So why aren't the speed limits and downtown parking enforced?

[Dtroit]

Hi everyone,

I moved to Detroit a few months back and noticed something rather odd. It seems like no one obeys the speed limit on the highways. For instance, I go 80mph to keep up with the traffic in the 55mph zone and cars are still flying past me on the highway.

For a city that's so broke, why aren't cops ticketing people left and right [[$100-$300 speeding ticket per person)?

Also, I noticed that a lot of people are not paying the parking meters in the downtown area. Pretty much every spot will have the expired status. Why not ticket these cars to generate more revenue and pay for more cops?

Just a thought. Let me know what you guys think.

[Zacha341]

They've been ticketing like crazy downtown for years so I don't know what you are seeing. I only park in structures if I go downtown. It's ticket-fest IMO...

I really don't speed but in point of fact on Detroit freeways you can usually pass a Detroit police car on the right or left doing 80 and they may not siren you to stop and issue a ticket [[don't try this with the state troopers!).

Police have more very serous life-and-death issues pending and their ranks few. They are letting alot of stuff related to traffic pass - unless they are doing a sting relative to 'traffic enforcement' then all bets are off.

I've seen police cars square off on major city corners in the inner city and just write tickets left and right for all kinds of driving offense people have gotten use to doing. Otherwise, drive fast and get to your destination is the idea.

[Crumbled_pavement]

I've often wondered this too. I also wondered why not have more cops on the streets to make the city safer so more businesses would locate here. The extra tax revenue from the businesses and employees would pay for the extra cops. Getting more businesses in the city would arrest the loss of income from the tax base moving out of the city. It's probably way too late for what either of us are talking about, but these are just two issues I've wondered about for years.

[Chinman]

maybe you were seeing cars parked after the hours of enforcement by the meter-maids. detroit police do not write tickets unless you are parked where it says no parking by police order or in a way that impedes traffic and then you will be towed instantly. as for the freeway, as i remember it, the state police took over freeway in the late 70' or 80's to allow detroit police to focus on the city proper.

[mwilbert]

I also wondered why not have more cops on the streets to make the city safer so more businesses would locate here. The extra tax revenue from the businesses and employees would pay for the extra cops.

Assuming your theory is true [[I'm not sure whether it is or not), the city would have to pay for the police first, and it would probably be years before businesses reacted to the improved conditions. In the meantime the city is spending a lot of money it doesn't have.

This is a part of the logic behind the DetroitWorks approach--you provide better services in targeted areas, so as to attract businesses and residents, and you pay for it by providing fewer services elsewhere. Eventually you attract those businesses and residents and your fiscal picture improves.

[WaCoTS]

I moved to Detroit a few months back and noticed something rather odd. It seems like no one obeys the speed limit on the highways.

LMAO
way to ask about the "unwritten rule," lol. listen, it is every Detroiter's god-given right to drive "like a Frankenstein behind the wheel"...as Jack Kerouac put it.

anyway, those speed limits were posted in a day when there was actually traffic, because people actually lived in the city.

most motorists here are low-income and probably dont have insurance, and wouldnt be able to pay a fine even if they were caught. so it is a waste of the system's time to handle most of this. yeah, sometimes DPD is forced probably by state law to do "enforcement zones" on at least X amount of days per year, but other than that, they have more important calls to respond to, such as break-ins.

not to mention the average DPD car is probably in such crappy shape that it couldnt catch half the speeders out there lol. and im not sure the average DPD cop knows where his moving violation ticket-book is--or even has one anymore.

other than that, it's this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L_c7OSqLAg
lol

[EastsideAl]

Because most [[but, alas, not all) of us Detroiters know how to drive at 70 or 80 on freeways that were, after all, originally designed to carry cars at those speeds [[or more). Given the amount of traffic that our freeways carry most of the time outside of rush hours, there's really no reason to go much slower.

As for the parking tickets, I have no idea what you're talking about. Downtown is a ticket-fest most of the time, and used by the city as a revenue generator [[to our overall detriment, in my view). There's a reason why they chose this city for the taping of some episodes of "Parking Wars".

[gthomas]

They have a show on A&E, called "Parking War" Detroit. Oh, they get plenty of folks. Cool show, check for listing.

[Dtroit]

As for the parking tickets, I have no idea what you're talking about. Downtown is a ticket-fest most of the time, and used by the city as a revenue generator [[to our overall detriment, in my view). There's a reason why they chose this city for the taping of some episodes of "Parking Wars".

Dumb question but what are the official hours for paid downtown parking? I thought they extended the hours to 10pm or something

[detroitsgwenivere]

The saying, "you can't get blood from a turnip," comes to mind.

How about, instead of advocating for the police to turn Detroit into Romulus, advocating for an increase of the speed limit from 55 to 65? I mean, does it seem practical to turn our already thinly streched police into revenue generators, harassing people and choking the money from them for doing something that the overwhelming majority of our city's drivers do safely and is legal just a few miles up the road?

How about the state police [[who currently handle Detroit's freeway speed enforcement) going after people who disrupt the flow of traffic, doing 55 or less in the left lane when everyone behind them is going at least 5 mph faster? I've read a lot of bitching about that on this forum as of late.

I dunno about you guys, but I'd rather government go after our local wealthy tax obsconders, stop squandering the little money we do have, and become more small-business friendly to increase our coffers. Not stick Starsky and Hutch on some poor guys ass for going 70 on the freeway.

