Posts Tagged ‘law enforcement’
Thursday, October 28th, 2010
The way cops hand out speeding tickets has its limits. A police officer can pull over only one car at a time. As far as the governments view this is too expensive and slow.
Now with technology growing at a rapid pace, new and alternative methods have been created.
The old system of traffic enforcement simply wasn’t doing the job of making the kinds of money our government wants to make.
There are just too many factors: First, they have to hire the cop to pull you over. This also means the use of a police vehicle which also costs money. Next, the traffic stop itself is a dangerous situation for the officer and potentially other drivers or pedestrians. Third, after it’s all said and done, the driver may still end up driving away without a ticket (if the officer decides to just give a warning).
And maybe the final factor was that in the time it took for said police officer to pull you over and write the ticket dozens more drivers go speeding by! Money lost down the drain.
Introducing photo radar… the government’s latest scheme to generate more money, all in the name of safety. Within minutes, a photo radar machine can catch dozens of drivers on a single stretch of road. These radar cameras literally do the jobs of several cops.
There’s no longer the need to actually pull people over anymore. With traffic cameras, speeding tickets are mailed directly to the home of the offender. Talk about service!
Since its’ beginning, photo radar has been proven to: Save police department’s time and money. Improve conviction rates in traffic court. Maximize city resources available for traffic enforcement. Increase individual insurance rates.
The age of photo radar is still in its infancy. To date, there are only 20 or so states that employ this method of speed detection – California, Colorado, Arizona, Ohio and Washington to name a few.
However, the popularity of photo radar is growing by leaps and bounds.
Cities are starting to latch on to the photo radar band wagon because of the revenue generating potential. Its relatively simple for a city to have one installed and the photo radar pays for itself quickly.
Photo radar can give a financially troubled city an almost immediate injection of revenue.
Think about it: Within minutes, photo radar can clock dozens of speeding vehicles — something that would have taken about 10 real cops to accomplish with traditional speed enforcement!
How does a photo radar work you may ask? Think of it as a radar gun and a high quality camera rolled up into one. It gets programmed to take a photo of your license plate at a certain speed.
For instance say the speed limit of a particular road is set at 45 mph, the photo radar can be set to activate if it detects a speed over 50 mph.
When a car passes the photo radar unit and is traveling faster than the predetermined cut off point it will snap a photo of your license plate. And so it goes 24/7, courtesy of big brother hundreds of people can be cited this way.
When the database of the photo radar is accessed at a later time, they photos will be examined inaccurancies.
The clarity of the license plate will be examined to see if it is readable. If it cant be it will be discarded.
Once a legible license plate is found, the examiner will then look up the license plate number with the bureau of motor vehicles. The BMV will send back the name and address of the person the car is registered to. If the name comes back as a male, the examiner will then look to see if a male is sitting behind the wheel of the car. If there is, BINGO! The examiner will then send the registered owner of the car a speeding ticket in the mail.
This process is repeated until all the pictures from the photo radar have been gone through, until the next batch arrives. Photo radar enforcement is on the rise, hopefully this article will give you a heads up about it.
This isn’t possible for the majority of us though since most work for a living. Common Sense Ways To Prevent Traffic Infractions reckless driving A black or Hispanic individual driving in a predominately white neighborhood can also trigger an officer’s suspicion.
Tags: advice, affordable car insurance, auto insurance, Automotive, family, Insurance, law, law enforcement, legal, speeding tickets Posted in affordable car insurance | No Comments »
Thursday, October 28th, 2010
There are differences between traffic tickets. Determining the type of ticket you have is important when evaluating your situation.
If you receive a minor citation that doesn’t result in points to your license you may be better off just paying it instead of fighting it in traffic court.
Traffic violations come under two main headings. They can either be moving violations or non moving violations. They usually involve smaller fines and can be something as simple as a parking or headlight ticket.
Plus, as a bonus they do not show up on your driving record, which means your auto insurance company won’t find out about them.
Some common non-moving violations include: improper registration, failure to use seatbelt, broken taillights, no license plate, no license lamps, and improper parking.
In most cases these should just be paid. It can be a big hassle to go to traffic court for these kinds of violations. The reason is the fines for these are usually no more than $50 or so, and you could end up being in traffic court for hours. Not worth it in my judgment.
