I was in traffic court for a minor ticket this morning. I saw a guy get absolutely smoked.
Charged with reckless speeding 107 in a 55mph zone, construction zone. He pleaded guilty. The officer said he was polite and cooperative. No other traffic on the road, no body working in the zone. He clocked him just as the road had gone from 2 lanes to one. They guy was young, a college student from the middle east studying engineering. Good grades, would graduate in one more semester. There was no accident or alcohol, just speeding.
The judge started lecturing about the physics of speeding. Six months in jail.
Too bad the cop didn't charge him with a lesser speed. They do that because of the extra work really high speeds cause.
I got a ticket for 53 in a 35 construction zone, went to court with $800 and my check book.
Because I had a prior clean record the judge knocked it down to $366. I thanked the judge and damn near ran to the pay window.
Having spent time on the other side of the orange barrels - I have NO sympathy for the offender.
When on road construction - you learn (quickly) that drivers are ASSES!
Jesus.......a couple grand and a pile of community service would of sufficed and not cost the taxpayers near as much.
Jail is way over used for bullchit crimes and then actual violent, predatory criminals are turned out on a regular basis after minimal sentences.
I was in traffic court for a minor ticket this morning. I saw a guy get absolutely smoked.
Charged with reckless speeding 107 in a 55mph zone, construction zone. He pleaded guilty. The officer said he was polite and cooperative. No other traffic on the road, no body working in the zone. He clocked him just as the road had gone from 2 lanes to one. They guy was young, a college student from the middle east studying engineering. Good grades, would graduate in one more semester. There was no accident or alcohol, just speeding.
The judge started lecturing about the physics of speeding. Six months in jail.
This is a ridiculously extreme punishment.
You've obviously never been on a road crew that had a traffic-related fatality.
How could you tell?
The construction zone was vacant...
Sentencing fulfillment should be deferred until the kid finishes school, or in a reasonable time frame when he should.
It's all fun and games until he or she kills someone. 107 in a 55 is ridiculously fast.
Jesus.......a couple grand and a pile of community service would of sufficed and not cost the taxpayers near as much.
Jail is way over used for bullchit crimes and then actual violent, predatory criminals are turned out on a regular basis after minimal sentences.
Welcome to the world of for profit prisons.
I agree.
I like fast cars. Consensus among cognoscenti that I hang with is that public roads are no place for even beginning to scratch the surface of the potential of many cars on the road today.
Your typical Carrera has 350 to 400 horsepower, and with a 7-speed manual will hit 110 in 3rd. That's double the speed limit as you come off the onramp, dump the revs into 4th, and think about merging. That car will top out at at 185-190, and at 150 is in its sweet spot.
There's just too much that can, and eventually will, go wrong, and it's NOT the little old lady's fault she didn't see you coming at 107 mph and merged into your lane.
Real car guys who want to run 100 mph (and well over) go to track days.
Race tracks are made for race car speeds, and there is no innocent public to bear the brunt of the risks the driver of a sports car wants to take. That's where you go to drive your 'vette or Lambo like it wants to be driven.
Here in Cali, it is my understanding that if you get clocked at 100 mph or over, it is presumed reckless driving, which means handcuffs and impound from the get-go.
Honestly, IMO that's getting off easy compared to what could happen if that innocent little old lady pulls into your slot.
Take it to the track.
This is a ridiculously extreme punishment.
I agree. That judge just ruined this kid's life for absolutely nothing.
Every guy in my high school graduating class 30 years ago would have been in jail. This crap is getting ridiculous, are they going to start chopping off hands for stealing candy bars next?
I agree.
I like fast cars. Consensus among cognoscenti that I hang with is that public roads are no place for even beginning to scratch the surface of the potential of many cars on the road today.
Your typical Carrera has 350 to 400 horsepower, and with a 7-speed manual will hit 110 in 3rd. That's double the speed limit as you come off the onramp, dump the revs into 4th, and think about merging. That car will top out at at 185-190, and at 150 is in its sweet spot.
There's just too much that can, and eventually will, go wrong, and it's NOT the little old lady's fault she didn't see you coming at 107 mph and merged into your lane.
Real car guys who want to run 100 mph (and well over) go to track days.
