When police violate traffic laws

What should a citizen do, when he sees a police officer roll through a stop sign? Or drive on the wrong side of the road when he is reading his in-car computer? Or fail to signal a turn continually within 100' from an in-town intersection? Or fail to come to a complete stop when exiting from the police department employee parking lot through the driveway onto Lake Avenue or onto Fremont Street by Dick Tracy Park?

Should he write himself a ticket?

If another officer observes such a traffic violation, should he stop his fellow officer and write him a ticket? (Okay, you can stop laughing now.)

Should he contact the shift sergeant and register a formal traffic complaint and be willing to go to court and testify to the violation?

Officers of the Woodstock Police Department write many legitimate tickets. When a driver blasts down the center lane (two-way, left-turn lane) on Route 47 to pass a long line of cars stopped for a red light, that's worth a ticket.

When a driver speeds 10-15-20MPH over the limit? That's worth a ticket.
Tailgating? A ticket.
Aggressive driving? A ticket.
Passing on the shoulder through an intersection? A ticket.
Running a red light? A ticket

How about when a driver rolls up to a stop sign at a T-intersection, no cross-traffic, no pedestrians, but fails to signal a turn for the required 100 feet while approaching the stop sign?

Should he get a ticket for that or a written Warning? Is that a violation that should cost the driver $75.00-125.00?

In many jurisdictions, an officer would make a traffic stop, check the driver's license and insurance, and point out that a signal is required; then he would issue a verbal or written warning and send the driver on his way.

What happens in Woodstock?

What has been your experience, when you have been stopped in Woodstock? Did you get a ticket? Or did you get a warning? Vote in this week's survey.

Carjacking Warning

Warning..!!!! Whether this story is true or not, it's worth reading and considering.

Just last weekend on Friday night we parked in a public parking area. As we drove away I noticed a sticker on the rear window of the car. When I took it off after I got home, it was a receipt for gas. Luckily my friend told me not to stop as it could be someone waiting for me to get out of the car.

Then we received this email:

'WARNING FROM POLICE. THIS APPLIES TO BOTH WOMEN AND MEN. BEWARE OF PAPER ON THE BACK WINDOW OF YOUR VEHICLE-- NEW WAY TO DO CARJACKINGS (NOT A JOKE)'

Heads up everyone! Please keep this circulating... You walk across the parking lot, unlock your car and get inside. You start the engine and shift into Reverse. When you look into the rearview mirror to back out of your parking space, you notice a piece of paper stuck to the middle of the rear window. So you shift into Park, unlock your doors, and jump out of your car to remove that paper (or whatever it is) that is obstructing your view.

When you reach the back of your car, that is when the carjackers appear out of nowhere, jump into your car and take off. They practically mow you down as they speed off in your car.

And guess what, ladies? I bet your purse is still in the car. So now the carjacker has your car, your home address, your money, and your keys. Your home and your whole identity are now compromised!

BEWARE OF THIS NEW SCHEME THAT IS NOW BEING USED. If you see a piece of paper stuck to your back window, just drive away. Remove the paper later. And be thankful that you read this e-mail. I hope you will forward this to friends and family, especially to women. A purse contains all kinds of personal information and identification documents, and you certainly do NOT want this to fall into the wrong hands.


If you want to forward this to anyone, use the function below this article. Just click on the "envelope" and insert the complete email address of anyone to whom you would like to send it.

County Flood Warning?

Did I miss a class in understanding government jargon?

On the McHenry County website (co.mchenry.il.us) this morning is the following Flood Announcement.

"Updated June 24, 8:40am POTENTIALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING THUNDERSTORMS WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR TRAINING (sic) ACROSS THE SAME LOCATIONS OVER AND OVER EXISTS.. ALL LIVING IN FLOOD PRONE LOCATIONS ACROSS NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE OUTLOOK AREA ARE URGED TO MONITOR LATER FORECASTS FOR UPDATES ON ANY POSSIBLE WATCHES AND WARNINGS."

The gist of it is pretty clear, but just exactly what does "training" mean?

And "over and over"? Who writes this stuff? Are we paying someone thousands of dollars each year who didn't even graduate from high school?

Hello? Any hydrologists or weathermen out there who can explain this?

Did someone just copy-and-paste portions of a National Weather Service bulletin and not bother to read it before publishing it on the County website? Come on, folks. We can do better than that! It's not like there was a rush to post it, since the warning is for a time period 12 hours from now.

© 2008 GUS PHILPOTT