Letter: Speeder offended at being stopped for speeding

Letter: Speeder offended at being stopped for speeding

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in Opinions

Friday, March 19. 2010

Comments (29)

Editor:

I travel through your area on Hwy. 441 at least once a month, sometimes more. My wife has health problems and her doctors are in Athens. Sometimes, when we had the extra time, we would get off the bypass and enjoy the quaint businesses of downtown Commerce, but NEVER again!

On practically every trip on the bypass I’ve noticed one or more Commerce city police vehicles. I realized this was in the Commerce city limits, but always wondered why. There is only one or two businesses out there on this section of the bypass and no residences that I am aware of. What are they “protecting and serving?”

Well, last week I found out. I was northbound coming from Athens and as I pulled up to the traffic light at the Wal-Mart at Banks Crossing, I noticed a car fly up behind me and suddenly flashing blue lights came on. I first thought that he couldn’t be after me, as I had been just driving with the flow of traffic on the bypass. I pulled off on a side street just short of the outlet malls and the officer followed me. He explained that he clocked me first at 69 and then going down a hill at 70 and it took him that far to turn around and catch up with me.

I didn’t argue and he gave me a citation for 70 in a 55.

So, businesses and citizens of Commerce, in these tough economic times, how many police officers can you afford to have on duty at one time in the late afternoon on a weekday? If it is like the small town I live in one or two at the most. What happens if something major happens in the city (a fire, burglary, armed robbery, kidnapping or worse) at your business or home and your officers are tied up writing traffic tickets all the way up at Wal-Mart in Banks Crossing? Is this not the job of the Georgia State Patrol and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department? The revenue from the traffic stops might offset a little city property tax in the short run, but what happens when someone loses property or even loses a life because no officer is available on account of it? Think about it!

In addition this situation is already hurting the businesses in town. Google “Georgia speed traps” and you will find a listing under Commerce about the 441 situation on every website. This causes people to stay away. I know I’ll not support Commerce businesses any more as they condone this by the election of their city officials!

Jerry Hamilton
Clarkesville

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#1 Joe Christmas on 03/19/10 at 05:47 PM [Reply]

I've got an idea Jerry. The next time your wife has a doctors appointment in Athens, come down 441 from Clarkesville but when you get to I-85 get on it and go to the Jefferson Exit. Then after going about 20 miles out of your way drive 69 miles per hour on that stretch of road between Jefferson and Athens. Get back to us and let us know how this works for you.

#2 b g on 03/19/10 at 08:29 PM [Reply]

Jerry,
You are a baby! Were you or were you not breaking the law? You admitted you were travelling 15 mph over the posted speed limit. Do you need a pacifier or your bottle? Why don't you try being an adult instead of a child. You broke the law and got caught so deal with it like an adult. Your whining is seriously child-like and you writing to the paper is incredibly funny. Now go get your blanky and bottle and be a good little baby.

#3 Kathy on 03/19/10 at 08:32 PM [Reply]

You are right. 441 is a total speed trap. Only time tickets are not written is when it rains. The section of 441 between walmart and center has become a bad speed trap.But the cops will speed all the times. Alot of people are sick of this. They look for people from out of town to write tickets to. I travel 441 everyday, and I see it almost daily.Maybe try to travel it during their lunch hour. Because these midget,doughnut cops will be eating somewhere and probably free. Please don't hate everyone in Jackson County, this citizen is sick of the overpaid idots too.

#4 Anonymous on 03/19/10 at 09:01 PM [Reply]

Actually more people get killed on the roadways than in burglaries or robberies. GSP is usually busy working car accidents from people violating traffic law. And Jackson County? Only till recently have they started enforcing traffic.

Commerce PD is by far the best police department in Jackson County. The other speed trap cities write more tickets by leaps and bounds.

One might advise the writer that simply obeying the law may benefit him better than complaining in a newspaper.

#5 emily ray on 03/20/10 at 01:13 AM [Reply]

i also wonder the same. is this not the job of the ga. state patrol or jackson and or banks co. sheriffs dept. also beware that between commerce and jefferson on i-85 the city police lay in waitting. at night they have their lights on sitting in the medium so when you do go by the lights blind you and could cause an accident.also when did the rader guns get a bright light on them?

