Tickets for good driving?

[RadioFreeSeaLab]

http://www.kxan.com/global/story.asp?s=4605380&ClientType=Printable

Tickets For Good Driving
March 8, 2006, 09:04 PM

Dozens of Central Texas drivers got pulled over Thursday for doing absolutely nothing wrong.

Travis County deputies kicked off what has become a controversial reward program.

You know that heart stopping feeling you get when seeing the flashing red lights of law enforcement in the rear view mirror.

Well, you won't see that if you're a good driver, but you may get pulled over.

Getting pulled over for doing nothing wrong may not sound right to a lot of people.

Travis County Deputy Derrick Taylor says his job is to not only look for bad drivers, but reward and encourage friendly drivers.

"The big cargo truck that was in front of you and you allowed to get in front of you, that was a very nice thing you did and because it was a safe thing, we want to reward you with a Round Rock express baseball tickets," Taylor tells a good driver.

Free baseball tickets for good drivers - some like it and don't mind being pulled over like Erin.

"I was really surprised, but it's cool though. I thought I was like in trouble so a little nerve racking," driver Erin Baker said.

That's the problem with other drivers saying it's an inconvenience.

Deputy Taylor says they're not trying to scare anyone. Deputies will simply wave to good drivers and politely ask them to pull over to the side.

"What I'm trying to focus on and the only thing I'm trying to focus on is rewarding someone for good driving. There are going to be some people who are not going to like it cause the only experience they have with law enforcement is negative," Taylor said.

Drivers like Erin say they'll take this ticket over a traffic ticket any day.

"Yeah, I will probably go with my boyfriend or something," Baker said.

This program will last until this weekend, and it stems from one that worked well some 20 years ago except deputies were handing out money -- up to $50.

No one complained then until the money ran out.

Personally, I'd rather they just leave me alone if I'm not doing anything wrong.
And what's wrong with our society that we have to have some sort of crappy incentive to do the right thing?

[Ben]

They used to do that same kind of thing around here years ago at Christmas time. Don't know if they stopped for the same kind of reasons as above or because Christmas is a politically incorrect holiday.

[jefnvk]

If they want to reward, why not just take the license plate number and mail them something?

[cordex]

If they want to reward, why not just take the license plate number and mail them something?

Then they're rewarding the car owner, not necessarily the driver.

Still doesn't seem like the best of ideas.

[crt360]

There's a lesson here.  If you've got an open fifth of Jack in your lap, a loaded revolver on the dashboard and a roach burning in the ashtray, DO NOT drive politely in Austin.

I've been pulled over three times in the past year for apparently little or no reason.  After screwing around for some time, one cop determined that I had an out of date inspection sticker and wrote me a ticket.  He never would have seen it if he hadn't pulled me over.  Second time, I was on my way home from work at night.  Cop pulls me over, sits and waits for backup, who came and blocked me in, before approaching.  While he took my license & insurance, backup cop is shining a flashlight around in my vehicle from the other side.  What's he looking for?  A stolen Picasso?  Severed head?  Dirty bomb?  About ten minutes later he comes back and tells me a bulb is burned out on one of my tail lights, hands me my stuff and tells me to have a nice evening.  The burned out bulb was one of several that do the same thing, so it wasn't like I was driving with a tail light or brake light out.  Nothing illegal.  What the hell was that all about?  The last time I got pulled over it was because I had a head light out.  It had been out for less than 24 hours and I had already gone to two stores to try to replace it.  My inspection sticker had just expired and I couldn't get a new sticker with my head light out.  I explained to the officer that I was on the way to another store to try to find a replacement light (and I really was).  He sees my inspection sticker expired several days before.  Another ticket.  What ever happened to warnings for minor stuff like this?  Why couldn't they give me some tickets to a baseball game?

[doczinn]

If the officer wants to wave me over to the side from in his car, may I ignore him? If so, then fine and dandy. If he uses his lights and/or siren, then I have no choice and am being detained.

[RadioFreeSeaLab]

Fishing expedition.

[Standing Wolf]

I guess the cops in that town have run out of criminals.

[M14rick]

Like dasmi said- Leave me alone unless I have screwed up. I don't want a reward for doing the right thing. Heck, the reason I try to drive carefully is so I won't get stopped!

[grislyatoms]

I call BS on this. Sounds like a "polite" way to circumvent the 4th amendment.

Keep your baseball tickets and leave me alone.

[Guest]

fishing,  you guys beat me to it.  What utter bullshit.  like than man said,   keep yer baseball tickets (which are more than likely tax subsidized)  and leave me alone....