Do tickets deter bad driving?

CV355 said:

Depends on the circumstances. Speeding tickets are tax bonuses for towns that don't know how to spend their money effectively.

Traffic turbulence causes the most accidents.
That idiot going 25 in a 45?
That moron swerving around because they're texting?
The tailgater that causes the slinky effect when they jack on the brakes?
The moron that runs down the break-down lane instead of zippering?
Yep, those are the jackasses that should be fined or have their licenses revoked.

Going 85 on the highway with a group of 20 other people? Very little turbulence. Come across some idiot in the left lane going 50? They're the problem, not the consistent flow of traffic.

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Pretty much how I feel about it. Here in Columbia its 60mph but I dont ever think I see anyone going under 90 lol. Hell even the marked police cars just go with that flow.... Then you have that one ****ing Ohian that wants to to 50 in the left lane...

blubyu87gt said:

Pretty much how I feel about it. Here in Columbia its 60mph but I dont ever think I see anyone going under 90 lol. Hell even the marked police cars just go with that flow.... Then you have that one ****ing Ohian that wants to to 50 in the left lane...

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There is a little town called Pickens in SC. I dare anyone to drive through at 35mph. You will get ticketed. Drive through drunk, you're probably fine. On cocaine? You're fine. Texting and running over pedestrians? Probably fine. But 35? Downhill? Eternal damnation!

Who does that help? Nobody except for the ticket cops and city staff who siphon those funds to pretty up their offices and patrol cars. Oh, and cocaine addictions.

Unfortunately I pay taxes in Pickens county, but I don't have to drive through cocaine/methville anymore.

I think the concept of ticket writing is reactive instead of proactive.

People see a police car and they go above and beyond trying to drive in a legal fashion. Overly so. I typically drive the speed limit or a couple over and get a giggle when passing a police car and all the other drivers slow down to below the speed limit (I keep going the speed I was, if I get a ticket for going even 5 over....that's what attorneys are for).

Many police departments park empty cars in high crime areas to deter theft, etc., so we know that presence is enough to reinforce compliance.

With that said, police only need to make a visible presence to deter traffic violations as opposed to hiding behind hills, signs, or other structures in an attempt to catch those who are in violation.

The current methodology of reactive traffic law enforcement lends toward the thought that the focus of ticketing is more so for revenue collection than keeping the public safe.

Texas actually has a state law that limits a city's revenue from tickets. Any amount over the limit has to automatically be turned over to the state general fund in order to prevent using ticketing as revenue collection.

They deter bad drivers for a while but let's face it, bad driving is habitual so eventually they slip back into those bad habits.

HillbillyHotRod said:

Actually had a traffic safety class tell me to do that for number 2. Said there are more accidents caused by people slamming on the brakes for a yellow then to speed up and get through the intersection.

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It really depends were your car is in relation to the stop so you dont have to slam the brakes. The drivers who do this bad driving habit have plenty of time to stop under normal braking conditions and actually run the light while cross traffic is getting ready to move.


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08mojo said:

To add to the list, my #1 would be tailgaters. I am all for someone tailgating me if I'm the one holding up traffic. But, if we're in a line of cars on a single lane road, get off my bumper!

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I’d have to agree with you on that one. Ive had someone tailgate me at 75 (speed limit was 65) on the interstate. I figured his windshield needed a wash as did mine.

I typically drive 5-10 over the limit with a detector.


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Ohio Snake said:

I’d have to agree with you on that one. Ive had someone tailgate me at 75 (speed limit was 65) on the interstate. I figured his windshield needed a wash as did mine.

I typically drive 5-10 over the limit with a detector.


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Were you slowing them down in the passing lane?

No, it doesn't deter bad driving. You can't fix people's bad habits by writing tickets.

It might deter it locally (e.g. people slow down when they see a police car in the media, but as soon as they pass, they speed up again), but it's not a long term solution.

No tickets don’t deter breaking the law. The only way to deter it is impose death on all instances of breaking the law. This will have a two fold effect; deterance and getting rid off of low-life law breakers.

ssj4sadie said:

No tickets don’t deter breaking the law. The only way to deter it is impose death on all instances of breaking the law. This will have a two fold effect; deterance and getting rid off of low-life law breakers.

