Drivers detour around police

Drivers detour around police
High-tech apps spot checkpoints, traps
By Larry Copeland
USA TODAY

Drivers looking to avoid pricey citations for traffic offenses such as
red-light camera violations and speed-trap busts are turning to
technology to level the playing field.

As red-light cameras proliferate across the USA and cash-starved
police agencies pump up coffers with traffic-ticket revenue, many
drivers are using devices and applications that give them a heads-up
when it's time to stop or slow down. Among them: Cobra's iRadar, which
can connect with an iPhone; Trapster, an application that relies on
information reported by other users; and Fuzz Alert, which works with
iPhones and iPads.

One of the most popular is PhantomAlert, an online database that
drivers can download to GPS devices or smartphones. It uses audible
alerts to warn drivers about everything from speed and red-light
cameras to speed traps, school zones and DUI checkpoints.

The apps' DUI checkpoint feature — which sends alerts about drunken-
driving checkpoints that have been reported by other drivers — is
troubling for some police agencies. "If people are going to use those,
what other purpose are they going to use them for except to drink and
drive?" says Capt. Paul Starks of the Montgomery County (Md.) Police
Department.

"They're only thinking of one consequence, and that's being arrested.
They're not thinking of ending the lives of other motorists,
pedestrians, other passengers in their cars or themselves."

Officer Brian Walters, who runs the red-light camera program for
Virginia Beach, has a different take: "I'm all for them," he says. "A
couple of GPS companies have sent me requests to verify and validate
where our cameras are. I helped them." He says the devices and apps
make drivers more aware. "If that's what gets them to comply, that's
fine," he says.

Dennis Ricketts, a retired firefighter in Newport News, Va., bought a
lifetime subscription to PhantomAlert about 11/2 years ago for his
TomTom GPS navigation system.

He says the device has made him even more aware. "A lot of times when
people drive, they're not paying a lot of attention, especially if
it's a road you drive on repeatedly," he says. "With this, you are a
lot more aware of everything that's going on, and on things that might
be coming up."
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition...w21_st.art.htm
-----

- gpsman

On Mar 21, 7:43*am, gpsman > wrote:

<snip>

> One of the most popular is PhantomAlert, an online database that
> drivers can download to GPS devices or smartphones. It uses audible
> alerts to warn drivers about everything from speed and red-light
> cameras to speed traps, school zones and DUI checkpoints.
>
> The apps' DUI checkpoint feature — which sends alerts about drunken-
> driving checkpoints that have been reported by other drivers — is
> troubling for some police agencies. "If people are going to use those,
> what other purpose are they going to use them for except to drink and
> drive?" says Capt. Paul Starks of the Montgomery County (Md.) Police
> Department.
>
> "They're only thinking of one consequence, and that's being arrested.
> They're not thinking of ending the lives of other motorists,
> pedestrians, other passengers in their cars or themselves."


Bull****. I would try to avoid a DUI checkpoint dead sober, just
because I don't feel like waiting in traffic for a half hour or more
if there's some way that I can get to my destination faster.
Obviously Capt. Starks is not real bright (and doesn't understand
exactly how the average member of the public views these checkpoints -
as an annoyance and an unnecessary delay. Not to mention an affront
to the Constitution.)

I can think of at least two instances where I would have really
appreciated a heads up that a DUI checkpoint was ahead - one night I
got stuck on I-66 for about 45 minutes, but unfortunately the backup
didn't start until I'd already passed the last chance to exit before
the checkpoint. Another time I had to sit for a similar amount of
time on a major road just off the Beltway. Both times were very late
at night (about 1 AM) and I was not at all happy about not being at
home and in bed.

nate

On 2011-03-21, N8N > wrote:

>> "They're only thinking of one consequence, and that's being arrested.
>> They're not thinking of ending the lives of other motorists,
>> pedestrians, other passengers in their cars or themselves."

> Bull****. I would try to avoid a DUI checkpoint dead sober, just
> because I don't feel like waiting in traffic for a half hour or more
> if there's some way that I can get to my destination faster.
> Obviously Capt. Starks is not real bright (and doesn't understand
> exactly how the average member of the public views these checkpoints -
> as an annoyance and an unnecessary delay. Not to mention an affront
> to the Constitution.)

