Posted on 10/02/2014 2:00:46 PM PDT by george76
The police force has been disbanded in Waldo, Florida, a tiny town with a big speed trap reputation.
On Tuesday, the Waldo City Council voted 4-1 to eliminate the department just weeks after the chief and interim chief resigned because of state investigations into many issues, including an illegal ticket quota
(Excerpt) Read more at newsmax.com ...
Yah, I know. I lived in Hancock county for 4 years, many, many moons ago.
Speaking from sad experience of driving north on US-301 many years ago (speeds may have changed since.) As you enter Waldo, you go from 2 lanes each way divided into a tight curve where the speed drops from 55 to 25 and the police are at that curve with their radar. You have almost no chance to slow if you are not a native and know the conditions.
I live in Florida. The whole state operates this way.
We have no state income tax because we tax the crap out of hotels, rental cars and other items consumed mostly by tourists.
I just remembered that other town in Florida. It is near Waldo. I have no idea if Lawtey is still a speed trap but it used to be one of the worst.
That’s not the case anymore, and hasn’t been for quite some time. The speed limits and signage in Waldo aren’t at all unreasonable.
You can take a look yourself, if you like. Google Street View and click your way through the town.
“We have no state income tax because we tax the crap out of hotels, rental cars and other items consumed mostly by tourists.”
I remember the speed traps in Smyrna Tn. back in the early 70s. They actually stopped a guy on a bicycle and gave him a ticket.
In Pennsylvania, local municipalities are prohibited from using radar for speed enforcement. Not sue if it applies to the big cities but the small townships are not allowed.
Ludowici and Pine Lake, GA, were the motive force that caused the state legislature to change the law so that a local cop couldn’t use a radar or laser gun to write a ticket for less than 10 mph over the speed limit. That’s still in effect today.
Well, on this particular jaunt to KC, the bill from the rental car company got jacked up 33% due to the local tax. That sure didnt happen when I was in Tampa a couple of weeks ago
.
It’s certainly not limited to KC, though. I used to travel quite a bit, and a lot of airports had similar charges. Don’t recall the amounts, though. I was traveling on an expense account, so I didn’t really care. :)
“Someone once offered me a great deal on a house in Waldo, Ohio.
Did not buy it for that very reason.”
Actually, most speed trap towns target out of towners and out of staters. Targeting their own doesn’t work out well. The entire community knew they were funding their town through tickets. So the entire community is just as guilty.
One issue that happened a while back, with either a speed trap town or crooked red light camera, was that they targeted people outside of town.
End result? People stopped coming to that town for the bars and shopping. Was bankrupting the local businesses.
Agreed....not limited to KC but I had never seen anything remotely that high anywhere else (and I’ve worked in a lot of states at one time or another).
We disbanded the police force in my little town in MA. for being brutal and harassing residents; especially children and teens. Just defunded their asses. They were expanded due to Homeland Insecurity and we “dispanded” them.
Later we hired two officers and one “chief.” Man, were the fired guys and gals ever jacked up and wacked out on terrorism. They had to justify their existence by naming everyone criminals and speeders and they needed a lot of money from residents when the Fed money dried up. Not a good plan in a town hall form of government.
The principal at the HS lost his job later for cooperating in the harassment and terrorizing of students. That was a good town. I got busted for having teens and parents in my pool at 10:00 pm. Mind you, I lived on five acres and it was a Saturday night! They left after being confronted by a lawyer attending the party.
Another time, I got raided for having apple cider and candy party for teens so they would not go out and knock down people mailboxes and have camp fires in the pine woods, something they did on Halloween. All the parents expressed gratitude. I had six parent chaperones helping me and my husband inside and outside to make sure booze and fires were not present. It was a work night so all the doors and windows were kept closed and no loitering allowed outside. It was to be over at 10:00pm. They were going to cite me for parking violations and search my house without a warrant until they came face to face with eight parents, a few were lawyers and all. If were alone, they would have run me over like a Mac truck.
That was the most fun political organizing I ever did - getting rid of those nuts and sluts.
“I live in Florida. The whole state operates this way.
We have no state income tax because we tax the crap out of hotels, rental cars and other items consumed mostly by tourists.”
I live in Florida too. But be fair. The tourists should pay something, and I’ve been a tourist myself. They use the roads and everything. Personally, I’d rather trade the tourists for real jobs.
Ludiwici, GA is the one I remember from driving from Detroit to Fort Lauderdale every summer. My dad avoided that place like the plague.
To trade the tourists for real jobs, you would have to be able to banish the hurricanes. You live on a big sand bar that sticks out into the ocean.
I say this as someone looking to move there. Be real.
LOL
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.