But if you felt the ticket was given unjustly, you should always attempt to resolve it in some way. For example a broken head light ticket will usually be tossed if you show proof you fixed it.
On the other hand, a moving violation is any law broken by the automobile driver while the vehicle is in motion. This type of violation is distinguished by the term ‘motion’. While a non moving violation is charged against the vehicle, a moving violations are charged against the driver of a vehicle. While usually only classifies as infractions or misdemeanors, serious violations can be felonies.
Moving violations normally involve the payment of fines, and also having points assessed against the driving record of the driver. As points are accumulated more severe punishment can be ordered such as having to take defensive driving courses up to having your drivers license suspended.
You may think we have it bad in the US, and we do, because traffic fines can go all the way up to $500 and more. But in some countries around the world, traffic can be set according to an individuals income, and in some rare cases be more than $100,000!
Common moving violations include: speeding (by far the most common violation) , running a stop sign or red traffic light, failure to yield to someone with the right of way, failing to maintain a single lane, not stopping for a pedestrian in a crosswalk, crossing the gore (striped area), failure to secure a load to a truck, driving in a car pool lane illegally, or driving too slow for road conditions, particularly in a left-hand lane
More serious moving violations include: racing on a public street, road rage, drunk driving, and vehicular homicide
Traffic violations are also broken down into either civil or criminal. While they both have points and fines associated with them, only criminal violations can wind up you up in jail.
Sentences imposed in criminal cases are obligations owed to the state for violation of their laws. The term state can be applied to cities, towns, state or federal governments or any other kind of municipality. Obviously these are the moving violations you need to avoid at all costs.
These normally look just like the other police vehicles in your town, they’re just painted like a civilian car. Whenever one is traveling on the highway they rarely will apply their brakes, unless someone cut in front of them. traffic fines It’s called photo radar and it’s important that you know if your city uses this type of method to write speeding tickets..
Tags: advice, affordable car insurance, auto insurance, Automotive, family, Insurance, law, law enforcement, legal, speeding tickets Posted in affordable car insurance | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 27th, 2010
State laws maintain that everybody is protected by equal rights in the eyes of justice. So, even when charged with an offence, culpability is not decided upon unless judged by the court, which even then undergoes through an extensive evaluation.
By knowing your legal rights, you can have a better chance to beat a speeding ticket. This will require some effort though.
So to beat a speeding ticket, lets start with the scene of the flagging down, you have the right to limit your answers to a polite “no, officer” and “yes officer.” Known as the Miranda Rights, you are free not to admit your guilt or answer questions that can possibly lead to self-incrimination, especially without the presence of a lawyer.
But obviously you want to be cooperative with the officer. You DO have to provide the basics such as name, proof of auto insurance and drivers license. These aren’t covered in your right to be silent.
If you want to have any chance to beat a speeding ticket, you want to be civil to the officer who pulled you over. Doing stupid things like insulting the police officer or losing your temper will guarantee you get ticketed, and possibly even add to your charges. Courtesy and respect can go a long way toward getting you out of a traffic violation. And besides, the side of the highway isn’t the best place to discuss your side of it.
Your innocence is protected and maintained all through out, so do not be afraid of courts and to beat a speeding ticket. You are not judged unless there is sufficient evidence which is provided by the officer, who is obligated to present the burden of proof, and what you have to do is defend yourself.
The court gives equal chances to both parties, and the best way to maintain your not guilty plea is to remember the facts on what had transpired. Vague answers will definitely not help you to beat a speeding ticket filed against you.
You can retain a lawyer if you really want to, but you can also represent yourself, which is what most people do. You have a better chance to beat a speeding ticket if your facts are more credible and relevant to the event than the officers version of events.
Not only does everyone have the right to a speedy trial, but if the police officer does not show up in court you can point out the lack of evidence and ask to have your ticket dismissed.
Most traffic courts offer alternative to actually paying for a ticket like community service or attending a traffic school class. To beat a speeding ticket means knowing all options available to all people facing charges.
If you are able to beat a speeding ticket, the benefits can be many. Keeping your driving record clean will in turn keep you auto insurance lower, and can also affect the outcome of a ticket you may receive in the future.