As far as the meters downtown go, some of them are busted and need to be fixed or replaced. And the parking nazis have been having some oversight problems for a while now:

http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/local_n...arking-tickets

http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/local_n...g-pay-stations

And one quick search into the DYes archives will bring up lots of past conversation on this topic:

http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthr...lations-Bureau

http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthr...-a-lunch-break

[Honky Tonk]

Hi everyone,

Also, I noticed that a lot of people are not paying the parking meters in the downtown area. Pretty much every spot will have the expired status. Why not ticket these cars to generate more revenue and pay for more cops?

Just a thought. Let me know what you guys think.

What are you, a wise guy?

[softailrider]

I wouldn't say you can go on I-75 and try your vehicle out at 110 MPH for an extended amount of time. Chances are you'll end up with a ticket from the State Police. That being said, 85 -90 MPH around here ain't nuthin a lot of the time.

[detroittrader]

Just wait till it warms up and the helmetless crotchrocket riders zoom in and out of traffic at over 100mph.

[Gistok]

If you go 69 MPH... you will NEVER get a ticket on Detroit Freeways... but then make sure it's in the appropriate lanes. And like they said... Detroit Police are not the ones you need to worry about for a stop... but State Police are...

[Dexlin]

You ever seen Parking Wars? I'd say that downtown Detroit parking enforcement is over-enforced if anything. In fact, they could do a bit more let up a bit.

[Honky Tonk]

You ever seen Parking Wars? I'd say that downtown Detroit parking enforcement is over-enforced if anything. In fact, they could do a bit more let up a bit.

I just made a contribution to the City Parking Violation Bureau. The ticket said I wasn't 30' from the corner. I actually took out a tape measure and measured it. It was 28'. So I'll have to agree with you.

[Islandman]

I got a parking ticket by Bucharest Grill at 130AM Sunday morning. Parking enforcement is working quite well and it's about the only department in the city that does well.

This is a change. You were usually good after 9 just a few years ago downtown. I pay to park in a lot now; just not worth the hassle figuring out enforcement times.

[downtownguy]

I was just thinking about this last week, also. It made me wonder if there was any data on how many tickets per day a cop's got to write to pay their salary, expenses, etc. Does anybody on the forum know?

I agree that in the real world of police layoffs and a tight city budget, the priority for the police should be the crimes most endangering life or limb. But, if in fact a traffic enforcement police officer could be a profit generator, then why not? I see more benefits than just the extra revenue and creating a safer driving environment as more visible police cars would also be a deterrent to crime. And to those that say Detroit residents are too poor to buy insurance let alone pay a parking ticket, I would guess that a big number of those getting tickets would be from folks residing outside the city.

Many people that do go without insurance do so because they play the odds against getting caught. People have done that with parking tickets, too, but when the boot goes on your car, you either pay up of don't see your car again. Why couldn't the same enforcement apply to moving violations?

[Honky Tonk]

[QUOTE=downtownguy;364392]And to those that say Detroit residents are too poor to buy insurance let alone pay a parking ticket, I would guess that a big number of those getting tickets would be from folks residing outside the city.
QUOTE]

Agreed, Let's nail those outsiders that have decided to venture into the City to spend money. That'll learn 'em.

[sturge]

I must be one unlucky SOB. I was actually pulled over by a Detroit cop doing 80 on I75 about 8 years ago.

[downtownguy]

[QUOTE=Honky Tonk;364393]

And to those that say Detroit residents are too poor to buy insurance let alone pay a parking ticket, I would guess that a big number of those getting tickets would be from folks residing outside the city.
QUOTE]

Agreed, Let's nail those outsiders that have decided to venture into the City to spend money. That'll learn 'em.

Yeah, that's exactly what I said.

[gnome]

I must admit to rolling stops at red lights on Hamilton in Highland Park yesterday. I was not going to wait for something to happen. Usually I am Mr Speedlimit, 10 and 2, seatbelted and obey all the laws. Not in HP.

Hamilton is the zombie apocalypse casting couch. I ain't waiting for nothing.

[Richard]

I got a parking ticket by Bucharest Grill at 130AM Sunday morning. Parking enforcement is working quite well and it's about the only department in the city that does well.

This is a change. You were usually good after 9 just a few years ago downtown. I pay to park in a lot now; just not worth the hassle figuring out enforcement times.

IMHO I think they should not charge parking on Sundays and maybe it would encourage more to visit and help support existing businesses.

[1953]

Most Detroit speed limits are not in compliance with state law and are not enforceable in court. MCL 527.627 calls for specific speed limits in certain types of zones, and for speed limits using a vehicle access point formula in other zones. An alternative speed limit measure is the Uniform Traffic Code, which allows cities to conduct speed studies of actual driver speeds and set speed limits close to those limits. The city rarely follows either set of laws.

As for highways, the state maximum on a highway is 70 mph, so you can't very well defend yourself if you are driving faster than that on a highway. The state hasn't upped the city freeway limits beyond 55 mph because some of the setbacks on the turns do not meet federal highway standards associated with the 70 mph limit, and no one wants to spend billions just to widen the highways a little bit. I imagine that you could fight and win a speeding ticket on the highway if you were going 70 or less, but it would be a tough challenge.

I know all of this from experience, as I just got a speeding ticket thrown out myself.

1953

P.S. But I think the city should make and enforce traffic laws, because this helps keep crime down generally.

[gazhekwe]

Hubby got a ticket downtown last fall for parking at an expired meter, which was broken. He put money in it and it stayed expired. He called the number and explained to whoever who said they would 'take care of it.' A month or so ago, he got a notice that he did not pay the ticket and it was x more dollars. Being convinced that wasting more time dealing with dolts was unproductive, he just paid the money.

That's the way they do it, blanket the place with tickets then have no sensible way to deal with errors. The lesson we learned, if the meter is broken, let someone else have the spot, and the joy of dealing with Detroit bureaucracy.