RA40

iTrader: (6)

Illinois troopers: Speeding in Chicago area an ‘epidemic’
By The Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — If you’ve received a speeding ticket in the Chicago area, there’s a chance you’ve met Illinois State Trooper Doug Raiser.

Raiser wrote 507 speeding tickets in 2005, more than any other officer in the state. Once he busted the same driver three times in two weeks.

“I helped him out the first time and the second time,” Raiser said. “The third time I said, ’What’s the matter with you?“’

Drivers have given Raiser plenty of reasons to write tickets. State police issued almost 8,000 more speeding tickets on Chicago area roadways in 2005 than they did the previous year, a 25 percent increase, according to an analysis by the Chicago Sun-Times.

Despite the crackdown, the number of drivers going more than 100 mph in four Chicago area state police districts jumped to 833, up from 266 in 2004, the Sun-Times reported in its Sunday editions.

“I think speeding has kind of become an epidemic, and we’re trying to turn that around,” said State Police Capt. Tami Haukedahl, commander of District 15.

The fastest area speeder in 2005 was charged with going 145 mph on Interstate 57. Almost 75 percent of speeders were charged with going 16 to 30 mph over the limit.

Officials attribute the 25 percent jump in local tickets and a 13 percent increase in statewide speeding tickets to increased use of laser guns instead of radar and smarter police work.

“Instead of assigning officers to patrols without any specific purpose, we target problem areas to get more bang for the buck,” said Lt. Jeff Hedrich, commander of District 3.

Raiser, who has been a trooper for four years, has a preferred method for catching speeders. The 32-year-old clocks drivers farther back than normal so he can accelerate along the shoulder while the target is still behind him.

“I like to get a jump on them so when they come up right next to me I turn the lights on and boom, they can’t hide anything,” he said.

Raiser also likes to work nights because he’s got more opportunities to catch speeders. One day he wrote 24 tickets, a personal record.

“I like to hit it pretty hard ... I just come out and do my job,” he said.

Lexmex

I lived in Chicago for 4 years and it reminded me of Miami whenever I was on any of the expressways out there. Mexico City gets plenty of high speed drivers (including me), but they wisened up and mounted stationary radar cameras all over the major roads and expressways to grab people´s rear plates, whereupon they pay when they go in for emissions testing any fines they incurred.

Good thing for me, American plates cannot be touched nor those of many other Mexican states.

mmarshall

The speeding problems could easily be solved with what are called " rolling roadblocks " .....but there are not enough police or cruisers to do the job. In a rolling roadblock, which can take either of two forms, police cruisers either line up side-by-side and roll down the road together at the speed limit, physically preventing anyone from passing them. ( who would be stupid enough to try ? ) or are spaced about a half-mile apart one by one down the road so that the entire road is covered...you simply cannot find any cop-free spaces TO speed.
This is an extremely effective method but the shortage of both State and local police prevents it in many areas.

RA40

iTrader: (6)

Photo enforcement has been pretty good in our cicty as far as stop light viloations. Because they have timed them conservatively, the incidence of rear end colisions hasn't gone up drastically. Basically the flow of traffic as dwindled by the time it changes...even during peak hours the previous lights have limited the flow to the photo enforec intersections.

Lexmex

I remember in DC that my family was telling me not only about the red light photos, but they also have something similar where they catch you for speeding on certain streets with a stationary mounted camera, kind of similar to what I have in Mexico.

np20412

yeah man, its awful. I went to DC once and it ws 3am, nobody on the road. I was driving down New York Avenue at 40mph (the limit within all DC city limits is 25mph) and I saw a flash behind, low and behold I learned later that it was a stationary mounted speed trap camera. AGKAJHFDGHFJDSKL:FJKFDALSJF. Not 20 minutes later, I hit another one on the way out of the city. They are ridiculous.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

Speed traps and tickets are much more about revenue collection (taxation) than safety.

4TehNguyen

iTrader: (1)

same with red light cameras, studies even showed merely adding an extra second to a yellow lights duration cuts down a good % of accidents, and thats a hell of a lot cheaper than installing and operating a red light camera system

mmarshall

I've heard this charge made a number of times, but I have a hard time buying it. If that were the case, there would not be a point limit before the state pulls your license. If revenue was the primary motive, the state would just keep fining you more and more the more you got caught.....indeed they would WANT you to speed, so they can collect more money. After each ticket....and collecting your fine......the judge would happily turn you loose so you could bring in ever-more cash for the state.
Well.....it just doesn't happen that way. Fines are meant to DISCOURAGE speeding. Screw up enough times and the state pulls your license. THEN how much money are they getting from you?.....nothing, of course. Get caught driving THEN........without a license...... and it's not a fine but jail time. And when you go to prison, it COSTS the state money...even though they are only giving you some 50 cents a day while you make license plates for your buddies.

4TehNguyen

iTrader: (1)

^^they try to sell off red light camera systems as "its for public safety" but its too bad rear end collisions skyrocket after they are operating which some studies I read showed. Also the vender who installs the red light camera gets a cut of the ticket fine, which is a gigantic conflict of interest because they can rig a traffic light (and this has happened) if they wanted to bring more revenue therefore more cuts in for them.

Increasing a yellow lights duration has a far better cost to benefit ratio than a red light camera does

mmarshall

Part of this is true. That is why my home state of VA ( always one of the most honestly-run states ) decided, last July ( 2005 ) to ban the use of red-light cameras after trying them out for several years. ( my home town of Vienna, VA wouldn't you know, was the FIRST jurisdiction in the U.S to get them ). The State legislature, after reviewing the accident data showing a sharp increase in rear-enders after the cameras were installed, voted to outlaw them after July 2005. Some jurisdictions still use them to watch red-light runners, but collecting the fines is now forbidden. That also cuts out at least the appearance of a conflict-of-interest with the companies who install them.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

theres a very well known case in my family where a relative was ticketed for speeding (~5mph) and when he took it to court the judge told him "doesnt matter, new city needs money." This was in Diamond Bar ~15-16 years ago.

akhbhaat

Sounds like a good way to increase congestion and road rage if you ask me.

Speeding should only be regarded as an "epidemic" (a term which carries negative connotations) if it's accompanied by an appropriate increase in accident rates. People aren't suicidal, you know - when Montana had the "reasonable and prudent" unspecified daytime speed limits in the mid 90s, studies found that the average motorist traveled at a fairly pedestrian 85-87 mph.

mmarshall

In many jurisdictions a comment like from a judge would be grounds for a higher court overturning it. That sometimes happens. Court recorders take down every word in a hearing or trial.

mmarshall

Try road rage next to a rolling cop roadblock and just watch what happens. You'll wind up in jail VERY quickly....probably after a major a * * -kicking.



Depends on conditions.

On a dry, level, straight, traffic-free Western Interstate, I agree..........low if any risk.

Try 85 MPH on a wet road and get the tires hydroplaning and you'll end up a water ski and spin out......particularly on summer high-performance tires.

Try 85 MPH on the DC Beltway at rush hour and you'll wind up in the morgue...probably taking several people with you.