Police Officer Preparation & Law Enforcement Resource - Archive

Four Atlanta students decided to drive at 55 MPH, side by side across the entire highway, in order to "show the absurdity of the 55 MPH speed limit."

Link to story. (http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/weblog/permalink/a_meditation_on_the_speed_limit/)

Not surprisingly, they created a huge traffic jam.

There's a video available at that linked site.

This is the current version of civil disobedience? Protesting that driving down the highway at eighty feet per second isn't fast enough for you? And doing it by creating a huge traffic jam full of people who have absolutely nothing to do with the law you don't like?

Their parents must be so proud.

They'll be here soon ..... to ask if they can still be cops after being idiots.

Gah! I remember some kids in my HS wanted to do that. I would have liked to seen cops show up on them kids and make them look how awesome it really is! :)...People like them make college look bad

Wow, they went the speed limit. They could all get a ticket for being on a cellphone. The poor truck drivers delivering goods that need to make time.

The Dallas Police pull the same stunt here (at least they used to). The former chief thought it would be a good idea to create a "rolling road block" during rush hour traffic every day in a different part of the city. Several police cars would line up across the highways and cruise from one end to the other at 55 mph. It took quite a few squad cars to block Dallas freeways, and they also needed additonal support cars to stop violators and keep the rolling roadblock safe.

When the local papers started pointing out that with Dallas having the highest crime rate in the nation for several years running that maybe the police could better be used doing something other than publicity stunts, and the rolling roadblocks went away.

I still don't understand how they managerd to do 55 mph in rush hour in Dallas, I rarely get above 30 mph on the freeways in rush hour.

The Dallas Police pull the same stunt here (at least they used to). The former chief thought it would be a good idea to create a "rolling road block" during rush hour traffic every day in a different part of the city. Several police cars would line up across the highways and cruise from one end to the other at 55 mph. It took quite a few squad cars to block Dallas freeways, and they also needed additonal support cars to stop violators and keep the rolling roadblock safe.

When the local papers started pointing out that with Dallas having the highest crime rate in the nation for several years running that maybe the police could better be used doing something other than publicity stunts, and the rolling roadblocks went away.

I still don't understand how they managerd to do 55 mph in rush hour in Dallas, I rarely get above 30 mph on the freeways in rush hour.


AS usual you have COMPLETELY misrepresented the effort. DPD was launching an new traffic enforcement program. They NEVER did it in rush hour. They did not "block" freeways" It did not take "quite a few cars". If there were three lanes, it took 3 cars. The support cars were not to keep the roadblock safe.

They lined up patrol cars side by side who drove AT THE SPEED LIMIT down selected sections of roads. They would then set up traffic untis working radar behind the moving cars.

There was no media outcry, just reporting. It was an effective traffic safety program. Your slanted views are really getting boring.

Hows the police job hunt going?

AS usual you have COMPLETELY misrepresented the effort. DPD was launching an new traffic enforcement program. They NEVER did it in rush hour. They did not "block" freeways" It did not take "quite a few cars". If there were three lanes, it took 3 cars. The support cars were not to keep the roadblock safe.

They lined up patrol cars side by side who drove AT THE SPEED LIMIT down selected sections of roads. They would then set up traffic untis working radar behind the moving cars.

There was no media outcry, just reporting. It was an effective traffic safety program. Your slanted views are really getting boring.

Hows the police job hunt going?


In my opinion, and the opinion of many other people as evidenced by the media reports at the time this occurred, this was more of a publicity stunt than an effective traffic safety program. If there are any statistics to show that this type of operation is an effective traffic safety program then I would be interested in reading them.

Police vehicles are generally exempt from following the Transportation Code laws, but if a group of ordinary citizens were to band together and drive the speed limit on the freeways they could, and likely would, be cited and/or arrested for violation of TC § 545.051 (b).

I agree that the program was an effective way to achieve massive publicity for the issue of traffic enforcement, which may have led to increased short-term discussion and compliance by drivers, but the odds of that operation having any measurable effect on traffic safety is questionable. With DPD being so short staffed, they were forced to either divert traffic officers from other assignement (reducing the level of service to those areas) or divert patrol officers to work the rolling roadblocks (reducing the level of patrol service). Either way, when your city is number one with a bullet in crime it seems to me that this wouldn't have been the primary focus of then-chief Bolton.



Roadblocks and Police Escorts-Dallas police will force you not to speed

Dallas police target speeders
01/13/2003

By MARY ANN RAZZUK / WFAA-TV and ROBERT THARP / The Dallas Morning News

Dallas motorists who have been getting away with their own rules of the road should beware: Dallas police say they've had enough.