Not to mention that any encounter with a police officer can go bad
resulting in jail time, injury, loss of property, and/or death. It is
simply good practice to avoid any and all contact with members of a
government licensed, badge wearing street gang. (reminder to those
disturbed by this descriptive language; it's not only effectively true
far too much of the time but cops will on occasion refer to themselves
as a street gang to intimidate private sector criminals.)

> I can think of at least two instances where I would have really
> appreciated a heads up that a DUI checkpoint was ahead - one night I
> got stuck on I-66 for about 45 minutes, but unfortunately the backup
> didn't start until I'd already passed the last chance to exit before
> the checkpoint. Another time I had to sit for a similar amount of
> time on a major road just off the Beltway. Both times were very late
> at night (about 1 AM) and I was not at all happy about not being at
> home and in bed.

The cops also neglect the collisions that result from people driving
more tired than they would have otherwise.

On Mar 21, 8:31*am, N8N > wrote:
> I can think of at least two instances where I would have really
> appreciated a heads up that a DUI checkpoint was ahead - one night I
> got stuck on I-66 for about 45 minutes,
The checkpoint was on the Interstate itself, or at interchange off-
ramps?
On the Interstate itself, regardless of what you think about
Checkpoints themselves, sounds like an incredibly bad idea.

> but unfortunately the backup didn't start until I'd already passed
> the last chance to exit before the checkpoint
Don't they sometimes station police by such exits/detours to 'catch'
drivers trying to avoid the checkpoint for whatever reason?

On Mar 21, 8:31*am, N8N > wrote:
> On Mar 21, 7:43*am, gpsman > wrote:
> says Capt. Paul Starks of the Montgomery County (Md.) Police
> > Department.
>
> > "They're only thinking of one consequence, and that's being arrested.
> > They're not thinking of ending the lives of other motorists,
> > pedestrians, other passengers in their cars or themselves."
>
> Bull****. *I would try to avoid a DUI checkpoint dead sober, just
> because I don't feel like waiting in traffic for a half hour or more
> if there's some way that I can get to my destination faster.

It's a non sequitur, no need to pee your pants over it.

It's funny how you can recognize one if you didn't write it.

> Obviously Capt. Starks is not real bright (and doesn't understand
> exactly how the average member of the public views these checkpoints -
> as an annoyance and an unnecessary delay. *Not to mention an affront
> to the Constitution.)

Non sequitur/s.

You don't know how the average member of the public feels, because you
have no method by which to have learned it.

> I can think<>

The preponderance of evidence suggests otherwise.
-----

- gpsman

On Mar 21, 9:42*am, Sir Ray > wrote:
> On Mar 21, 8:31*am, N8N > wrote:> I can think of at least two instances where I would have really
> > appreciated a heads up that a DUI checkpoint was ahead - one night I
> > got stuck on I-66 for about 45 minutes,
>
> The checkpoint was on the Interstate itself, or at interchange off-
> ramps?
> On the Interstate itself, regardless of what you think about
> Checkpoints themselves, sounds like an incredibly bad idea.

Mainline of the Interstate. Inside the Beltway, don't remember
exactly where, but somewhere east of Tyson's Corner, outbound. Only
saw that once, though, and that was years ago, but then again, I'm not
out and about much late at night anymore.

> > but unfortunately the backup didn't start until I'd already passed
> > the last chance to exit before the checkpoint
>
> Don't they sometimes station police by such exits/detours to 'catch'
> drivers trying to avoid the checkpoint for whatever reason?

I had a friend that got stopped at pretty much the same location as
the second checkpoint I mentioned in my previous post, different day
however. He was sober, and was trying to get to his parents' house
just on the other side of the checkpoint. The backup was long enough
that he didn't immediately recognize it as a checkpoint, and having
grown up in the area, he knew all the back ways. He turned around in
a 7-11 or gas station parking lot to try to find another way to his
destination, and was almost arrested for "evading a
checkpoint." (apparently that is an actual offense.) Not sure how he
talked his way out of that one. Fortunately for him, he hadn't had a
drop to drink or I'm sure he would have been in some serious fecal
matter.

nate

On 2011-03-21, N8N > wrote:

> I had a friend that got stopped at pretty much the same location as
> the second checkpoint I mentioned in my previous post, different day
> however. He was sober, and was trying to get to his parents' house
> just on the other side of the checkpoint. The backup was long enough
> that he didn't immediately recognize it as a checkpoint, and having
> grown up in the area, he knew all the back ways. He turned around in
> a 7-11 or gas station parking lot to try to find another way to his
> destination, and was almost arrested for "evading a
> checkpoint." (apparently that is an actual offense.) Not sure how he
> talked his way out of that one. Fortunately for him, he hadn't had a
> drop to drink or I'm sure he would have been in some serious fecal
> matter.

