This morning while I was driving to work on the left lane of I-71, I saw a cop car at the left shoulder of the freeway. Naturally slowing down, I took a peek at the speedometer, it was between 60-65. Not to worry, I told my wife and myself. Seconds later, I caught a glimpse of a speed limit sign on the right shoulder of the freeway, which read 55. Oops! I stepped on the brake one more time and consciously changed to the middle lane. Moments later, yet there was another cop car in the left shoulder. Although much calmer this time, I was still a little jittery. Just as I was about to pass the cop's vehicle, a car in the left lane kinda sped to the front of us. Next thing you know, red-blue lights were flashing and the cop chased down that motorist like a hungry cat jumping on a clueless mouse. Having watched it all, I said to my wife: "What in the world are these cops doing? You have two cop cars, on a Thursday morning under nice weather, in a not so heavy traffic doing speed enforcement? The guy wasn't driving that fast, 65-70 at most." Actually, it is a tricky stretch of the freeway, approaching the city limit so there's a drop in the speed. On the other hand, it's long, winding downhill so naturally all cars tend to go faster than normal. My wife had an interesting observation: "You know what? It's the end of a month." Yes folks, we are at the end of July. Cash stiffened municipalities out there are in need of money. Watch out your wallet and the badass cops, bro!
"End of the month" is nothing new. I regularly see cops in the Uturn's under freeways checking people's stickers (Usually around the 6th day of the month), as well as the speed traps.
The news last night ran a story on how violent crimes are up in Houston and the response time to non-violent calls is over thirty minutes because they are running short of cops and can't recruit and train them fast enough. But they still have plenty for speed traps. By the way we have had long threads on red light cameras recently and I was for them. I am really for them now. I was at the red light at Briar Forest and Beltway 8 the other morning. When my light turned green I heard a 18 wheeler horn blow so I looked up and this truck just comes blowing through the light. If I had had my tunes up instead of sports radio on I'd be dead.
I got a ticket on Westpark Tollway on a bright and sunny Sunday morning. I probably saw 5 cars in either direction. The speed limit is 55 which is painful to maintain on such a straight and unobstructed stretch of brand spanking new freeway. I was clocked at 72...because I assumed the speedlimit was 65. 55!!! Pulease!
There should be a way to look at a cops record for a certain month. If the cops number of written tickets have some kind of ridiculous percentage increase towards the last week of the month then you should be able to use that information in court to get the ticket dismissed. Hell, even get that mofo fired if he/she does it on a regular basis. We pay them to serve and protect, not poach on hard working citizens.
I for one would be all for a speed trap on the west belt near the Westpark tollroad if thats what it took to get people to slow down. Construction is crazy over there and the roads weave from left to right. There have been 2 or 3 accidents there in the last month that have shut down the whole thing for several hours. and BTW ..we pay them to enforce laws, as well as serve and protect
I know what you mean! Gawd, my wife has been on my case ever since I got home from work yesterd.....oh wait... read the thread, then reply read the thread, then reply
By the title of this thread, I assumed the completely wrong thing... It also sucks when cops turn around ino order to chase you down, pure evil.
What was I supposed to say when looking at the title of this thread? "Really? Me too... wait a minute, what are you guys doing..."
For the most part the speed limit is 65. It used to be 55 when the toll road first opened. I know this because they got me on the tollway going 71 back when the limit was 55 (around august of 2004). But still...
Yea, I got my ticket in February 2005. I haven't looked recently. Apparently there is some certification process that must happen to raise the limits. So if they know they are in the process of raising the limit, then it was a real cheap shot to enforce a 55mph speed limit early on Sunday morning. I felt used and abused. If they normally give you a 10mph pad, they should just give you a 20mph pad on that stretch until the new signs go up. What point are they trying to prove by patrolling so closely during this interim period?
Well, when they are in the process of CHANGING the law, can't they focus their efforts somewhere else? They don't have better things to do? arg! I know you trying to be funny but this is one reason why cops have a bad rep.
wnes, are you talking about that one short stretch with the Shell station in it? if so, yea, there is a dramatic speed limit drop in that little "town" (if you even want to call it that), but the limit is 65 before and after the stretch.
Poaching? Hard-working citizens who obey the law and don't speed, right? If they're hard working citizens, should they be allowed to speed? Man, the nerve of these coppers... I think I am with codell's last statement. To all those who say they shouldn't do this: tell me, do you speed or do you obey the law? Please complain about them writing tickets at ANY time of the month only if you're obeying the law.
No RocketKid, I live in a totally different place from yours. Sorta like middle-of-nowhere if compared to Houston.
Yesterday on Cypresswood at 249, there was a cop, sitting in his car, in the middle of traffic, next to the median looking for people with expired stickers. That was ridiculous. He was actually blocking traffic to look at stickers coming from the other direction. I don't get that. I mean, is that really something that is high on the list of criminal activity in the city? I guess there is no money for the city and county in stopping violent crime, only in writing tickets.