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Or govt controlled gps integrated into the ecu. I doubt companies would govern the engines unless big incentives to make more money.

DaleM said:

Or govt controlled gps integrated into the ecu. I doubt companies would govern the engines unless big incentives to make more money.

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No need for all that technological mumbojumbo with my solution to crime. But I forgot to add; all executions are same day televised 8pm Central.

ssj4sadie said:

No need for all that technological mumbojumbo with my solution to crime. But I forgot to add; all executions are same day televised 8pm Central.

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I see a day with all this self driving cars is when an energency vehicle is ciming all cars will automatically pull over or a day a cop can control your speed in a pursuit.

DaleM said:

I see a day with all this self driving cars is when an energency vehicle is ciming all cars will automatically pull over or a day a cop can control your speed in a pursuit.

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I wouldn’t mind a transit system like out of Miniority Report. But still have regular roads for “manual” driving.

ssj4sadie said:

I wouldn’t mind a transit system like out of Miniority Report. But still have regular roads for “manual” driving.

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I wish this country would make autobahn type roads. Have to use facial recognituon to get access and go through a rigorous licensing program.

I can only speak from my personal experience... but as someone who has had many tickets and has written many tickets this is my take.

The habitual offenders don't give AF. They will continue their bad habits and take their chances with their terrible driving. These are the ones that weave in and out of traffic, talk on their cell phone, cause collisions but adamantly blame the other driver for being at fault. These people are the worst.

The once and a while violators (which I was), slowed the F down for a long time till that ticket fell off.

The reasonable citizen will slow down, stop whatever it is their doing, take their licks, and move on. Traffic school is generally an acceptable option and we never see them again.

I've pulled over the same people, in the same spot, for the same violation before. Little to no mercy was given. A simple police presence (to me) only makes compliance temporary. I wasn't rewarded for writing 20 tickets versus no tickets. In fact, there were days I didn't write anyone and sent people on with a warning. Discretion plays a real role and I think most officers can gauge whether someone is deserving of a warning.

Just my 2 cents. I've left patrol and moved onto an executive protection branch within my dept.

DaleM said:

Were you slowing them down in the passing lane?

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Most likely since they were tailgating while I was passing other motorists.


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Ohio Snake said:

Most likely since they were tailgating while I was passing other motorists.


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I don't get how you can think you were in the right. You should have yielded to the faster vehicle.

ssj4sadie said:

I don't get how you can think you were in the right. You should have yielded to the faster vehicle.

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I really don’t get your point. Let me point it out for you. Three lanes of traffic. The right and middle lane have cars doing 65 mph. I move to the left lane to pass cars at 75 and this car comes up on me to tailgate while Im passing. You really think I should duck in between cars in the middle lane to to allow him to pas instead of me passing cars then moving over. Ill bet your a tailgater.


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Ohio Snake said:

I really don’t get your point. Let me point it out for you. Three lanes of traffic. The right and middle lane have cars doing 65 mph. I move to the left lane to pass cars at 75 and this car comes up on me to tailgate while Im passing. You really think I should duck in between cars in the middle lane to to allow him to pas instead of me passing cars then moving over. Ill bet your a tailgater.


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Traffic isn't just in front of you, it is also behind. So you look behind you before changing lanes, evaluate the speed of the vehicle behind you and if you can make that pass without hindering their speed of travel then go for it. if not, yield and slow down.

ssj4sadie said:

Traffic isn't just in front of you, it is also behind. So you look behind you before changing lanes, evaluate the speed of the vehicle behind you and if you can make that pass without hindering their speed of travel then go for it. if not, yield and slow down.

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Your really going to argue this? I always look behind me BEFORE changing any lanes. Speed racer was not even in sight and came up on me from a way back. I have every right to move in the other lane when clear to maintain my speed.
So your argument is and you seem to indicate that you would come up on traffic doing 65 mph and tailgate someone passing the traffic at 75 mph in the fast lane and tailgate that person. Obviously your a dangerous driver.



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