Skip to main content

As a former police officer, I am amazed, no...SHOCKED at the flagrant disregard for traffic laws as displayed by many Shoals' area drivers. Sheffield drivers are especially bad. Do these drivers think they have a RIGHT to run traffic lights and STOP signs? Perhaps a more aggressive approach by area LEOs would be appropriate.

'The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it.'

'When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.'

'And what country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms.'

'An elective despotism was not the government we fought for.' - Thomas Jefferson

Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

If anyone were seriously injured in an auto accident by a driver running a red light or stop sign, all they would have to do is subpoena the records of tickets written for such violations. I'm sure the numbers would so abysmally low as to place the cities in jeopardy. They would be named as co-defendents for not prosecuting enough of these cases.

I'm sure the NTSB keeps stats reflecting the numbers per capita of these type violations. If not they should. When a municipality is lagging in enforcement of these laws they should be held responsible. They are encouraging such behavior by ignoring it.

People fail to realize that speed limits aren't a suggestion, they're the maximum allowable speed for operating an automobile. Ignore them at your own peril. I always wanted to be a traffic cop just one day a month. I wish someone would try to see just how many tickets they could write.
Since relocating to Sheffield in late May, I've witnessed exactly ONE SPD officer conducting a traffic stop. Mind you, I have NO 'beefs' with SPD'd officers. As I experienced in my old department, I'm reasonably certain SOMEone has dissuaded them from writing 'too many citations'. I have NO doubts that I could write $1000 per week in traffic citations. To make matters worse, Sheffield drivers display the same arrogant attitude in the city's school zones.
dogsoldier0513:"To make matters worse, Sheffield drivers display the same arrogant attitude in the city's school zones."
mlholt:"I always wanted to be a traffic cop just one day a month. I wish someone would try to see just how many tickets they could write."

Has anyone ever considered using video camera to record those violations, then sharing the same with teevee stations and other news outlets?

A dear engineer friend of mine one day, several months ago, showed one of his new "toys" to us. It was a handheld radar unit, sometimes used by baseball teams to ascertain how fast a pitcher thew a"fast ball."

It would be a fairly small matter to record the driver's speed and their tag number, and accumulate enough witnessed evidence to present to the mass media with a News Conference, and THAT would get the city's attention (and the people's)!

In fact, another dear engineer friend is a Civil Engineer. As part of his Master's Thesis project he travelled throughout Alabama collecting data for roadway improvement. I was honored to briefly assist his project. The raw data was collected using video cameras on the roadside during daylight hours.

So, I KNOW that it's a very simple matter of changing these things... or at least making enough stink so that they'll listen and act!

Remember... not only does the 'squeaky wheel get the grease,' but 'lighting a candle also drives away darkness.'

Get your candles and oil cans out folks!

Do your citizen's duty!

And, you may save the lives of children and your own!
quote:
Originally posted by mlholt:
If anyone were seriously injured in an auto accident by a driver running a red light or stop sign, all they would have to do is subpoena the records of tickets written for such violations. I'm sure the numbers would so abysmally low as to place the cities in jeopardy. They would be named as co-defendents for not prosecuting enough of these cases.

I'm sure the NTSB keeps stats reflecting the numbers per capita of these type violations. If not they should. When a municipality is lagging in enforcement of these laws they should be held responsible. They are encouraging such behavior by ignoring it.

People fail to realize that speed limits aren't a suggestion, they're the maximum allowable speed for operating an automobile. Ignore them at your own peril. I always wanted to be a traffic cop just one day a month. I wish someone would try to see just how many tickets they could write.


I would like to see the numbers from Shoal Creek east (Killen) through the painfully slow 35 MPH zone. I cant imagine why that has to be 35 mph nor can I imagine why there has to be a stoplight at Rollins road, I have seen plenty of near misses due to the traffic light.
quote:
Originally posted by DixieGalinSoCal:
It's 35 mph through that area because Killen makes a killing (ha ha Razzer) and fills their city coffers on the speeding tickets they write. It's an old fashioned speed trap, plain n simple.


Killen Police are not the agency enforcing the construction zone at Shoals Creek. In the two plus years that this project has ben goin' on, Killen ain't wrote a handful of tickets. State Troopers have been the enforcement in the construction zone.

Kinda hard to have a "speed trap" when you don't write tickets there.
Exactly my point Shoals Lover...I haven't lived in the Shoals since whatever construction project alacharger is talking about. I'm referring to the years and years prior when they would lie in wait for you just inside the city limits where you went from 50 mph down to 35 mph in a heartbeat. I know my husband got a ticket driving through the area right after he had moved there (before we were married) because he didn't know Killen's reputation and drastically reduced speed limit. A school bus was parked on the side of the road, blocking the first 35 mph speed limit sign but the good ole Killen boys gave him a ticket anyway. Now that's a speed trap...wouldn't have put it past them to have parked the school bus there on purpose!!!
The construction zone at Shoals Creek and the Brooks High School zone are the ONLY 35 mph zones that has ever been in Killen. Brooks High School has always had two signs on each end of the zone. Both signs cannot have been blocked at the same time, or the highway itself would have been completely blocked. Highway 72 has, in the last 20 plus years, always been a 55 mph zone. East of Brooks is 65 mph.