Race tracks are made for race car speeds, and there is no innocent public to bear the brunt of the risks the driver of a sports car wants to take. That's where you go to drive your 'vette or Lambo like it wants to be driven.
Here in Cali, it is my understanding that if you get clocked at 100 mph or over, it is presumed reckless driving, which means handcuffs and impound from the get-go.
Honestly, IMO that's getting off easy compared to what could happen if that innocent little old lady pulls into your slot.
Take it to the track.
I do not make a habit of this...
But I agree, absolutely!
Guy would have been better off to have been caught burgling houses and stealing guns.
This is a ridiculously extreme punishment.
I agree. That judge just ruined this kid's life for absolutely nothing.
Every guy in my high school graduating class 30 years ago would have been in jail. This crap is getting ridiculous, are they going to start chopping off hands for stealing candy bars next?
Call me whatever you like, but I do not have a problem with holding guests to high standards. Playing the odds, the judge, in his prescient knowledge borne of repeated cases involving carnage, understood what could have happened. I spent several years cleaning up the sorts of events the driver's actions too often devolve to to have a nanoseconds concern.
A lad I have known for his whole life went to a good school for diesel technology and performed well there. He was offered a very good job doing incredible work on very interesting projects far beyond the pits of a JiffyLube at an hourly wage most Journeymen would covet. Due diligence vetting revealed over a dozen speeding tickets at velocities in triple digits over the limit... he failed the test. He has not proved he would have been "right" for the offer yet.
Guy would have been better off to have been caught burgling houses and stealing guns.
Guns, even stolen ones, still require a total dirtbag to do bad things...
Dumbass me, 70+ in a 40 mpt construction zone, 4:15am, no activity in zone 3 vehicles in area personal vehicle. Cop wrote failure to heed highway warning signs. Paid my fine, regained a lot of caution, keput my CDL and my job.
Concealed carry issue also arose, cop was cautious, but respectful and thanked me for handling it well
Dumbass me, 70+ in a 40 mpt construction zone, 4:15am, no activity in zone 3 vehicles in area personal vehicle. Cop wrote failure to heed highway warning signs. Paid my fine, regained a lot of caution, keput my CDL and my job.
Concealed carry issue also arose, cop was cautious, but respectful and thanked me for handling it well
Let's see:
You were not an ingrate alien disrespecting our laws...
You were doing 30+ over in a 40, not 52 over...
Physics says a doubling of speed requires a quadrupling of energy... that relates to control issues very neatly...
Time and people in area are white noise... you knew nothing of that until after the fact.
You were "at home"...
I agree completely with your luck in the handling of your case and your attitude more than anything else says the cop and judge both read you right.
I got a 140 in a 65 in my vette. 2500.00 in 1980. I slowed down a bit.
The court was too kind...
Perhaps that guy will grow up a bit in that 6 months...
all it took was once for me. mine wasn't nearly as bad. I was probably doing 67 in a 55 but it was a construction zone. The ticket was more than $200 and this was 20 years ago
That won't happen again.
Fast forward 4 months from now.
Breaking News:
A young man, attending college in the United States from Dubai runs into 7 children, killing 5, while traveling at a high rate of speed in a school zone. Reports show the man was charged this past April with reckless speeding doing 107 in a 55mph Construction zone. The man had to pay a $434 dollar fine for the previous incident. Many are wondering why he didn't receive a stricter punishment.'
Fire Posts:
'YGTBFKM, they let the raghead off for doing 107mph a few months ago."
"If Obama had a son"
"A $434 dollar fine for doing 107 and now he kills 5 children. I guarantee the judge was an Obama appointee'
'WTF, in 1979 I spent 5 years in prison for doing 3 miles over the speed limit in a school zone and this Muzzy gets a small fine so he could later kill kids'
'Fu*cking snowflakes wanted this'
As a bridge inspector I have a lot less protection from traffic than when construction is ongoing. Having people speeding by my equipment at even 80 raises the stress level quite a bit. Slow down in work zones, no matter the time of day
Good Deal ! Just sentence, give him time to think life through a bit!! stupid a$$hat going that fast work zone vacant or not!! Had a best friend killed that way !! you never know if the zone is vacant or not people work all hours on some zones!!
