Steering You Right: Speed limits in construction zones

[CD_Editor]

Peter drives the same route home from work everyday and knows the speed limits by heart ' so he was surprised when he was pulled over by a police officer when he was only doing five km/h over the speed limit.
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[Gardiner Westbound]

I drive the 401 between Toronto and Windsor. Sham reduced speed construction zones that stretch for miles and last for weeks are common. Often there is no construction activity whatsoever, no workmen, no work trucks, no nothing, nada.

Typically three OPP cars are positioned at the end of the construction zone, a radar car and two chase cars. Around Kitchener the radar operators hide out on the overpasses.

Another trick is parking an unoccupied OPP car with the roof beacon operating on the shoulder. A chase car further down the road picks off arch criminals who failed to vacate the right lane.

The OPP motto is, "To serve and collect." It's a racket!   

[Power2Weight]

The OPP motto is, "To serve and collect." It's a racket!   

The OPP are not alone although their tactics are the most questionable. Especially when they sit under a bridge on the left shoulder just outside Kingston and point at speeding vehicles. Try deciding at 100kph which vehicle that 3" digit is pointing toward. Then watch the turmoil when the "offender" often in the left lane stands on the brakes to bring his/her vehicle to a standstill on the left shoulder. After the appropriate taxes have been invoiced the driver is then left to his own devices to launch his vehicle back into the fast lane.
Tell me this is done in the name of safety.
No quite simply is is Uniformed Tax Collection.

As a guy that was raised to respect police officers I can tell you it becomes harder each and every year, in fact it is a crime that law enforcement is used in this manner.

[jimboagogo]

I HAVE to weigh in here and we should all be so blessed as to have posted speed limits in construction zones as you do in Ont.  Here in Mb, the official policy is to post signs that clearly state  "50km/hr When Men Working".  Notice that 'whenworking ' part?  Beware in Manitoba as you will be ticketed at ANY time of day, night, holidays, whether workers are present or not.  Many drivers have protested the misleading nature of the signs after being dinged on weekends when there are no machines or workers present, but the Mb Dept of highways has not changed their signs, nor have the police changed their diligence!

[E A Bruce]

I got ticketed for something similar.
There was a police type vehicle with some kind of flashing light well off the road in an access area that was part of an entrance to the Surrey Docks. I would not have considered the vehicle "at the side of the road". Also there were other vehicles between the police type vehicle and the road.
I was pulled over and given a $173 (less $25 if paid within 30 days) ticket for "Fail to slow down near emergency veh" per the B.C. "MV regulations".
It sure caught me by surprise.
Eldon

[kirm]

"However, there is no magic 10 per cent formula, as some people believe. In fact, when police are conducting an “operation” in areas that are known for speeding, they may indeed pull people over for driving just a few kilometres over the speed limit."

This isn't true in Edmonton. Ask the Crown Prosecutor and he will tell you that city cops will not ticket you if you are below an imposed limit. The limit?  14 km/h above the posted limit. You'll notice here, in this berg, that you'll never get a photo radar ticket or speed trap ticket unless you're 14 km/h or greater over the limit. That's mighty white of them but what it really comes down to is; How much will they lose when everybody starts contesting small tickets? They've carefully calculated the point of maximum return with minimum expense for their little scam (read: photo radar).

It's all a scam anyhow and they've turned peace-makers into state funding agents as Power2Weight said. Hey, it's your country. If you want to do something about it then...do something about it. We have the system we deserve, I guess.