Less tickets save lives?

[Ghost]

Town slams brakes on traffic tickets

A small city in Northern California has sharply reduced the number of citations, and the number of accidents there has dropped as well. Are tickets simply overused?


http://money.msn.com/auto-insurance/...aspx?GT1=33033

[grim]

Technically The police handing out more tickets worked..

They said:

"Drivers received 1,317 traffic tickets in the first six months of 2011, compared with 8,236 during the same time last year"

So wouldn't that mean that people where thinking "oh i need to slow down because i got a ticket here last year"

[bornwildnfree]

Wow, I wish every city in the nation would adopt that policy. Speeding tickets are just for revenue and don't do anything for safety. I'd actually take a vacation in that city just to support them for making this change.

[cptschlongenheimer]

I'm happy to see this perspective finally getting some attention from the media. I'm interested to hear CZ's or BC's opinions...

[laspariahs]

Technically The police handing out more tickets worked..

They said:

"Drivers received 1,317 traffic tickets in the first six months of 2011, compared with 8,236 during the same time last year"

So wouldn't that mean that people where thinking "oh i need to slow down because i got a ticket here last year"

You are giving people way to much credit. Most people aren't going to get a ticket and then never speed again, they are going to get a ticket, and then keep doing what they do after a short period of time goes by. If punitive measures worked, there would be very little to no crime. Most people in the justice system are repeat offenders. Perhaps we should try giving rehabilitation a honest effort.

Also they didn't beef up ticket writing then reduce, they were giving a consistent ~8k tickets, then reduced to ~1k tickets.

[McVaaahhh]

Good article.

Especially in these bad economies where local gov'ts are getting killed more than others, they are pushing moving violations to generate revenue.

Shit, here in Tucson the stop-light cameras (which also act as speed cameras) are a $300+ fine.

[Ricky]

Technically The police handing out more tickets worked..

They said:

"Drivers received 1,317 traffic tickets in the first six months of 2011, compared with 8,236 during the same time last year"

So wouldn't that mean that people where thinking "oh i need to slow down because i got a ticket here last year"

Not every person in the world has the same mindset. Personally, I told the last cop that gave me a ticket that, frankly, I didn't give a fuck about his ticket and that I'd just pay it and keep speeding like I always have. A ticket will not change my driving habits until I'm about to lose my license.

Besides, all these "statistics" can be manipulated in many ways to say whatever one wants them to say. I had a cop try to argue that traction control in more vehicles has nothing to do with the number of fatal accidents in the last few years dropping on a specific section of I25.

[Nooch]

Traffic stops are really dangerous imho. They cause people to slow down and gawk at the scene, taking their attention away from the road. Reduce the number of pullovers and I could see how that might influence a drop in accidents. Especially going from 8k to less than 1.5k in the space of 6 months.

[grim]

Not every person in the world has the same mindset. Personally, I told the last cop that gave me a ticket that, frankly, I didn't give a fuck about his ticket and that I'd just pay it and keep speeding like I always have. A ticket will not change my driving habits until I'm about to lose my license.

Besides, all these "statistics" can be manipulated in many ways to say whatever one wants them to say. I had a cop try to argue that traction control in more vehicles has nothing to do with the number of fatal accidents in the last few years dropping on a specific section of I25.

Fair enough

[Keyser Soze]

Good article.

Especially in these bad economies where local gov'ts are getting killed more than others, they are pushing moving violations to generate revenue.

Shit, here in Tucson the stop-light cameras (which also act as speed cameras) are a $300+ fine.

AZ is terrible. I've never seen so many cops and such a high crime rate.

[rforsythe]

I had a cop try to argue that traction control in more vehicles has nothing to do with the number of fatal accidents in the last few years dropping on a specific section of I25.

Traction Control = that skinny pedal on the right.

[Ghost]

Good article.

Especially in these bad economies where local gov'ts are getting killed more than others, they are pushing moving violations to generate revenue.

Shit, here in Tucson the stop-light cameras (which also act as speed cameras) are a $300+ fine.

Yeah, I think it's an easy "tax" to get away with when you can't make revenue elsewhere.

Really, it'd be nice to have more places adopt this kind of attitude--give the cops the discretion to ticket where and when needed in place of a quota system (whether recognized or not) and let police go out and be a deterrent instead of a highway tax collector.

I'm glad this is out, but I doubt it'll ever catch on--it could save 10 million lives, but if that came at the cost of $10 in lost revenue it won't happen...

[cptschlongenheimer]

^it's all about the Hamiltons.

[Ghost]

^it's all about the Hamiltons.

Always is, safety, freedom, whatever else be damned...

[McVaaahhh]

AZ is terrible. I've never seen so many cops and such a high crime rate.

Very few cops here in Tucson. I know one of the locals, and he was telling me that they've had so many lay-offs they are basically just responders now, only answering 911 calls. He said drive as fast as you want because there's no speed traps or anything like that, just a couple of the photo-vans and the stationary speed traps at intersections.

I guess there were 100 motor-patrol cops (guys on motorcycles) a couple of years ago and now there's 10.

[Keyser Soze]

Very few cops here in Tucson. I know one of the locals, and he was telling me that they've had so many lay-offs they are basically just responders now, only answering 911 calls. He said drive as fast as you want because there's no speed traps or anything like that, just a couple of the photo-vans and the stationary speed traps at intersections.

I guess there were 100 motor-patrol cops (guys on motorcycles) a couple of years ago and now there's 10.

Probably more Border patrol down there

[McVaaahhh]

Probably more Border patrol down there

I see a few of those...

Funniest was getting stopped at a BP checkpoint. The BP officer had such a thick accent I could hardly understand her when she was asking if we were all citizens, etc. In my head I'm thinking "are you?".

[CaneZach]

I'm happy to see this perspective finally getting some attention from the media. I'm interested to hear CZ's or BC's opinions...

Nope. I don't get involved in these conversations. I've learned on more than one forum over several years that they always devolve into a hatefest once other people get involved. One or two other people can have a civil discussion, but that's it.

[cptschlongenheimer]

^fair enough.
BTW, please don't feel like I was trying to bait you.

[Ghost]

^fair enough.
BTW, please don't feel like I was trying to bait you.

But you're Master baiting?

[CaneZach]

^fair enough.
BTW, please don't feel like I was trying to bait you.

Nah. If I thought you were baiting, I wouldn't have responded at all.