Chief Terrell Bolton Monday announced one of the toughest traffic crackdowns the department has ever launched.

Starting this week, teams of motorcycle officers and others in specially marked Chevrolet Camaros will be conducting rolling roadblocks on freeways and interstates around the city. The officers ride side-by-side across the traffic lanes and drive the speed limit, forcing motorists trailing behind to slow down to the legal posted speed.

In my opinion, and the opinion of many other people as evidenced by the media reports at the time this occurred, this was more of a publicity stunt than an effective traffic safety program. I hardly think you qualify to speak for anyone else, nor would the media even if the media represented the belief of anyone but themselves If you don't understand that the media ONLY is interested in creating issues even of there are none then I can't help you.
If there are any statistics to show that this type of operation is an effective traffic safety program then I would be interested in reading them. Show me stats showing it is NOT. :rolleyes: The fact that people slowed down, it brought attention to speeding and traffic safety to a wide audience is evidence in and of itself.


Police vehicles are generally exempt from following the Transportation Code laws, but if a group of ordinary citizens were to band together and drive the speed limit on the freeways they could, and likely would, be cited and/or arrested for violation of TC § 545.051 (b). There is the wannabe telling somone who has BTDT how it is. That you would even post that shows you have no clue about real world police work.


I agree that the program was an effective way to achieve massive publicity for the issue of traffic enforcement, which may have led to increased short-term discussion and compliance by drivers, Of course you agree, I am right.
but the odds of that operation having any measurable effect on traffic safety is questionable. And you base that on what? Your immense experience?
With DPD being so short staffed, they were forced to either divert traffic officers from other assignement (reducing the level of service to those areas) or divert patrol officers to work the rolling roadblocks (reducing the level of patrol service). The staffing levels had nothing to do with it. As the NEWS MEDIA reported, they used traffic enforcement units. It had ZERO effect on patrol or on calls being answered.


Roadblocks and Police Escorts-Dallas police will force you not to speed

Dallas police target speeders
01/13/2003

By MARY ANN RAZZUK / WFAA-TV and ROBERT THARP / The Dallas Morning News

Dallas motorists who have been getting away with their own rules of the road should beware: Dallas police say they've had enough.

Chief Terrell Bolton Monday announced one of the toughest traffic crackdowns the department has ever launched.

Starting this week, teams of motorcycle officers and others in specially marked Chevrolet Camaros will be conducting rolling roadblocks on freeways and interstates around the city. The officers ride side-by-side across the traffic lanes and drive the speed limit, forcing motorists trailing behind to slow down to the legal posted speed.

How does that support your argument? It does not. On fact, it shows that the media simply reported the facts.

Why does someone who dislikes the police want so desperately to be one?

I hardly think you qualify to speak for anyone else, nor would the media even if the media represented the belief of anyone but themselves If you don't understand that the media ONLY is interested in creating issues even of there are none then I can't help you. Show me stats showing it is NOT. :rolleyes: The fact that people slowed down, it brought attention to speeding and traffic safety to a wide audience is evidence in and of itself.


I didn't imply that I was speaking for others, I pointed out that there was much discussion in the media at the time, among both those reporting the story and those interviewed about the story, and also in the letters to the editor of the DMN, that indicated that many people other than myself felt that this operation was all about Bolton getting publicity.




There is the wannabe telling somone who has BTDT how it is. That you would even post that shows you have no clue about real world police work.


You don't have to be a cop to have an opinion, and I didn't tell anyone "how it is". I did point out a couple of things, those being that (1) emergency vehicles are generally exempt from the Transportation Code laws and that (2) citizens who disregard portions of the Transportation Code are subject to being cited/arrested for their actions. Since you've BTDT, do you dispute the validity of these two statements that I just made?

Rolling roadblocks on freeways are not a common tactic used in Dallas. I've heard of this tactic being used here and elsewhere, but rarely, and when it is used it is usually used for a brief period of time. And it gets a lot of press. It appears to be the very definition of a publicity campaign.

There's nothing wrong with publicity campaigns, but to call this "an effective traffic safety program" implies that this operation achieved a desired result of improving traffic safety. In the most literal sense, it probably did, just like a police car driving down the street is "an effective traffic safety program" in that the marked squad car causes many drivers to temporarily improve their driving. Damn near anything you do to put highly visable police in the view of the driving public is technically "an effective traffic safety program" for the immediate time that the officers are visable. But the question becomes, is it an efficient and appropriate use of manpower. Placing a cop with everycitizen to travel with them everywhere they go would be a damn effective anti-crime program and would probably cut the murder rate down to almost zero, but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for it to happen because it's just not a feasable or smart use of resources. But the publicity would be great.

