speed traps practice (very remote Audi content)

[Andrei Talalaevskii <andrei@insti.physics.sunysb.edu>]

Just got a latest NMA Newsletter (Vol.9 issue 5). 

On page 6 there is an article "Infamous speed trap shut down". It is
rather informative regarding the general speed enforcement practice in the
US. It tells about a small town in MO located on the way to some tourist
attraction. 

By 1994 more than 3/4 of town's annual budget came from traffic fines
(2,900 tickets a year for a 272 people town!). Once, they made a mistake
and stopped a state legislator. He then proposed the law adopted in a
year that "limited(!) the amount of income a city could generate from
traffic tickets to 45(!!) % of total revenue". 

Now the town is in debt of $160,000 and is about to file for bankruptcy
protection. Four full-time and one part-time policemen were laid off and
their cars with radars were sold or repossessed. 

In my opinion, this is a very good example of what the political campaigns
like "speed kills" are all about. I can only express the disgust of this
common abuse of power which undermines public trust and respect to the
government and police. 

Andrei


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