Good. State Police officers are going to be running a DUI Crackdown over the holidays, as they usually do. I’m glad. Of course, I wish they would crack down diligently like this ALL the time, and not just around the Holidays, but they only get so much Federal grant money to help them pay for the extra man-hours. But whatever they can do, I’m all or it. I particularly like this part of the story:
“According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, eight of the 10 motor vehicle crash fatalities over the last Christmas holiday weekend were alcohol related. Six of the 13 fatalities over the New Year’s weekend were alcohol related.”
Let’s see, that’s 16 of the 23 fatalities involving alcohol. A vast majority. Much higher than the “fatalities involving speeding by sober people” totals, for certain. My point? As always, I’m just lookin’ for an admission from Law Enforcement: Speed traps are revenue builders. Not safety concerns. But revenue builders.
And again, I do NOT have a problem with speed traps. I have a problem with it showing up on my insurance AND raising revenue for the state’s coffers. If you want to set up a speed trap to raise money, and if you catch me, good for you. Here’s my fine, pave the roads with it. But DO NOT report it to my insurance company and make my rates go up, or cut me a “deal” where I can go to “traffic school” and pay my fine, which requires a court appearance and then subsequent additional court costs.
Just keep it simple: You catch me going between 10-15 over the limit, fine me, take my money, end of story. No info to my insurance carrier. No “points system” penalty. Just money.
Just admit your setting up 11 squad cars within a five mile stretch of 74 East of Morton every weekend to RAISE MONEY, nothing else. That’s all I ask.
But as far as the DUI crackdown? Do it. Do it big! Those of us smart enough not to drink and drive (or better yet, those of us smart enough not to drink period) have nothing to fear. Find the real culprits out on our roads, and while you’re at it, start pulling over those who don’t use turn signals, or those who follow to close, or those who leave their brights on no matter what, or those who roll through stop signs, or those who race through the left turn lanes after the light is red, or those who cause dangerous situations by going too SLOW and backing up traffic. Do all of that, and let those of us with a lead foot and otherwise perfect, safe driving habits to tool along 10-12 miles an hour over the limit do it in peace.
Trust me when I say this: If you’re traveling near me on an interstate, I am the least of your worries, because I know what I’m doing, even if I’m doing it fast.
11 responses so far ↓
1
Anon E. Mouse
// Dec 14, 2007 at 3:06 pm
BJ –
You silly man. Better break out that book I gave you.
Let’s try some facts:
BJ sez: “I have a problem with it showing up on my insurance AND raising revenue for the state’s coffers”
I sez: Exactly $0 from these tickets go to the state. Not one penny.
BJ sez: “Just admit your setting up 11 squad cars within a five mile stretch of 74 East of Morton every weekend to RAISE MONEY, nothing else.”
I sez: I don’t think so. There was another fatal accident just a few weeks ago in that area. SPEED was the main factor in the crash. No alcohol or drugs on a bright, sunny, dry day on a road that was extremely familiar to her. Hit a concrete culvert and flipped the car in the median.
BJ sez: “if you catch me, good for you. Here’s my fine, pave the roads with it. But DO NOT report it to my insurance company and make my rates go up,”
I sez: WHY do your rates go up, BJ? Please think about that for a moment. Those insurance companies spend a lot of money paying actuaries to crunch the numbers on these things. What they find is that people who get caught speeding more likely to file claims. They are more likely to damage their vehicle (and themselves) and damage other people and their properties than folks who do not get caught speeding. Speeders are a greater RISK, thus they pay more for their auto insurance. People under the age of 25 are a greater risk, thus THEY pay more for auto insurance.
2
Anon E. Mouse
// Dec 15, 2007 at 10:06 pm
BJ – I bet you weren’t speeding anywhere tonight!
Nice to see Rivs go on a nice hot streak – that shortie tonight (Glenn?) was sweet.
3
BJ Stone
// Dec 15, 2007 at 11:52 pm
Your facts (as usual) are not quite “facts”.
First of all, the money – 100% of it – DOES go to “the state”. Somewhere in “the state”. Last I checked, counties like Tazewell and cities like Morton are indeed in Illinois, making them part of “the state”. Unless you’re trying to tell me that Illinois speeding fine money is given to New Mexico or Alabama or Guam, 100% of the money collected by Illinois police stays in Illinois.
