Finally, the truth about speed bumps and low speed limits

[Matra et Alpine]

Originally Posted by henk4

Is this really the case? It is unthinkable in most European countries to have the law enforced by private companies. Even the companies that check on parking meters are part of the lower government.

NO here Pieter
Street parking meters and ticketing for illegal parking is private company.
Speed cameras are "partnerships" with Police, but in reality it's a private company.
Problem is the private companies give targets to their staff, so they can be over-zealous.. It's now VERY common to be given a fixed penalty fine of £30 4 mins after a parking ticket time !

[CapnBoost]

Somewhat relevant.

As the Portland Mercury reports, Eric Bryant was sitting in a Japanese resturant when he saw a cop park under a no parking sign, then come inside, order lunch, and started watching the game on TV. When Bryant asked the officer about his choice in parking spots he acknowledge that he was parked in a no parking zone, but that there was nothing wrong with that as he was a cop. The officer then asked “If someone broke into your house, would you rather have the police be able to park in front of your house or have to park three blocks away and walk there?”

According to Bryant “If he had acknowledged and corrected his error, we could have avoided this whole thing but instead, he kept watching basketball and told me he wasn’t doing anything wrong.” This bothered Eric, so he took the next step and initiated violation proceedings against Officer Stensgaard, racking up $540 in fines for the officer for “illegal parking, illegal stopping, obeying parking restrictions on state highways, and illegal operation of an emergency vehicle or ambulance” if the officer in convicted on his court date May 23rd.

[wwgkd]

Originally Posted by henk4

Is this really the case? It is unthinkable in most European countries to have the law enforced by private companies. Even the companies that check on parking meters are part of the lower government.

In the case of speed and stoplight cameras, as far as I know they are run exclusively by private companies, and most of the revenue from tickets are then given to those companies.

The reasoning behind this was that government agencies are so ineffecient due to all the restrictions and extra checks and balances placed upon them, that they thought things would run more smoothly in the hands of private companies. And, since the companies won't work for free, they decided to give a (large) percentage of the cash to those companies. So you go into a US court same as normal, but all the evidence against you is provided by those companies.

Friend of mine moved to an area with stoplight cameras and recieved a ticket by mail one day, despite the fact that he had been out of state with relatives on the day in question. The guy before him in court got out of his two tickets because they were 12 miles and 15 minutes apart in the middle of a large city and it was deemed impossible to have made it from one light to the other in that time period. My friend could not get out of his because the only witnesses to his location on the day in question were relatives who were considered unreliable witnesses, even though someone had proven the cameras were not working correctly only seconds before.

[nota]

Consider the implications when lower government is allowed to derive income through 'aggressive' traffic enforcement. (ie speed traps)

A study just released from George Mason University’s economics department .. detail[s] a number of facts:

Police officers report to a Chief of Police who is appointed by government officials.
Government officials are elected with the major responsibilities of assessment of taxes and appointment of town officials.
There is a positive relationship between police budgets and traffic fines.
Police salaries for officers and sergeants increase with the size of the police budget.
Police personnel budget increases with fine and forfeiture revenues.

In Massachusetts, where the study was conducted, there are limitations on the revenue municipalities can raise through fees, licenses and permits, but there is no statute or regulation on fines. Furthermore, municipalities retain 50 percent of the revenues collected from traffic fines.

[Clivey]

Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine

NO here Pieter
Street parking meters and ticketing for illegal parking is private company.
Speed cameras are "partnerships" with Police, but in reality it's a private company.
Problem is the private companies give targets to their staff, so they can be over-zealous.. It's now VERY common to be given a fixed penalty fine of £30 4 mins after a parking ticket time !

Peter, do you read Evo? There was an interesting article in this month's issue detailing just how many threats a car enthusiast faces in Britain in the near future.

It'd be interesting to follow the head of the DFT, Gordon Brown, Ken Livingstone and anyone else backing the dirty schemes mentioned in this thread around and penalise them for every instance of speeding, bad driving (including their chauffeurs) and note how polluting their chosen methods of transport are (Jag XJs and other Gov't limos are hardly "green" are they?).

[drakkie]

Originally Posted by nota

Consider the implications when lower government is allowed to derive income through 'aggressive' traffic enforcement. (ie speed traps)

Allready been here for a while. Worst thing is that they have a minimum number of fines they have to give. Meaning that in december you are really screwed. Being 60 cm out of a parkng space, not blocking anything or anyone cost me €50

[Cyco]

That would be due to the size of the Alto you had more then half it out!

How can you possibly drive so poorly you can't park it in a space?

[wwgkd]

Originally Posted by drakkie

Allready been here for a while. Worst thing is that they have a minimum number of fines they have to give. Meaning that in december you are really screwed. Being 60 cm out of a parkng space, not blocking anything or anyone cost me €50

They had that here for a while but people decided it was a dumbass practice and we got rid of it. Well, officially anyways. Glad of that, at least.

EDIT: The quotas, I mean.

[Clivey]

Originally Posted by wwgkd

They had that here for a while but people decided it was a dumbass practice and we got rid of it. Well, officially anyways. Glad of that, at least.

EDIT: The quotas, I mean.

Whereas here, if the local autority or Government can stick a "green" tag on an idea, anything goes!

We now face a £950 tax on any new car that emits more than 255g/km of C02 - despite the fact that it'll barely effect C02 emissions from vehicles in general. It's about the money though - the Government stand to make billions out of this alone.

[drakkie]

Originally Posted by Cyco

That would be due to the size of the Alto you had more then half it out!

How can you possibly drive so poorly you can't park it in a space?

ha ha it was a street with spots along the side of it, but not continuous. Anyway, I was eager to go to the bar and see my g/f and mates, didn't notice the lines due to snow fall and parked it a little out of the spot. I came into the street, dropped it at the spot closest to me. It's like nothing special, but I still feel bloody screwed. It's not like the side or something was in another spot, because there was no 2nd spot..Whatever. Im starting to stop understanding myself. Time for beer.