Abuse and biases are not tolerated by the court, so expect it to be an ally when you try to beat a speeding ticket. This means you have as good a chance as anyone to have your speeding ticket dismissed when you go to traffic court.
Remembering the facts about your traffic stop will help you beat a speeding ticket written against you. Be clear that this is not included in your rights of silence. This will require some effort though. Speeding Ticket
Tags: automobile insurance, cheap car insurance, driving, family, law, law enforcement, speeding tickets Posted in cheap car insurance | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 27th, 2010
On average, over 100,000 drivers get speeding tickets every day. Thats 36,500,000 traffic tickets yearly.
One in every 6 drivers will get a speeding ticket this year.
The average speeding ticket costs $150.00.
Almost 5 and one half BILLION dollars a year are generated just from speeding fines. $150 x 36,500,000= $5,475,000,000!
The average raise in insurance costs for one speeding ticket over the course of 3 years is $900.00.
Take 36,500,000 and multiply by $900 and you get 3.28 BILLION! Thats the extra money auto insurance companies make in increased premiums.
Most people simply pay their speeding tickets instead of fighting it in traffic court. (over 95%!)
Of the 5% of people who do go to traffic court to contest their ticket, a large percentage will either have the charge reduced or the ticket dropped altogether.
In the US there are almost 200 million licensed drivers.
A police officer will fail to show up to court between 30 to 50% of the time. This is immediate grounds for a dismissal.
Paradise Valley, Arizona, in 1987 became the first town in America to use photo radar.
In 1966 Brooklyn Ohio was the first city that mandated the use of seat belts.
Drivers aged 17-24 receive the majority of speeding tickets.
More males than females receive speeding citations.
More women than men fight their speeding tickets in traffic court.
The age of drivers responsible for the most traffic accidents is 17.
In 1879 two men in Seattle Washington were ticketed for speeding horses.
Henry Ford’s first motor vehicle, built in 1894, only went forward.
In 1868 horse buggies and also pedestrians in London were the first to use the precursor to the modern day traffic lights.
Photo radar cameras in Washington D.C. since 1999 have issued almost 3 million tickets worth almost $200 million.
The wife of the Prime Minister of Canada has the first known filed speeding ticket on record. She was busted doing almost a tremendous 10 mph above the posted speed limit.
Out of all professions, doctors get the most speeding tickets.
The average traffic cop will cost a city about $75,000 per year in salary, bonuses, and benefits. This same police officer will make the city an average of $200,000 per year in traffic ticket fines! That’s one hell of a profit margin.
The top ten states for writing speeding tickets are:
1. Ohio 2. Pennsylvania 3. New York 4. California 5. Texas 6. Georgia 7. Virginia 8. North Carolina 9. Massachusetts 10. Connecticut
You never know what (or who) may be waiting for you on the other side to give you a speeding ticket! Common Sense Ways You Can Avoid Non Moving Violation Infractions There may not be a cop for miles, but look ahead. See that van parked across the street? camera traffic tickets
Tags: advice, affordable car insurance, auto insurance, Automotive, family, Insurance, law, law enforcement, legal, speeding tickets Posted in affordable car insurance | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 27th, 2010
Speed traps are places commonly known to people where law enforcement writes more traffic tickets on average than other places. These are something all fifty states have in common.
The most common areas for these hidden speed traps would be streets where the posted speed limit is not easily seen, or areas of fluctuating speed limits. It’s very easy to catch unsuspecting drivers ‘breaking the law’ in these particular areas.
They also exist in small cities or towns near major highways or interstates, where road travelers are not likely to return if they get a traffic ticket. Law enforcement can also render radar detectors useless by setting up on long stretches of road where they can time a car between points with a stop watch to determine the rate of speed. This way drivers cant be alerted by a radar signal.
What happens in this case is that they will use a mathematical formula to determine your speed by using the time it took you to pass between the preset points. Its pretty simple for them to do this. So if they determine you were speeding, usually another police officer down the road will be alerted to the make and model of your car, what your speed was, and they will pull you over.
Whether this is legal or not has been debated for many years. Increasing the numbers of drivers ticketed has always been supported by law enforcement and politicians alike. Their argument has always been that it is done in the name of safety. Even though everyone knows its to increase revenue.
