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Where Are The Police?
Posted 9/6/2012 1:47:00 AM

I get a lot of letters from drivers complaining about photo radar and just as many from those asking where the police are.  Just got a letter from Derek, a two million mile traveling salesman who can’t believe how badly some drivers behave on the highway.  He is dismayed at the seeming lack of policing as big trucks bully other drivers.  I’ve seen them, Derek, sitting on someone’s bumper until they change lanes and passing on double solid lines.  Derek says driving the speed limit can get you killed.  He wants to know where the police are.  I know Derek, I’ve been the slowest one on the highway from here to Calgary doing the speed limit watching collisions just waiting to happen, and never saw one police car on the whole trip.   On my recent foray down the US east coast I was amazed at the number of police, using cars and motorbikes to pull the idiot drivers over, sometimes every few minutes when there are four lanes each way.  I also like their LED road signs that tell you the maximum and the minimum speed limit, and how many miles to the next town and given the traffic conditions, how long it’s going to take to get there.  Given our ever increasing traffic and the problems on 63, there are many things we can learn from our friends to the south.  Is it time we did? Let me know what you think.

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Posted By: Bob Layton  

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  • 13
  1. Robert posted on 09/06/2012 05:48 AM
    I had often thought about putting a dashboard cam in my car so I could email the video to the police via YouTube if possible and then charge that driver if they could because the camera is an eyewitness that never lies.
    1. Bob $ posted on 09/06/2012 07:55 AM
      @Robert Only problem with that Robert,...it could take them a few months to a few years to look at it, if they ever did at all....and then it is considered third party information.... inadmissible ,...but if it was a video of them beating the crap out of Joe Citizen,...then you would bump up to the front of the line. ;)
    2. Allen posted on 09/06/2012 01:17 PM
      @Robert Better make a move on that quick RObert. I believe the cops are working on banning cams filming them. Can't have the general public having proof about anything. The U.S. is already having huge issues with public filming. Do a google search on the subject. See what you get.
  2. Biil posted on 09/06/2012 06:52 AM
    I know how you feel Bob. The last time I went to Calgary on 2 I was doing 120 and felt like I was holding back traffic. Policeing? Never saw any sign of any. My wife gets a kick out of my saying that we are about to be passed by and Alberta sports car. Whats that you ask, why its usually white pickups and the bigger the truck the faster they go.
    1. Barry posted on 09/06/2012 08:35 AM
      @Biil Pretty soon winter will be upon us and the ditches will be strewn with white Alberta Cadillacs. I too have seen no policeing on the Q E 2.
  3. Bob $ posted on 09/06/2012 08:39 AM
    I've told this story to Bob before,...about driving down No.2 highway, over the speed limit, 112-115 kliks, in the LEFT LANE...I was given the "finger" so many times by lunatics wanting to pass at 120/140 PLUS,...if I could have sold them for dollars I could have bought dinner for Merali at HIS price range!!!
    No. 2 highway is a killer and it is going to only get worse. They need to create "known" speed trap zones on that like they have on 16 highway near Entwistle and some of the other small towns on that highway. Truckers and frequent travellers know well that those areas are a speed trap zone and slow down immediately on those sections of the highway,...even if they don't see any police,....and it's been like that for 30 years!!!
    Driving the speed limit, high or low on QE 11 highway doesn't matter,...there is always going to be some dumb ass who will want to drive over the top of you to get to his next case of beer!!
  4. fred posted on 09/06/2012 09:38 AM
    Bob, was it not our transportation department that after many weeks study decided that it might, just might mind you, be a good idea to put several police on the death highway to Ft. Mac as a positive measure to reduce speeding. Then they bragged about the success it was!

    Now I ask you, what brains did it take to figure this out without any study etc. At any time on the whitemud there are trucks, big and little, that feel they are sports cars and yet no police. By the way, have you ever seen a check stop on the whitemud??? I have traveled it for thirty some years and never have.