Canadian drivers exhibit an aggression surpassing even that of the typical Yankee around here. I swear, if it weren't for the strength of their diplomatic service, they'd all be in Guantanamo Bay. Superstition says that on quiet nights, if you listen carefully, you can hear the pavement crying after the passing of a Canadian tagged vehicle.
I've worked for Municipalities, Counties, States, and Nations in bridge building and repair, Parking my service truck in some pretty vulnerable locations......seen several men hurt, and have damn near been hurt or killed myself by dumbchits in their little "cars",....MOST truck drivers useta' be damned decent, but on ALL counts, I'd venture that the whole scenario's just gotten worse, and damned glad I'm not out there today.
That said, the road / bridge construction rackets were almost a relaxing cakewalk, compared to operating a small towing company, and doing roadside recovery work. Paid like crazy,......scared the crap out of one like crazy.
Phouc that "Middle Eastern engineering student" and his good grades.
GTC
You've obviously never been on a road crew that had a traffic-related fatality.
"
Did you miss the part about "no construction going on at the time?"
It's obvious when it's a Sunday or something like that.
You've obviously never been on a road crew that had a traffic-related fatality.
"
Did you miss the part about "no construction going on at the time?"
It's obvious when it's a Sunday or something like that.
Do they have flashing signs telling everyone there's no workers present?
Not so obvious here. Depending on the project, there can be workers present 24/7.
Is the construction speed limit raised back to the regular speed limit of 107 when workers are not there?
Are there no hazards to avoid in construction zones other than the workers?
Do they have flashing signs telling everyone there's no workers present?
No, they have the police officer testifying to that effect.
Do they have flashing signs telling everyone there's no workers present?
No, they have the police officer testifying to that effect.
Got it.
That must have been the police officer standing at the start of the construction zone, holding a sign telling him it's OK to run 107mph through it because no workers were present.
No, it was the police officer waiting in his car with a radar at the edge of the construction zone (Speed trap) where no construction was going on, just so the ticket he wrote would have more zeroes on it. Protecting the workers who weren't there, as it were.
Pretty convincing witness if you ask me. Given his reasons for being in that particular spot.
Good Deal ! Just sentence, give him time to think life through a bit!! stupid a$$hat going that fast work zone vacant or not!! Had a best friend killed that way !! you never know if the zone is vacant or not people work all hours on some zones!!
Was your friend killed in an inactive construction zone?
I've found it quite easy to discern active vs. inactive work zones, even with my modest faculties. A construction zone is only a construction zone, if work is actively being preformed. It should be illegal to abandon construction related traffic controls without clearly indicating that construction has ceased. This is generally the practice in the North East, where I do most of my travel. I will acknowledge that standard practices in other areas maybe less evolved.
Fast forward 4 months from now.
Breaking News:
A young man, attending college in the United States from Dubai runs into 7 children, killing 5, while traveling at a high rate of speed in a school zone. Reports show the man was charged this past April with reckless speeding doing 107 in a 55mph Construction zone. The man had to pay a $434 dollar fine for the previous incident. Many are wondering why he didn't receive a stricter punishment.'
Fire Posts:
'YGTBFKM, they let the raghead off for doing 107mph a few months ago."
"If Obama had a son"
"A $434 dollar fine for doing 107 and now he kills 5 children. I guarantee the judge was an Obama appointee'
'WTF, in 1979 I spent 5 years in prison for doing 3 miles over the speed limit in a school zone and this Muzzy gets a small fine so he could later kill kids'
'Fu*cking snowflakes wanted this'
That actually sounds pretty accurate.
How could you tell?
The construction zone was vacant...
And how would you know that, until you sped through it? Lots of road construction is scheduled for night work, to easy the road congestion during the day. On some jobs, they work 24/7 until it's done (depends on the need and the funding).
No excusses, take it to the track.
Ok, so what if the zone was not active? I would assume the cones, barrels or temporary concrete barrier was still there. So if he had been doing 70 in a 55 maybe I could see that. But 107? Please, no excuse for that where traffic control measures were still in place. None
Most of the time I go through a construction zone the sign states 55mph when lights are flashing. About half of the lights aren't flashing. Contractors maintain the lights not the state. Get halfway in the construction zone and see flashing lights and no workers in sight. Go figure.
No, it was the police officer waiting in his car with a radar at the edge of the construction zone (Speed trap) where no construction was going on, just so the ticket he wrote would have more zeroes on it. Protecting the workers who weren't there, as it were.
