Posted on 06/02/2005 8:20:41 AM PDT by tgslTakoma
Edited on 06/02/2005 8:25:19 AM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
Rockville, Md. (AP) - Maryland State Police are using a military tool in the battle against seat belt violators.
They're using night vision goggles to find people who don't buckle up after dark. Police say 40 percent of drivers don't use their seat belts at night, making the roads much more dangerous after sunset. Police in Maryland are among 13,000 agencies nationwide that are now using the goggles.
With the goggles, Police say they can see inside cars at a distance, allowing them to nail violators who might otherwise go undetected.
The new strategy is paying off. At a seat belt enforcement operation Wednesday night on Rockville Pike, officers issued at least 44 tickets for seat belt violations.
The DOD gives this stuff away for free. Click.
Be glad that Maryland is not your state.
Hope that you're doing well and that you did find a good state. If you care to tell me (publicly or via FReep mail), what state did you end up in?
This is great news! It means they must have caught all of the dangerous criminals!
/Yeah right
If you love wealth more than liberty,...
Well, I was trying to save a few bucks on insurance, but do not assume that I "...prefer the tranquility of servitude rather than the animated contest of freedom..."
pure B.S. They parasite class does NOT need private industry as an impetus to harass the citizens. It is the control freaks in government who strive to obtain perfection through endless laws and regulations. Many police enjoy doing this because they basically enjoy bringing misery to people. another step towards a police state.
There is a US Supreme court case on point on this.
Despite the fact this is public roadway. consent would still be an issue.
You can't scan the inside of a house with infrared or "sensors" without a warrent.
You cant use detectors inside a vehicle without a warrent or consent.
This is just plain wrong.
Even a dog sniff would not apply because the dog sniff detects molecules OUTSIDE the vehicle.
Bingo. It is strictly about one and only one thing, MONEY. No wonder many people hate cops, they harass citizens and take their money through these ridiculous methods.
From the "about" section of their website: www.gieco.com
"Berkshire Hathaway Connection
In 1996, GEICO became a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, headed by Warren Buffett, one of the country’s most successful investors."
So, it looks like saving a few bucks is your price.
In Indiana, we have road blocks set up to catch the people not wearing seat belts. They set them up in the middle of a small town so there's no way out.
That was what I was thinking of. I was just assuming it was IR. I have heard that they look at utility bills also. Our local builing dept goes to Home Depot once a month to look for reciepts over 500.00. If over that then they look for permits being issued.
I am waiting for someone to claim it is unconstitutional.
But this theory of our government is wholly different from the practical fact. The fact is that the government, like a highwayman, says to a man: "Your money, or your life." And many, if not most, taxes are paid under the compulsion of that threat. The government does not, indeed, waylay a man in a lonely place, spring upon him from the roadside, and, holding a pistol to his head, proceed to rifle his pockets. But the robbery is none the less a robbery on that account; and it is far more dastardly and shameful. The highwayman takes solely upon himself the responsibility, danger, and crime of his own act. He does not pretend that he has any rightful claim to your money, or that he intends to use it for your own benefit. He does not pretend to be anything but a robber. He has not acquired impudence enough to profess to be merely a "protector," and that he takes men's money against their will, merely to enable him to "protect" those infatuated travellers, who feel perfectly able to protect themselves, or do not appreciate his peculiar system of protection. He is too sensible a man to make suchprofessions as these. Furthermore, having taken your money, he leaves you, as you wish him to do. He does not persist in following you on the road, against your will; assuming to be your rightful "sovereign," on account of the "protection" he affords you. He does not keep "protecting" you, by commanding you to bow down and serve him; by requiring you to do this, and forbidding you to do that; by robbing you of more money as often as he finds it for his interest or pleasure to do so; and by branding you as a rebel, a traitor, and an enemy to your country, and shooting you down without mercy, if you dispute his authority, or resist his demands. He is too much of a gentleman to be guilty of such impostures, and insults, and villanies as these. In short, he does not, in addition to robbing you, attempt to make you either his dupe or his slave. The proceedings of those robbers and murderers, who call themselves "the government," are directly the opposite of these of the single highwayman. In the first place, they do not, like him, make themselves individually known; or, consequently, take upon themselves personally the responsibility of their acts. On the contrary, they secretly (by secret ballot) designate some one of their number to commit the robbery in their behalf, while they keep themselves practically concealed. They say to the person thus designated:
I don't doubt that of course I am a scoflaw, I had 19 yards of concrete for a new slab for my shop, had it poured on the weekend, come monday what are they gonna do make me tear it up? I don,t think so.
So, it looks like saving a few bucks is your price.
Why, is he an evil Democrat or something?
Sorry, I don't base all of my choices in life on the false left-right paradigm.
I guess that makes me a supporter of tyranny in your book.
I'm already shopping for new insurance.
Follow the money, that's all. Governmental units have seen that they've raised taxes all they can without getting voted out or starting a tax revolt. But they still want more cash for their liberal programs.
"To protect and serve" has changed; it's now "To scrounge and extort".
"It is strictly about one and only one thing, MONEY"
And job protection. My city was going to cut police staff due to budget problems. What did they do? Reorganized and formed three new traffic units. This wasn't done because of traffic problems. It was done because these units fund themselves.
I remember when seat belt laws were pitched to the public as 'secondary offenses.' The politicians promised no one would be pulled over just for their seat belt.
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