The plain and simple truth to the whole matter is that these deceptive means of traffic enforcement are illegal and unethical. The fleecing of America through speed traps is a multi billion dollar industry!
Next time your in your vehicle protect yourself from speed traps. And if you are planning on going on a road trip, do some research beforehand on the internet to determine where likely speed traps might be.
Take notice of things like bridges and up coming turns in the road, these can be speeding ticket magnets.. Check out Speedtrap.org for a comprehensive list of speed traps anywhere in the US. speeding fine A black or Hispanic individual driving in a predominately white neighborhood can also trigger an officer’s suspicion.
Tags: advice, affordable car insurance, auto insurance, Automotive, family, Insurance, law, law enforcement, legal, speeding tickets Posted in affordable car insurance | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 27th, 2010
It is possible that the rate you pay for your current car insurance coverage is not what that policy is going for currently. Auto insurance companies change the rates of policies frequently. And they will not inform you if your policy has become cheaper to new customers.
Your same low rate car insurance coverage can likely be found cheaper from a different provider or sometimes even with the same provider you are presently with. When you are looking for cheap, inexpensive car insurance coverage, free private websites can help those who are searching for lower rates.
Fact: Cheap car insurance coverage for teens is available for many that qualify.
The internet has changed the way people buy many things and low rate auto insurance is one of them. Websites have popped up all over offering low rate auto insurance as well as offering the ability to compare car insurance coverage rates from several insurance companies at once.
Fact: You can use one of the many available free websites to compare car insurance coverage. You can also use these sites just to check sometimes if you are curious about what auto insurance premiums might be at that moment for you.
These websites have allowed consumers to check their insurance rates daily and buy insurance without ever needing to talk to a sales person in person or on the phone. When you want low rate car insurance coverage you should buy auto insurance online. A few seconds searching online can save you hours on the phone and hundreds of dollars a year.
You can do a quick search to see if you can get cheaper car insurance coverage with a different company, or the auto insurer your currently with. And you can do this anytime of day or night.
The search is free and there is no obligation to buy anything or change your insurance company.
If its possible for you to save some money, and do it all online, why not give it a try? In some ways the recession has given people opportunities to save even more on their auto insurance.
Isn’t it time to take advantage of the recession?
Common Sense Alternatives You Can Get Out Of Parking Tickets They will usually be the same model of cars as the marked police cruisers, just painted like the civilian version. speeding tickets insurance Common Sense Ways You Can Prevent Traffic Infractions
Tags: advice, affordable car insurance, auto insurance, Automotive, family, Insurance, law, law enforcement, legal, speeding tickets Posted in affordable car insurance | No Comments »
Tuesday, October 26th, 2010
This article should give some hope to people who have received speeding tickets because there are ways to fight speeding tickets.
Gather evidence: When fighting speeding tickets, ask the traffic court to see the official documents, like calibration records for either the radar gun or speedometer used to clock your car. File a discovery request with the prosecutor so you can always examine documents in advance for flaws. But note that if you subpoena documents, you’ll remind the officer of the incident, which may prompt him/her to show up in court.
One thing that can help you fight speeding tickets is to know that devices that measure your cars speed such as radar and laser detectors can be subject to human error. Traffic tickets have been dismissed in some instances because the ticketing officer failed to document proper positioning of the speed detecting instrument.
Fight speeding tickets with technicalities. Simple things missing from the ticket can get it thrown out. It may be rare but if something as simple as the lack of the officers signature missing, or if it or the badge ID number is not readable then it could be dismissed.
Be Brief: When fighting speeding tickets, keep in mind that judges don’t have a lot of time. Give a brief report. Additionally, use of visual evidence, such as a photo of a road sign obscured by foliage may help your case.
Officers rarely have a good reason for missing traffic court. If you go to court to fight speeding tickets and the officer isn’t there and the court asks for a continuance you should respectfully object. This is an example of winning your case by default and it happens more often than you might think.
Speeding tickets can raise your insurance, cause accidents and other hazards. The best way to avoid receiving a speeding ticket is not to speed!
fight speeding If you speed, you will get caught. You can help yourself with this by going around your car and making sure all lights are functioning. To was an unmarked police cruiser until your pulled over and issued a speeding ticket.
