Ticket Quotas In Southeast Michigan?

[Mista Alan]

Saw this on WXYZ. Interesting to learn that "ticket standards" are so common in the area.

http://www.wxyz.com/news/story/Polic...eHkCiGByw.cspx

[DetroitDad]

Does anyone else think it's odd that police are our traffic and parking enforcment in many places? Since I've been walking to work, I haven't seen a police officer outside of Comerica Park. I definitely don't feel that I am being protected by police when I walk down anything but a main street. Even in residential suburban neighborhoods viewed as safe, I don't really feel like the police are protecting me, but rather a good neighborhood watch program is doing the work for them.

For that reason, I do not feel any safer in a suburban neighborhood than I do Downtown with an equal number of eyes on the street. I would not send my daughter to play by herself in the future in Livonia, Royal Oak, or Garden City. I do not want to rely on middlemen when it comes to my child's safety.

Why aren't there more officers out and about?

[Meddle]

Easy answer. Tickets bring in revenue.

[sirrealone]

I've always thought that issuing tickets for simple speeding is a waste of time, but it's done because it's the easy way.

I'd much rather see police patrol and ticket drivers for two things:

Dangerous driving [[someone that's cutting people off, waiting until the end of a merge lane, pulling out in front of someone who's already in traffic, red light runners). Someone going 15MPH over the speed limit could be causing less danger than someone going even posted speed, but police are too lazy to do the work to catch those that actually create more risk.

Shortcuts: I'm sick of people zooming through shopping centers or gas stations to avoid intersections or going through neighborhoods to cut around traffic and going the same speed as they would on the major road that they're avoiding. These practices put pedestrians and children at greater risk but again, most cops will not bother with this because it means actually doing work versus the easy practice of sitting there and letting the radar gun do the work.

[Downriviera]

They should have turn signal police. One cop that just goes around ticketing people for not signaling. I think turn signal usage is at an all time low. I've come up behind cars on two lane roads with no turning lanes just sitting there, waiting to make a left with no signal. Amazing that people can text while driving but can't move one lever to signal a turn.

[Kevgoblue]

Using turn signals requires those texting drivers to exhibit some type of concern or consideration for others on the road. I'm sure they'd like to show you consideration, but its vitally important to let their girlfriend know that they're heading home from work, at 5:15pm. Duh.

[jbd441]

I've always thought that issuing tickets for simple speeding is a waste of time, but it's done because it's the easy way.

I'd much rather see police patrol and ticket drivers for two things:

Dangerous driving [[someone that's cutting people off, waiting until the end of a merge lane, pulling out in front of someone who's already in traffic, red light runners). Someone going 15MPH over the speed limit could be causing less danger than someone going even posted speed, but police are too lazy to do the work to catch those that actually create more risk.

Shortcuts: I'm sick of people zooming through shopping centers or gas stations to avoid intersections or going through neighborhoods to cut around traffic and going the same speed as they would on the major road that they're avoiding. These practices put pedestrians and children at greater risk but again, most cops will not bother with this because it means actually doing work versus the easy practice of sitting there and letting the radar gun do the work.

Why it maybe a understandable waste to ticket speeders on freeways for anything less than 15 over the limit, it's a different story on city streets. A friend of mine lost a child to someone speeding through his neighborhood, while there was no radar gun involved witness guessed his speed at 40 [[in a 25 zone). Wait until the state, counties and/or cities discover speeding and red light cameras. Then the heated arguments start.

While personally I don't believe in quotas I'm also a firm believer that if a driver doesn't speed and obeys traffic laws, that driver doesn't have to worry about quotas or even cameras.

Just my 2 cents.

[GPCharles]

The CIty of Detroit could eliminate their entire deficit by ticketing drivers for blasting through yellow lights as they turn red.

[softailrider]

The CIty of Detroit could eliminate their entire deficit by ticketing drivers for blasting through yellow lights as they turn red.

Might be a collection problem with that idea.

[Jimaz]

http://www.speedtrap.org/

[EMG]

Shortcuts: I'm sick of people zooming through shopping centers or gas stations to avoid intersections.....

The solution to that sort of thing is to fix the timing on the traffic lights so drivers don't get stuck at 3 red lights in a row as their "reward" for following the law. Consider making a Michigan left turn legally. You wait at the first light. Then you wait at the light in the turnaround. Then you wait again at the light in the intersection that you couldn't legally just turn left into. Now, if you sneak through the gas station, you avoid that first light, and if you do it just right, also get through the first and the second. [[Don't worry about encountering me; I'm long gone from the state, but I'm just sayin'..... )

[EMG]

The CIty of Detroit could eliminate their entire deficit by ticketing drivers for blasting through yellow lights as they turn red.

