Be Advised Driving in PA

[tazman]

Gents (and ladies):

Be advised I recieved this from a reliable source:

Emailed to me as follows:

Subject: Warning to PA residents regarding speeding

PA State police will launch a 30-day speeding ticket frenzy throughout the state starting Feb 1, 2006. The State estimates that 22 million dollars will be generated in speeding tickets. 3 million will go to pay trooper overtime and benefit costs. There will be 150 State Troopers on duty during ALL shifts patrolling hughways. Significant radar enforcement will occur along I-70, I-79, I-76, I-80, I-81, I-84, I-83, I-90 and I-99 corridors.


Motorists travelling 6 MPH or MORE ABOVE the limit will recieve a ticket and every state Trooper is supposed pull a car over and write a ticket EVERY 10 MINUTES. PA has activated 50 new unmarked cruisers of various makes and models for this pilot program to raise extra funds and meet mandated quotas. The PA State Legislators dreamed up this program to help offset the additional funding required to hire 60 new troopers. I was told KDKA TV and radio (Pittsburgh) confirmed this. So be safe and don't speed.

Signed,

Brandon W.
Supervisor of Driver Services
PGT Trucking Inc.

FYI.....Believe it or not !!!

Frank in Pa.
"The Beast in the East"

 

[guest]

Public safety is obviously not their number one priority. If I got pulled over during this dragnet I would be tempted to ask the officer if he was protecting or serving me.

Such an obvious revenue driven scheme has nothing to do with the role of law enforcement. If they're low on cash the legislature should do the honest thing and either cut spending or raise taxes, but dispense with the roadside harrassment.

 

[terryandrene]

SPEED ENFORCEMENT E-MAIL A HOAX, MILLER ADVISES

HARRISBURG — State Police Commissioner Jeffrey B. Miller today advised citizens that an e-mail circulating in Pennsylvania that warns of a “speeding ticket frenzy†involving State Police is a hoax.

“The misinformation in this e-mail is an urban legend that originated in New Jersey in May 2005, according to our research,†Miller said. “Since then, the hoax has targeted police in Tennessee, Texas, California, Michigan, Hawaii and now, Pennsylvania.â€

Versions of the e-mail forwarded to State Police by citizens claim that state legislators “dreamed up†a massive speed enforcement detail to pay the costs of hiring additional troopers and to pay for trooper overtime and benefits.

“I want to stress that there is absolutely no truth to these claims,†Miller said. “I suggest that anyone who receives such an e-mail simply delete it. Don’t become part of the hoax by forwarding the message to others.â€

Miller said State Police routinely engage in speed enforcement efforts as part of their highway safety programs. “We are not involved in any special speed enforcement effort at this time and we never issue traffic citations as a way of raising funds for the state.â€

source: www.state.pa.us/papower

In addition: more interesting comments on this issue:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/traffic/speeding.asp

 

[cheri1122]

While this particular warning was a hoax, I have been known to exceed the speed limit for many years, (though I've reformed, really!), and my own experiences indicate that many localities have been using speeding tickets as a revenue enhancement tool.
About three years ago, someone let the cat out of the bag here in the Cleveland, Ohio, area, and it was reported in the newspaper. It seems the City Council of North Olmsted told the Chief of Police that there wasn't money enough to pay overtime for the police officers. They could, however, continue working overtime, if they volunteered for a "speed detail", and wrote enough tickets to cover the costs. Asked for a comment, the Chief said "We do not have a quota system" - which skirted the issue entirely. Anyone who drives through North Olmsted on 480 can confirm the presence of radar units virtually 24/7.
I think that many cities have decided that issuing speeding tickets is a "win/win" scenario. They get more money without raising taxes, from people who really can't complain. (I admit that this had a great deal to so with my reformation, lol)
As FriscoMike points out - it's not about safety at all.

 

[raceman]

> Well, you are all gonna hate me for this. If speeding is against the law and speeding tickets are given to speeders breaking the law, why does this always upset everyone. Now I agree we don't need cops on the road doing what the Hoax indicates but outside of that I am all for it.

I speed all the time but I know the risk I am taking and I do expect the cop to ticket me if I am caught. Its wrong and if they make money off of people breaking the law and that keeps my taxes down, then have at it. If they ticket people who are not breaking the law then I have a problem with that. But if they can make millions by ticketing, I say have at it.
>

Raceman
OTR O/O

 

[TeamCaffee]

I agree with you Raceman. I do not figure in the cost of a ticket when doing business. That cost as far as we are concerned is like taking cash and just setting fire to it. We have plenty of time to deliver running the speed limit and we will continue to do so. We also see the cost savings in our m.p.g on fuel. So they can run all of the speed traps they want because we will follow the posted speed limit and we usually run a few m.p.h. below that.