Pretty convincing witness if you ask me. Given his reasons for being in that particular spot.
Thanks so much for clearing that up.
The cop definitely was in the wrong for stopping him for doing 107mph.
I've heard rumors that cops set up in school zones too... Damned speed traps.
No, it was the police officer waiting in his car with a radar at the edge of the construction zone (Speed trap) where no construction was going on, just so the ticket he wrote would have more zeroes on it. Protecting the workers who weren't there, as it were.
Pretty convincing witness if you ask me. Given his reasons for being in that particular spot.
One of the more idiotic posts of the week.......
Listen up here a moment, oh champion of most likely VERY wealthy "Middle Eastern Engineering Students " with their goooooood grades pricey phoucin' cars capable of that speed, .........
There are ALL SORTS of hands involved in road construction that are present, in and around construction zones 24-7, when the large body of the crews are on downtime,.....perc tests, engineering outfits checking out mats before the big pour Monday, surveyors confirming
grades, and yes, guys doing what I used to do, as a small specialty portable outfit, contracted to the prime,....rig parked out there off the road entirely, and working right at the very barricade edge of an expansion joint, tacking in weldable rebar or J-bolts.
The c@cksucker Abdul comes flying by,.....'cuz he and his good grades are so phoucin' IMPORTANT, and they ALL drive like that where he comes from,......a small but deadly piece of debris is fired out from underneath his 100MPH tires and hits one of us. Serious injury, or a fatality ensue.
You strike me as a somewhat peculiar individual, with these off the wall posts you're prone to putting up.
Get with the program, Mister.
GTC
The construction zone was vacant...
And how would you know that, until you sped through it? Lots of road construction is scheduled for night work, to easy the road congestion during the day. On some jobs, they work 24/7 until it's done (depends on the need and the funding).
No excusses, take it to the track.
At night, the large generator powered construction lights, flashing beacons, disorienting strobe lights and illuminated construction equipment is usually the first indication of an active construction site around here.
The construction zone was vacant...
And how would you know that, until you sped through it? Lots of road construction is scheduled for night work, to easy the road congestion during the day. On some jobs, they work 24/7 until it's done (depends on the need and the funding).
No excusses, take it to the track.
At night, the large generator powered construction lights, flashing beacons, disorienting strobe lights and illuminated construction equipment is usually the first indication of an active construction site around here.
So if no flashing lights are present, the speed limits goes up to 107?
The construction zone was vacant...
And how would you know that, until you sped through it? Lots of road construction is scheduled for night work, to easy the road congestion during the day. On some jobs, they work 24/7 until it's done (depends on the need and the funding).
No excusses, take it to the track.
At night, the large generator powered construction lights, flashing beacons, disorienting strobe lights and illuminated construction equipment is usually the first indication of an active construction site around here.
It doesn't matter if it is active, or not. The road is constricted, pavement may be various surface, lane changes, or signage may require swerving, and it is clearly posted. And at NO TIME IS 107MPH allowed on public roads.
The risks are higher for ALL people in a construction zone.
It's pretty enlightening that grown men here have to be told that driving 107mph through a construction zone probably isn't the safest or smartest thing to do...
IT'S A CONSTRUCTION ZONE !!!
Only the workers have any idea who is present at any given time, and not all are readily visible.
SLOW IT DOWN
I'd be curious what jurisdiction this occurred in. In the one I work in and for the most part statewide, the rule of thumb for the Judges, is a day in jail for each MPH over 90. Even considering the construction zone, I've never heard of a sentence like that. Whether it's justified or not isn't at issue for me. I just know how hard it is for someone with a clean record, to get that kind of time even for a violent crime. Not calling BS, yet....This sentence and others similar, are a matter of public record. I'd sure like to see it!
Being a few minutes late has killed a lot fewer people than speeding through construction zones.
Much less accident involved operations.
Six months in jail for doing 107...
Got 6 middle eastern college students that overstayed their visa's and stole $2.4 million from the IRS and stole tens of thousands of identies (including mine), and the feds are only tacking them with 18 or 24 months and 3 years of probation - which means they'll be kept in the country for 3 years after getting out of jail instead of being deported.
Yeah, our justice system is screwed.
