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NFR Cops, Cops, Cops! Speed Traps Everywhere!

2K views 26 replies 13 participants last post by  Mike Etgen 
#1 ·
I can't travel anywhere because of traffic jams and if you get to the bottom of these jams, you will find it's all the cop cars, marked and unmarked, that are at fault.
We have no money over here on the Peninsula. Tim Iman stole it all and no one except me votes for property taxes to sort of hold things together. We are still trimming "Fat."
But to keep the lights on the cops are writing tickets as fast as possible. We have one ridiculous change of speed limits after another. You can't set your cruize control. And with each speed reduction you miss, you get the local Gestapo fast on your butt. And these ticky babies cost hundreds.
I have never had a ticket im 66 years until about 3 months ago in Port Hadlock where the speed limit drops from 40 to 25 MPH in a New York second.
Then, last night, here comes Sparky after me again. But he lets me slide after I tell him the sad but true story of having to deal with my wife's poor health.
So, I'm tired of bitching here, but I was wondering if you guys over on the mainland are having the same trouble. Is the state being supported by traffic tickets? Do you worry when you go fishing about little town police and country sheriffs? Do you have traps? Unmarked cars?
Bob, the Damn I Thought, When I Saw All The Lights, Must Be A Robbery Somewhere:reallymad
 
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#3 ·
Bob,

I don't know if municipalities are subsidizing lost tax revenue with speeding tickets, but I can tell you that I'm now parking illegally.

I purchased a new truck, and went to get a new WDFW state parking permit for that vehicle only to find that the fee is now $5 plus a $2 dealer fee. Screw that. I'll wait till I buy a new license. Hell, it's $5 just to park and go see the Bowl and Pitcher on the Spokane River.

Tim Eyman, those who voted for any of his initiatives, and over-zealous revenue creating cops are all morons and should be deported immediately.

Kalm, the I believe in higher taxes!
 
#6 ·
Meter parking price in Seattle went up, and tickets went to $35 for an expired meter. And enforcement is up. The city cops don't write you up for traffic though. The City just keeps raising biz taxes to make up for it. I can't help but wonder if all my money is going up in a meth pipe in Forks (kidding of course, they have old growth trees to poach and sell for that money). We need a state income tax and no inititive process to get on track, but those things will never happen. Only $30 for a fishing license can't beat that with a stick! Hey Bob you should try the bagel on your next ferry trip over- oh nevermind no food on the ferry. But I'll be able to take the monorail from Ballard to West Seattle (10 minute drive during rush hour) which is a great deal! At least you're not paying that tax over in PO. So anyway how's the fishing :)

--------
Be the ball Danny
http://www.carlspackler.com/sounds/012.wav
 
#8 ·
Perhaps Tim Eyman's initiatives would not pass if there was some responsible use of our money.An example:the state was going to spend 225,000 on a piece of artwork for our garbage dump at a time when the budget was in the dumper.When people complained they were told that the money was approved and the approval could not be undone.I don't know what the final result of the uproar was.I would say that people who support higher taxes without accountability or responsibility by our government are the morons.
 
G
#11 ·
rationalization

Noun: A defense mechanism by which your true motivation is concealed by explaining your actions and feelings in a way that is not threatening.

speycast, the ex law enforcement guy who says pay your tickets and quit making excuses why you got slapped. :reallymad
 
#12 ·
Ah yes, the anechdotal and embellished tales of grotesque government waste.

Poor spending habits are human nature, not just government. You will find them present not only in Olympia, but in successful corporations and the average household budget. By the way, where is this "garbage dump" with the "$225,000 piece of artwork? I wouldn't call that a garbage dump, I'd call it an art gallery. And they probably don't even charge admission!

I would agree that people who support higher taxes without accountability or responsibility are morons. Tell me who they are, and I will be the first in line to smack them into good sense. But the fact remains that none of us live without the benefit of government. I for one am glad that I live in a state that subsidizes my recreation activites by maintaining water quality, providing access and stocking fish in the waters that I fly fish. And I won't bitch too loud that a portion of my tax dollars are probably supporting projects I don't use or perhaps disagree with. All in all I think our standard of living is a pretty good bargain.

Tim Eyman's intitiatives pass because the people who vote for them are under-informed, and selfish.
 
#13 ·
As far as I'm concerned, it's worse in Eastern WA. I've had cops bust me on Highway 26 for driving less than 5 mph over the limit. When I was 20, I received an MIP in Othello...the next day! I hadn't had a drink in more than 15 hours yet I was still cited. Even worse, the cop said he smelled alcohol as he was getting out of his car which was parked about 25 feet away. Worse than that, the judge I had to face didn't even have a law degree. My lawyer, from Yakima, confirmed that. The only reason I still have a clean record is because the judge didn't read her paperwork properly. Imagine that! I don't mean to talk trash about Eastern WA, but some of the smaller towns seem pretty messed up.
 
G
#14 ·
It's really very simple - speed limits are there to
save lives, If I get a ticket for going 1 or even 2
mph over the speed limit than there is no one to blame
but myself. The "Cops" are here to protect the law
abiding citizens from others that are reckless and
endanger others - whether its drinking and driving or
speeding etc. As far as speed traps - it's not the
cops that cause the traffic jams - it's the people
driving recklessly that are pulled over by the cops
that cause the jams and all the rubber neckers. Have
to back Speycast on this - be safe out there!:thumb
 
#16 ·
New River Mike

alpinetrout...

One detail you omitted from your story is whether or not you were actually guilty of either of the charges.

I assume, from your perspective, it wasn't relevant and didn't support your point.

If in fact you were guilty, I hope you're not expecting me to feel proud for you or happy that you "beat" the charges.

