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Speed TrapPosted Monday, June 29, 2009, at 11:10 PM
The one state I really need to warn you about is New Mexico. This has not always been the case, New Mexico was once a fun state to drive, but all that changed in January of this year. Rumors were flying throughout the trucking world that the New Mexico Governor, Bill Richardson, had passed the word down from on high that the state needed cash desperately. So, he unleashed the hordes of law enforcement to gin up the revenue. So, if you drive through New Mexico, be very careful. Make sure every single light on your vehicle works, watch for changing speed limits, often for no reason. Look out for cops stationed at the bottom of long hills, hoping you may be going a bit fast by the time you reach the bottom. The entire state has been turned into a speed trap. Every single construction zone is set up to collect revenue. Some of the tricks New Mexico uses include: - keeping the construction zone signs up, including double fines, even after the construction is done. - changing the speed limits on a major highway (US 54) from 70 to 55, and then stacking the highway with scores of cops, hiding behind bushes. - coming up with so-called "safety zones" where they can charge double fines. Safety has nothing to do with it, it's about collecting money. Other states have used this "safety zone" ploy, but none use it like New Mexico. Also, they do this retarded thing in which you are ordered, via a small sign, to use your headlights, during the day, "for safety". Just another revenue collection ploy. It is a sign of the times, government can slap the label "safety" on anything, and that allows them to throw lots of government weight around. It is not about safety, it's about getting your money. Other states that seem to attack motorists are, Illinois, Ohio, Washington State and Oregon. Illinois and Oregon have always been very hostile towards motorists, in my opinion. Travel in these states, and you are begging for a ticket. Once they spot that out-of-state plate, you're a target. Example: Traveling through the Oregon wilderness from Ontario to Bend. Over two hundred miles of wilderness, 55 all the way. In Texas you could travel 70 on a road like that, Nebraska 65, but good ole Oregon, 55, and it is hard to do. Slip just a bit, and you'll be leaving a contribution. If you are pulled over in one of the states I mentioned, do not undo your seat belt until the officer says you can. Sometimes, the person who is pulled over, will undo their belt to grab a license or reach for a purse. The officer shows up at your door, you have no seat belt on, and you'll pay an extra $75-$250 just for that little fopaw, especially in New Mexico! There are good states to travel. States which appear not to have an attack mentality on motorists. They are Texas, Nebraska, Utah, Nevada and Arizona. In these states you can relax and enjoy the drive, especially Texas and Nebraska. These states seem to actually respect the motorists, and appear not to target vacationers for ticket revenue. I am also going to give California a break. Even with all their faults, the Golden State is okay to travel. Police in California have WAY too much to do to harass motorists. So have fun while traveling, be careful. Let me leave you with something I thought was funny. This morning, I was in Deming New Mexico, and after two Hispanic guys unloaded me, we were visiting. I notice an Obama bumper sticker on one of the parked cars at the plant. "Someone likes Obama around here huh?" The two guys begin laughing. "What's so funny?" I asked. "Gringo, you don't know how to tell an illegal from a legal?" "Well, not by looking!" I answered. The guy says, "The illegals have the Obama bumper stickers." Now I know! Comments Showing comments in chronological order [Show most recent comments first] |
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I got pulled over in Chicago once. My crime? Have crap hanging from my mirror. They were also curious as to why my car was registered in indiana But I had a Nebraska drivers license. (just moved to Indiana, my registration was up right away I decided to wait to get my new license til my birthday.)
They let me off with no tickets.
I have a feeling there was probably more then that... with the area I was in and everything. The cops were nice, though I do sense they can be pricks if the situation called for it.
Let's turn I-80 into a toll road and be done with it...
Sam you started out with a good blog, why did you have to end with Obama bashing? You just can't seem to help yourself from turning a good blog bad.
Sam, wish I could join you in giving Nebraska a free pass, but the nuisance tickets (30 in a 25 for example) are way up in these parts, whether vacationers or hometown folks.
"Also, they do this retarded thing"
Please refrain from using offensive terms. Otherwise good blog, and Guillermo, I didn't get the impression that Sam implied this was a red/blue issue. Maybe I didn't read it closely enough.
now your just getting picky SW...
i think that nebraska for the most part does not have the attack mentality sam you are correct on that except for 1 group... anyone with colorado tags is a target in our fine state
I'm sorry to respectfully disagree S&DC, terms that are offensive to friends, family members, and persons with intellectual disabilities are no different than any other slur. I know Sam wasn't intentionally denigrating any person with an intellectual disability but the fact that the term is so often cast about unthinkingly is the reason I confront it whenever I can. If by being "too picky" I can get get one person to stop and think before they use that term I will be happy.
