The following was sent to the English Department on Feb. 13:
"Starting today, Pennsylvania will launch a 30-day speeding ticket frenzy. The state estimates that 9 million dollars will be generated in speeding tickets. 1 million will go to pay state troopers' overtime. There will be 50 state troopers on duty at all times patrolling the 9 main intersections and highways... 5 mph above the limit can justify a ticket and every state trooper is supposed to pull a car over and write a ticket every 10 to 20 minutes. They have issued 30 brand new unmarked Dodge Charger Police cruisers and are bringing in all of their part timers on full time."
Well, I'm totally fucked. As if I wasn't a prime target for State Troopers BEFORE their little crackdown. How can they be required to ticket someone every 10 to 20 minutes? Isn't that like telling a beat cop that he or she has to shoot a perp every day?
The best part as that this is so obviously not for the safety of the people. They seem to be pretty up front about the fact that they're doing it for the money. If they actually cared about the safety of motorists, they'd initiate a long-term plan for eliminating speeding instead of coming up with a state trooper blitzkrieg.
And before you start harping, "Well you should slow down, asshole!" let me draw your attention to the "5mph over the limit can justify a ticket" line. Not a single one of you can tell me with a straight face that you've never gone five miles over the speed limit. Something about this just smells rotten to me.
And here's some more:
"Starting on August 15th, the price of a ticket for violation of PA Law 39:3-29 (failure to show your driver's license, registration, or insurance card at the time you are stopped) is going from $44.00 to $173.00. Please make sure your vehicles have the proper documents in them. If you jump in the car to run to the store and forget your wallet with your license in it and you are stopped.... Oh well... you just spent $173. And the fine for not having all three documents is $519!!!"
Doesn't this sound like something out of Nazi Germany or a movie set in the Soviet Union? How many times have you seen footage of people getting stopped by the police asking for papers? And didn't you always think to yourself, "Thank God they don't do that here in America!" Not anymore, friend. Better have your papers.
I know you all think I'm being melodramatic. Newcomers may want to check the following links:
JP Gets Raped
JP Gets Cocky
JP Gets Raped, Part Two
The Legal System Wipes Its Dick on JP's Teddy Bear
JP Finds Out That He Can Be Raped When He's Not Driving
The Police Give JP a Final "Fuck You" to Remember Them By
Needless to say, I'm a little jumpy when it comes to the traffic cops. This little speed smackdown is going to have me spending a lot more of my meager salary than I really had in mind. While it's always nice to know that my money is going to support local law enforcement, I somehow suspect that the nice policeman won't be thinking of me when he's enjoying the new plasma TV in the officer's lounge that I'm sure I'll be paying for.
--------------------
Speed Traps: Serving to make me a dangerously paranoid driver since 2002.
6 comments:
Admiral Ackbar instinctively migrates toward areas that have been made into traps.
Hey you. We need to get together and have a few beers in spite of our destructive schedules. I need a break, and I think you may need an outing. :)
Didn't you hear this was a scam? It was on the news...cause if it were true, I'd be fucked as well
The our administration needs to quit spreading it! It's even funnier to think of it as a scam that our department got chicken-littled into.
I am driving an extra 32 miles from Mo-town over to Moundsville and up through Wheeling home because Ohio cops don't give a shit and I am not about to get a ticket for traveling at my usual speed (81-ish). Screw you, PA, for the next 22 days I skirt you and your bullshit turnpike!
Post a Comment