NAACP skeptical of study that finds black motorists speed more

Associated Press ^ | 3-27-02

[Oldeconomybuyer]

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) --

[Travis McGee]

"We're only 12 percent of the population. If you arrested every white person that was speeding and every black person that was speeding, common sense will tell you that you're going to arrest more whites than blacks," Rutherford said.

Clearly a mental giant with a firm grasp of statistics.

[mewzilla]

Question for Rutherford: If the cameras took pics of everyone who was speeding, and if the skin colors of the perps were identifiable, how can this study be skewed?

[Skooz]

Yeah yeah yeah, it's all a big conspiracy. Like the CIA and AIDS and heroin and bla bla bla.......

Facts can never withstand the onslaught of pervasive paranoia.

[mgc1122]

A pre-emptive strike at the conclusions? Or a looney tune who couldn't find reality if it snuck up on him with a 2x4?

[Fzob]

The Rev. William Rutherford said he had not read the study but didn't believe its findings.

Must be running for a political office or something. What a dolt.

"We're only 12 percent of the population. If you arrested every white person that was speeding and every black person that was speeding, common sense will tell you that you're going to arrest more whites than blacks," Rutherford said.

Apparently in school he missed the day they covered percentages. But this does explain his first statement. The sad part is I wonder how many people cannot see the glaring flaw with this "logic"

[El Sordo]

The study could easily be skewed. Set the camera up in different neighborhoods and you'll see different representations by different racial groups.

Rutheford is right to be skeptical, even if his reasoning might not be entirely sound.

[TADSLOS]

It's that damned New Jersey KKK chapter speeding in blackface again!

[Lance Romance]

But they tend to use turn signals less, maybe power has to be diverted to the bass box.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

"There is a class of colored people who make a business of keeping the troubles, the wrongs, and the hardships of the negro race before the public. Some of these people do not want the negro to lose his grievances, because they do not want to lose their jobs. There is a certain class of race-problem solvers who don't want the patient to get well."

Booker T. Washington, 1911

[Sicon]

"The study could easily be skewed. Set the camera up in different neighborhoods and you'll see different representations by different racial groups.

Not in this case. The Turnpike runs the entire length of the state, and does not really represent any particular area or neighborhood. Everyone drives on it, and as such, it probably represents a better statistical cross-section than you would get on local roads or on smaller, more locally used highways.

[mewzilla]

I thought this was done on an interstate? If so, your argument doesn't wash.

[Pontiac]

Question for Rutherford: If the cameras took pics of everyone who was speeding, and if the skin colors of the perps were identifiable, how can this study be skewed?

One simple way is the placement of the cameras. I you place the cameras near one ramps close to black neighborhoods you will naturally get a large proportion of black speeders.

[mgc1122]

They're still speeding regardless of the camera placement.

[Mr. K]

I have seen this for myself- in a predominantly 'black' section of our city I have discovered there is a 4th stop light state besides Red (stop) Yellow(warning) and Green(go)... It is called 'ALMOST GREEN' and that is when you are sitting at a red light and the OTHER side turns red, but yours has not yet turned green- but it is ALMOST GREEN so you can go- This scares the crap outta me every time I see it, especially when I drive up behind these lunatics at the NEXT light (they sure got up there to stop again real fast...) and watch them do it again and again oblivious to any pedestrians or oncoming traffic.

[Frumious Bandersnatch]

The Rev. William Rutherford said he had not read the study but didn't believe its findings.

Why does the good Rev. deserve to be sceptical, when he hasn't even read it?

[detsaoT]

...common sense will tell you that you're going to arrest more whites than blacks," Rutherford said.

Methinks the good Reverend is smoking the crack pipe. He obviously is too baked to understand that IF 12% OF THE POPULATION COMMITS A DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF CRIME, THE PERCENTAGE OF THOSE ARRESTED WILL NOT BE 12%! Conversely, if the 12% of the population in question consisted entirely of pacifists, I would expect their arrest statistics to be near 0%.

Idiot. (Speaking of which, I wonder if the "Rev." Ralph Neas will come to the rescue and condemn him for getting involved in politics, just like he condemns us conservatives for doing the same... I won't be holding my breath, though...)

:/ ttt

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Well, all I know is I would rather be behind a black driver than an Asian driver.

[detsaoT]

The study could easily be skewed. Set the camera up in different neighborhoods and you'll see different representations by different racial groups.

Hint: There are no "neighborhoods" on the New Jersey Turnpike, which is the only place where this study was performed.

:) ttt