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+--- Thread: Sign me up. Citizen militia against speeders (/showthread.php?tid=41959)
Sign me up. Citizen militia against speeders - AAA - 10-23-2007
Okay, I'll have to give myself a ticket first...
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20071023/a_radargun23.art.htm
Re: Sign me up. Citizen militia against speeders - Lux Interior - 10-23-2007
I can understand the concern in residential areas.
Re: Sign me up. Citizen militia against speeders - mattkime - 10-23-2007
unfortunately its not really speeders that are the problem but general a$$holes.
Re: Sign me up. Citizen militia against speeders - Robert M - 10-23-2007
AAA,
I like the idea in theory. In practice, I wouldn't want to be on my lawn with the radar gun because of the possible consequences.
The last thing you need is irate neighbors causing agita for you individually as well as in the community. The other issues again relates to vindictive neighbors. Who's to say they will be truthful and unbiased about the speeders? Give some a little bit of power and they will definitely take advantage of it.
And, yes, people can be that vindictive on both levels.
If anything, I'd love to have a single officer hanging out with the gun. That way, the job remains in the hands of the law and not Joe Shmuckhead.
Robert
Re: Sign me up. Citizen militia against speeders - Lux Interior - 10-23-2007
Yes, I remember when I was a teenager, driving the family Mustang II around the neighborhood.
It had an exhaust leak, which made it sound like it was souped up. I could be doing 10 MPH, and irate soccer moms would yell at me to slow down.
Re: Sign me up. Citizen militia against speeders - Filliam H. Muffman - 10-23-2007
It would not be the first time a Mac user used a radar gun to track speeders. I met a guy a long time ago that made his own radar gun to track speeders on his street in Berkeley, CA. He is known for some other things too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clifford_Stoll
Re: Sign me up. Citizen militia against speeders - AAA - 10-23-2007
I just saw a speed gun at the checkout counter at Pep Boys at lunch.
I'm not so sure that police are any better than vindictive neighbors, either. Perhaps worse in some cases. I know a guy that brought suit for harassment against cops targeting him for traffic violations. I don't know any neighbor dispute that escalated to lawsuit or physical problems. Anecdotal, yes.
Re: Sign me up. Citizen militia against speeders - RAMd®d - 10-23-2007
...unfortunately its not really speeders that are the problem
Huh? You must be talking about *your* neighborhood. I know you're not talking about mine. I know plenty of neighborhoods near me as well were speeders are the problem.
Or are you making safe and sane and reckless neighborhood speeding categories?
I like the idea of neighbors gathering data to get actual police traffic enforcement *in place*. But I don't think using them as an enforcement agent isn't a good idea, even though it's only to generate warnings.
Many cities have access to a portable radar trailer that displays the speed of approaching vehicles. I'd like to see a camera attached to it, and warning sent from that.
It takes a lot of training to use a speed gun accurately, and just handing them out with a few points to the Average Citizen just doesn't instill confidence in anyone.
Re: Sign me up. Citizen militia against speeders - Robert M - 10-23-2007
RAM,
Well said. My parent's neighborhood has the signs that display speed. I wonder how difficult it would be to rig a camera to one that takes a snapshot every once in a while. Then, an officer who is a desk jockey can scan through them and issue out warnings with a copy of the picture in a timely manner.
Robert
Re: Sign me up. Citizen militia against speeders - Sam3 - 10-23-2007
How about putting humps in? That has slowed traffic in many neighborhoods here.
Oh wait... then the street can't be used for a revenue stream. My bad.