#6 Ted Stone on 03/20/10 at 11:32 AM [Reply]

Questions:
So, are you upset you happened to get caught or are you questioning a Commerce police vehicle stopping you after you crossed the line into Banks County? Do you want the traffic laws only enforced during the peak shopping times, when there are a multitude of cars and pedestrians crossing all along 441?
Are you saying that people don't go shopping because they can't speed as they wish? Are there really sites dedicating to telling people where the good speeding locations are?
We live in Commerce, and have worked at the Crossing since 1990. We do not go over there any other time because of the traffic and the speeding lunatics that come from everywhere. We beleive that there should be a policeman on every corner to correct the issue. If you are not doing anything wrong, you will not get stopped. Has anyone you know ever gotten hurt in an auto accident? How many accidents do you think involve speeding? Your letter is wrong on so many different levels, but the attitude it presents is typical of our current culture.

#7 Nit-pickin about the definition on 03/20/10 at 12:17 PM [Reply]

I freely admit I might just be nit-picky about the definition, but I always thought a "speed trap" referred to a section of road where the speed limit dropped suddenly or excessively to catch people not paying attention. OR someone might argue that a "speed trap" is a section of road where the speed limit is strictly enforced. i.e. A ticket for doing 60 in a 55, or 40 in a 35.
I really can't for the life of me see how a ticket for doing 15 miles an hour over a speed limit that hasn't changed in nearly 10 miles can in anyway be construed as a "speed trap".
I will agree with the gentleman that Commerce City Police DO spend a lot of time on that particular part of town. And it is very difficult to maintain 55mph on that section of highway; given as he says, there are no business and no houses, its 2 lanes and down hill a good part of the way. Personally, as soon as I hit that section I always put my cruise control on.
But it is for those very reasons that police patrol that section. In a section of road where there are no business's, no house's and VERY few other vehicles people tend to get EXTREMELY fast. There are several little side street that dump into the by-pass. It only takes one high speed driver and one little old lady pulling out, and someone WILL be killed.
Having the CCP out there all the time is annoying for me as well, but I know without a doubt that it is their very presence there all the time that keeps the general flow of traffic to a reasonable speed. They are "protecting and serving" ME by maintaining a reasonable speed so when my inexperienced teen-aged drivers are coming home after school they are not MOWED over by crazy a$$ speeders like you.
And I am sorry our town is only "quaint" enough for you if you are allowed to break our laws.
So how about you head down Hwy 129 next time to go to Athens! I KNOW Arcade Police are gonna LOVE YOU!!!

#8 Lyle on 03/20/10 at 12:49 PM [Reply]

How about just not speeding as an answer? Actually, enforcement of speeding laws does have the effect of making more people slow down which results in less car accidents and less fatalities.
No one likes getting a ticket. I did not like getting one for not having a seatbelt on last year. But, I am now consistent with the use of my seatbelt.
When I don't speed- I don't get a ticket. It is a simple concept and does save lives.

#9 commerce citizen on 03/20/10 at 06:21 PM [Reply]

If the cops want to write tickets why dont they go to Clayton St and catch those people that dont stop at stop signs and speed excessively down that street. If they had to get their daily quota of tickets, that would be the place to get them. Their is more of a dangerous situation there than there is on 441.
And what about the City PD on I85? Shouldnt they be in town where the could be more beneficial or is there priority to catch speeders and try to catch a few people trafficing drugs thru the state so they can confiscate a few dollars. The commerce Police Department I think is trying its best to become a semi para military organization than protecting the people of the city.

#10 Slow driver on 03/20/10 at 08:59 PM [Reply]

Jerry,

Slow down, if you must drive down 441, but do not stop in Commerce. Do not ever spend one penny at a store in Commerce, or in Jackson County. Not for gas, not for a Coke, not for a sandwich. Spend your money elsewhere. Taxes pay for services, so don't give your sales tax dollars to the city of Commerce which paid the officer to cruise around, seeking a target.

And seek to reduce your fine by fighting the battle in court, not with the officer. Lawyers are trained to negotiate, and cops are trained to shoot.

Good luck,

#11 Tom on 03/21/10 at 08:37 AM [Reply]

Well its no secret that the local police,(Jefferson, Braselton,Commerce etc) and county sheriff office make good use of writting traffic citations to generate revenue......Your from the area you should have already known that

I make the daily trek to and from Athens from Commerce every day to work. Been stopped twice and given warnings.....I was once stopped in Commcere for what I thought was just your basic profiling.....(My truck looks weathered and worn)...so he asked me if he knew back light was cracked....(I did happen over 10 years ago, but I've always made sure it continues to work) then asked me for my license.....Comes back and tells me I can go.....I was alittle ticked about that, because like I said I was stopped only because of the condition of my vehicle and Im sure he thought the odds were go I had something expired......

