Better not speed when driving to the trailhead

[Quietman]

Here is an excerpt from an article this morning from MSN

Cities, counties and other government agencies have found that there's lots of money to be made in stepped-up traffic enforcement:

The Massachusetts Turnpike Authority said that it would collect an additional $1.2 million in fines from speeding tickets in 2008 to make up for lost revenue when troopers from the Massachusetts State Police were transferred the previous year to work around Boston's "Big Dig" project.

In 2006, Massachusetts began a pilot program that rewarded state troopers for giving out tickets as opposed to warnings. The number of citations had been down in recent years, the Boston Herald quoted troopers at the time, and pressure was on the rise from both the courts and the insurance industry. Both profit from more civil fines. The State Police did not return calls for comment.

This also seems to be the case in many other states/towns.

The complete article is here

 

[DougPaul]

Fixed url: Here

Not new, except perhaps worse these days.


A number of years ago, a (Boston Globe?) reporter checked the records and found the section of 93 between Concord and ~North Woodstock to be a speed trap biased against out-of-staters...

A neighboring town to the one in which I grew up (in NJ) had a yearly contest with a prize given to the officer who brought in the most ticket revenue. As I recall, it eventually resulted in a scandal of some sort.

Doug

 

[The Hikers]

Anyone ever wonder why the limit was so low on 49 going into Waterville Valley?

 

[peakn]

I wonder all the time, considering that the 50 mph section is probably more likely to produce a moose. Although as we all know, moose, bear and deer can be and are to be found everywhere along the route.
One possibility is that there are some straighter sections in the 50 mph zone.
Another possibility is that the WV police dep't. is less aggressive than Thornton and more appreciative of the business that the traffic brings to the area.
Having said that, be assured that WV police are very serious about protecting the public.

 

[Grumpy]

Personally, I prefer driving on routes where speed limits and other traffic regs are enforced. Otherwise, it becomes a free-for-all.

G.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

A number of years ago, a (Boston Globe?) reporter checked the records and found the section of 93 between Concord and ~North Woodstock to be a speed trap biased against out-of-staters...

It works both ways -- I was on the MA TPK in a group of 6 cars, 3 and 3, all going 7-8 MPH over and being the only non-MA plated car, I got pulled over. And I had a MA plate in front of and behind me. And I was in the opposite lane from the trooper.

I do not mind enforcement for safety's sake - but for revenue's sake makes it like preying on the public. It is especially bad to have quotas or rewards. I want a piece of that action - I could sit at the 4-way lights at the end of my road and write red light violations all day long.

Tim

 

[Grumpy]

... I do not mind enforcement for safety's sake - but for revenue's sake makes it like preying on the public. It is especially bad to have quotas or rewards. ... Tim

I agree wholeheartedly. Consistency of enforcement is important. It can improve safety by making sure the movement and behavior of traffic is well regulated.

Selective enforcement aimed at nabbing out-of-staters or out-of-towners to generate revenue is simply wrong. So are quotas and rewards, and special enforcement zones or campaigns set up to concentrate only on specific violations (like seat belt use).

G.

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

Anyone ever wonder why the limit was so low on 49 going into Waterville Valley?

One winter Sunday I was driving down Rt 49 and saw two cars pulled over: one higher up by the WV police, the other lower down by the Thornton cops. Beware!!!

 

[MadRiver]

I was recently clocked doing 61 in the 40 by a Thornton cop. I was heading home so instead of pulling over I just drove to my house. I figure he would give me a ticket just for ignoring him, so I was very suprised when he let me off with a warning. My wife who works in WV is passed constantly by Mass drivers heading to the valley, so I do not have any sympathy if they get pulled over.

 

[WhiteMTHike]

Driving The Audubon in Germany and hiking in the Bavarian Alps is where its at!

 

[skiguy]

Ahhhh....simple solution. Just get Danica to drive she doesn't care

 

[JohnL]

The Audubon

Is that the German road where all the birdwatchers go?

JohnL

 

[Stan]

Is that the German road where all the birdwatchers go?

JohnL

Were you thinking of the Reeperbaum?

 

[Mike P.]

WMH is right, except it's the Autobahn. (like me correctly anyone's spelling isn't the kettle calling the pot black)

Baveria, very nice

Thanks for the warning, BTW. In 17 years I believe I've helped the NH & MA budget once in each state & prefer not doing so again. I usually let some of the faster drivers pass me. The troopers will be very busy if they are pulling people over for 7 -8 MPH over 65 on the highway.

Work zones or through towns where pedestrians are more likely to be encountered makes sense.

 

[Brambor]

Even Autobahn has a speed limit. There are many sections without a speed limit, however. One thing is for sure - Hut to hut hiking in Bavarian Alps is awesome.

 

[WhiteMTHike]

WMH is right, except it's the Autobahn. (like me correctly anyone's spelling isn't the kettle calling the pot black)

Thanks for the correction, I should've known better since I've been to Bavaria . I didn't go hiking though; still kicking myself for that. Too much time in the beer halls.

 

[DrewKnight]

I was recently clocked doing 61 in the 40 by a Thornton cop. I was heading home so instead of pulling over I just drove to my house. I figure he would give me a ticket just for ignoring him, so I was very suprised when he let me off with a warning. My wife who works in WV is passed constantly by Mass drivers heading to the valley, so I do not have any sympathy if they get pulled over.

Agreed on both accounts, MadRiver. I think that the local PDs are pretty lenient with residents in general... we all have to live together, and I guess they hope we learn the first time. I had the blues blinked at my by the WV police once the first year, which was enough to get me to turn over a new leaf... I set the cruise control on 44 at the Campton Dam and I kick it up to 54 at the 50 sign. Honestly, through the esses and at night, that is plenty fast anyway.

I routinely spend the first 15 minutes and the last 15 minutes of my commute with my rear-view mirror completely obscured by some out-of-stater's Escalade grill. I try not to take it personally, and I hope a few of them have realized that I have saved their butts when we passed a Thornton or WV cop along the way. And for the guy from NY who pushed me all the way up the valley last summer four feet off my back bumper at five over the limit, then stomped it at the 50 zone, only to get pulled over a quarter mile later... "...y tu madre, sucker".

 

[The Hikers]

Drew, you have experienced something the rest of us wish for, but seldom get to see.