Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Double dipping, NHTSA providing prizes for police to write tickets]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/08/double-dipping-nhtsa-providing-prizes-for-police-to-write-ticke/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/08/double-dipping-nhtsa-providing-prizes-for-police-to-write-ticke/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/08/double-dipping-nhtsa-providing-prizes-for-police-to-write-ticke/#commentsFiled under:



We all know that the money that we drivers pay for taxes on the fuel we use is supposed to go to pay for the roads where we consume the fuel, right? Not so fast there buddy! Many of us at one time or another have also encountered law enforcement efforts that were clearly meant more for revenue enhancement than safety enhancement. Yes Livonia MI, we're talking to you! Does having five cruisers lined up beside a fast food restaurant picking off drivers going 3-4mph over the limit really improve safety on Middlebelt Rd?

It now appears that that those state and local police agencies have an extra incentive to write even more tickets. They can earn free police pursuit vehicles courtesy of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and your fuel tax dollars. NHTSA's National Law Enforcement Challenge Award judges police agencies based on ticket counts, taking away points if they don't have a "no warning" policy. They also give bonus points for innovative methods such as camouflaging officers as tourists or Santa Claus. The top ranked departments earn free cruisers such as Hemi Chargers and Magnums equipped with cold air intakes and Borla exhaust systems.

[Source: TheNewspaper.com]



Double dipping, NHTSA providing prizes for police to write tickets originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 08 Dec 2007 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>national-high-traffic-safety-administrationnhtsaspeed-trapsSat, 08 Dec 2007 12:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Raising taxes through speed traps]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/21/raising-taxes-through-speed-traps/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/21/raising-taxes-through-speed-traps/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/21/raising-taxes-through-speed-traps/#commentsFiled under: ,



As many states and local municipalities struggle to balance budgets and find funding for services like police protection, it seems like many are turning to alternative means of raising revenues. Since politicians are invariably loathe to actually raise taxes to pay for the services that people expect, speed traps are becoming increasingly popular. According to Detroit News columnist John McCormick, not only are more speed traps being used, the fines are getting increasingly punitive. Drivers in Virginia might want to be particularly watchful of speed limits. Surpassing the limit by 15 mph will now cost you $1,250 plus court costs. Topping 80 mph will cost you double that and possibly jail time. All this seems pretty extreme, especially if a driver isn't driving recklessly or the speed limit is set artificially low. Speeding in a residential area is unacceptable, but going 80 on a wide open highway in clear conditions is not necessarily dangerous.

[Source: Detroit News]

Raising taxes through speed traps originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Nov 2007 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>michiganspeed-trapsvirginiaWed, 21 Nov 2007 13:57:00 EST