One of the more idiotic posts of the week.......
Thanks for the preview of your post, saves valuable time.
...Listen up here a moment, oh champion of most likely VERY wealthy "Middle Eastern Engineering Students " with their goooooood grades pricey phoucin' cars capable of that speed, .........
No, you listen up dipschit. Nowhere did I defend "Middle Eastern Engineering Students." My personal preference is, they get their education in their own countries. Got that?
Nowhere did I defend driving 107 mph. That's idiotic on any public roadway, especially a construction zone with detours and altered traffic patterns.
You apparently can't read very well, lest you wouldn't have taken the time to explain the various individuals who COULD BE present on a highway construction site, when it's already been clearly established that THERE WERE NONE on this particular site.
My post had nothing to do with "Middle Eastern" people, or the wisdom of driving 107 on a public roadway. It was a response to a comment that the kid could have killed a construction worker. There were none on this site. Got it?
It's pretty enlightening that grown men here have to be told that driving 107mph through a construction zone probably isn't the safest or smartest thing to do...
And it's disappointing that grown men make sh** up and attribute it to others. No one said that driving 107 mph through a construction zone was safe, or smart.
I'd be curious what jurisdiction this occurred in. In the one I work in and for the most part statewide, the rule of thumb for the Judges, is a day in jail for each MPH over 90. Even considering the construction zone, I've never heard of a sentence like that. Whether it's justified or not isn't at issue for me. I just know how hard it is for someone with a clean record, to get that kind of time even for a violent crime. Not calling BS, yet....This sentence and others similar, are a matter of public record. I'd sure like to see it!
Traffic/Criminal Case Details
NOTE: This case was appealed to circuit court on 05/24/2017. See circuit court for final disposition.
Case/Defendant Information
Case Number :
GT17004908-00
Filed Date :
04/24/2017
Locality :
COMMONWEALTH OF VA
Name :
ABDULMAJEED, ADHAM ADEL
Status :
Released On Summons
Address :
HUNTINGTON, WV 25701
Gender :
Male
Race :
Asian Or Pacific Islander
DOB :
04/09/****
Charge Information
Charge :
RD BY SP (107/55)
Code Section :
A.46.2-862
Case Type :
Misdemeanor
Offense Date :
04/21/2017
Complainant :
CREWE, J T L
Continuance Code
04/28/2017
01:00 PM
Continued By Court
05/24/2017
10:00 AM
Finalized
Disposition
Nolo Contendere
Service/Process
Disposition Information
Final Disposition :
Guilty
Sentence Time :
06Months 000Days 00Hours
Sentence Suspended Time :
00Months 000Days 00Hours
Probation Type :
Probation Time :
00Years 00Months 000Days
Probation Starts :
Operator License Suspension Time :
00Years 12Months 000Days
On the other hand, some violators are incredibly stupid. Years ago I was sitting in a traffic court when they brought in a kid, late teens, on 2 counts of failure to appear for some minor traffic violation. When the judge asked him why he didn't come to court, the idiot said that he didn't have any money to pay a fine so he didn't see any reason to come. Wrong thing to say. The judge hit the fan. He screamed "YOU DO NOT FAIL TO APPEAR IN MY COURT" and gave him 90 days. The kid deflated and asked if there was any way to reduce that. The judge just had 1 word "NO".
In MT under 100 MPH is $20 payable on the spot. 107 might get you a real ticket, but no jail time. 6 months seems harsh for 107 MPH speeding ticket.
Charged with reckless speeding 107 in a 55mph zone, construction zone. He pleaded guilty. The officer said he was polite and cooperative. No other traffic on the road, no body working in the zone. He clocked him just as the road had gone from 2 lanes to one. They guy was young, a college student from the middle east studying engineering. Good grades, would graduate in one more semester. There was no accident or alcohol, just speeding.
The judge started lecturing about the physics of speeding. Six months in jail.
