Obey Your Burst? Drive a Bit Over the Limit? N. Carolina Says That's Too Fast
 

Drive a Bit Over the Limit? N. Carolina Says That's Too Fast

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. — Mar 23, 2016, 6:05 PM ET

Police in North Carolina are cracking down on speeders with a simple message: Obey the posted speed limit or pay a fine, even if you're only going a bit over.

The N.C. Governor's Highway Safety Program says in a news release it will announce its "Obey the Sign or Pay the Fine" campaign on Thursday. Both state and local law enforcement are participating.

The agency says many people believe they won't get a ticket so long as they don't travel too far beyond the speed limit. But the agency says the aim is to remind people that it's against the law to drive faster than what is posted.

One trooper says that although troopers are aware of the program, they issue citations for "clear-cut and substantial violations." Master Trooper Chris Knox tells the News & Record of Greensboro that troopers assess each circumstance to decide if citations are warranted.

Many people are at work while driving. Zealously enforcing the speed limit reduces workforce productivity, as it takes people longer to do the same amount of work in a day. What a brilliant idea. Hey, maybe the state should do more to promote gridlock. That way, it will take more people to do the same amount of work, and the state can boost employment.

Nice job, North Carolina. I'll be sure to avoid your state when vacationing.

This is a great idea. Maybe if more states do this they'll see just how arbitrary speed limits can be...

Preach brother

Speed limits in Oregon seem to be more of a general suggestion than a hard-and-fast rule, with a few notable local exceptions. OSP kicked the local gendarmes off of the Interstates, though, after one municipality actually wound up getting prosecuted for racketeering for their ummm... intense enforcement of the limits on an Interstate that crossed their boundaries.

Revenuers, all of them!

If the police department's motives were actually safety, and not revenue generation I'd have more respect for them. But judging by all the other horrible driving infractions I see ignored on a daily basis, they could give two shits about public safety. Road pirates.

In all other aspects I have the upmost respect for police officers.

Sounds like the tax coffers are a little light these days. :toetap:

Welcome to the VB!

Gonna cause a lot of accidents.

People obeying the speed limit are the ones blocking traffic these days.

It's a bunch of crap because when they set the speed limits they always set them knowing that people will drive 5-10MPH over the limit which is the actual desired limit. To do this strict enforcement thing is actually lowering the limit.....sort of. :yesnod:

You act as if the police officers get a percentage of the traffic fines they reap on their Christmas checks. Revenue schemes are cooked up by local legislators. Police officers don't write the laws, nor do they cook up revenue schemes for local government. They are just the poor guys who are "ordered" to carry out the dirty deed. Hate them if you must, but better just to kick out the elected officials who are responsible.

I don't disagree at all. But that's my point. I feel bad for the officers, but I can't help but be a lil FU when I see two of them sitting in the median, waiting to generate some revenue.

Here in Florida, down US 301 there are two towns that played havoc with speed signs, up/down about a dozen times in a few miles, Lawtey and Waldo, it got so bad that Waldo was forced to abandon their police dept. and turn it all over to the county.....

Those town along there had the distinction of a huge AAA billboard warning of the speed traps ahead, been there for years.....:issues::sadangel:

I agree with you about the legislators ultimately being responsible, but not about the Nuremberg Defense. That didn't work last time, and it won't work when things have to come to this:

http://autoclubsouth.aaa.com/Assets/...Trap_Waldo.jpg

In essence, they do get a "kickback" from revenue generated. It pays for their overtime when they sit in traffic court half the day. It pays their lary increases, new patrol cars, better equipment, etc.
But they would much rather cite someone going 10-15 over the limit than waste time with someone going 1 mph over. :seasix: