Street Smarts: Traffic citation teaches motorist about tailgati...

[Bruce]

Officer Jackson wrote:

<quoted text>
We are quite serious about citing this violation. We investigate collisions every day and determine the cause. Unsafe Speed, Following Too Close, Unsafe Lane Change, distractions from texting, talking, etc., and of course DUI are the most common offenses. Preventing collisions is key for us, and to do that we issue citations for Primary Collision Factors. Rest assured, Following Too Close is more commonly cited than you think.

Please also notice people passing traffic using the merge lanes. They bottle neck traffic doing this and cut people off that are accelerating or decelerating to get on or off the freeways. I also notice a large number of people driving alone in the carpool lanes everyday, with no sticker.

[Bruce Mom]

Son come out of the basement and change your panties

[Bruce]

Mom, the other "ladies" at the home have been complaining about you hogging the recreation room computer.

[slightly salty]

Code 5 wrote:

<quoted text>
If you use unmarked cars during peak commute times you would be many folks hero. There are so many dangerous drivers on HWY 17 it is remarkable. It is almost as though they want to crash. It would be so nice for you to cite tailgaters and unsafe lane changers.

Agreed. While it's difficult and even dangerous to pull people over on some stretches of 17, I'm sure there's a way to reign in these flagrantly unsafe and menacing drivers once and for all. Get them on video and pull them over when it's safe. Lives will be saved, nerves will be calmed, and the county's coffer's can certainly use the $.

[SkiSanger]

Carl Bendix wrote:

<quoted text>Possibly, but in order to effectively ticket the other violations the CHP would have to actively patrol more instead of sitting somewhere waiting for a speeder to pass.
I really like the idea of unmarked cars.

I see the CHP patrolling quite often. Unmarked cars might work. Cameras are even better. The one at 41st and Clares seems to do a good job.

[Dave]

Officer Jackson wrote:

<quoted text>
The fines assessed from citations issued by the CHP actually go straight back to the County they were issued in. Notice, when you write the check, the Payable line is to "Santa Cruz County". Those funds go to county and community programs and departments. While a common misconception, funding is not at all a factor in why we issue citations.
If you see a concentration of enforcement in a particular area, it is most likely to occur in an area we see collisions occurring.

wouldn't know about the "pay to", I pay extra attention and know where you guys sit.
i'm guessing here, but at least 50% of tickets writen would be for trivial "crimes" ? isn't this more about raising revenue for the state? must be billions & billions a stake?

[Carl Bendix]

SkiSanger wrote:

<quoted text>
I see the CHP patrolling quite often. Unmarked cars might work. Cameras are even better. The one at 41st and Clares seems to do a good job.

And they do whine and howl about that, don't they!

[Officer Jackson]

Aptosian wrote:

How about some tickets for the fools that decide to pass on the right when cars are trying to merge onto the freeway?

That would be Violating the Right-of-Way, and I have cited it more than a few times personally. The driver who is already on the freeway has established their right-of-way, and those merging onto the freeway need to yield right-of-way to them.

[Officer Jackson]

Dave wrote:

<quoted text>
wouldn't know about the "pay to", I pay extra attention and know where you guys sit.
i'm guessing here, but at least 50% of tickets writen would be for trivial "crimes" ? isn't this more about raising revenue for the state? must be billions & billions a stake?

Define 'trivial'. DUI? Speed? Which traffic violation can you think of which doesn't potentially risk a life? Violating the right-of-way of a pedestrian in a cross walk? School zone speed? Once you see the results of these behaviors, it is difficult to characterize them as trivial.
Often, we end up investigating other crimes as the result of a traffic stop. Drug or human trafficking, wanted criminals, and even terrorists are stopped for 'trivial' crimes. Remember the terrorist cell uncovered in Lodi? A CHP Officer stopped him for speed, otherwise he may not have been found before his plot was hatched.
Of course, these are the headline grabbers. CHP is unique in that we get to be proactive in preventing death and damage, rather than responding to it once it has already happened. We do this through traffic stops and mass contacts.

[Officer Jackson]

Dave wrote:

<quoted text>
wouldn't know about the "pay to", I pay extra attention and know where you guys sit.
i'm guessing here, but at least 50% of tickets writen would be for trivial "crimes" ? isn't this more about raising revenue for the state? must be billions & billions a stake?

Oh yes, maybe I wasn't very clear. CHP and the State of California receives 0% of funds from traffic citations. It all goes to the county. Funding for us or the state has absolutely nothing to do with traffic citations or DUI fines.
I know it is a popular objection to a citation: We are just trying to fund our department but really, nothing could be further from the truth. Nor do we have 'quotas'. We write citations because we see the end result.

[slightly salty]

Officer Jackson wrote:

<quoted text>
Define 'trivial'. DUI? Speed? Which traffic violation can you think of which doesn't potentially risk a life? Violating the right-of-way of a pedestrian in a cross walk? School zone speed? Once you see the results of these behaviors, it is difficult to characterize them as trivial.
Often, we end up investigating other crimes as the result of a traffic stop. Drug or human trafficking, wanted criminals, and even terrorists are stopped for 'trivial' crimes. Remember the terrorist cell uncovered in Lodi? A CHP Officer stopped him for speed, otherwise he may not have been found before his plot was hatched.
Of course, these are the headline grabbers. CHP is unique in that we get to be proactive in preventing death and damage, rather than responding to it once it has already happened. We do this through traffic stops and mass contacts.

Right on, Officer Jackson. I doubt many people appreciate what it's like to walk up to a vehicle not knowing who or what you are going to find inside. Usually it's just a driver who is embarrassed and/or irritated about being pulled over, but sometimes it's much more than that. It's a very hazardous and important job and I admire and thank you and your colleagues for your service.

[SkiSanger]

Carl Bendix wrote:

<quoted text>And they do whine and howl about that, don't they!

They probably do, but who cares. Hard to argue with the photograph.

[Dave]

Officer Jackson wrote:

<quoted text>
Define 'trivial'. DUI? Speed? Which traffic violation can you think of which doesn't potentially risk a life? Violating the right-of-way of a pedestrian in a cross walk? School zone speed? Once you see the results of these behaviors, it is difficult to characterize them as trivial.
Often, we end up investigating other crimes as the result of a traffic stop. Drug or human trafficking, wanted criminals, and even terrorists are stopped for 'trivial' crimes. Remember the terrorist cell uncovered in Lodi? A CHP Officer stopped him for speed, otherwise he may not have been found before his plot was hatched.
Of course, these are the headline grabbers. CHP is unique in that we get to be proactive in preventing death and damage, rather than responding to it once it has already happened. We do this through traffic stops and mass contacts.

LOL ..... CHP (tax payers) must spend ten's of thousands on officers stalking residents in Felton .... i've lived in many places throughout the state and travel often ... NEVER seen such a high concentration of police trying to write tickets.
sitting at stop signs (where there is no need for a stop sign) knowing that most drivers will slow but not come to a complete dead stop ... great place to write tickets..! sorry, but it's pathetic that taxpayer pay you to harrase us in this way.

HWY 17 on a clear dry sunny day ? another great opp to bust commuters .. why aren't you there with your speed guns when it's cold and raining ? THAT'S when we need you to bust the dangerous drivers.

my father in law was stopped for 29 in a 25 zone in Felton, clear, dry sunny day ... you couldn't meet a more courteous safe driver ...! what a dick who pulled that stop .. not surprising most people think that CHP are low life.

[Dave]

Officer Jackson wrote:

<quoted text>
Oh yes, maybe I wasn't very clear. CHP and the State of California receives 0% of funds from traffic citations. It all goes to the county. Funding for us or the state has absolutely nothing to do with traffic citations or DUI fines.
I know it is a popular objection to a citation: We are just trying to fund our department but really, nothing could be further from the truth. Nor do we have 'quotas'. We write citations because we see the end result.

100% of money collected should go to DUI awareness & funding road infrastructure improvements.

[Dave]

not just me that can't drive from Felton to San Jose in the morning without passing half a dozen "peace officers" .... never seen anything like it !

"Mary P
Milpitas, CA
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|Report Abuse |Judge it!|#53 9 hrs ago

Hit hard by budget cuts? Give us a freaking break! Last night I drove from Ben Lomond to Scotts Valley to go grocery shopping, and passed SIX sheriff and CHP cars just sitting there, waiting for someone to drive 48MPH in a 35MPH zone. So clearly they're not being hit hard enough by budget cuts!"

As for this annual domestic terrorism on pot growers, would you PLEASE FOCUS YOUR ENERGY ON METH LABS, and forget about prosecuting people who aren't hurting anyone (and in most cases, anything).

[JJJ]

Officer Jackson wrote:

<quoted text>
That would be Violating the Right-of-Way, and I have cited it more than a few times personally. The driver who is already on the freeway has established their right-of-way, and those merging onto the freeway need to yield right-of-way to them.

I drive a fairly zippy car, and if I'm merging onto the freeway, I tend to accelerate to the speed limit or the speed of the traffic on the freeway well before its time to merge. several times recently i've had cars well behind me in the right lane of the freeway speed up to get ahead of me before I merge. am I supposed to yield to cars behind me as I'm merging? at least once recently someone who was way back when I started down the ramp just jammed their way along side of me going way over the limit at the very end of the ramp and forced me to hit my brakes hard before running out of road so he could squeeze ahead.

what made this really warped is there was a car going the speed limit in front of me in the right lane which I had matched... so this guy came jamming down into the space i was merging into just to have to slow down hard himself as I myself was slowing down to avoid him.

I *always* look over my shoulder 2, maybe 3 times during merges like this, as well as checking my mirrors. the 2nd look, I'd matched speeds with the car in the right lane in front of me, and this other guy was well behind, so I thought all was cool. the third and last look, holy crap he was right along side of my rear quarter panel closing with the car in front of me.

[growup]

bikerscum wrote:

<quoted text>Moike, when we raced our bikes over 17 I'm sure we scared the sheeite out of some folks BUT WE DID NOT TAILGATE!!!!:-)

Boy aren't you proud of all the attention you got. Sorry to burst your bubble mario but the adults aren't impressed. Every time you "...scared the sheeite.." out of other drivers you take the chance of possibly startling them into reacting suddenly & dangerously, putting everyone around at risk. If you really enjoy racing your rolling penis extension around why don't you do it in some out of the way place without the audience. That way when you lose it all you do is scrape a little bark off a redwood and the rest of us don't have to give a sheeite.