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Automotive News & Views Traffic Laws & Enforcement Tactics
540 messages, Last post on Sep 21, 2009 at 12:22 PM
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Replying to: davv62 (Apr 06, 2007 4:02 am) There is no worse place to be in a car than in the center lane of the turnpike with one of those cheap Boston-NY bus service buses about four inches off your back bumper, trying to get you to move. Yikes.
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Replying to: smittynyc (Apr 06, 2007 8:12 pm) On I-95 between Greenwich and New Haven, the most common enforcment point is between exits 18-19 in Westport/Fairfield. That's a long stretch of road without any exits, and it's pretty straight. Generally with I-95, I think they're so happy if traffic is moving well at all that they're not inclined to interfere if they don't have to. I think your chances of getting a ticket on I-84 are much greater because it's more open and has less traffic. If I drove up that way more often, I'd probably get tickets on a more regular basis. My last ticket was actually on US-1 in Fairfield. I got nailed doing 52 mph in a 35 mph zone. If you're familiar with it, it's the part of the road in Southport that opens up into a semi-highway for a stretch. That's a favorite enforcement spot for the Fairfield police, as I learned....  It was a well-deserved ticket, so I have no complaints about it. And the way it played out was pretty funny, since I ended up with 3 police cars on the scene when I got pulled over. You'd have thought they just caught a guy who robbed a bank or something. I was being pursued by a Fairfield cruiser that took some time to catch up with me. He apparently radioed for backup from his own department, and also Westport, since I was approaching the town line. When I saw the flashing lights in the mirror, I assumed he was heading for an emergency, so I pulled to the right to let him pass. I quickly learned I was the emergency... I pulled over just over the town line in Westport, and about a minute later, a backup Fairfield cruiser arrived, then a Westport cruiser. Even though I was sitting there getting a ticket, I had to laugh. It was pretty funny. The backup cars quickly left when my buddy in blue let them know that I was just a docile speeder who wasn't going to give him any trouble.
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Replying to: davv62 (Apr 07, 2007 2:08 am) Oh, man. That is Speed Trap 101, especially east (north) bound coming down off the bridge over the turnpike. Hugely wide lanes, nice downhill grade, one of the few areas of the Post Road that's not choked with traffic/commercial areas on either side. . . All of those ritzy towns on the Sound usually go a little overboard with the police reaction. In Westport, at least, I almost always see two cruisers responding to any traffic-related incident.
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Replying to: smittynyc (Apr 07, 2007 5:01 am) The b-tards were pretty sneaky that time. Usually, I spot the enforcement activity and avoid it, but that time, I never saw the cop. Usually, the Fairfield cops aren't terribly strict about enforcement. I live in that town, and I've gotten away with a lot of speeding. Their enforcement activity is pretty limited to special details; there doesn't seem to be a concerted push for day-to-day enforcement. The towns on the sound are quick to call in back-ups in certain situations. I wonder why they felt the need to call in a backup on me. 
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Replying to: davv62 (Apr 07, 2007 5:24 am) -mike
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Replying to: paisan (Apr 07, 2007 7:50 am) Getting nailed pulling a trailer is quite a feat, man... I went to court for my last ticket, and it was pretty entertaining actually. I was almost sorry that they took my case so quickly, since I missed out on listening to a few more of the stories. I was out pretty quickly, and only got my wallet lightened by $35, so I'd say I did pretty well....  How often do you get busted in general? I actually have very long stretches between tickets, though I once got two tickets within 10 minutes....now that was fun... 
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I saw something the other day that aggravated me... Our church parking lot has an entrance that is somewhat odd to get in and out of. To get to it you have to go through a small commercial plot before you enter the parking lot. And to exit you have to go up and around out of the way from the way you came in because where you came in at is a right turn only. This particular right turn only is new because of a new Wal-mart being built across the street.  See more Car Pictures at CarSpace.com On top of that, the road just past the parking lot entrance is closed completely because of the Walmart construction and the re-locating of the roadway. As you can see from my rough drawing you can enter just fine, but to get out, you "must" go North, then west, and the finally south to get back to the highway, whereas before you could just exit, make a left and go to the highway. I understand the reasoning behind the right turn only as when the Wal-mart opens the traffic is expected to be heavy and being so close to the highway, left turns should be minimized. But right now traffic is nil becasue Walmart isn't open and the road is basically closed. Limited to the bank traffic and church traffic. Also light traffic for the road that runs north behind the church. But right now the city seems to be low on funds as they have stationed an officer at the corner of the highway and the bank to catch anyone making a left turn from the right turn only. It is marked and there is a concrete "barrier", but it is still possible with out much effort to still make a left turn. I know why it's there, but at this point in time, there is no need as there is no traffic and no real need to waste time going up and around and out of the way. So a lot of people (including myself sometimes) ignore the right turn only and make a left turn. A few people have been pulled over (this being 9 PM at night when traffic is virtually nil anyway) and ticketed. The officer knows when there will be people at the church and waits for them to leave and make that illegal turn. I would like to suppose that he is trying to teach people that this is not allowed and that when the Wal-mart opens, it can be really dangerous to make that kind of a left turn. But is there really any point to ticketing people at 9 PM at night on a road that has no traffic because is basically closed? Then to top it all off, one night he was sitting there ready to pull people over, but this time he wasn't at the corner, but almost to the parking lot so you would have to pass him on your way to the exit. I was just getting ready to leave and I watched him pull out and leave. And did he make the right turn to go up and around?? NO! He went straight and made the "illegal" left turn like everyone else he had pulled over for doing so! That is what aggrevated me. Okay fine. If you feel you need to fill you city's coffers by pulling people over for commiting a harmless "crime" and teach someone a "lesson" so be it. I don't have a problem going up and around. It takes all of about 30 extra seconds and when the Walmart opens, I'll have to do so anyway because of traffic. But if you are going to do that, at least have the decency to do the same your self....
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Replying to: the_big_al (Jun 27, 2008 3:16 pm) The complaint about the officer's making the left turn should be directed to the city council in public with as many people who witnessed the left turn present and having signed a statement as possible to have. Officers often don't do as they say for everyone else to do; laws don't apply to them since they're special. Happens all the time and sometimes makes the news. |
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Replying to: davv62 (Apr 06, 2007 4:02 am) the merritt is a nightmare IMO. old highway with narrow roads, no shoulders, and people fly through there at speeds that are probably not too safe. i usually drive between 10-15, maybe 20 over the speed limit. on rare occasions will i get up any higher than that. i've slowed down a bit since my college days! the merritt is a pretty scenic road i think, just not too safe for today's speeders - especially when its crowded! -thene 
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Replying to: the_big_al (Jun 27, 2008 3:16 pm) |
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