Are traffic laws like photography rules?

[movingex]

Meant to be used as general guides but can be broken at your creative discretion (when the cops aren't looking)?

In coming in to work this morning I took my usual route of exiting off of I-35 eastbound on Oak Lawn (quit using the tollway when they jacked up the rates). This off ramp is normally backed up about 5 or 6 cars. There is a stop sign at the intersection of Oak Lawn. Well most of us don't ever come to a full stop after the first car takes off. There is a light right up (left) from the stop sign and you can clearly see when the oncoming traffic has stopped.

This morning as I came down the off ramp I looked over to my right and saw a police car sitting about 75 yards down from the stop sign, in clear view. I say to myself OK, why is he just sitting there? So most of the cars make the right turn on to Oak Lawn and the one little beat up car right in front of me turns but does not come to a complete stop at the intersection. The cop immediately jumps out and pulls him over.

I think to myself, man, is that a waste of a good cop's time or what, but I know that technically he's just doing his job. The thing is that IMO writing tickets won't be much of a deterrent in this situation unless a cop is always sitting there. I don't know if the point is to be a deterrent or just make money.

What do you think?

[Kalrog]

Traffic laws are at least as much for revenue generation as they are for public safety.

[danchez]

beat up little car.... that's a clue right there. Beat up car = no money for repairs, no money for insurance, expired registration, expired drivers license, possible drugs or alcohol.

[kayumangi]

You'd be amazed that a lot of wanted criminals are apprehended via traffic stops.

Be thankful that they're doing stops rather than sitting behind the desk.

[andyz]

The cop can't ignore it so something has to be done. There may also have been complaints placed, which could be why the cop was there in the first place.

In Killeen a few months ago there were complaints about cars seeing the red light at the intersection and cutting the corner. You've seen it. It is illegal. They had one person directing 3 patrol cars and they still didn't have enough cops to stop all the cars identified. Did it stop it, no. It slowed it down at that intersection for a short time. It appeased the store that complained a little, and it generated some income for the city to cover the time the cops were there.

Personally, I sit at the red lights, I'm glad to see these folks get pulled over.

[revjvegas]

Cops are like moderators.
It is generally a thankless job, but someones got to do it.

[janikphoto]

This could be an area that has had a high number of accidents, or several complaints... Or, it could just be an easy place to sit and fill his quota... who knows. It sounds like an area that needs a yield sign - not a stop sign. However, I always try to make complete stops, if the sign says stop. I also always look for "no turn on red" signs, though I always see people breaking that law...

[SCone]

If your child was stepping off the curb at the same time the person "rolls" the light.... you might think again

[studiocygnet]

Originally Posted by SCone

If your child was stepping off the curb at the same time the person "rolls" the light.... you might think again

I was just thinking that. I walk a lot around town, and it seems like the majority of folks now practice "right turn on red" by looking left and rolling it, without any thought to pedestrians coming from the right. It's actually "right turn on red after stopping". So stop and look around first.

[sldi]

So if I drive my truck just a little down the wrong side of the road, am I doing something worth a ticket? If there is no traffic coming on either side of the stop sign and I can see a mile down the road on each side do I really have to stop? If the road is blocked in front of me and there is no one walking down the sidewalk can I just drive up there and go around? If I don't like how fast the car in front of me is going can I just go ahead and pass him on the double yellow line?...Maybe this seems like exaggerations, but I have seen all of it done....Today was my last day driving a truck, do you think this kind of driving helped me decide to leave the business?

I sincerely hope the OP was being sarcastic when asking the question about rules vs "guidelines", but I tend to think not.

[movingex]

Originally Posted by sldi

So if I drive my truck just a little down the wrong side of the road, am I doing something worth a ticket? If there is no traffic coming on either side of the stop sign and I can see a mile down the road on each side do I really have to stop? If the road is blocked in front of me and there is no one walking down the sidewalk can I just drive up there and go around? If I don't like how fast the car in front of me is going can I just go ahead and pass him on the double yellow line?...Maybe this seems like exaggerations, but I have seen all of it done....Today was my last day driving a truck, do you think this kind of driving helped me decide to leave the business?

I sincerely hope the OP was being sarcastic when asking the question about rules vs "guidelines", but I tend to think not.

I wasn't. You're right. I do try to safely break the rules though.
My favorite is not using a turn signals when I change lanes in rush hour traffic. That way I avoid giving the person behind me a chance to speed up and prevent me from cutting in.

I actually worry a whole lot more about people who drive and try to do other things while they are driving, like drink, daydream, fall asleep, chat, text, apply makeup, have sex, change clothes, dial on a cell phone, and on and on. These things I am NOT guilty of. When I do my little things I am actually very aware of everything around me and what I'm doing.

[ukneeq]

Originally Posted by movingex

Meant to be used as general guides but can be broken at your creative discretion (when the cops aren't looking)?

In coming in to work this morning I took my usual route of exiting off of I-35 eastbound on Oak Lawn (quit using the tollway when they jacked up the rates). This off ramp is normally backed up about 5 or 6 cars. There is a stop sign at the intersection of Oak Lawn. Well most of us don't ever come to a full stop after the first car takes off. There is a light right up (left) from the stop sign and you can clearly see when the oncoming traffic has stopped.

This morning as I came down the off ramp I looked over to my right and saw a police car sitting about 75 yards down from the stop sign, in clear view. I say to myself OK, why is he just sitting there? So most of the cars make the right turn on to Oak Lawn and the one little beat up car right in front of me turns but does not come to a complete stop at the intersection. The cop immediately jumps out and pulls him over.

I think to myself, man, is that a waste of a good cop's time or what, but I know that technically he's just doing his job. The thing is that IMO writing tickets won't be much of a deterrent in this situation unless a cop is always sitting there. I don't know if the point is to be a deterrent or just make money.

What do you think?

He makes tons of stops there. I actually got a ticket for running that stop sign a month ago. I really did think it was a yield sign because it was an offshoot from the stoplight. I guess I have always just rolled through it looking left to see if cars were coming that I never saw the actual stop sign. Til I got pulled over that is.

[texkam]

Time to let the city council know so they can change it ....oh wait, they probably do know. It's a revenue generator. Stupid stuff sucks. : (