Bottom line though....they're out there so respect the posted speed signs, cause they will stop you!

#12 Randall Chitwood on 03/21/10 at 08:54 AM [Reply]

Jerry Hamilton You are an arse. I guess you don't see anything wrong with breaking speeding laws or you just don't want them to be applied to you. I guess you are one of those aggressive drivers who get upset if someome inconvenience you by driving slowe in front of you on the roads you pay with your tas dollars. Sure cities make money off tickets but writing a letter to complain about getting a ticket and trying to turn the isuue into the local law enforcement being a speed trap-come on. By the way I have no connection or my family doesn't have any connection with aw enforcement.

#13 Paula on 03/21/10 at 09:55 AM [Reply]

Really dude? You are gonna write a letter to print in OUR paper for SPEEDING in our town and getting a ticket for it. I am NOT a fan of the CPD BUT they were doing their job, cause any way you look at it, you WERE breaking the law. Oh and I don't know what little town you live in but there is more "than 1 or 2 at the most" officers on duty in the afternoon on any given weekday. Actually, if you had sped through town you would have found out that if 1 pulls you over then there will be a CPD reunion there. 4-5 more will come, I guess checking out the action and ignoring all other parts of town is the cool thing for them to do! :)

#14 leroy on 03/21/10 at 05:06 PM [Reply]

i have been going up an down i-85 for 25 years,about 1 year ago,while coming home from work from atlanta,i got a ticket for head light out.this was 11:30 at night.jefferson area on i-85.150.00 fine.i had gone to walmart,the next day.bought a bulb for 9.00.an replaced it.went to court still 150.00.several freinds after i rec;d my ticket that lived within 20 miles of work ,got stopped for headlight also,but got warnings.its all about money.

#15 Anonymous on 03/21/10 at 05:53 PM [Reply]

I personally feel the speed limit is set too low on the bypass considering the road conditions. It works well for selective enforcement for purposes of revenue generation, but it realistically is not a safety issue. Let's be honest about it. Nobody drives 55 on the bypass except when it is being patrolled anyway. 65 or 70 would be more practical for the citizens, although it wouldn't be very popular for those depending on tickets as a source of revenue.

#16 FL on 03/22/10 at 08:27 AM [Reply]

"speed kills" if there were no law there would be people going 100 mph or as fast as there car would go.
and you could be dead sir then you could not huff and puff about breaking the law.

#16.1 Anonymous on 03/22/10 at 09:31 AM [Reply]

Over 100 mph may be dangerous, but I don't see how anyone in their right mind can justify some of the speed limits in Commerce. The bypass is one area. Take a look at the school zone on Waterworks road as well. Try to see if you can only go 25 mph without keeping your foot on the brake.

#16.1.1 Mark Beardsley on 03/26/10 at 07:50 AM [Reply]

I have, I can and I do. I come through that school zone - at 25 mph - every day. And I don't have to keep my foot on the brake. That speed zone is there because of the high number of wrecks at the intersection of Minish Drive.

A word to the wise: Comments made in all capital letters will not be posted.

#16.1.1.1 Anonymous on 04/01/10 at 08:29 AM [Reply]

The wrecks at Minish Dr are more than likely caused by idiots not paying attention rather than speed.

#17 youhaveapoint on 03/22/10 at 11:41 AM [Reply]

You are right in some perspective. They are more apt to ticket someone from out of town. Recently I was driving through at about 4:30am. Stopped at a red light. and eased up to the next one. I was pulled over and ticketed for exceeding the speed limit from 1 light to the next. It blew my mind - I had to go back and look at the speed limit signs to believe what had just happened. You can't fight a speeding charge even if you are driving a 20 year old truck with a bad clutch. I think the officer hadn't hit any type "quota" the shift was getting close to being over and he needed an out of town driver to make it look like he had been awake all night working hard to protect the late shift from evil.
I don't drive through Commerce unless I just have to nowadays. There is no way to convince me I was speeding and I definitley was respectful to the officer.

