| Author |
Message |
    
frannyfree
Citizen
Username: Frannyfree
Post Number: 177
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, March 26, 2006 - 3:11 pm: | 
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I was stopped by a police checkpoint Friday night on Ridgewood Rd. I was given a ticket for not having my seatbelt on. The police officer that gave me the ticket said she was sorry and apologized. She said if it hadn't been the seatbelt, they would have found something else. Maybe a light out or something. That they were stopping everyone and giving out tickets. She even said that she can find something to write up on 90% of cars.
What is this a new way to raise revenue? This is the end of the month, so I guess they need to find money somewhere.
Yes, I did not have my belt on, but a random stop to find something? I find it very annoying and maybe unconstitutional. |
Albatross
Citizen
Username: Albatross
Post Number: 817
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, March 26, 2006 - 3:21 pm: |
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It's no more unconstitutional than the officer making the observation from the side of the road as you drove by.
They may be able to write things up on 90% of the cars, but they certainly don't give out tickets to 90%. I've been through checkpoints on Boyden and Springfield Avenues and I never see anyone stopped. It's always on a Friday or Saturday night; the last time was toward the beginning of March. |
The Soulful Mr T
Citizen
Username: Howardt
Post Number: 1686
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, March 26, 2006 - 3:35 pm: |
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Where on Ridgewood Rd did that occur? |
Lizziecat
Citizen
Username: Lizziecat
Post Number: 1125
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, March 26, 2006 - 4:04 pm: |
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Maybe this is a way of raising funds to pay for Tau. |
emmie
Supporter
Username: Emmie
Post Number: 712
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, March 26, 2006 - 4:16 pm: |
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Maplewood P.D. or South Orange P.D.? |
Case
Citizen
Username: Case
Post Number: 1328
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, March 26, 2006 - 4:28 pm: |
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I got stopped at the same checkpoint, but fortunately I live near the village - I was able to use my special taxpayer ID and scoot right through. |
kmk
Supporter
Username: Kmk
Post Number: 1099
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, March 26, 2006 - 5:18 pm: |
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It was between New England and Hoffman on Ridgewood Road.
I didn't get a ticket for anything. I think it was an excellent lesson in law obedience and my three children watched very intently as I interacted with the police officers (in a respectful manner). |
aquaman
Supporter
Username: Aquaman
Post Number: 801
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, March 26, 2006 - 5:49 pm: |
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Frannyfree,
You weren't wearing your seatbelt?
That ticket may have saved your life.
Speed x Weight = Force.
If you weigh 100 pounds and are traveling along Ridgewood at 30 MPH that equals 3,000 pounds of force on impact.
If you're not wearing a seatbelt Frannyfree, I daresay you would be toast.
Statistically, messy and sad toast.
Keep up the good work MPD! |
Brett
Citizen
Username: Bmalibashksa
Post Number: 2235
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, March 26, 2006 - 6:22 pm: |
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I thought Force = Mass * Acceleration.
Did you mean Momentum = Mass * Velocity, Weight is Mass * Gravity so that can't be right |
aquaman
Supporter
Username: Aquaman
Post Number: 802
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, March 26, 2006 - 6:48 pm: |
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Brett,
I think it's speed = accelleration/braking.
No no it's inertia - entropy = vacuum.
No, volume = length * height * width.
That's it!!
Maybe some knowitall traffic engineer can pontificate, y'know, how it's physically oooompossible to go 40mph on Ridgewood. |
emmie
Supporter
Username: Emmie
Post Number: 713
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, March 26, 2006 - 7:13 pm: |
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I live on Ridgewood and the cars zip along like it was the GSP. I am not sorry that there was a checkpoint and I wish they would do it more often. |
aquaman
Supporter
Username: Aquaman
Post Number: 804
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, March 26, 2006 - 7:54 pm: |
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Brett,
We're really talking about mass - yes?
Mass is always the same - so if you're driving down Ridgewood Rd at 40 MPH (impossible, but let's suppose) and you weigh 210 pounds that equals 900 million tons of pressure.
You're SO dead.
My advice is to buckle up.
Dr. Arthur Curry |
Brett
Citizen
Username: Bmalibashksa
Post Number: 2236
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, March 26, 2006 - 8:35 pm: |
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You’re practicing Butt math. This math is coming out of your butt.
But I do agree you should wear a seat belt.
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Carl Thompson
Citizen
Username: Topcat
Post Number: 194
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, March 26, 2006 - 8:48 pm: |
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Ok, all you Einsteins, here’s how it works:Momentum = Mass x Velocity
Force = Mass x Acceleration
(or more generally, Force = Rate of Change of Momentum with respect to Time)
Weight is a type of force, namely the force of gravity.
