that though, 99% of MO drivers would be pulled over on a daily basis.
The Limo Tint windows are illegal but it’s never enforced. I see far too many Gangsta cars driving around with the windows blacked out and it makes me nervous. I need to see what that driver is doing, where they’re looking, who’s in the car……. Imagine being a cop and pulling over one of these Gangsta machines and not being able to see in to the vehicle as you approach it.