Fact: SPEED is a factor in EVERY car accident. Why? Because generally, for a car to hit another car or any other object, it has to be moving, therefore SPEED – whatever it may be – is involved. How do you know SPEED was the main factor in that recent crash? Were you there? But hey, I guess you’re just going to ignore 16 out of 23 (over 67%) of those deaths mentioned in the story had to do with alcohol and focus on your one recent anecdote. The police will NEVER admit what I want them to do, they can always hide behind the “safety” defense. Doesn’t make it a fact.
The final so-called “fact” you mentioned is so far off base it doesn’t need a response, but I’ll do it anyway. Suffice to say, I’ll go with my fiance, who SELLS INSURANCE, to get the “facts” on who is a greater risk. Your rates go up when you get POINTS on your record for moving violations, speeding and otherwise. There is NO BASIS OF FACT in your assertion that “speeders are a greater risk”. Rather, people who have accidents are a greater risk. I’m a speeder with NO accidents, thus my rates are LOWER than a person who never speeds but has two wrecks because they ran red lights, and two tickets for failure to yield. You are wrong.
4
Anon E. Mouse
// Dec 16, 2007 at 11:39 am
Sorry about “State” vs”state” thing. Big “S” means “Illinois, Indiana, Michigan” kind of State. Little “s” means “France, Ukraine, Canada” type of “state.”
You mean “local government” as in municipal, township, and county.
Anyway, you are saying that the State (big “S”) Police are working to fill the township coffers? Explain how that works. You are talking about a pretty big conspiracy, here. I haven’t seen government agencies work that well together…ever.
No, the ISP is working that stretch of road because it is a dangerous stretch of State (note the big “S” again) highway. I’ve seen them heavily patrol other stretches of State roads, too. (Rt. 24 for one, between I-39 and Watseka, is a ‘fer instance’).
Actually, BJ – I WAS thee at that recent crash. I happened to be out-and-about for work and I arrived on the scene very shortly afterwards – only one patrol car had arrived before I did. Also, because it happened in Morton and the person killed was from Morton it just so happens that while I did not know the victim, we have good friends that did.
As far as your insurance selling fiance – I trump you. My Mom has 25 years of experience telling those insurance salespeople what to charge. Speeding gets you points, points indicate risk, risk increases your premiums.
If you have been in two wrecks, even if you weren’t at fault, your rates are going up because you are a greater risk.
Now, please dry your crocodile tears about your speeding and move along.
5
BJ Stone
// Dec 16, 2007 at 1:04 pm
Dude, this is MY blog. YOU move along and go back to your own…oh, wait, you don’t have one. You just use Billy’s.
6
Anon E. Mouse
// Dec 16, 2007 at 4:38 pm
I knew it would happen sooner rather than later.
You can’t stay on topic for more than a few minutes at a time.
Talk to you doctor about Ritalin.
Better yet, go back to reading that book.
7
BJ Stone
// Dec 16, 2007 at 6:50 pm
Wait, first you accuse me of having a “fixation” on the Cubs, you’ve answered EVERY one of my posts about speeding, and now I am the one who can’t stay “on topic”?
Who was straying off topic? Who was the one who wrote “move along”?
Amazin’.
8
Vonster
// Dec 19, 2007 at 3:56 pm
Mouse: Don’t bother. He’s a lib and they’re intrinsically right about everything.
9
Anon E. Mouse
// Dec 20, 2007 at 9:55 am
BJ sez: “Wait, first you accuse me of having a “fixation†on the Cubs, you’ve answered EVERY one of my posts about speeding, and now I am the one who can’t stay “on topicâ€?
Who was straying off topic? Who was the one who wrote “move along�
Amazin’.”
10
Anon E. Mouse
// Dec 20, 2007 at 10:05 am
Whoops!
I sez: When did I mention the Cubs in this thread?
11
News: Speeding tickets up, alogn with accidents | Peoria Pundit
// Dec 24, 2007 at 4:45 pm
[...] Peoria Project blogger B. J. Stone often rails against speeding tickets, saying speeding actually plays a very small roll in accidents compared to driving under the [...]
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