Tags: advice, affordable car insurance, auto insurance, Automotive, family, Insurance, law, law enforcement, legal, speeding tickets Posted in affordable car insurance | No Comments »
Monday, October 25th, 2010
State laws maintain that everybody is protected by equal rights in the eyes of justice. So, even when charged with an offence, culpability is not decided upon unless judged by the court, which even then undergoes through an extensive evaluation.
Same is true with speeding violations. You can beat a speeding ticket by knowing your rights which, although requires effort, can guarantee you the best chances of having the case dismissed.
So to beat a speeding ticket, lets start with the scene of the flagging down, you have the right to limit your answers to a polite “no, officer” and “yes officer.” Known as the Miranda Rights, you are free not to admit your guilt or answer questions that can possibly lead to self-incrimination, especially without the presence of a lawyer.
But, you DO want to be cooperative by providing your basic details such as drivers license, proof of auto insurance, and other things such as your name. Your right to be silent does not pertain to these.
In order to beat a speeding ticket, you have to do things in a certain way. Being courteous and respectful to another human being can carry significant weight when an officer is still deciding to ticket you or not. Losing your temper or verbalizing insults toward an officer of the law will absolutely guarantee you will NOT get out of a traffic ticket. And if you push the issue too far it can lead to more charges, especially in court.
You are not actually guilty until a judge finds you so in traffic court. And the burden of proof has to be provided by the law enforcement official who actually wrote the traffic citation. So don’t be afraid to defend yourself in court and try to beat a speeding ticket.
The court gives equal chances to both parties, and the best way to maintain your not guilty plea is to remember the facts on what had transpired. Vague answers will definitely not help you to beat a speeding ticket filed against you.
Some people will bring a lawyer to court, I personally don’t think it is necessary as most people prefer to represent themselves and have a good chance to beat a speeding ticket by simply stating the facts clearly.
You are also granted the right to a speedy trial as traffic courts realize there are time constraints such as personal life and work. If the officer is a no show you can point out the lack of evidence and simply ask to have your speeding ticket thrown out.
You are also free to request for alternatives aside from payment, such as attending traffic schools or doing community service. Beat a speeding ticket by checking out all the options that the law has provided all who are facing charges.
If you are able to beat a speeding ticket, the benefits can be many. Keeping your driving record clean will in turn keep you auto insurance lower, and can also affect the outcome of a ticket you may receive in the future.
Traffic violations can be punishing for several reasons. Just keep in mind when trying to beat a speeding ticket, biases and abuse aren’t tolerated by the court. Which means you have as good a chance as anyone to have your speeding ticket dropped when you go to traffic court.
Speeding Tickets This will require some effort though. Same is true with speeding violations. Beat A Speeding Ticket: Simple Steps To Take To Make Your Chances Better
Tags: automobile insurance, cheap car insurance, driving, family, law, law enforcement, speeding tickets Posted in cheap car insurance | No Comments »
Monday, October 25th, 2010
There have been, over the years, some pretty pathetic defense strategies when it came to fighting a traffic ticket. Someone would read some information somewhere or use some advice from a relative or friend.
Below I have listed the top five mistakes you can make when fighting your traffic ticket. I hope you too will see the futility in them and refrain from using these worthless defenses.
Mistake #1- Delaying the traffic court date
Most would advise you to get a continuance. The claim is the longer your can postpone the traffic court date, the bigger the chance the police officer wont show up. This makes no sense and isn’t a good strategy to fight a traffic ticket.
Do not try to delay your date with the traffic court. You will not increase the likelihood the officer wont be there and thus having your traffic ticket thrown out.
My question is what if you do postpone your traffic court date and the officer still shows up?
Traffic officers get paid overtime to be in traffic court. They don’t bring them off their patrols to be there.
Mistake #2- Requesting evidence before traffic court.
You have the right by law to see any information the court plans on using to convict you. The process is called discovery. And it would be useful if you were charged with murder, but this is traffic court. Don’t do this, it can hurt your chances of successfully getting your traffic ticket dismissed.
Requesting evidence before any kind of trial tells the prosecution you are planning a defense. He will see this as a challenge and will undoubtedly prepare accordingly, making your chances of winning almost impossible.
Don’t give the prosecution a heads up that you know anything about traffic court proceedings. Do not contact them prior to your traffic court date.
