The Georgia State Patrol says it’s hard to fight the perception that cops write tickets because they want the money — especially when the Georgia State Patrol gets to keep most of the money from ticket fines.
A law written in 2006 allows the police agency’s Motorcycle Unit to keep nearly all of the revenue from tickets it hands out on Atlanta highways. According to a story in Creative Loafing Atlanta the practice has been likened to “just paying at the curb.”
Since the law was written, the motorcycle unit has doubled in size from 10 to 20 moto-cops, and the 2010 take from tickets was nearly a million dollars, up considerably from the 2007 take of less than $100,000.
But the patrol’s own people say it’s not writing tickets just because it wants the cash. If that was true, they’d have a lot more than 20 officers out there serving and protecting.
If a ticket makes a lousy driver think twice, them I’m all for it.
Last week I actually saw a lady “driving” her mini-van while eating a take out meal from a box, and steering with her knees…..
Had to give her a break though. It was the last day for the Colonel’s
“Double Down” sandwich. LOL
You guys who never break the law, never speed one single time in your lives, eh? …
Most sensible people definitely agree that the cops should write more tickets for dangerous driving, illegal lane changes, fail to signal or yapping on the phone and driving. So why do they fail to do so????? Could it be just easier to turn the radar on and focus on the cash grab? … yeah I forgot, I have the choice to not speed with all the low speed limits in Ontario …. :roll
@madjqk your argument would hold the slightest bit of water if they were enforcing laws that were reasonable and 90km/hr on the highway is not what I call reasonable. Not to mention photo radar is purely about money and nothing to do with safety.
I’m with GeorgiaUSA on this one…my Dad alway goes off on a rant about the photo radar…”it’s just a money grab” “they are making a mint off people and not having to do anything for it”…my answer “quit speeding”…it’s not that I don’t, I just got a couple of “pictures” in the mail last month…but go figure, I was speeding and got caught…
Guys are always giving me a hard time when I gripe about not being able to see a vehicle come up behind me on my bike, and when they pull out to pass it startles me…”why are you going so slow on your bike?”…”I’m not, they’re just speeding more than I am…”
And really, the cop is telling the truth…if they wanted to they could be writing atleast 20 tickets per shift, have you noticed how people drive? lane change without signal, speeding, talking on the cell while driving or texting (some provinces)…it’s rediculous what you see people doing while driving a car…reading a book?? putting on make up…shaving…saw a guy using his laptop…retarded…
Later.
In Ontario fines go directly to the Municipality the fine happened in. So in a way the people who break the law in the cummunity actually reduces the taxes…well more acurately causes less of an increase in taxes…
If you don’t break the law, you won’t have to worry about it, so don’t see where the problem is. Other option, which I personally prefer – stay out of Georgia – even less of a problem.
what i liked last time stopped in Northern Ontario going 40 km/hr, to work at 7:00 p.m. no traffic, and fined for forgetting seat belt usage,
“Sir, it’s for your own safety”, I say thanks for you receiving the 110.00 dollars anyway.
Lies, lies, i tell you. They lie. For money. Who wouldn’t?
LIES!!!!
Another old saying, translated from the Latin, asks “Who watches the watchers?”
It’s an old adage, whenever someone, whether it’s a union leader, a politician or a lawyer says “It’s not about the money”, count on it, it’s about the money.