A side note on people being pulled over: through my work I occasionally travel throughout Nebraska and other states in rental cars. There have been 3 times I have been pulled over in Nebraska while driving a rental car that had out of state plates but never when in a car that had Nebraska plates. Every time when they saw my Nebraska Driver's License I was let go with a "verbal" warning.
Also has anyone but me noticed that if you have California plates you are free game in every state?
Guillermo,
I guess I can see your point, and although I agree that Sam is far too much into the red/blue mind set I still didn't infer from this blog that was the point here. I think it is easy to transfer what we believe of someone in one situation to every situation involving them. Sam just strikes me as the type who would complain about something in every situation. Ohio and Nevada are often swing states and New Mexico which has tended Democratic I infer from Sam's writing that he expteced it, or at least the area around Demming, to be Republican leaning. I agree with your point that this happens everywhere.
"I have a friend from school who lives there and says they keep increasing fines and always charge the maximum allowable amount."
I've been in Lincoln quite a bit and not once got a ticket and Lord knows I should've a few times. Maybe it was the outta town plates that bought me some leniency.
My favorite thing about Lincoln is not about the enforcement of my driving violations but rather my parking. Lincoln is extremely friendly to out of towners. I was seeing a girl there and was worried about not putting money in the meter down in the Haymarket. She informed me that they just bypass the cars with out of town plates so I was in the clear. I also think they waive paying the meters on sat or sun too.
The only state I've ever been to that I was harassed by the police was Iowa. I don't know if it was because I was out of state or just from Nebraska but I was pulled over on the highway for a cracked windshield. A couple hours later we were pulled over on the same highway because my friend wasn't wearing a seatbelt. They then proceeded to search the entire car, for what purpose I have no clue, then left us with our lone seatbelt ticket. When traveling to Iowa remember two things, fix your windshield and buckle up. Might check your tire pressure too, they might think it's too low.
"The general feeling is that the city is desperate to get the new jail built."
The only problem with that logic is that schools get all the revenue from tickets. So technically, you should be happy for the increased enforcement. My teacher got diamonds in his eyes when he learned any of us got speeding tickets or any type of fine. He told us to keep the money coming.
Mr. Ingalaterra, let me see if I can sum up your comments. "I hate Sam, I really hate Sam, I really really hate Sam."
I get it sir, you hate Sam. Thanks for sharing.
Monte - ya think? LOL
I was taken to task for using the phrase, "retarded thing." I find it interesting that the leftists have no problem in killing an unborn child that may be born with mental disabilities. This is acceptable, but calling someone a retard would be offensive. So what am I to conclude? That is okay to kill a child that may be born with mental problems, but just don't call them a retard. Gotcha.
I did not make any red/blue state references, but they were obvious. States controlled by Democrats are far more controlling in just about everything, oh...except abortion, of course.
I was not aware of Lincoln being very aggressive in ticket writing. I am sorry to here that.
During the years of intense Colorado-Nebraska football rivalries, I did run into Nebraskans who felt that Colorado Highway Patrol targeted them, and I heard from folks in Colorado that Nebraska Highway Patrol targeted them. I really don't know what to make of that.
AND, yes...California plates are fair game everywhere. I cannot argue with that.
Also, small towns are always cause for ticket concern in every state, No small town wants folks breezing through their towns ignoring speed limits, and putting folks in danger. The best way to handle that risk, is to make sure you slow down, and drive just under the speed limit through that town.
Steffanie - do you find it interesting that Guillermo makes no bones about wanting to destroy the USA, or welcoming it's invasion, but always makes accusations that I want civil war?
I don't want Civil war. No sane person ever WANTS war. I want the citizens in this country to wake the hell up, and realize that every day that President Obama and the religious left are in power, freedom dies.
And friends, once Freedom dies, sadly, it takes blood to get it back.
That is not me wanting war, that is me warning of the consequences of people thinking like the nutty Guillermo, and the brainwashed Michael.
Sam,
I will continue to take you or anyone else to task for the "retarded thing" as you put it. Since I am not a Leftist I will assume that the rest of that paragraph is not directed at me. However, I can find no reason why it should ever be appropriate to call someone a retard. Why do you think it is acceptable to use that term freely?
I had not commented on this blog and yet Sam still takes the time to attack me in a post. Who's the hater.
