Posted on 11/24/2005 8:20:18 PM PST by sickoflibs
To combat the high volume of speeders through residential areas, Howard County police are sharing some of the responsibility for identifying those speeders with the people they believe know those areas best: the residents. Through the department's Speed Monitoring and Radar Team (SMART) program, citizens are getting the opportunity to wield radar guns and record tag numbers in an effort to slow speeders and make their neighborhoods safer.
Howard County police officials began the program in 1998, after seeing the success of the SMART program in Montgomery County.
Community action "It is a community response to a community program so that they can address the problem before the police are involved," said Howard County police Officer Brandon Justice who taught the program two years ago. According to an analysis released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in June, 32 percent of all traffic-related fatalities were caused by speeding, and fatalities on local roads and in rural communities have significantly increased.
The purpose of the SMART program "is to use peer pressure to solve the problem," Justice said. "If you are driving down the road and you see your neighbor holding a [radar] unit you are less likely to go over the speed limit."
Justice said that participating residents stand near speed-limit signs with the radar guns.
"It takes about an hour and a half to learn how to use the radar unit," Justice said. "We have set classes where people can come and learn how to use it and what they should do."
Letters written Participants turn in tag numbers of speeders to police, who write letters to car owners alerting them to the violation
(Excerpt) Read more at baltimoresun.com ...
Ratting on my fellow citizens to the JBT's? I don't think so.
Perhaps you could placate your whining about the whining by driving the speed limit. ;)
"The purpose of the SMART program "is to use peer pressure to solve the problem"
The secret police in Communist societies use this technique very effectively. Brings to mind the Stasi of East Germany and KBG in Soviet Russia.
Bunch of arrogant @ssholes who believe the law doesn't apply to them.
"The purpose of the SMART program "is to use peer pressure to solve the problem"
The secret police in Communist societies use this technique very effectively. Brings to mind the Stasi of East Germany and KBG in Soviet Russia."
We also use the peer pressure technique here in our town - it is called democracy. We have town meetings where people debate and try to convince one another to adopt their view of an issue, including whether or not to fund the police.
No such a luxury was afforded to the citizens under Soviet rule. Please inform yourself about life in Soviet Russia before bandying the cliches about.
"Bunch of arrogant @ssholes who believe the law doesn't apply to them"
It kind of resembles the rhetoric on this thread.
Nah, I'll just continue to ignore the signs and drive a safe speed. Maybe we could talk about limits if they were designed for safety rather than revenue collection.
But in the meantime, just remember that whenever you see someone drive in a way you don't like, they're doing it just to tick you off. Seriously. You, specifically. We meet every third Thursday at Shoney's.
I could sign one of these babies out and test my car and Valentine 1. Test distances, obstacles (hills, bldgs, etc) accuracy, all sorts of cool stuff!
Maybe even develop a radar jammer.
Turbopilot wrote:
"Nah, I'll just continue to ignore the signs and drive a safe speed. Maybe we could talk about limits if they were designed for safety rather than revenue collection.
But in the meantime, just remember that whenever you see someone drive in a way you don't like, they're doing it just to tick you off. Seriously. You, specifically. We meet every third Thursday at Shoney's."
---LMAO!!! Your funny as hell Turbo.
"Dial 1-800-IAMARAT"
Speed bumps would be the most effective way of cutting speed near schools..
The last three neighborhoods I've lived in have, at various times, asked the local police to set up a radar unit to catch the drivers speeding through. These are more quiet neighborhoods with people walking their dogs, pushing strollers, joggers, and lots of kids, especially when the school bus drops them off, plenty of reasons for the 25 mph speedlimit and I don't blame my neighbors for not wanting speeders flying through. I applaud them for getting frustrated enough to take matters into their own hands. I've seen this one old guy on the corner pointing what looks like a hair dryer at speeders.
Yeah, it is kind of funny how many people have posted why the rules don't or shouldn't apply to them. Most of them are in the 80% who think they are in the top 5% of all drivers.
My favorites are the ones where they are saying that their speeding is someone else's fault (city, road designers, other drivers, etc). Sounds like liberal logic, doesn't it?
I tell my teenagers that being a good driver isn't about how well you control the car at high speeds. It is about how sound your judgment is to avoid trouble. Driving fast through residential areas fails that test of judgment. I'm sure someone will post that I am wrong, but they will be mistaken.
The problem with speed bumps and other traffic calming devices is that they can actually cause a speeding vehicle to lose control. Maybe not what you want in a school zone. The other problem with speed bumps in school zones is that they are there 24 hours per day, 365 days a year. The need for low speeds is not there all the time.
Biggest killer in Britain, drivers, driving fast in residential areas.
spoken like a woman.
Fat chicks hate speeders.
I think some enterprising company could make them retractable, much as some police spike strips are now. Then they could be used whenb and where necessary..
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