Seem like 6 months in jail will void his student visa and he'll get deported from the country anyway.
http://www.alllaw.com/articles/nolo/us-immigration/legal-reasons-immigrant-may-be-deported.htmlIf that was the judges goal, well he succeeded, but in the big picture I'm not sure some significant and publicly visible penalties might not have been a more effective deterrent and message to others. Now he gets to go to jail, not finish his degree and gets deported. I'm sure he will be a vocal advocate for the US Justice system back where he came from. If you think all you have is a hammer then all the world is your nail.
apparently this was a misdemeanor charge ..a criminal charge, not just a "speedin ticket"
It didn't happen in nowhere Montana, it happened on a highway in Virginia and I've never seen a highway in Virginia that didn't have severe traffic
apparently this was a misdemeanor charge ..a criminal charge, not just a "speedin ticket"
It didn't happen in nowhere Montana, it happened on a highway in Virginia and I've never seen a highway in Virginia that didn't have severe traffic
Here it's Reckless Driving. (For the speed.)
Reckless driving can also be charged as a result of excessive speed (i.e., 81 m.p.h. or faster in a 65 mph zone or 20 mph faster than the speed limit in all other zones). In Texas reckless driving is considered a criminal offense. It is a class one misdemeanor which carries with it the possibility of up to one year in jail, loss of privilege to drive, and fines up to $2,500.00. As a practical matter most people convicted of reckless driving do not go to jail, however, some Judges begin to impose jail time at speeds of 90 m.p.h. or greater.
It is very important to hire a lawyer to represent you if you have been charged with reckless driving in Texas. A lawyer can help you avoid the potentially harsh consequences of a reckless driving conviction. In addition, as a practical matter, many Courts will not require the appearance of out of state defendants for a reckless driving ticket if they are represented by a lawyer and have given that attorney a copy of their driving record.
Here are some important facts to know about reckless driving and racing charges:
Criminal Offense: Reckless driving and racing are both crimes in Texas. They are called “gross-misdemeanors” and punishable from 0-365 days in jail and a fine of $0-$5000.
License Suspension: If convicted, both reckless driving and racing convictions lead to an automatic license suspension of 30 days. This suspension will take place at a minimum of 45 days after sentencing.
SR-22 Insurance: If your license is suspended, you will need to have SR-22 insurance for 3 years. This insurance is often much more expensive than your current insurance.
Immigration: If you are not a United States citizen and are convicted of reckless driving, believe it or not, you could be deported from the United States. For people who are not U.S. citizens, reckless driving offenses may have very serious immigration consequences.
And in a Construction Zone gets the fine automatically doubled.
Sec. 542.404. FINE FOR OFFENSE IN CONSTRUCTION OR MAINTENANCE WORK ZONE. (a) If an offense under this subtitle, other than an offense under Chapter 548 or 552 or Section 545.412 or 545.413, is committed in a construction or maintenance work zone when workers are present and any written notice to appear issued for the offense states on its face that workers were present when the offense was committed:(1) the minimum fine applicable to the offense is twice the minimum fine that would be applicable to the offense if it were committed outside a construction or maintenance work zone; and(2) the maximum fine applicable to the offense is twice the maximum fine that would be applicable to the offense if it were committed outside a construction or maintenance work zone.
(b) In this section, “construction or maintenance work zone” has the meaning assigned by Section 472.022.
The guy got a normal sentence.
From hanging around with two local policemen and two Pa State Troopers over the years, I often wondered why they didn't get a ticket when pulled over in civilian dress. That professional courtesy thing is a pretty good deal. I bet it even works in an active construstion zone.
Extremely rare to see a Pa State Tropper running the speed limit on the Pa Turnpike. 10 over is fairly common. Always wondered about that also.
Thank you Electram. It'll be interesting to see what happens in Circuit Court. In Virginia, Reckless Driving is a class 1 misdemeanor. The Judge could have sentenced him to a year. The Nollo Contendre plea tells me that he didn't have an attorney and that he didn't contest anything. I'll bet things will be different when they go upstairs. As I said before, I've never seen a sentence like that.
As a bridge inspector I have a lot less protection from traffic than when construction is ongoing. Having people speeding by my equipment at even 80 raises the stress level quite a bit. Slow down in work zones, no matter the time of day
Nice to see another bridge inspector here WV! I have no sympathy for harsh dealings with violations in work zones. Unoccupied or not. It's a conditioning thing. If people blast through one that's not active and get a way with it, they'll blast through an active one until they get caught. Hi-vis vests and such are not PPE, they're targets.