But if this is such an effective traffic safety program then why isn't it used all year round? Why would the city decide to discontinue an effective traffic safety program? I'm asking you, since you've BTDT.




Of course you agree, I am right. And you base that on what? Your immense experience? The staffing levels had nothing to do with it. As the NEWS MEDIA reported, they used traffic enforcement units. It had ZERO effect on patrol or on calls being answered.


I base my statement that officers were diverted to man this operation on the fact that the DPD does not have a full time "rolling roadblock" unit and does not routinely run such an operation, therefore staffing had to come from within the existing employee pool. When a new operation requires staff and no new staff is hired then the operation must either (a) replace an existing operation or (b) draw opun the already assigned employees. You don't need immense experience in police work to understand this concept, it holds true for any profession or business.

Whether or not the operation had an effect on patrol and calls being answered depends upon whether or not any patrol units were diverted to work on the operation. I wouldn't consider the newspaper reports to be 100% accurate, so without knowing if any patrol units were used. I have been told that patrol units were used by a current DPD officer, but I cannot offer any proof of this and neither of us knows for sure. If I were to make a statement like "It had ZERO effect on patrol or on calls being answered" you'd be the first to point out that I couldn't substantiate that statement. Back atcha'.





Why does someone who dislikes the police want so desperately to be one?

I do not dislike the police, nor have I ever stated anything remotely indicating that I dislike the police. To make that statement, you must either have some information that I'm not aware of or you are jumping to conclusions based on your personal opinions. When you say that I "so desperately" want to be a police, what are you basing your statement on?

This appears to be yet another case of you deciding to argue with me because you like to argue with me. There's nothing wrong with that, but this particular subject didn't seem to be worth the argument.

Is this another case of I'm a cop, and you're not? :rolleyes: lol.

Maybe not in it's entirety, but there surely are fragments that make it seem like that.

Regardless of the needless bickering in this thread, the video is kinda humorous.

Regardless of the needless bickering in this thread, the video is kinda humorous.You may find the video humorous, but I find it a blatant disregard of the statutory laws of the State of Georgia, a pure and unadulterated safety hazard and an absolute ignorant stunt exercised purely for promotion of their their immature personal agenda.

In short, it was a stupid act to undertake.

You may find the video humorous, but I find it a blatant disregard of the statutory laws of the State of Georgia, a pure and unadulterated safety hazard and an absolute ignorant stunt exercised purely for promotion of their their immature personal agenda.

In short, it was a stupid act to undertake.

I found humor in the idiots making the video, but there was nothing funny about what they did. Disrupting traffic and making drivers mad is a good way to cause accidents and road rage incidents and I don't think the state is going to change their speed limit over this stunt.

I also find it interesting that in this discussion there's one LEO saying that this type of activity is "an effective traffic safety program" and another LEO saying it's "a pure and unadulterated safety hazard and an absolute ignorant stunt", with the only difference being who is doing it.

http://i2.tinypic.com/qnp452.gif

I also find it interesting that in this discussion there's one LEO saying that this type of activity is "an effective traffic safety program" and another LEO saying it's "a pure and unadulterated safety hazard and an absolute ignorant stunt", with the only difference being who is doing it.
You are surprised that two different people who share the same job have different opinions?

You are surprised that two different people who share the same job have different opinions?

That's an oversimplification of my statement. I'm surprised that two different people who, both being in LE and both having BTDT, are so dramatically opposed in their opinions of the particular activity described in the article posted.

That's an oversimplification of my statement. I'm surprised that two different people who, both being in LE and both having BTDT, are so dramatically opposed in their opinions of the particular activity described in the article posted.
Only because the statement on the face of it was simple.

Dramatically opposed? The only drama around here is what you are bringing to the discussion.

Seems like I remember a line in the song "Convoy" about the lead truck doing 55 and the back door truck doing -10 :D

uh oh... I feel a song coming on Creeker.. What have you done..

'Cause we got a great big convoy
Rockin' through the night.
Yeah, we got a great big convoy,
Ain't she a beautiful sight?
Come on and join our convoy
Ain't nothin' gonna get in our way.
We gonna roll this truckin' convoy
'Cross the U-S-A.
Convoy!


lol

uh oh... I feel a song coming on Creeker.. What have you done..

