Traffic tickets increasing in SLO County?
Cities and counties are hard up for revenues lately, and it seems that they have found a way to pick up some more cash. Instantly. What’s the secret? Give more traffic tickets. Now, I have no proof of this, except anecdotal stories. But, I can say with certainty that for the last few months I have seen a markedly increased number of San Luis Obispo Police cars hiding out in shady areas, down side streets and any other hard-to-see hiding places. I’ve always seen a big police presence in town–and don’t get me wrong, I’m glad about that as I support the police–but they must have deployed more of them to citing traffic violators. Let me just warn you all of one place many of us drive through that is a cash cow for the SLO Police: on Broad Street between Sacramento and Tank Farm Road, across from Marigold Center and the park; it used to be 55 and was recently reduced to 45. It’s like shooting fish in a barrel for them there.
The same is true of the California Highway Patrol. The freeways and state highways are replete with the black and whites lurking right where you are most likely to be hitting a good speed. We all know you could always find them on Hwy 101 between Santa Maria and Santa Barbara, but they’ve now apparently found gold in SLO county. And, I don’t know if they are allowed to give tickets off the highways, but I seem to see them everywhere now.
The new bluetooth mobile phone law is really keeping them busy! Most people I know are so frustrated with these devices that they are still grabbing the phone by hand instead, out of frustration over pairing problems, sound quality, dead bluetooth devices and other issues. Just trying to get them to work properly is more dangerous to your driving than using a phone by hand, but that’s a subject for another story.
Now listen to this! Not only are they citing those criminals using their cell phones in their cars, but they are even citing people talking on a mobile phone while riding bicycles.
I’m interested in your comments. Have you seen an increase in ticketing? Do you have any inside info about this? Where are the sneakiest hiding spots in town?
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You aren’t kidding! I have never seen so many people being pulled over as I have in the last couple months. And I know what you mean about across from the Damon-Garcia Sports Field! My husband got a ticket there last month and he was going the same speed he always has gone. It was only when he was pulled over that he realized the speed limit was lowered.
FYI: I’m not one of those anti-police people. I support them, and I’m sure they are just doing as instructed. But maybe they should be spending this time on more serious crimes.
Tina on September 25th, 2008 10:21 pmEven the meter maids in town are out in full force. I got a expired meter ticket for $17 for two !@#$%^ minutes over. She was there…just waiting for the meter to expire to write me up. What a bitch!
Beavis on October 16th, 2008 8:55 pm