Fear on the American Interstate; or The Autobahn is my Homeland

[poiuytrewq0987]

You know it and I know it, everyone goes over 65, the police need only to wade out into the pool of innocents and pluck 2 or 3 out a week and shake them down for cash; it’s so ingrained into our national conciousness that we don’t seem to think that’s odd. But honestly, think about it; what value does a law have if no one obeys it? It just makes a mockery of the country where the law exists. I’d be laughing right now if it weren’t for the jackbooted marauders prowling the highways at this very moment looking for poor innocent working men to harass and extort.

Federal speed limits were put in place during the oil crisis of the 70s, supposedly to save energy and money and be great for the economy and all that silly nonsense. The truth is there were unintended consequences of that law, as there always are. It cost this country billions of dollars a year in increased travel time and money wasted on tickets and court dates, an actual net decline in economy…but the worst thing that it created was the aura of fear around police. I don’t want to get scared everytime I see a cop on the highway, but I do, and I’m willing to bet you do too. There’s something very wrong when the general populace is afraid of their police. Make no mistake, at this point, speed limits in the US are a strong arm tactic for filling the county treasury.

http://www.ridelust.com/fear-on-the-...s-my-homeland/

[poiuytrewq0987]

Personally, I think the speed limits on any form of highways are rather redundant and does nothing to help form a friendly driving environment. One would be always paranoid of the police watching for drivers who go a mph over the speed limit and the police could write them a citation. It also encourages road raging by drivers because of the low maximum speed on a road of long length. Personally, I think the speed limit laws were established only because the men in the Congress are hopelessly narcissistic thinking they're doing the right thing by setting artificial limits on how quick we can go from point a to b.

[Treffie]

I regularly hit 100mph on the motorway near me, there's never a police car or speed camera to clock my speed - except on one occasion 12 years ago when I was stopped doing 92mph.

[Bloodeagle]

Do you remember when the speed limit was 55mph? We would regularly travel at 60 to 65mph when the speed limit was 55mph, then they upped the limit to 65mph and we all started to drive 70 to 75mph.

Back when I would regularly drive between Seattle and Los Angeles on Interstate 5, I would drive at 80mph for hundreds of miles without any police involvement. I believe that the police were more concerned with the car full of Mexicans doing 45mph, possibly transporting drugs.

I regularly hit 100mph on the motorway near me, there's never a police car or speed camera to clock my speed - except on one occasion 12 years ago when I was stopped doing 92mph.

You would be arrested for reckless driving, in the United States if you were caught going those speeds.

[SwordoftheVistula]

Great article.

Also notice how state troopers are always out during daylight, usually during good weather, and usually hidden at the bottom of a long hill. You never see them pulling people over at night during a blizzard.

I think they ticket people for driving above the speed limit because with the radar guns it's easy to prove and harder to challenge. If they ticketed people for actual dangerous things, it would just be the cop's word vs the driver. (veering outside the lane/across the line, sudden stops/slowdowns, excessive lane changes/changing lanes into a space with little room, driving while texting, distracted by passengers, etc). So while it might improve safety, it would make them less money, so they don't do it.

[Bloodeagle]

Great article.

Also notice how state troopers are always out during daylight, usually during good weather, and usually hidden at the bottom of a long hill. You never see them pulling people over at night during a blizzard.

I think they ticket people for driving above the speed limit because with the radar guns it's easy to prove and harder to challenge. If they ticketed people for actual dangerous things, it would just be the cop's word vs the driver. (veering outside the lane/across the line, sudden stops/slowdowns, excessive lane changes/changing lanes into a space with little room, driving while texting, distracted by passengers, etc). So while it might improve safety, it would make them less money, so they don't do it.

They will use any excuse in the book if they want to pull you over.
I had a friend who was pulled over for not having a front license plate, after a quick search of his vehicle he walked the police man over to the front of his car and showed him the license plate that he "supposedly" did not have!
I hate crooked cops!

[SwordoftheVistula]

They will use any excuse in the book if they want to pull you over.

Yeah, that's why I had to roll my eyes during the debate on the Arizona 1070 immigration law with people whining about being 'required to show your papers like in Nazi Germany'. We've been in a situation where anyone can be stopped at any time and asked for 'papers' (ID) at any time for at least the past decade and a half, probably longer.

[poiuytrewq0987]

Great article.

Also notice how state troopers are always out during daylight, usually during good weather, and usually hidden at the bottom of a long hill. You never see them pulling people over at night during a blizzard.

I think they ticket people for driving above the speed limit because with the radar guns it's easy to prove and harder to challenge. If they ticketed people for actual dangerous things, it would just be the cop's word vs the driver. (veering outside the lane/across the line, sudden stops/slowdowns, excessive lane changes/changing lanes into a space with little room, driving while texting, distracted by passengers, etc). So while it might improve safety, it would make them less money, so they don't do it.

I disagree. I was pulled over by an overzealous cop for driving over the gore lane on an interstate highway even when the lane was completely clear. The cop was like 200-300 meters ahead of me but he saw me on his left side mirror and swiftly caught up to me on far left side of the road. I was promptly issued a ticket afterward... the irony is probably within the fact I have never gotten a speeding ticket.