'Cause we got a great big convoy
Rockin' through the night.
Yeah, we got a great big convoy,
Ain't she a beautiful sight?
Come on and join our convoy
Ain't nothin' gonna get in our way.
We gonna roll this truckin' convoy
'Cross the U-S-A.
Convoy!


lol

You are showing our age... :D

Did you know that C.W. McCall (not his real name) is the same guy as writes the arrangements for Mannheim Steamroller? I think his name is Williams or something similar...

... "What's that 'Rubber Ducky'?
Follow that Micro bus!"

Really?? No I didn't know that.

You mean the one with the 11 long-haired friends of Jesus? 10-4 Pig Pen!

lol

Really?? No I didn't know that.

You mean the one with the 11 long-haired friends of Jesus? 10-4 Pig Pen!

lol

"We just aint'a gonna pay no toll"

So we crashed the Gate doin' 98, I said "Let them Truckers Roll, 10-4!!"

:D

You know what I was doing when I was 15, can't you tell?

lol ;) yup yup

It must be nice having mommy and daddy buy you an expensive college education and a car so you can go out and be a nuisance to working class people trying to get to their jobs/or home to their families.

It must be nice having mommy and daddy buy you an expensive college education and a car so you can go out and be a nuisance to working class people trying to get to their jobs/or home to their families.

You're right! They did seem quite upset about a 55 mph speed limit. The one rocket scientist complained that he could go 75 mph, but if he went 80 he'd get a ticket. I wanted the reach through the monitor to throttle his little throat and yell "then go 75 you jackass!"

You're right! They did seem quite upset about a 55 mph speed limit. The one rocket scientist complained that he could go 75 mph, but if he went 80 he'd get a ticket. I wanted the reach through the monitor to throttle his little throat and yell "then go 75 you jackass!"

Heh maybe he'll run into an officer that gives him a ticket for 5 over one time. I'm sure that'll really unwind him.

The video was funny as hell.

If that happened here in chicago they would have been pulledd from their cars by CPD and State Police andgiven a few "warnings". You dont mess with the traffic in CHI. 90/94, 290, and 294 are dangerous places. lol. Pointless utterly pointless.

As if 90/294 isn't wonderful enough.. I dread even the thought of the highways anymore.. Unless it's 55 south.. Pretty much smooth sailing going south.. lol

On this little trek across 3/4 of the USA & back, I've been using mostly US Highways, as few Interstates as possible. I've been having a much nicer time and am seeing more of America... kinda feel like Charles Kuralt :D...

Of course the pleasure is quite a trade off for the time savings... you can't be in a hurry on the US Hwy, 'cause sure enough you will get behind a logging truck or farming tractor on 2 lane roads that you can't pass him on.

I've had Gomers tailgate me in both of our cars even when I was doing the 25 mph limit here in our town.:confused: Saw a neighbor last night as I was leaving for third shift nearly get rear ended by a teenager whom lives about 40 feet up the road from where we live (he revved his sewing machine and nearly had to slam on the brakes when got to his driveway). Shows what a waste of money those driving lessons were.:rolleyes:

They have posted here, part of (I-70) 65 max and 40 minimal. After it goes passed the turnpike on I70 going east it goes to 70 mph.

Which ever way, even if everyone was going 55, then that same pack of people would be bunched up. The amount of people wouldnt be smaller.

The video just shows when everyone goes the speed limit, you still have the same pack of people will still be there.

There is NO reason for the video. Just a bunch of college kids who think they are smarter then everyone else.

I give this video of -10 for worthless.

-Adam

Interesting please read http://www.ibiblio.org/rdu/sl-irrel.html
The primary conclusion of this research is that the majority of motorist on the nonlimited access rural and urban highways examined in this study did not decrease or increase their speed as a result of either lowering or raising the posted speed limit by 4, 10, or 15 mi/h (8, 16, or 24 km/h). In other words, this nationwide study confirms the results of numerous other observational studies which found that the majority or motorist do not alter their speed to conform to speed limits they perceive as unreasonable for prevailing conditions.


Enough said lol.

The Dallas Police pull the same stunt here (at least they used to). The former chief thought it would be a good idea to create a "rolling road block" during rush hour traffic every day in a different part of the city. Several police cars would line up across the highways and cruise from one end to the other at 55 mph. It took quite a few squad cars to block Dallas freeways, and they also needed additonal support cars to stop violators and keep the rolling roadblock safe.

When the local papers started pointing out that with Dallas having the highest crime rate in the nation for several years running that maybe the police could better be used doing something other than publicity stunts, and the rolling roadblocks went away.

I still don't understand how they managerd to do 55 mph in rush hour in Dallas, I rarely get above 30 mph on the freeways in rush hour.




I agree, here in Chicago you would be Lucky to be going 20 MPH during rush hour.