I am not a troll but I'm gonna sound like one?

Question

When did cops loose their integrity and go from being protectors of the public to tax collectors for the fatcats?
And how can traffic cops feel any sense of pride in what they do -surely that's not why they joined the police force.
Or does the power change them and turn them into that?
Do cops try to argue the 'quota's' for small speeding tickets?
Do officers realize (not having ever received a ticket before) how even small no points tickets affect insurance rates?

And yes i am bitter because I commute more than an hour each way to work and get a ticket at least once a month (95 in an 80 zone -Ontario Canada) Each cop that tickets me has a different idea of how fast is too fast. I've seen people blow by me going 120, but then I get a ticket for going 96.

okay so i'm a whiner but no one is really addressing my questions.

thank you chrisvet -you are exactly right

to David S -I don't blame the officers -I just wonder if they have a conscience (sp?) and if they have tried to recify the situation because I have to assume that they realize that it exists.

Answer 1

Speed limits are posted to help insure traffic safety. That is for everyone. Some people don't drive as well as others and can't handle the faster speeds. A speed limit is exactly that, a limit, meaning the maximum speed allowable by law. It is posted, so go the speed limit and you won't have a problem. The police officers don't make the speed limits. If you think the speeds are too low, contact your local government and address the speed limit there. Police officers are responsible to enforce the laws. Not just the ones they agree with. You lump all police officers in one category and blame your speeding on their ticket writing. It's there job to write those tickets. Stop blaming the police for your problems. Apparently all those officers writing you tickets isn't getting through to you to just slow down and obey the law. You state that other people are going faster and you get a ticket. Trust me, if they are speeding, eventually they will get caught and they will also be ticketed. Take responsibility for your actions and don't worry about the the others, the police will take care of that.

P.S. I am a police officer and I have received speeding tickets. I took responsibility, paid them, and slowed down.

Reply: Yes, I have a conscience. I feel bad for the innocent victims that are injured as a result of someone driving recklessly or too fast. In 19 years I've had to tell many people's families that a loved one was killed due to someone else's negligence. I guess I don't view it as a problem that exists for police to rectify. Maybe I don't understand your complaint.

Answer 2

People usually complain so much about a cop's work because they have never walked in a police officer's shoes. Try going with one of those traffic cops to an accident scene where a minivan full of kids was plowed by someone doing 95. Have you ever seen the aftermath of a highway collision, or any bad traffic accidents? Ask most cops and they'll tell you that anything involving the death of kids are one of the worst things they have to face. The fact that their deaths could have been avoided by slowing down a little bit and paying a little more attention just compounds the frustration. Speeding limits are set for a reason and most cops won't beat you up (figuratively) for doing 5 or 10 over. However, many people are bad drivers at 40, at 90 or 100, they become terrible drivers. By the way, in America at least, there is no such thing as quotas.

Answer 3

I agree that cops can tend to be a bit overzealous and I've run into some that have actually abused their power but flip the situation; they've got a pretty serious position to fill. I suggest slowing down and enjoying the drive...leave a little early and drive a little slower...you'll save gas and avoid the anger of getting a ticket...New law in Virginia: 20 miles over the speed limit will get you a $5000.00 traffic ticket but only for residents...I can understand the need to deter speeders but that's going overboard...

Answer 4

First off, I agree that cops are not 'serving and protecting.' They're wanting to BE served and DEMAND respect it seems...by and large, not all of them of course, some are sincere I'm sure.

However, here's a little idea that may or may not work for you....don't speed! THEN, you'll find the tickets will stop completely. If you can't get there in time w/o speeding, then leave earlier! Simple!

Answer 5

If you're getting a 95 in an 80 Zone, and you were literally driving that slow, yes slow, than no, you're a repeated victim by overzealous cops who're meeting monthly quotas. (yes, they have aproximate ticket counts they're expected to meet)

I've travelled throughout ontario for hundreds of thousands of miles / Kms, and even discussed this with police several times: There is an unwritten rule: Anything below 105KM and you wont get a ticket, because 105 is close to 65MPH.

Regarding our freeways, back before 1980 when still under the imperial system, 75MPH was the speed limit (for cars) on the 401, and 65 MPH for big trucks/trailers. Ontario is bigger than most european countries, with only 12+ million people. Many of our roads are converted country farm roads, long and straight, with little traffic.

The cops today are the same as you and me on their way to work, and on their days off: they drive 120 in a 100 zone, and 100 in an 80 zone. Everybody, I repeat Everybody does this, and we drive by the cops all the time at these speeds.

I also understand that 95 in a 100 zone ticket is the "magic" number they give you if you've been much higher than a 100, but they're saving you points and dollars by giving you a break.

So, if you follow this rule: 20-23KM over the limit regardless of where you are (in the city is excluded) you should Never get speeding tickets in Ontario.

And if you ever do: ***** him out, call him a hypocrite, freak out, and you'll get let off. Getting into yelling contests with ontario police changes their goal, from giving you a ticket, to disarming your anger in a peaceful way. They do this by telling you if you calm down they'll just give you a warning.

(haha, I've pulled this a few times.)

Good luck, and remember everyone, speed doesn't kill, moronic (slow) drivers do.

Finally, ignore the 3 cop's in this thread, they fail to understand we're talking about Ontario.

Answer 6

A lot of people have answered your question. It seems that you don't want to hear the answers that tell you that you're wrong.

But in any case here's a hint. It isn't just speed that Officers are looking for, it's the vehicles moving from lane to lane. Pick a lane, stay with the flow of traffic and you won't have any problems.

Answer 7

Yes I realize how much speeding tickets affect insurance, as I acquired 2 before I started. If you do not want a ticket, don't speed. You can be ticketed for 1mph/1kph over the limit.
We write tickets because we see the affects excessive speeding can have in a car accident.

Answer 8

Assuming you are talking about kph, not mph, you are still speeding.
My husband is a retired detective, but he did a brief stint early in traffic patrol. So I just asked him, and he said that you have several factors to consider. Public safety is the primary factor. Repetition of the offense is not helping your situation.
We're American, not Canadian, but he never had a quota but he took a sense of pride in his work. A lot of bad people went to prison as a result of his investigations.
As he puts it, obey the law and you'll have no more problems.

Answer 9

You should live here. The police are a huge waste of tax money. They do absolutely nothing about speeder, red light runners, etc, even in school zones. I guess they're waiting for a certain number of deaths, then they'll do something. So, that's my rant for the day.

BTW, I did get a speeding ticket about 15 yrs ago, 45mph in a 35, and slowed down after that. A few weeks later I was driving down a residential street right at 25mph, when 2 children ran out from behind a van. I barely stopped in time, but had I been going 2mph faster I'm sure I would have hit them. How could anyone live with the knowledge that had I just been going the limit, it would not have happened?

Answer 10

Here's a clue: the posted speed limit is the MAXIMUM. Over that and you have absolutely no reason to complain when you're stopped. What other people might be getting away with has nothing to do with it. You're in the wrong. Suck it up and quit whining.