 

[highway star]

While this one may be a hoax, enforcement sweeps are not uncommon. Due to an inaccurate speedo in my motorhome I got a ticket in the Clare, Mi. area. They picked a 2 mile strech of the expressway and had 6 cars working. Like many, I just set my cruise at an acceptable speed.

 

[apollo]

Why worry even if was not a hoax. Be safe, Be professional ...do not speed.

 

[redsnapper]

I find it hard to believe that anyone needs to be warned about speeding. One must believe then, warnings againts double parking, wrong direction on one-ways and time limits for space allotments also need attention. I suggest you spend time dealing with pertinent issues.

 

[cheri1122]

Redsnapper: one can believe whatever one wishes, and this one believes the issue of speeding is quite pertinent on a site for drivers. Therefore, I will expand upon my previous comments.
I agree that speeding is throwing money away - even without getting a ticket. But mpg didn't used to be an issue that mattered much to me, as it does now. And police didn't used to ticket drivers for exceeding the speed limit generally, unless it was excessive, or accompanied by aggressive driving. They were expected to use their judgement, and would sometimes issue a warning to slow down, instead of writing a citation. It was a decision based on safety, not revenue.
And if exceeding the posted limit is inherently unsafe, the police officers are the most unsafe drivers on the roads! Just a few days ago, in Chicago, (I think on the Dan Ryan Expressway), where the posted limit is 45, a Chicago Police car was setting the pace that everyone kept to: 65!
I would be more inclined to believe that it's all about safety if I didn't know that police don't ticket fellow officers, or their family members, or most officials.
Sometimes I wonder what would happen if every driver began to obey the limits, so that no more tickets could be issued, or money obtained, from speeding. It sure would be interesting, & I'm doing my part to make it happen.

 

[DannyD]

I would be more inclined to believe that it's all about
>safety if I didn't know that police don't ticket fellow
>officers, or their family members, or most officials.

Hiya Cheri,

I room w/ a Police officer & that (an officer giving another officer a ticket) happens more than ya might think. We had this very talk about 2 days ago. What you're referring to is known as "Professional Courtesy." Some cops abide by it & others don't. My roommate was telling me about a website that only cops can get onto & this very subject was brought up. About half the officers said they'd give professional courtesy & the other half said they wouldn't.

In more than one case, an officer has even given another patrol car a ticket. For example the cop takes his patrol car home & has to go thru another city, so he's in another cop's jurisdiction. Cop A will write a ticket to Cop B. Now, this often causes "ticket wars" between two jurisdictions, & can make for some strained relationships between police forces, but it definately happens a fair amount.

So next time ya see two cop cars sitting there together, they just might NOT be talking about which donut shop they wanna eat at!! =)

Have a great one,
Danny

 

[guest]

It seems to me that police should write tickets for the purpose of making the roads safer, not to help fund their department. Writing tickets as a revenue tool is a little like what pirates do on the high seas.

I'm all for writing tickets to reckless drivers, but if I am driving 55 and the limit goes to 30 going into a small town and I am clocked at 35 and ticketed somewhere close to the change in speed limit, that looks more like revenue generation than public safety.

I am just speaking hypothetically, though, because I drive very carefully. Last ticket was in 1992 (69 in a 55 in my personal vehicle).

 

[tazman]

I apologize if this was a true hoax....
What prompted me to send it was the author actually signed his name and phone number to the e-mail (I guess he may be in trouble).
The trucking company is a fairly large carrier out of Pittsburgh....and given the way our governor (schmooze Rendell) ran Philly when he was mayor...this sounded like an idea they would dream up......

Anyway it seemed to generate some healthy debate....


Thanks,
Frank



"The Beast in the East"

 

[beachbum20714]

i was driving in PA a cpl of years ago and got pulled over.i asked the cop if there was any points to this ticket,he said no;only if you pay it in the 2 weeks aloted time.i said oh,no points,he said no because the state of PA does not share the money from the ticket with the federal gov.OK.years ago when traveling into PA from MD on i83 there where signs stating that if you where caught speeding between 56-60 mph the fine would be x amount of dollars 60-65/66-70 you get the pic.they have sence taken down those signs.i have a radar det.some states will not let you have them.mine does,MARYLAND.i went thru a scale one time had the det,turned off,but,,,alarms sounded inside the scale house,and was pulled in.they asked me if i had one i told them yes but not pluged in.i said i was taking back to the store to exchange it for a new one.didn't matter,i was in the wrong any way.i got a $275.00 ticket for that.never again in a comm veh.only in per veh.