The Sunday Chicago Tribune’s front page story announcing in HUGE font about, “SUBURBAN SPEED TRAPS,” was deceptive in that it lead one to believe that the drivers who were stopped for speeding did not do anything wrong. Not! In each related anecdote, the drivers admitted they were speeding!
The story starts by relating the “woeful” tale of what happened to a motorist who drove through a town in Illinois.
“David Leonhart knew Bull Valley's reputation.
For years friends and relatives had warned him that the police there hide near spots where the speed limit drops.
His confirmation came one afternoon last year. A cruiser came from out of nowhere, the officer alleging Leonhart had gone 48 in a 35-mph zone. The gray-haired retiree pleaded for a warning. He had a clean record. But he got a ticket.
The $125 fine cemented the town's reputation in his mind: ‘They're heartless.’”
How is the town heartless? Leonhart admitted that he was driving 30% faster than the posted speed limit! He was breaking the law. How was he “speed trapped?”
From the United States Census Bureau, 2010 Statistical Abstract 13,040 deaths were caused by speeding in 2007. This number does not include the thousand of people who are injured and/or maimed for life.
Speed is the quintessential traffic safety issue The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration review reported in its research on traffic speed. The summary states:
• That the evidence shows that the risk of having a crash is increased both for vehicles traveling slower than the average speed, and for those traveling above the average speed.
• That the risk of being injured increases exponentially with speeds much faster than the median speed.
• That the severity of a crash depends on the vehicle speed change at impact.
• That there is limited evidence that suggests that lower speed limits result in lower speeds on a system wide basis.
• That most crashes related to speed involve speed too fast for the conditions.
The report concludes with, “When the consequences of crashes are taken into account, the risk of being involved in an injury crash is lowest for vehicles that travel near the median speed or slower and increases exponentially for motorists traveling much faster.”
So what are Bull Valley and other towns doing to cause the Tribune to print such a disingenuous story? The story says, “Some towns have officers pose as charity solicitors, utility workers or surveyors to catch drivers.” Well, good for those cities! The motorists who are nabbed are cited for breaking the law. If an enforcement officer has to go undercover to catch them, it does not take away from the fact that they were speeding.
Speed kills! Live with it!
JOhn writes:
ReplyDelete"I do not disagree with much of your logic on enforcement of local government speed ordinances. However, there is or can be underlying false premises of your position. Your position is based upon the assumption that the local speed limits and enforcement are intended to provide public safety. But, some municipalities are motivated by income generation, not safety.
Some of the tell tale indicators of this municipal motive are: dramatic decrease in speed limit in zone change, no warning signs, posting signs around a curve or in area of high vegetation, unreasonably low speed limit, local residents get more warning tickets, disguising police as utility workers (a police car gets people doing the speed limit to slow down), etc.
Here's an example: A state highway has a 45 mph limit for 5 miles and as you enter a curve, there's a sign "Gotcha Village, population 500". As you finish the curve you see a sign, half hidden by bushes: "Speed Limit 20 mph". As you begin to slow down, you enter another curve and see a Com Ed truck and worker but the worker is pointing a power drill at you (uh oh radar). As you finish the curve you see three "Gotcha Village Police" cars. One officer is writing a ticket for the car that passed you two miles back, another officer is telling the driver of the Gotcha Plumbing truck: "Sorry for stopping you Jim. We'll see you and Mary for dinner tonight." The 3rd officer approaches you and says: "license and proof of insurance". When you reply: "Officer, I started to slow down as soon as I saw the sign......" , he interjects: "license and proof of insurance."
Karen R. writes:
ReplyDelete"Thanks Kathy, I'm a confessed lead foot. This opened my eyes, I travel with precious cargo and will try and slow down. "
Speeding Solicitors Liverpool...Very Nice Blog...
ReplyDelete