Steffanie,
Once again you provide evidence that would suggest you are far more deficient in rational thought than any person I know who has an intellectual disability. Your comments are often so reprehensible that you drive away people who would ostensibly share similar views. Does it matter if one's disabilities are caused by Down Syndrome (it is Down Syndrome not downs because it was named by Dr. Down not because he experienced it) or a tramatic brain injury? All "retardation" is a developmental disability.
I have made the comment several times that while I agree with some of your ideas, the extremist way you espouse them nearly makes me ashamed to admit it. As much as I disagree with many of Guillermo's views I seriously doubt he has an intellectual disability. I can't be snide and imply that you yourself experience such a disability for that would (in addition to being against my views) reflect poorly on the group of people who have an intellectual disability. You seem to revel in exhibiting willfull stupidity.
Their state is in poverty. What else do you want them to do. Whether it's conveniant or not, you must obey speed limits. As long as you technically break the law you can be repremanded for it.
Would you rather they take tax dollars from other states?
While I certainly am not high brow, unless you count the receeding hairline which really makes it seem more low than high, I see no reason to avoid civil discussion. If however, you refuse civil discussion, I see no reason to strive to engage you in discussion. I do however ask that all consider the meaning and implication of words we use.
http://www.r-word.org
G.I.
No problem, it's not just Lincoln that has to turn over ticket revenue to the schools it's all municipalities in Nebraska. Even if they wanted to pass a special ordinance with a fine attached to it, the money still has to go to the schools. Therefore, they could ramp up as much enforcement as they want but they'll only be doing their schools a favor. Their prison will never see a dime and if they did try diverting that money to the prison it would be a violation of Nebraska law.
http://www.legislature.ne.gov/laws/artic...
Well, technically the cities and villages turn over the fines to the County Treasurer who has to turn it over to the schools. That's just bureaucracy for you.
Well, technically the cities and villages turn over the fines to the County Treasurer who has to turn it over to the schools. That's just bureaucracy for you.
About the whole "r-word" thing. I've heard people use it all the time but ironically, I've never once heard it used to describe a person with a mental disability (not counting movies).
McCook1,
That is kind of my point, people use words without thinking about them. When you hear people say retard are they using it in a positive or even neutral way? Generally people are more aware of using the term towards a person with an intellectual disability and don't do it. My question is, why is it appropriate to use when a "retard" isn't around? Other slurs have generally fallen out of public use, and I hope that in time this one will too. I'm sorry to rail about it but if no one speaks up how would anyone change?
I understand where you're coming from. I can think of a few terms that can be viewed by certain people as offensive to a particular group of people even if that wasn't the intent. A word only has the power that society gives it. The intent is what offensive not the word.
My friends and I all had nicknames based on variations of our names as kids. One of our nicknames was used as a derogatory term towards a particular religious group but we didn't know that back then and we still use it today because in our minds we defined what it means long ago.
You'll notice I was intentionally vague on the specific offensive terms because there are some hateful people on here who are always looking to expand their vocabularly and I don't want to be the one responsible for teaching them, in case they don't already know the terms.
G.I.,
I'm just glad I could help. I'm almost certainly sure the law is as unique to Nebraska as the Unicameral but that study is interesting. I would think they would have first looked at where the money actually goes first. Nebraska also has a law that specifically bans quotas on issuing tickets. That's not to say they can't issue more tickets at their own discretion though. They could be wanting more officers so they're cracking down on more things to make it appear to the council, at budget time, that there has been a rise in activity and they need more officers or it could just be a new policy. It's hard to say.
HEY SAM,
Back in the 70s and 80s, I was a commercial traveler covering the western 25 states, usually four complete circuits annually, about 200,000 miles.
I was prepared to move my registration and license to Wyoming or Montana, if the California plates drew too may flies.
I drove for twelve years throughout the Rural West with California plates. Never got a single ticket. Never had a problem, not even a warning.
But within ten minutes of home in Monterey County, I was nailed twice (Once with a phony radar citation in the new city of Marina. Beaten easily.)
And a totally silly ticket because a lettuce truck passed me on the left in a one-lane on-ramp leading onto CA. Hiway 68. The officer charged me with passing on the shoulder.
I had four independent witnesses to the contrary.
On the other hand, the winter of 84-85, New Mexico went nuts between El Paso and the Arizona Border -- UNTIL early one morn about 100 big rigs convoyed -- trapped a bunch of NM state trooper within the convoy and took them to Texas Canyon outside Benson, Arizona, where they made high speed exits into the rather rough center divider.