The crooks [[I mean cops) in Warren play that as their favorite game. They got me that way once....and I've also seen them do it to many others. Ironically, if you speed at 9 over [[the speed required to get through the lights) they leave you alone! Go figure.

[EMG]

Why it maybe a understandable waste to ticket speeders on freeways for anything less than 15 over the limit, it's a different story on city streets. A friend of mine lost a child to someone speeding through his neighborhood, while there was no radar gun involved witness guessed his speed at 40 [[in a 25 zone). Wait until the state, counties and/or cities discover speeding and red light cameras. Then the heated arguments start.

While personally I don't believe in quotas I'm also a firm believer that if a driver doesn't speed and obeys traffic laws, that driver doesn't have to worry about quotas or even cameras.

Just my 2 cents.

I don't condone 40 [[or even 35) in a 25 zone either. But this is another example of a problem that could be greatly reduced by more reasonable timing of traffic signals. Time the lights so one can make the greens at the speed limit, instead of 15 over.

[313WX]

My personal favorite is the Gratiot/6 Mile intersection.

Coming from Schoneherr, instead of making a left onto 6 Mile to access Gratiot, I just make a right onto 6 Mile and then make a hard left onto Pelkey to access Gratiot. The light on Gratiot for 6 Mile is so long [[favoring Gratiot) that I'll already be past Houston-Whittier by the time the light for 6 Mile traffic is green. Besides, chances are turning onto the Graitot from 6 Mile will also force you to stop at that first light around Hickory/Hazelridge and Gratiot.

You"ll be surprised how many people utilize this manuveur, but it's technically legal.

Coming back the opposite direction, instead of turing onto 6 Mile then onto Schoenherr from Gratiot [[at the risk of being stopped by 3 lights) I just turn onto Greiner then hit Schoenherr [[eliminating 1 to 2 lights). The way the lights are timed in that area chances are Greiner [[at the Schoneherr/Greiner intersection) will have the right away when coming off Gratiot. Heck, if Im feeling frsiky and I see heavy traffic heading towards on Gratiot upstream, I would probably cut up through Hickory or Pelkey, onto 6 Mile and back ot Schoenherr.

[313WX]

The crooks [[I mean cops) in Warren play that as their favorite game. They got me that way once....and I've also seen them do it to many others. Ironically, if you speed at 9 over [[the speed required to get through the lights) they leave you alone! Go figure.

That's why I avoid 8 Mile. Warren & Hazel Park police treat it like the candy shop.

[darwinism]

My grandfather's word of wisdom has always been true: "When in doubt, follow the money-trail".

The police, the courts and the ENTIRE system from end-to-end has a financial gain. Remember the report on Kanapsky and Warren PD a couple of years ago ?

There are some folks who have continued the investigation, beyond Heather Catallo's story.

http://www.wxyz.com/news/local/story...LuIX37kyg.cspx

http://dotakeitpersonally.blogspot.c...ing-metro.html

http://dotakeitpersonally.blogspot.c...icers-bad.html

http://dotakeitpersonally.blogspot.c...blication.html

http://dotakeitpersonally.blogspot.c...s-plummet.html

http://dotakeitpersonally.blogspot.c...s-plummet.html

http://dotakeitpersonally.blogspot.c...s-to-fund.html

http://www.wxyz.com/content/news/inv...aLxXB9-7Q.cspx

There are 2 significant things we can do;

1) Stop driving, or else understand that traffic tickets are just another "indirect tax".

2) Stop voting for police-related millage, or else understand that cops aren't "free" - and often costs more than just their basic salary.

[EMG]

My personal favorite is the Gratiot/6 Mile intersection.

Coming from Schoneherr......

This reminds me of something I witnessed at that same intersection many years ago. I was second from the front of the line on westbound Seymour/6 mile waiting for the light to change so we could cross Gratiot. And we waited. And waited. And waited. At a completely empty Gratiot. Finally the guy ahead of me just made a right turn, went about a quarter of a block, then made a U-turn on Gratiot, came back to 6 mile, turned right and proceeded west.

I guess that maneuver was technically legal too, but I wouldn't have the courage to try it with a cop in sight.

[sturge]

Why aren't there more officers out and about?

Cities can't afford more officers. If you want more, pay more taxes.