#18 maxsportz on 03/22/10 at 02:08 PM [Reply]

55 for 441 is ridiculously low. A bypass saves little time if you have to drive so slow. I'm sure many officers do not give tickets on 441 unless they are way over 55, but others do. As more and more cities starve for money.. the tix will increase & surcharges on tix. It is essentially a tax.

#19 incredulous on 03/22/10 at 02:25 PM [Reply]

First, the speed limit on all state roads is set by the Department of Transportation, not by the city or the county.

Second, if you're speeding, you're breaking the law. You were 27 percent over the speed limit. What did you expect?

Third, don't blame the police for enforcing the law. That's what they're paid to do and expected to do. There has been a lot of accidents on the bypass caused by speeders like yourself.

Fourth. Either slow down, pick another route or shut up and pay your fine. Whining doesn't solve anything.

#20 goodoleboy on 03/22/10 at 06:45 PM [Reply]

Be for real. Anyone that drive 441 everyday knows the last year it has become a ticket surplus. The cops write to the out of towners, because they are less likely to fight the charge. The cops know where the speed signs are, The signs go from 55 to 45, out of towners don't expect them to change so fast. But that's the catch. The cops use it all the time. See them do it everyday to someone.Look for the city limit sign in front of the mayor's house.Sign change, tickets wrote there alot. Too many cops on payroll. We have them in the schools, all they do is stand around, flirt. Don't protect anything. What a waste .

#21 Anonymous on 03/23/10 at 08:01 AM [Reply]

Speeding is against the law; however, with too many speed limits set far too low, the law has about as much legitimacy as the law in Gainesville banning eating chicken with a fork. It's for revenue pure and simple.

#22 LOL on 03/23/10 at 04:31 PM [Reply]

Let's see - you admit to doing 15 miles over the speed limit on a stretch of road where you often see Commerce police running radar, and you're surprised and outraged at being ticketed?

Consider it a tax on (your) stupidity. Thanks for the donation. We appreciate your business.

#23 Baffled on 03/24/10 at 03:22 PM [Reply]

Amazing...and typical of so many people today, whining and NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY for their mistakes. I can't believe you have the nerve to write a letter to the local newspaper complaining because you are too stupid to follow the law! Get a life and stay out of our town if you don't like it.

#24 Anonymous on 03/26/10 at 07:21 AM [Reply]

Of all the arrogant, self-important, egotistical things I've seen in the paper and online recently, this has GOT to take the cake.

Screaming "I'm special, the LAW doesn't apply to ME, so I shouldn't get a ticket for speeding!" is so typical of the attitude of many people today.

And the GALL it takes to say "Oh, IF I got a ticket, it should only be from THIS department or THAT department, just because you are a police department shouldn't give you the right to stop me when you catch me breaking the law." Are you REALLY that much of an IDIOT?

Well, guess what, genius!

You AREN'T "special".

The law DOES apply to you and the rest of you folks that think you can just break the rules and the law with impunity.

And quite frankly, the rest of us (you know, us "suckers" that DO follow the rules and do NOT intentionally and deliberately break the law) are sick and tired of watching you do just what ever you want, thinking you DESERVE to do what ever you want.

Be glad you only got a ticket instead of slamming into a car and killing someone because you were going too fast to stop.

So shut up, you moron, and obey the law, like you are SUPPOSED to.

#25 annomyus on 04/02/10 at 12:08 AM [Reply]

i think that all county are full of bull.they need to get of there but and stop worring about speeding to get donughts

#26 Anonymous on 04/12/10 at 12:29 AM [Reply]

You got pulled over for going 70 in a 55, correct? Why after agreeing to speeding, are you complaining about it? If you knew you were breaking the law then you have nothing to complain about.

Now, as to the statement that they need better things to do, that I agree. I've been pulled over several times by Commerce Police Department in the past two months without being given a ticket or citation. Out of the nine or ten times I've been pulled over only twice have I gotten a ticket. One was for my windshiend (a tree branch had fallen on it and I hadn't replaced it yet) and one for speeding (I was told I was going 70 in a 55, my speed was registering at 60), so I think I would have a good reason to complain. Once I've been pulled over simply for walking in the morning, and once I was pulled over just because they wanted to know where I was going.

Commerce Police Department pulled you over because you were speeding. But, then again, even if you were doing nothing wrong, you still might have gotten a ticket.

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Letter: Speeder offended at being stopped for speeding

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