    WHY???? It is government run thats why!
  5. Thom posted on 09/06/2012 12:17 PM
    But what really hurts when your doing the speed limit on the QE 2 is the Smart car zipping past you... ouch !
  6. Allen posted on 09/06/2012 01:13 PM
    Try driving highway 16 around Lloydminster. Semi's oil guys and guys from Saskatchewan that must have a special license that requires no signalling or observation of speed limits. Winter driving on this piece of highway can be pretty nerve wracking. Semi's pass you and throw slush on your window if you are smaller that them. Oil guys have big 4 X 4's that make them invincible so pass whenever they feel like it. And don't even get me started about the trucks with duel wheels. No such thing as windsheild without a crack in this neck of the woods. But hey it's oil country. Different set of rules here. Oh and the cops? Not sure...never see them when this stuff is happening....EVER. Wouldn't matter anyway because the oil guys don't really flinch at big tickets. I think they probably have a good laugh at the shop daily about who got the biggest ticket. I've instructed my wife to hire a good lawyer if I ever get nailed by one of the oil tankers or half tons with oil company logos. Sue them to the max. It's the only thing that makes them pay attention. Of course she'll probably lose cause their lawyers are bigger than our lawyer and after all if it wasn't for oil companies Alberta would die.
  7. Richard G posted on 09/06/2012 01:24 PM
    Increased enforcement would be great if the speed limit were set at a proper rate. Driving in the western states speed limits are as much as 85 mph on roads like our Highway 2. Set the speed limit on Highway 2 at 135 kph (85 mph) then enforce it. Generally people drive at the speed that circumstances dictate. I have driven Highway 2 at 75 - 80 kph in the winter notwithstanding the 110 speed limit. I have also driven it at 130-135 kph and felt safe because I was driving in accordance with the flow of traffic.

    Speed by itself does not kill. If so there would be no race care drivers alive. It is not as if you drive at 88 mph, but if you hit 89 you will keel over dead. It is stupidity that kills. Stupidly driving to fast or too slow for the traffic flow is equally dangerous to other drivers, regardless of the speed limit. I have seen more vehicles in the ditch or accidents on Highway 2 in the winter when people are driving much below the speed limit than I ever have in the summer when the flow of traffic is well in excess of the speed limit.
  8. DaveN_1490 posted on 09/06/2012 02:17 PM
    Hi Again Bob....In regards to the Global Edmonton News show this past morning, I was very surprised at the comments about spanking a parents child for discipline....In my day, as I am 50 years old, my parents did not hestitate in spanking me, whenever I got out of line....And for that, I am truly grateful....I have grown up to be a 2 time Journeyman Technician in 2 Trades....High School Diploma, And more job offers than I can count...Half of which, have been in Edmonton....So, I guess the dicipline that I had recieved, has done me no harm...I also have 2 Boys...Both of which I adore....I have disciplined them the same way....Children need to show respect to their parents, and need to be corrected when needed....And to show them what is right from wrong....I definitly do NOT agree with children being disciplined to the point of total terror, and injury, but a good swat on the butt when warranted, should be administered more often that not....My youngest Son said to me a while ago...As did my Oldest..." Dad, I am sure that if you and Mom had not given us both a good swift kick in the ass when we needed it, we would have not turned out the way we did...And for that, I am VERY PROUD of them both....They BOTH have grown up Graduating High School, and have gone on to excell in the construction and oil indrustries....So I guess it is like the BIBLE says..." You spare the Rod, you spoil the child "....So TRUE....
  9. Glen S.R. Woytuck posted on 09/06/2012 11:17 PM
    More counties/cities need to do the math, (like our Mayor here in Strathcona County did) and realize that photo radar does not work, and costs too much. As of September 1st, photo radar was replaced with 5 actual police officers for the same money. This, in my opinion is fantastic. Because, not only do actual police on patrol apprehend bad drivers AND scare others into obeying the law (at least when a cruiser is in view), but they can also respond to serious situations that photo radar can do NOTHING to help with. (Serious accidents, domestic assaults, robberies etc.)
  10. richardh_3992 posted on 09/07/2012 10:10 AM
    they should simply not have signs informing people that photo radar ahead let people asume that they can get a ticket at any time . with the idea of more police around people would still speed when there is no polce around
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