I was up on a lift truck platform doing a damage inspection under an I-80 overpass bridge going right through the middle of Cheyenne one afternoon. Traffic control had been set up for no less than 5 hours and everyone was playing nicely until some idiot tried to beat a semi though the cone taper. Didn't work and he ran into the back of our truck doing about 55. Big pucker factor when you hear cones being thumped over and you can't do a thing about it. Passenger door ripped off and hung up on our outrigger. Totaled his car. We didn't get hurt luckily, just shaken around a bit. Then I was pissed.
When we get down out of the basket to see if this guy is ok, the first thing he says is his wife is gonna be pissed that he wrecked her car. He and his partner were both stoned to the bone. I started walking towards him to give him a piece of my mind and a few co-workers were there to get me away from the idiot. Probably a good thing. The patrolman who was the lead investigator came up to us a while later and said " Don't worry, I'll make sure he gets his due". I never did hear what the end result was.
That is just one instance in the 30 years I've been doing this job. There are a lot of times when I just have my truck parked off the shoulder at the end of a bridge with the flashers and whoopy lights on too. Rarely will anybody slow down or even move over to the opposite lane.
Save it for the track and slow the heck down! We like going home to our families at the end of a day too.
How could you tell?
The construction zone was vacant...
At 107, how quickly could you figure that out....
And having just seen a lucky but bad wreck while we were on the edge of the roadway putting out a large grass fire, you just wonder sometimes... about the common sense of people these days. Even when its as obvious as 7-8 fire apparatus in view, all with flashing lights on...
OTOH when I'm paged to something severe like CPR in progress or a structure fire, I"m often a bit over the speed limit, and I worry those times, its juggling between trying to get there in time to save something, vs to fast and have a wreck. Sure wished we were allowed to run lights/sirens in response to calls here... can't do it by dept policy unless in a dept vehicle....
Being a few minutes late has killed a lot fewer people than speeding through construction zones.
Much less accident involved operations.
Have you met my boss? He swears he's gonna kill me if I'm late again. Oh crap I gotta get to work
Hang onto your hard hats here I come
This sounds so simple, workers or no workers the signs are up, warning given. It's the law stupid
Slow down or pay up
How could you tell?
The construction zone was vacant...
At 107, how quickly could you figure that out....
Exactly
I'm amazed that anyone could try to justify going 107 whe 55 was posted, whether there was construction or not.
It's pretty enlightening that grown men here have to be told that driving 107mph through a construction zone probably isn't the safest or smartest thing to do...
And it's disappointing that grown men make sh** up and attribute it to others. No one said that driving 107 mph through a construction zone was safe, or smart.
You've got some screws loose,.....
I don't think Loctite's the answer, either.
GTC
I got a 140 in a 65 in my vette. 2500.00 in 1980. I slowed down a bit.
Where did you find a 65mph speed limit in 1980?
The judge started lecturing about the physics of speeding. Six months in jail.
Got more time then rapists in Cal.
It's pretty enlightening that grown men here have to be told that driving 107mph through a construction zone probably isn't the safest or smartest thing to do...
And it's disappointing that grown men make sh** up and attribute it to others. No one said that driving 107 mph through a construction zone was safe, or smart.
You've got some screws loose,.....
I don't think Loctite's the answer, either.
GTC
LOL, you telling anyone he has a screw loose is the pinnacle of irony. But go ahead, show me where anyone made the argument that driving 107 through a construction zone was safe or smart.
When in doubt and you're off on a tangent, it's always good to go back and read the OP. The subject was/is the severity of the sentence (6 months in jail). Not whether it's smart to drive 107 on a construction zone. That fact seems lost on most including you.
When a judge sentences the guilty, he takes into account aggravating and mitigating factors. So if I blow through a school zone at twice the speed limit during the time when students are arriving, the sentence should be more severe than if I do the same thing on Memorial Day when everyone knows there are no students present.
When this guy sped through the construction zone, there were no construction workers present. That's been established without a doubt. Yet people are outraged because construction workers could have been killed. Even though there were none present.
Got it?
I'm amazed that anyone could try to justify going 107 whe 55 was posted, whether there was construction or not.
I'd be amazed too, if that actually happened.
There are three things going on here.
