Speed Limit enforcement - Georgia-style

Sometimes, when residents complain about speeders and a county takes action, a resident might initially think that the action is not going to solve the problem.

And then there are other times ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2xnWYx8YK8&feature=player_embedded

"Traffic Initiative" = Quotas?

As readers know, I have written about ticket quotas at the McHenry County Sheriff's Department. Actually, they don't have quotas, because quotas are illegal. So at MCSD they have "non-quota quotas", called Performance Standards.

Is there any chance that "performance standards" (quotas) have reached the Woodstock Police Department?

What is a traffic "initiative"?

In February officers were directed to target dangerous and aggressive drivers. That's good. What were the results? Well, two of the "dangerous and aggressive" drivers were ticketed for forgetting to signal right turns, when they were turning in demand right-turn lanes. We know this, because their Letters to the Editor were published in the Northwest Herald.

Where are some of the demand, right-turn lanes? Eastbound Calhoun Street at Route 47. Westbound Lake Avenue at Route 47. Eastbound Lake Avenue at Route 47.

In March the traffic "initiative" is against speeders. National and Illinois figures are quoted in the press release that can be read on the City's Police Department webpages. Can't find it? Go to www.woodstockil.gov; roll your mouse over City Departments and then Police and then Crime Stopper Cases/Press Releases/Crime Alerts; click on this last link. What's missing is the number of fatalities in Woodstock caused by speeders. How many did we have that has resulted in this crackdown on speeders?

And what is the tolerance being applied? Are officers allowing 10-over? Only 5-over? None over (zero-tolerance)? Yesterday I saw three police cars parked along Route 47, which I suspected were running radar. Only one was in a place likely to nab a speeder, and that was on southbound Route 47, south of U.S. 14, in the 40MPH zone before the lane-drop.

Tollway speeders - even troopers

Today was a rare day that I ventured out of my way to drive on the Illinois Tollway from Huntley to the east. Normally, my thoughts are, "Why should I risk my life and have to pay for the privilege of doing so?"

As soon as I entered I-90 from Highway 47, I was aware of traffic traveling above the posted 65MPH speed limit. It wasn't too bad, though; drivers seemed to be only about 10-over.

But then I got to Randall Road, where the speed limit drops. The Tollway might as well have saved its money and skipped putting up the 55MPH sign. Well, they did save a little money, because they only put a speed limit sign on the right shoulder. On the inside shoulder, too, might have been nice.

And then it started to get really crazy at the Highway 31 toll plaza and the Highway 31 interchange. As I drove under that beautiful $15,000 sign which used to have Blago's name on it (now, how is it that the Tollway was ready to install new signs the day after he was kicked out of office?), traffic was tearing past me in the 55MPH zone.

By the time I got to Highway 25 I was dialing the State Police to report speeders. It doesn't do any good, since they don't seem to have any troopers on the road to write tickets, but I do my small part and call, anyway. Maybe, if enough drivers call often to complain, the State Police will actually put the squeeze on enough speeders to get the outrageous speeding under control.

And, while I was talking to a Master Sergeant who answered for the District Commander, an unmarked State trooper blew by in the inside lane, running about 70 in the 55 zone. Not chasing anyone, mind you. Just driving down the road, heading east.

When I mentioned to the Master Sergeant that the trooper was hogging the left lane, she explained that law enforcement isn't bound by the new law that says you need to stay out of the left lane. I looked up the law, and she was right! But should a trooper, just driving on the highway (speeding, at that), be allowed to violate a law that the rest of us are supposed to observe?

If he is "performing his duties" (pursuing a speeder, catching up to pace a speeder, etc.), yes, sure, fine; hog the left lane and speed. Of course, there was no one on his bumper, trying to pass him. But I've seen that before. (When that happens in Virginia, the trooper determines the speed of the violator behind him and then pulls him over!)

I happen to be a stickler on traffic laws and believe that troopers (and deputies and police officers) should obey all traffic laws when they are not using emergency lights and siren. And even then, they must obey traffic laws (although they are permitted to (safely) exceed speed limits and stop signs and red lights); "safely" is the keyword here.

