Fed judge slaps down speed trap fascists

[Perd Hapley]

Yes, a federal judge had to explain to some of my fellow Missourians that they can't arrest people for warning other motorists of police, by flashing their headlights. 

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/02/05/federal-judge-rules-drivers-allowed-to-warn-other-motorists-speed-traps/

Ellisville is a St. Louis suburb about half-way between my parent's homestead, and the slum I currently call home. My father turned a wrench at the Ellisville Buick dealership for many, many years.

[MechAg94]

Your free speech cannot interfere with ticket revenue.   

[Ben]

Your free speech cannot interfere with ticket revenue.   

Not that I was a revenue enhancement proponent before, but after I got my recent ticket, where I discovered that the fine for the actual violation was only like 15% of the total fine, I have become a BIG proponent of screwing with revenue enhancement. :)

[drewtam]

Not that I was a revenue enhancement proponent before, but after I got my recent ticket, where I discovered that the fine for the actual violation was only like 15% of the total fine, I have become a BIG proponent of screwing with revenue enhancement. :)

Explain.

[Regolith]

Explain.

Various court fees often add up to way more than the cost of the ticket. It's just another way for the government to pick your pocket.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

Fee splitting us a legal tradition

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[Ben]

Explain.

I don't remember exactly, but the the base fine was around $35 (for speeding), then the additional breakdown from an around $150 ticket went to DNA testing fees, court construction fees for county and state courts, and some other fees not related to the offense. Additionally, I asked for traffic school, and that was an additional $60 fee for state permission to take the class. The class itself, on the Internet, cost me $13.50. So the state charged me five times what the provider charged me just for my "permission slip".

[AZRedhawk44]

I don't remember exactly, but the the base fine was around $35 (for speeding), then the additional breakdown from an around $150 ticket went to DNA testing fees, court construction fees for county and state courts, and some other fees not related to the offense. Additionally, I asked for traffic school, and that was an additional $60 fee for state permission to take the class. The class itself, on the Internet, cost me $13.50. So the state charged me five times what the provider charged me just for my "permission slip".

They took DNA from you for a speeding ticket?

[Ben]

They took DNA from you for a speeding ticket?

No, they just charged me a fee that goes to their DNA testing program.

[T.O.M.]

Various court fees often add up to way more than the cost of the ticket. It's just another way for the government to pick your pocket.

Don't blame the courts...well most courts anyways...for the fees.  At least here in Ohio, the fees imposed on a traffic ticket are state based, and earmarked for various state programs.  In our court, we have to impose a certain fee scale, and a small fraction of it covers court costs.  The rest gets sent to the state, with annual audits of our books by the state to make sure they get what they claim.

[HankB]

RE: The OP . . . similar adventures of a local man in an Austin, TX suburb . . .  http://speedtrapahead.org/wordpress/2010/12/21/all-matters-of-mitchell-vs-city-of-lakeway-et-al-have-been-resolved/

[brimic]

Its sort of like your phone bill- a major chunk of it is FCC fees and taxes, maybe a 911 tax, plus state and local taxes.

[roo_ster]

In Texas the state takes all fines over a certain amount or percentage of violations.  So, the localities do everything in their power to jack up court fees and pretty much push you into a diversion program...which costs as much or more than the ticket but does not go on your record.

It is almost exclusively about revenue.

[MechAg94]

In Texas the state takes all fines over a certain amount or percentage of violations.  So, the localities do everything in their power to jack up court fees and pretty much push you into a diversion program...which costs as much or more than the ticket but does not go on your record.

It is almost exclusively about revenue.

Yeah, usually defensive driving will cost the same as paying the ticket, you just have to pay for the class also.

I got a ticket in Pasadena, TX once.  The cop on scene pretty much told me to ask for deferred adjutication if I had a clean record.  I showed up in court and asked for that.  It cost the same, but the ticket went away after 3 months with no further tickets.  I don't think they really cared.  When I got the ticket, one cop was waving everyone over who was going more than 10 MPH over the limit.  The other cop was writing all the tickets for 10 MPH over.  They did that in that location quite often.  It was right before a speed limit change and everyone tended to speed up early. 

[Jamisjockey]

Yeah, usually defensive driving will cost the same as paying the ticket, you just have to pay for the class also.

I got a ticket in Pasadena, TX once.  The cop on scene pretty much told me to ask for deferred adjutication if I had a clean record.  I showed up in court and asked for that.  It cost the same, but the ticket went away after 3 months with no further tickets.  I don't think they really cared.  When I got the ticket, one cop was waving everyone over who was going more than 10 MPH over the limit.  The other cop was writing all the tickets for 10 MPH over.  They did that in that location quite often.  It was right before a speed limit change and everyone tended to speed up early. 

I know a couple Pasadena cops.....