Maybe I missed your intended point and you can help us out by providing some additional information.


:dunno
 
#17 ·
Whil rationalized as a means to protect us from ourselves, traffic tickets are indeed a reveune-generator for many municipalities, all hard hit from Mr. Eyeman's tax-cutting.

The main intersection in downtown Bellevue at NE 8th and Bellevue Way was one of the most notorious traps on the Eastside, with a yellow light that lasted exactly one second and a motorcycle cop strategically placed at the NW corner behind a tree. I was caught in that trap many years ago by entering the intersection when the light was green only to find it red before I completely crossed. The recipient of a fresh $55 ticket, I decided to fight instead of drop my pants and . . .

Stopwatch in hand, I revisited the intersection which is how I found out about the 1 second yellow. I called the City Engineer's office and spoke with a forthright young man who told me that the Bellevue Police were the ones who wanted that yellow set at 1 second instead of 5 seconds like most of the other intersections in town. They also insisted on a 3-second overlapping red in both directions to give their motorcycle cop time to clean the intersection.

Armed with that information, I pleaded my case in Bellevue Municipal Court and won, my ticket tossed on the evidence.
 
#18 ·
Please believe me when I say I am a friend of the social order and, in general, pro-police. I recently had myself kicked off a jury because I felt the man was guilty just on the statement of the charges. He was driving with no license and assualted the police officer who arrested him. I suppose his defense was that he didn't know his driver's license was suspended and it was the cop who swung first. Sure. Sure it was.
And Washington is a very dangerous state in which to live. Too many people on too poor roads spell disaster. The trees don't help either. No, I am certainly in favor of resposible speed limits and cops who are willing to do their duty.
I refer to these phony speed zones that have been set with no other purpose it seems other than to entrap responsible drivers. I drive slow (an old man) and I don't see myself as a problem (never an accident, plenty quick on the reflexes, drive defensively, etc.) Yet, it seems like I am doging bullets all the time. So the question still remains, are there speed zones deliberately set to raise revenue?
Remember, even the guards need guarding once in awhile.
Bob, the I'm starting a grass roots campaign of Fortuna for Governor. The trout might be good for director of the EPA.:smokin
Hey Kent, do you think you might be able to put me on the Governor's ad hoc Special Committee to Investigate Speed Traps?
 
#19 ·
Tax rates in Washington State are 2nd right behind Connecticut. That's with no income tax!!! Makes me say WTFO.

What do we get for all of that $? A new baseball stadium every 20 years, built in the most expensive area possible, BTW the voter approved King Dome was to be built in the Auburn Valley when things were cheap. We also got I-5 built with the most expensive construction techniques because the founding fathers of Seattle demanded it be built through downtown.

If I'm not mistaken Boeing pays less per watt of power used than I do? HMMmm ?

Oh well I'll get off the tax revolt horse now and go pay my $340 car registration fee so the tourist can ride the new monorail to Ballard so they don't have to worry about some Ballardite scratching their rental car paint. :beathead :beathead
 
#20 ·
Speed traps? Don't even try to go a little over the Speed limit when in a school zone Even if there are no cops around. I usuall obey all speed laws unless I'm on a back road. But not all the time. Have car will Zip. But I don't have trouble getting tickets as I don't think that I've had more than one ticket in all of my years driving,51 years behind the wheel.

But what I get angry about is all the other drivers that don't care how they drive. Cut you off, dart in front of you, follow right on your ass and last but not least the ones that don't even drive the posted speed limit. Ten miles below on a winding road. That is what sets me off.

Must be my day for venting.

Jim
 
#21 ·
That fact that WA ranks 2nd in tax rates is a total cunnard. The top 25 states are all within percentage points of each other. But I'll agree that we probably need an income tax. Our current system is totally regressive.

And Bob I'll second Fortuna for Governor.

"I'm in favor of higher taxes, higher gas prices, and low voter turnout" - Rick Miller
 
#22 ·
>If I'm not mistaken Boeing pays less per watt of power
>used than I do? HMMmm ?

And Microsoft pays less in property tax for their entire Redmond campus than I do for my little house just down the hill from Bill Gates' office.

>Fortuna for Governor?

Go ahead and write me in for Governor boys. First thing I'll do is dissolve the current WDFW board and appoint Leland the new Chairman. And I think Bob would make a dandy Press Secretary, don't you?
 
#23 ·
The garbage dump is in Shoreline.I do not know if the issue has been resolved yet.The last I heard the artwork had not been purchased but that was some time ago.You are right about family,corporate and governmental spending habits.That does not mean we should condone them.Some problems can't be fixed by merely throwing money at them.The problem itself must be fixed first.Unfortunately the attitude of many is to spend whatever they want and let the public pay more in taxes to cover the waste.We all depend on government for many services which contribute to our standard of living.That does not give them the right to put their hands in our pockets any time they want to.No one disagrees that we have to pay taxes,but the attitude of our government and it's spending habits have not changed appreciably in 40 years.
 
#24 ·
Concrete is a notorious speed kill-zone (you can't call it a trap, because one or two cruisers are usually lurking openly). But in 32 years of driving up and down the Skagit, I've never been ticketed. It's simple, really: where the signs say 35 M.P.H., BELIEVE IT.:eek
 
#26 ·
Here's my drill as Press Secreatary:

Press: Did Governor Fortuna say thus and so?
Me: No, he did not.

Press: Did not Governor Fortuna say he would never thus and so?
Me: No, he did not.

Press: Isn't Governor Fortuna on record as being in favor of the bill?
Me: No, he did not.

Press: What about Governor Fortuna's speeding ticket?
Me: No, he did not.

Bob, the Do You Get My drift, Bunkie?:hmmm
 
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