Hence, Weight = Mass x Acceleration of Gravity.
Mass is not always the same, just check out the theory of relativity for what happens when your speed gets close to the speed of light. (That’s considerably more than 40 MPH, by the way, so changing mass is probably not a factor on Ridgewood Road. On the other hand, the mayor lives at the corner of Ridgewood and Hickory, and Jerry Ryan lives just up the hill, so perhaps there is a unique space-time warp in that vicinity.)
Pressure = Force /Area and has nothing to do with any of this.
If you’re trying to calculate how squashed you will be if you’re not wearing a seatbelt and going 40 MPH and you stop your car suddenly, the answer is plenty squashed. The details have to do with the vacuum that Aquaman mentioned. In this case, it’s the vacuum between your ears for not wearing your friggin’ seatbelt. Take a smart pill and buckle up. Sheesh.
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Rastro
Citizen
Username: Rastro
Post Number: 2669
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 10:13 am: |
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Hmmm... the area of my seatbelt seems to be much less than the area of my windshield. So it I hit the windshield rather than being restrained by my seatbelt, I should be safer.
In other words, there are many more factors that go into this than simple physics 101 equations. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 13225
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 11:23 am: |
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I agree everyone should wear a seatbelt whenever on public roads.
But this checkpoint rubs me the wrong way. If the intent is to give a ticket to every car, then I believe there is something wrong with that.
Yes, I think enforcement of violations should increase, but not with the intent of impeding the public, and not with the intent or effort to giving a ticket to everyone.
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Brett Weir
Citizen
Username: Brett_weir
Post Number: 1363
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 12:18 pm: |
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I think it's V + E = S...
(...Violation + Enforcement = Summons) |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 11064
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 1:07 pm: |
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Most of these check points are geared towards catching drunk drivers. Any other violations are just frosting on the cake. A lot of us complain about lax traffic enforcement, but when the police step it up we complain. |
Eponymous
Citizen
Username: Eponymous
Post Number: 148
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 1:16 pm: |
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BK,
Could it be because stopping all cars on a road strikes some of us as akin to "unreasonable search"?
(And, yes, I know that the supreme court found this kind of thing legal.) |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 7071
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 1:25 pm: |
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I wish that they would do a checkpoint on my street. It's another speedway. If you get caught breaking a traffic law, you pay the penalty. Some laws are stupid; others save lives.
I have a bigger problem with the "points extortion fee" in the court system, but that's another story.
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aquaman
Supporter
Username: Aquaman
Post Number: 811
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 1:29 pm: |
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Frannyfree (The Perp) said,
"The police officer that gave me the ticket said she was sorry and apologized. She said if it hadn't been the seatbelt, they would have found something else. Maybe a light out or something. That they were stopping everyone and giving out tickets. She even said that she can find something to write up on 90% of cars."
(Italics mine)
Perp's story is rather hinky:
1. The Perp is detained by one of Maplewood's Finest(MF)
2. The Perp is rightfully ticketed.
3. MF sends The Perp on merry way but not before divulging ticketing technicality scheme.
Stuff and Nonsense Frannyfree.
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kmk
Supporter
Username: Kmk
Post Number: 1102
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 1:30 pm: |
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They didn't stop every car on the street...the cars were counted off and every other car was asked to pull onto a side street for a more thorough look.
Tom - I think that the statement made about the intent to ticket every car was a bit of an exaggeration.. |
Albatross
Citizen
Username: Albatross
Post Number: 818
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 1:39 pm: |
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Tom: Did you see my post directly under Frannyfree's?
Adding to what kmk said, every time (3x) that I've been through, they just peeked in at everyone with a flashlight and sent everyone on their way. I think what Bob K said about catching drunk drivers makes sense, too, especially since they target weekend evenings. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 13277
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 11:17 pm: |
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I relent. We've asked many times for tougher enforcement, and maybe we're getting it now. We should not complain. They're not doing it exactly as I would, but who the heck am I?
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The Libertarian
Citizen
Username: Local_1_crew
Post Number: 1827
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 11:21 pm: |
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step by step. little by little. |
Glock 17
Citizen
Username: Glock17
Post Number: 402
Registered: 7-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 11:32 pm: |
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I got pulled over twice on a friday night...Supposedly the center brakelight was out in my whip and they were sweatin me for it. I was totally unaware of it at the time..but what am i supposed to do about it at 11:30pm on a friday night? luckily they didnt give me a ticket...but they kept giving me the "i smell alchohol" "where are the parties tonight?" beat...it was annoying...since i was clean on both counts. |
K_soze
Citizen
Username: K_soze
Post Number: 21
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 29, 2006 - 1:28 am: |
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 I wonder how many people are like "what the hell is a whip and why was he sweating" |
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