Mistake #3- Doing a lot of needless research
Who likes to spend their free time at the courthouse researching boring piles of books pertaining to law? Trust me, there is no need in doing this.
Although in some cases it may be wise to look up a certain law and see how it is worded, there really is no need to do it with all traffic ticket trials.
Mistake #4- Going after the police officers credibility
If you go to traffic court with the idea you are going to attack the officers credibility, don’t waste your time. You can forget getting your traffic ticket dismissed. Saying the officer didn’t use the equipment properly, or that he singled you out or any number of other excuses are useless.
Challenging the officers training of a radar gun will always draw scrutiny from the judge. He will take the officers side and will insist you ask the next question.
The officer will NOT have to prove his training qualifications in the courtroom. Let’s face it, the officer has been properly trained and knows how to work the radar/laser gun. No question about it. If you try and go this route you will be disappointed when the judge asks you to provide evidence supporting your claim.
Mistake #5- Going to traffic court unprepared
This is by far the biggest mistake people will make when fighting a traffic ticket. They go to court, thinking they’ve done their homework, when in reality everything they did leading up to the trial was in vain. They’re research was done the WRONG WAY and as a result, they lose their case before they even had a chance to defend themselves.
And then there are the people who show up to traffic court thinking the judge will have pity on them if they just tell their side of the story. Yeah right!
Its understandable that it can be nerve wracking showing up to traffic court. Just remember you aren’t on trial for your life, its just a traffic ticket. Traffic court is designed to be user friendly because of the volume of people going through there daily.
If you avoid these 5 mistakes you will have a better chance of claiming your victory in traffic court, and hopefully getting that traffic ticket thrown out.
Pay attention ahead of you for brake lights. reckless driving If you speed, you will get caught. Common Sense Ways Drivers Can Get Out Of Traffic Tickets
Tags: advice, affordable car insurance, auto insurance, Automotive, family, Insurance, law, law enforcement, legal, speeding tickets Posted in affordable car insurance | No Comments »
Saturday, October 23rd, 2010
Georgia speeding ticket laws are some of the most expensive in the country. Speeders caught speeding in the states of Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, Nevada and New Hampshire all are liable to be fined up to $1000, at a judge’s discretion, for a first-time speeding offense, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
How many points you have on your driving record, and how many miles an hour over the speed limit can also influence how much you pay in fines on a Georgia speeding ticket. Throw in speeding in a school zone, or while highway workers are present, and you can even have your license suspended, or you can be thrown in jail.
Some states including Michigan, Texas and New Jersey, operate under so-called “driver responsibility” laws, which, in some cases, can result in a further fine of up to $1000 leveled a year after the conviction. Virginia, which until 2008 had some of the strictest penalties for speeders, repealed its driver-responsibility laws last year after a public outcry.
Georgia, meanwhile, has just voted to add $200 to the fine of what it terms “superspeeders,” who travel more than 10 mph over the speed limit. This puts Georgia speeding tickets in line with other states with fines of up to $500 — which in many cases is then compounded with additional court fees — include Maryland, Missouri and Oregon.
These Georgia speeding ticket add ons were passed in May this year. It also passed the so-called “superspeeders” act, which adds $200 to the fine of a driver, caught driving more than 75 mph on two-lane roads and 85 mph or more on freeways. In some counties, speeders are already leveled municipal fines that can add more than $1000 to any ticket.
According to Bob Dallas in the Office of Highway Safety, the increased fines are justified in order to deter speeders. He stated the additional speeding fines will go to Georgia’s hospital trauma centers.
A public awareness campaign set up by his office is getting the word out, so people won’t get sticker shock if caught speeding. As bad as people are hurting for nowadays with the economy, it would be a wise idea to avoid a Georgia speeding ticket, and some huge fines.
Sounds obvious buy in reality the only way not to get a speeding ticket is to avoid speeding. It goes without saying, but if you want to avoid speeding tickets, then DON’T SPEED! traffic violation Common Sense Ways To Avoid Non Moving Violation Infractions
Tags: advice, affordable car insurance, auto insurance, Automotive, family, Insurance, law, law enforcement, legal, speeding tickets Posted in affordable car insurance | No Comments »
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