Leadfooted Cops Fined!

[Hawkeye6]

Speeding North Carolina Police Fined after Caught on Camera
Posted: September 9th, 2005 10:14 PM EDT

ASSOCIATED PRESS


CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Police officers are finding that the city's year-old camera system to catch speeders can mean fines for drivers of patrol cars too.

At least 46 of the more than 30,000 vehicles nabbed by the cameras that automatically snap a picture when a vehicle speeds by were assigned to Charlotte-Mecklenburg police.

The officers or civilian employees driving those vehicles are getting the $50 ticket unless the officer had lights and sirens on or had another legitimate reason for speeding, Detective Charlie Brown said. It is illegal for police to speed unless they use emergency signals.

''If you factor in the number of police officers and the number of miles they drive, that's probably not a very high rate,'' Brown said. ''But that's still 46 too high. They should know better.''

Nine citations issued to police vehicles were dismissed since the speed cameras were introduced a year ago. Ten are pending. One ticketed driver was referred to collections for not paying.

Most of the police vehicles were traveling between 11 mph and 13 mph over the speed limit when they were photographed. Five were going at least 20 mph over the limit.

One officer was going 67 mph in a 45 mph zone, records show. He paid the fine.

Two police captains were the highest-ranking officers cited. Both paid the fine.

[fabsroman]

"They should know better" translates to they should know where those cameras are. I am sure it doesn't take too long for the word to get around about the whereabouts of red light and speed cameras. That is why the percentage is so low.

If they had one of those cameras on I-270 here and didn't tell any officers about it, left it there for a year, and then hit them with all the fines, I am sure that some of them would be declaring bankruptcy. They live far away from their district because it is about the only affordable housing around and then they pass me like I am standing still while I am doing 63 in a 55. They also use the HOV lanes in the morning when they aren't supposed to. Don't know if there is an exception for that, but I would think not.

[Andy L]

I talked to a state trooper one time about this subject of cops speeding. He told me that he drives fast, very fast, alot of times when hes on the interstate and has to go a long ways. After he told me his reasoning, it made alot of sense to me. I know I have experienced having to follow or be followed by cops on the highway and its a experience, sometimes dangerous. No one has guts to pass a cop. And it tends to have a "pace car" effect on cars behind them. Alot of slicing and dicing.

His thoughts were that if the speed limit is 70, and I drive 70, I got cars stacked up for miles. Mind you that is when he has to travel long distances. No one wants to or will drive the exact speed limit. Not many anyway. If he drives 80, everyone is pissed off that he can get away with it because hes a cop and everyone else still wants to run 70 to keep out of a ticket. If he runs 100 or better, everyone tends to stay out of his way thinking he is on an emergency and people are likely to go ahead and drive the way they normally do after he passes through.

Makes sense to me. I can see the catch 22 he is in.

Andy

[fabsroman]

I agree with that. I have been stuck behind LEO's doing the speed limit and was wondering what the traffic jam was from.

However, I think the national consensus is that most people drive 10 mph over the speed limit on the highway and not much more than that. I would have no problem with LEO's driving 10 mph over the speed limit. That would slow them down, but it would also slow down the guy behind me doing 100 mph when he comes upon the LEO. If the LEO is doing 100 mph the entire time in a 55 and he passes me, the guy behind me doing 95 mph in the 55 will never catch up to that LEO. What the government and law enforcement should do is raise the speed limit 10 mph and then tell everbody that it will be strictly enforced.

Personally, I think they should just put out a ton of speed cameras in Maryland like they have in DC. That will generate a ton of money and free up LEO's time to deal with other matters (e.g., traffic, violent crime). If you want to speed, you will have to pay the fine. Plus, I think the fines should be raised.

Driving around here is pretty tough.