Law may be different in Illinois but at a common checkpoint location
I've taken the last available turn to avoid it a few times after I
learned the road construction arrow sign is for the checkpoint. So far
I've not been hassled because of it. Before I knew the way around to the
right, I turned right and then turned around in a parking lot. Didn't
get anyone's attention.

That story does give me an idea. Pull into a nearby parking lot, park,
get out and go into the store. Wander around, maybe buy something, get
back in the car and leave in the other direction.

On 03/21/11 09:28, Brent wrote:

> On 2011-03-21, > wrote:
>
>> I had a friend that got stopped at pretty much the same location as
>> the second checkpoint I mentioned in my previous post, different day
>> however. He was sober, and was trying to get to his parents' house
>> just on the other side of the checkpoint. The backup was long enough
>> that he didn't immediately recognize it as a checkpoint, and having
>> grown up in the area, he knew all the back ways. He turned around in
>> a 7-11 or gas station parking lot to try to find another way to his
>> destination, and was almost arrested for "evading a
>> checkpoint." (apparently that is an actual offense.) Not sure how he
>> talked his way out of that one. Fortunately for him, he hadn't had a
>> drop to drink or I'm sure he would have been in some serious fecal
>> matter.
>
> Law may be different in Illinois but at a common checkpoint location
> I've taken the last available turn to avoid it a few times after I
> learned the road construction arrow sign is for the checkpoint. So far
> I've not been hassled because of it. Before I knew the way around to the
> right, I turned right and then turned around in a parking lot. Didn't
> get anyone's attention.
>
> That story does give me an idea. Pull into a nearby parking lot, park,
> get out and go into the store. Wander around, maybe buy something, get
> back in the car and leave in the other direction.

Too much trouble/expense. Just pull into the parking lot and pretend to
make a cellphone call.

--
Cheers, Bev
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++
It's true that Smokey the Bear deserves praise for his
campaign against forest fires, but nobody ever mentions
the boy scouts he kills for their hats.

"gpsman" > wrote in message
...
On Mar 21, 8:31 am, N8N > wrote:

>> Obviously Capt. Starks is not real bright (and doesn't understand
>> exactly how the average member of the public views these checkpoints -
>> as an annoyance and an unnecessary delay. Not to mention an affront
>> to the Constitution.)
>
>Non sequitur/s.
>
Whassa mattah, gpsTARD? You don't like the Constitution because it gets in
the way of your precious police state?
>
>> I can think<>
>
>The preponderance of evidence suggests otherwise.

The preponderance of evidence suggests you are a government shill.

RC

On Mon, 21 Mar 2011 06:42:02 -0700 (PDT), Sir Ray
> wrote:

>On Mar 21, 8:31*am, N8N > wrote:
>> I can think of at least two instances where I would have really
>> appreciated a heads up that a DUI checkpoint was ahead - one night I
>> got stuck on I-66 for about 45 minutes,
>The checkpoint was on the Interstate itself, or at interchange off-
>ramps?
>On the Interstate itself, regardless of what you think about
>Checkpoints themselves, sounds like an incredibly bad idea.
>
>> but unfortunately the backup didn't start until I'd already passed
>> the last chance to exit before the checkpoint
>Don't they sometimes station police by such exits/detours to 'catch'
>drivers trying to avoid the checkpoint for whatever reason?


The Border patrol in AZ wanted to put immigrant check points ON the
interstate and stop all traffic. The DOT said no. They also want to
put up full time video cameras and lights that would take a video of
every car going thru on the interstate. Not surprisingly, they
wanted to put these things on poles right next to the traffic lanes
without a thought to how dangerous they would be to anyone wandering
out of the lane. When told they would have to "do it right" just like
any other sign structure they bleated "it will cost too much" and
wanted to "protect" them with a bunch of orange cones. Border patrol
is the dregs of law enforcement. If you are too stupid to qualify as
a regular cop, who aren't noted for their intelligence, then you apply
to border patrol. Too dumb for that??? Then become a jail guard.