But when a trooper is heading down the road to a car with a flat tire or going for lunch or coffee, then he must obey the posted speed limit. The State Police Director apparently doesn't require this. I have inquired several times and have never received a reply from him. Troopers routinely shorten their response times by speeding, and that is not okay with me.

If I wish to shorten my response (commuting) time by speeding, that will one day be a costly choice. It should be the same for troopers.

But what cop is going to write another cop a ticket? Is one trooper going to write another trooper a speeding ticket? Is a trooper going to write a speeding ticket to a Cook County deputy? Or to a local cop? I doubt it.

One day, if and when police officers, deputies and troopers begin obeying all speed limits, then the public might just begin slowing down. What if a trooper drove at the posted speed limit on the Tollway? If a driver started to pass him, a short "whooop!" on the siren ought to bring immediate slowing. If it doesn't? Why, just write out an invitation for him to have a visit with a judge!

That'll be the day!

Tollway Speed Survey Results

Thanks to all for participating in the Tollway speeding survey.

The question was "How fast do you drive on the Tollway?"

The 46 responses were:

At/below the speed limit: 2 (4%)
1-10MPH over: 12 (26%)
11-19MPH over: 13 (28%)
More than 20MPH over: 19 (41%)

That's about what I observe when I drive on the Tollway. Thanks, all.

Another Speeder on U.S. 14

This driver from Texas just couldn't wait to pass me this morning on U.S. 14. You know the high accident rate stretch between Crystal Lake and Woodstock?

Coming out of Crystal Lake the speed limit is 35MPH to Ridgefield Road South. Just west of the traffic light at Ridgefield Road South, the speed limit changes to 40MPH (although you wouldn't know it, because the 40MPH sign was knocked down and hasn't been put back up, in spite of calls to IDOT). Then it becomes 50MPH well before you get to MCC.

This idiot was following me closely in the 40MPH zone and then in the 50MPH zone. When there was a break in oncoming traffic, he zoomed around me and took off. Saved a lot of time, too, because he didn't take him long to catch up with the next westbound car, and there he stayed 'til we got to Culver's.

And then he got a red light by Farm & Fleet, which gave me the opportunity to get this picture of his Texas license plate: JRC 771.

Is the speed limit ever enforced on U.S. 14? In 12 years I don't think I've ever seen a patrol car from any jurisdiction stopped with what could be a traffic violator. I have read the police reports in the Northwest Herald and a few of the Woodstock officers do write tickets on U.S. 14. Thank you!

© 2008 GUS PHILPOTT

Backing on the Interstate

I think most drivers are aware of the rule against backing up on the Interstate. You know - like when you miss your exit and the next exit is 10 miles down the highway? Many have seen others do it and are aware of the very high risk in such backing. What about just backing on the shoulder? The Illinois Vehicle Code (IVC) prohibits it.

But what about when police officers do it? Is it okay, just because the driver is wearing a uniform and driving a squad car?

I've seen it on the Tri-State when the Illinois State Police have been running radar. The worst situation I saw was when an ISP squad car was backing on the narrow inside shoulder next to the cement barrier, while cars whizzed by within inches of the side of his car.

Yesterday three ISP cars were enforcing the speed limit in southern Illinois north of Mt. Vernon. The radar unit was parked on a bridge where the driver/operator could check the speed of southbound vehicles. Two of the chase cars were on the shoulder waiting for "business", and the third, southern-most car had a violator stopped.

What got my attention was the middle squad car, an unmarked unit, which was backing up on the shoulder with its emergency lights activated. And the third (northern-most) unit had its emergency lights activated, although no violator was stopped in front of it. It appeared he was "clearing" the outside lane of traffic for the middle squad car that was backing. "Scott's Law" requires drivers to move over a lane or slow down when passing emergency vehicles on the shoulder with warning/emergency lights in use; but those lights must be in lawful use.

I heartily approve of radar speed enforcement and the "creative" use of a radar unit on a bridge, where speeders would likely not notice it.

However, I believe it is critical that traffic officers obey traffic laws while they are enforcing them. Two of the squad cars seemed to be using their emergency lights other than as authorized, and the middle car should not have been backing on the shoulder.

I realize he was most likely backing up so that he could return to his staging position for the next speeder. The radar unit officer must keep the violator in sight until the officer in the chase car has him in sight.