1) Yes, cops DO look for extra revenue from construction zones. I got nabbed about 10 years ago, playing in the Audi. Came through the construction zone at the speed limit, ON THE DOT, passed the cones, and hit the gas. Sunday morning, 7 a.m., no one around. The county, of course, had set the "end of construction zone" about 300 yards past the end of construction. Guess where the cop sat? Got a few afternoons in traffic school out of that one, and the county got their check.
2) Judges have agenda's. While in court, a lady was brought in for failure to carry proof of insurance. Ended up that she sent in her payment in plenty of time, but the broker did not apply it to her account. Judge sent her to three days in jail. Sometimes we should just have the right to slap some sense into a judge.
3) Rich (arab) boys don't get the fact they are not above the law here like they are at home.
There are three things going on here.
1) Yes, cops DO look for extra revenue from construction zones. I got nabbed about 10 years ago, playing in the Audi. Came through the construction zone at the speed limit, ON THE DOT, passed the cones, and hit the gas. Sunday morning, 7 a.m., no one around. The county, of course, had set the "end of construction zone" about 300 yards past the end of construction. Guess where the cop sat? Got a few afternoons in traffic school out of that one, and the county got their check.
2) Judges have agenda's. While in court, a lady was brought in for failure to carry proof of insurance. Ended up that she sent in her payment in plenty of time, but the broker did not apply it to her account. Judge sent her to three days in jail. Sometimes we should just have the right to slap some sense into a judge.
3) Rich (arab) boys don't get the fact they are not above the law here like they are at home.
Nice analysis.
Also, 107 MPH in a construction zone is a lot more dangerous to the public than 90% of the other things that result in 6 Mo. jail time.
while I don't know anything about defendant, I'll add that a few judges might tired of dealing with foreigners who think the U.S. is their personal amusement park.
I looked up the appeal online. Sentence reduced to 30 days. Seems about right.
I think that wherever Electam is from does not have that high of a crime rate because there is room in the jails for such a crime.
Here in, ahem, California, the State just announced that it would no longer suspend driver licenses for failure to pay tickets. So no repercussions for not obeying some laws. Of course our jails and prisons are so overcrowded that we have be de-criminalizing crimes and releasing convicts early just to get room in the prisons.
Of course one could argue that meting out tough sentences actually deters crime......
I looked up the appeal online. Sentence reduced to 30 days. Seems about right.
I've been waiting to see how that turned out and I agree with you.
30 days mostly for stupidity.
Canadian drivers exhibit an aggression surpassing even that of the typical Yankee around here. I swear, if it weren't for the strength of their diplomatic service, they'd all be in Guantanamo Bay. Superstition says that on quiet nights, if you listen carefully, you can hear the pavement crying after the passing of a Canadian tagged vehicle.
Around here, if you see Canadian tags on a vehicle, it's the ONLY one doing the speed limit. I mean, the ONLY one. They seem to be very polite and cautious while driving on I-65. Granted, this is one road, and just this one stretch of that road.
News without comment.
At 3 a.m. today a transport slowed at a construction site along the 401 highway and was struck in the rear by a car driven by a 20 year old driver. The driver of the car was killed.
Jim
About a month ago, there were 2 fatalities on I-81 in PA. Road construction had been going on for about a month and a half....And still ongoing at this time...About halfway between the Gordon exit and the start of construction at the Frackville exit (about 6 miles) there was quite the backup on a nice sunny day at around 1:30 in the afternoon.
Traffic was either at a stop or a slow crawl. Apparently, a Truck driver didn't see the miles of warning signs....Ran into the back of a small suv, pushing it under a pickup and driving the pickup into the rear of another tractor trailer.
Both occupants of the suv...A father and son...were killed in the crash and ensuing fire. The driver of the pickup was flown out by helicopter and has survived. Both truck drivers were uninjured.
Just have to be extra aware around those construction zones.
Good friend of mine was killed while stopped at a construction zone. He and his fiancé were driving home from a meeting with their pastor before being married the next month. He was waiting for traffic to move forward and a sedan hit him from behind. The driver said he never saw the stopped traffic, and never hit the breaks but instead plowed into the back of the car killing my friend and his fiancé. Those zones are very dangerous and awareness is key.
I looked up the appeal online. Sentence reduced to 30 days. Seems about right.
I don't know where you live, but 30 days in Cook County Jail and I'd be hopping my happy ass back to the Middle East.
Forever.
Clark