Call it a "speed trap" if you want...we have less accidents per vehicle traveling through than any other city in the area.
We've been out here about 3 1/2 years. My hubby was out of work almost 3 years back in the Shoals and running out of unemployment benefits before he got the job offer to move out here to La La Land. We just broke down and bought a house out here in October so we're not planning on coming back to the Shoals until he retires (maybe another 10 years) and we can live off of his military retirement pay. He is a Lt Col in the Air Force Reserves in addition to this civilian job. We don't hold much hope of the Shoals rebounding enough that he could find employment back there. As for me, I do executive admin support for a major aerospace company in El Segundo, CA where all the big gov't contractors are based.
Oh yes, we are well aware of Huntsville but for all it's big city talk it doesn't walk the walk. It's still a small town with the "it's not what you know, but who you know" mentality. My husband is a director of an aerospace contracting company out here but could not even get a call back or interview in Huntsville because he didn't have the appropriate good old boy (translate old H'ville money) connections.
And yes, if I told you how much we just dropped for our humble 3 br/2.5 ba, you'd probably choke on your cornbread. Eeker I think we're still experiencing a little sticker shock ourselves, but every time I drive into our little gated community it gets better. Smiler
Mott there's no perfect city full of safe drivers that I know of. I just get sick of hearing about how broke the cities are in one ear and the number of traffic deaths in the other.

Maybe one sollution to both problems is to enforce the traffic laws. By scaring the majority of drivers into slowing down we could restore the city coffers, save a few lives, lower insurance rates, burn less gas lowering the cost at the pump and achieve a more harmonious outcome.

I have certainly exceeded the posted speed limit in my time but always when circomstances allowed. In low traffic areas with high visibility I never worried much. Combining good judgement with exceptional skill is the key. I no longer drive but in the past I have logged more miles in reverse than most would in any forward gear. In the past I would've put my skills up against anyone's. When the time came, I used that good judgement and turned in my keys, sold my vehicle and gave it up. Most won't ever have the sense to do that.
quote:
Originally posted by alacharger:
quote:
Originally posted by DixieGalinSoCal:
It's 35 mph through that area because Killen makes a killing (ha ha Razzer) and fills their city coffers on the speeding tickets they write. It's an old fashioned speed trap, plain n simple.


Killen Police are not the agency enforcing the construction zone at Shoals Creek. In the two plus years that this project has ben goin' on, Killen ain't wrote a handful of tickets. State Troopers have been the enforcement in the construction zone.

Kinda hard to have a "speed trap" when you don't write tickets there.


I agree its not the city of Killen, it is always Troopers and usually Officer......I will just say Homer. I have learned my lesson and paid for all of them, the only thing worse than getting a ticket is going to court and wasting 6 or 7 hours to see the judge.
I was a police officer in Selmer, TN. Selmer has an undeserved rap for being a 'speed trap'. That's crazy! We were 'under orders' (from the former mayor, a TOTAL ) to allow 14mph OVER the posted speed limit before citing for speeding, UNLESS the driver's actions were deemed 'reckless in nature' by the officer.....or they 'got an attitude'. Big Grin You have to be a TOTAL IDIOT to get a speeding ticket in that town.
Last edited by Former Member
quote:
Originally posted by DixieGalinSoCal:
Los Angeles, California or LaLa Land if you prefer Cool

I did live in North Carolina for a couple of years in the late '90s.


Also known as the People's Democommunist Republik of Kalifornia (PDRK), or Commiefornia.
Another term used for the PDRK commonly used is The Land of Fruits and Nuts.

The capital of the PDRK is Sacramentograd, with sister cities of Lost Angeles and San Freaksicko.

Nothing, no job of any kind would lure me to the PDRK to live...none.
quote:
Originally posted by themax:
I remember the old days of cheif "highpockets" and the Killen speed trap. They would hide on US 43 just inside the police jusistication and really rack up. However times have changed and so has the Killen police. My hats off to them they do a fine job, remember the murder just a few weeks ago?


LOL themax!!!! I remember that!!! I got a ticket there once, and BEAT it, yes I BEAT IT!!!! They convicted me in their little "Mickey Mouse" Court, so I said I wanted to file an appeal, they dropped the charge! LOLOLOL!!!! That was about 20 years ago....

I am Thankful that has now changed, I am glad to hear it, especially when one of my relatives was once in office there, I think he had a lot to do with it changing. HATS OFF TO THEM too, they really needed a change.
I got a ticket for not having my seat belt on..went down to pay it before I forgot about it, stood in line and waited...got to the end of the line and she says.." You have to wait 10 days before you can pay it"....I go back 10 days later....wait in line...get to the end...offer a check..."No, we dont take checks...had to leave again and go get cash...all of this is for your information...should you have the misfortune..[Oh yes, you dont pay at the police station, you pay at the detention center]..

Add Reply

Post

Untitled Document
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×