NHTSA Funds National Speeding Ticket Writing "Challenge"
The Newspaper reports that the National Highway Transportation Safety Agency (NHTSA) is using federal gas tax revenue to fund competitions to see which police departments can write the most speeding tickets. The National Law Enforcement Challenge, as it's called, rewards speeding ticket-happy police departments with federally-funded tricked-out "pursuit vehicles," like the ever popular Hemi-fied Charger. To earn maximum points, the po-po must have a zero-tolerance (i.e. no warning) anti-speeding policy in place. NHTSA argues that writing more tickets promotes safer driving, but the statistics beg to differ. Traffic fatalities in one participating state, South Carolina, are up for the year. While some departments are attempting to use positive reinforcement to reward good behavior, increased fines (and subsequent revenues) appear to be the order of the day. And the list of winners' "creative" ticketing is downright scary.
I'm a computer security geek raised in Nebraska and recently transplanted to Atlanta. I like me some cars, got into car geekery a few years ago and haven't looked back since. I also volunteer at a local ferret shelter and participate in various charity and fund-raising events related to that.
More by Megan Benoit
Comments
Join the conversation
Can cops really be trusted to give tickets uncorrupted? Seriously I'd be very sad to see corrupt cops giving BS tickets. What in the world! I fee angry thinking about it. Well I can not control others, I need to let go, and accept. Things could be worst, I'll focus on what else I enjoy, and is safe and fun to do. And Vent! I have everything I need and a lot to be grateful for. Its not my fault some folk with guns are dishonest, abusive, and corrupt. Its not anyones fault. Humans are not perfect, they are works in progress. Let go, let live, and enjoy what I have in front of me. Have a good night.
I keep saying that the US government and by extension, police, are out of control. Need more proof that we the people don't count? Locally, a police occifer provided drink to his teen kid and 10-12 other underaged drinkers. If Joe Average had done that and caught, I'd guess that he'd get at least a couple of years in the slammer. The cop was given 1 week in jail. The judge (ironically) essentially said, "we don't just wink at crime if it is done by police". Right. So then why was this guy's jail sentence one week, then, is the obvious next question. Then there are all the tazings, including the killing of a 40 year old guy in Vancouver BC at the airport (just goes to show Canada is not immune), with Mounties kneeling on his neck after tazing him because he didn't speak English and they didn't understand his frustration with being locked away for 10 hours. And all the other tazings that seem to pop up daily.
I have to disagree on one point Glenn. Tazing leads to many an entertaining YouTube video, and anyone who says in seriousness "Don't Taze Me Bro" I think fully deserves to get a few jolts to shut him up. Otherwise, I agree.
OK virtual, stop making me laugh out loud at work, dang it!