Fresh off the local news, Las Vegas area law enforcers staged a one-day campaign against drivers who either ignore the red flashers to dodge under or around crossing gates or jump the red flashers the instant the gates start up. 70 tickets were issued, each good for a $160.00 fine.
Hopefully, the ticketed drivers will inform their friends that there will be more “Railroad Crossing Enforcement Days,” and will modify their own driving habits accordingly.
What gets me is that most of the grade crossings are in wide-open areas. There’s nothing for a police vehicle to hide behind. Seems that those rubber-wheel pilots are unobservant, as well as ignorant of the law.
Heard a really good one a few weeks ago. Sitting at a local coffee shop—guy next to me complaining to his buddy about a ticket he got for doing just that—“If it wasn’t for the cops there would be no crime”[:-^]
Let’s see, that would be about $11,200 in the aggregate - yeah, that probably covered the salaries of the cops for those hours. [tup] Wonder what’ll happen if the word spreads to other communities and the law enforcement powers-that-be therein . . . [:-^]
Barry, I believe I would’ve lost my coffee that way - I almost did when I read your recounting of it. That fella has a future in political ethics, no doubt . . . [sigh]
OK, I nominate Paul for the “Oxymoron of the Day” award for his phrase “political ethics” as that’s as good an example of the art as there is, I think.
And a comment on the whole ticketing thing, most people don’t notice when a police car is in plain sight, its like people expect the cops to be sneaky so its like they don’t register when one’s right there.
I have two thoughts on this. One, it amazes me how many people are unaware of their surroundings, especially while driving. The other, people get so used to doing something, they do not see the action as being wrong or illegal. [sigh]
The problem with most of us, we generally, obey the traffic laws[oX)]. That being said, we(most of us) do not keep up with the current prices of various tickets- until one of those missives has our name on it. Get one, and it can be a brutal,religious, eye opening experience!
In a previous life time (one spent looking at the world through a windshield as a commercial tourist). Tickets then were usually about a $1.00 per mile over the limit. It took three or four before the insurance man said anything. Now, as previously stated $100.00 and up for your mistake[X-)]! And both the insurance man, AND my wife will scream (that’s the religious part).[sigh]
It’s interesting that it takes hitting them in the pocketbook to wake the general public up. The threat of death or major injury wasn’t enough. Then again, I guess it’s kind of like smokers deciding to give up their habit because it’s too expensive. Whatever works, I guess. It’s just odd to me, though.
Here in the Charlotte Area, we’ve had a few deaths, yet people still trespass and go around the gates at will. Only a few days ago I heard a group of students talking about going to throw things at trains on the same stretch where the Carolinian killed a trespasser months ago. Our small town police department just doesn’t have the time to do this. Of course, if there’s money to be made…