It would be interesting to learn the opinion of these officers about my suspicion that two of them were in violation of the IVC.

© 2008 GUS PHILPOTT

To Beat 24 Officers

Will you please increase your patrol presence on Lake Avenue in the vicinity of the Woodstock Wal-Mart?

During all hours of the day and night drivers use the curb lanes in both directions for high-speed passing lanes. The speed limit there is 40MPH. Speeds of 55-60 are not uncommon to pass us slowpokes who are moseying along at the 40MPH speed limit.

And how about ticketing drivers leaving Wal-Mart at the west exit who fail to stop at the stop sign? They roll down the driveway, glance (sometimes) toward the east to see if there might be room before an oncoming vehicle enters the intersection, and then coast right through the stop sign and turn right. Westbound drivers have to reduce speed to avoid rear-ending the driver who just ran the stop sign and turned out in front of them.

Morning rush-hour is a good time to catch eastbound drivers, and about any time after 3:30PM is a good time to grab westbound drivers.

Another common violation is made by westbound drivers on Lake Avenue who want to turn left to go south on Route 47. When westbound traffic is heavy and backed up on Lake Avenue, drivers cut into the center of the roadway and use it unlawfully to reach the left-turn lane at Route 47.

Many thanks in advance for your attention to these too-frequent violations. No warnings, please; just write the tickets.

To you drivers who like these maneuvers, a ticket will cost you $75-150, and the court costs will add about $160 to the fine. Is it worth it?

IL 53 Speedway

This afternoon I drove north from Woodfield Mall on Illinois Highway 53. Getting on just south of I-90 was uneventful. For some strange reason, there was a break in traffic and no one hurried to fill in the gap before I could enter the roadway. The speed limit is 55MPH.

After the congestion for the I-90 weave, the roadway opens up and drivers take off. Well, you’d think they were taking off from the ground and hoping to become airborne. Very quickly the average speed of moving traffic appeared to be about 70MPH – a full 15MPH over the posted speed limit.

I was tailgated numerous times as I poked along in the right lane at the 55MPH speed limit. There are days when I really do wonder why I am crazy enough to still drive at the speed limit and not speed up. When the “flow” is 70MPH, it is very dangerous to drive 15MPH less than the flow of traffic, even in the right-hand lane.

Am I the only person in northern Illinois who respects and obeys the speed limits?

I called Lt. Anderson of the Chicago District of the Illinois State Police and left a long message for him that I was very upset about the traffic flow northbound at 2:30PM. I’m telling you - - it was insane. And it’s like that all the time. Traffic flow today was 70-75MPH.

On some mornings I have driven south on IL 53. It's just as bad.

Here’s what I think. I believe the Illinois State Police tolerates 15MPH, unless a driver is aggressively changing lanes and commits some other flagrant violation.

What’s needed? The cops will NEVER regain control of speeds by writing one ticket at a time. PhotoRadar is the solution. You know, the combination radar gun and camera? Radar measures your speed, a camera photographs your car, and a computer mails the ticket to you. I favor putting a camera over each lane and a set of cameras every five miles. Mail out the tickets once a month. When a driver gets 10-15-20 speeding tickets in the mail one Monday and adds up the fines at, say, $100 each, this will get his attention. Maybe…

Require court appearance, in person, every time. Don’t allow attorneys to appear in a driver’s place – make the driver be there, too. Do not grant Court Supervision. Report all convictions to the Secretary of State. Put all convictions on the driver’s license record. Report all convictions to insurance companies. In fact, report all tickets to insurance companies!

I’d like to see the cops establish rolling blockades, such as the California Highway Patrol did years ago. Police cars, side by side, at the speed limit. Nobody gets around!

I’ve heard it takes 21 days to form a new habit. Slow drivers down for 21 days. Force habit-change.

Use aircraft to spot lane-jumpers, shoulder-riders, inside lane passers, tailgaters, and use motorcycle cops to nail them.

Put up billboards with changeable electronic read-outs for real-time updates on number of tickets being generated and fines to be levied. Oh, yes…don’t forget to display court costs, which might be 2- or 3-times the cost of the fine.

Anyone else in favor of hardball on this topic?