Didn't get me!

Eventually, they will. Sooner or later, we all will get a ticket. Kind of getting expensive.

Knock on wood, I have not had one in a while.

Don't I know it! Cost of driving I guess.

So what was the average speed these speeders were doing? That is a number I would like to see. Also where were these tickets given out? How many out and out speeder were caught? How many speeders got a ticket to justify the threatening warnings that maybe, just maybe normally would not have gotten a ticket. Just wondering.

Does anyone actually believe that the long-weekend crackdowns are in the name of safety, and not just an attempt to harness the more dollars per man hour of patrol due to increased traffic and therefore more fish in the sea to catch?

Wonder if other real crimes like B&E's increase on these weekends? Perhaps policing resources could be better allocated to protecting the public if this was the case.

IMO why do some people feel that speeding is not a big issue? It's still breaking the law! Speed does increase danger to others on the public roadways.

It appears some people see it as a cash grab, but, how is the enforcement of our traffic laws really doing that? There are far more speeders than B&E's... Its road safety that is being enforced.

My point is simple...would you sing that same old boring tune if there was 0 traffic enforcement? I think not...It's all important and lets be thankful we have it!
Obey the laws and you have no worry!

Traffic laws exist for reasons of safety, primarily. Those that disobey them should be fined and/or have their license taken away from them.

If the fines pay for the extra staff hours so be it!

"Obey the laws and you have no worry!"

How very true!

Yeah, but why do some of cops have doughnut eating grins on their mugs when they cheerfully hand you your ticket/fine?
It must make them happy to be making the roads safer by fining drivers. In the end sum though, I agree that speeding is generally unsafe, and that enforcement is needed.
metalman.

You all are missing the real point. The police are highly respected because of impartiality powers they have. How can you be impartial when you are told to write tickets, in the name of safety? Were you really speeding? How would you know? Ya, go to court, who do the judges believe? I think the police have crossed the line in safety enforcement, for revenue generating. I will not respect them anymore. They are no different than a viable business, but not paying any business licence fees. How many accidents have you seen by the Roller Dome on Highway 97 South? I've been here since 1991 and have not seen one. But where are the police revenue generating? At the mose dangerous stretch of highway just before the Roller Dome. This is just one location they are set up. Look at your ICBC insurance papers, there is a enforcement fee you are now paying for. Just remember POLICE you need the public's help to solve crimes. Soon people will not help you, then your jobs will be much harder.

Like the big wig cop on TV said. Back in the day the police were respected because they treated people with respect. Now 'everyone' is the enemy to them and that begins in Regina. A lot will have to change for the RCMP to ever get back their status or credibility. Occurences like the tazer incident will live for 50 more years. They have lost my respect and I have a few relatives in the RCMP. Their attitudes really suck toward honest people,especially when they have that uniform on. Maybe making them all wear a turban would sedate them somewhat. Most of the conservation officers in BC (I call 'em bullys) are the same or worse.

I call BS on the idea the highway crackdown produces safety.

What I see is people being pulled over on the highway, often in dangerous spots, and the cop car parked right in the middle of the highway. If a tractor comes upon such a scene unexpectedly and another vehicle is going the opposite direction the driver is left with two choices:

(1) Try and stop unexpectedly with traffic riding up your back bumper and risk killing someone who doesn't anticipate such a fast stop by a transport truck. Not a very appealing option when one realizes hitting a loaded truck is like hitting a brick wall, so sudden stops should only be for emergencies.

(2) Borrow some of the opposing lane creating further risks such as the close following car not following and thus hitting the parked cop car, or worse yet if the opposing car doesn't use some of their curb room and a collision happens its 100% the drivers fault that used part of the other lane to make the pass. So does all traffic stop unsafely on a two lane highway if a cop pulls over someone and uses his car to block the highway?

My suggestion for the police, as they likely don't realize how dangerous a situation they create when making traffic enforcement stops. My suggestion would be when pulling someone over try and utilize side roads when ever possible. Maybe pull them over... tell them what their ticket is for, get the drivers license and insurance papers, and ask them to pull ahead to the next side road where the ticket can then be issued off the highway... or at minimum off the corner or otherwise dangerous spots on the highway.

Just because a cop is enforcing traffic laws, should be now reason IMO for them to be creating these traffic hazards parking anywhere they see fit on the highway that others are trying to navigate safely.

Surely they have some kind of policy on this kind of highway enforcement? Is it being followed I wonder, because if it is the policy needs to change.

"IMO why do some people feel that speeding is not a big issue? It's still breaking the law! Speed does increase danger to others on the public roadways."

...because speeding isn't a "big issue," dangerous driving is. Are some people who exceed the limit driving dangerously? Of course, but so are some of those who aren't.

Just because it's a law doesn't make it a good one.

Your last comment assumes a lot. I don't feel at all unsafe heading down Hwy 97 with everyone doing 120 km/h.

"It appears some people see it as a cash grab, but, how is the enforcement of our traffic laws really doing that? There are far more speeders than B&E's... Its road safety that is being enforced."

If it was road safety that needs to be enforced, the police should sit at N. Nechako & the Bypass and ticket everyone who yields instead of merges. That's a far more dangerous act than driving over the bridge and tagging anyone going 80, like they seem to focus on.

Of course there's more people exceeding the speed limit, that's why they're out there ticketing them- for the revenue. There's less incentive to crack down on crime that affects a family way more significantly like a B&E.

"My point is simple...would you sing that same old boring tune if there was 0 traffic enforcement? I think not...It's all important and lets be thankful we have it!
Obey the laws and you have no worry!"

You're right on one thing, you can't complain about getting a speeding ticket because you know the law. You can complain about the law, though ;)

To answer all the arguments see the article in:

http://www.opinion250.com/blog/view/12869/1/tragic+weekend+throughout+b.c.?

Good post supertech.

Firstly, I will reiterate my dislike for having police officers delegated to traffic, and my dislike for the issuance of large fines to people who will likely not be in conflict with the law in any other regard.

However, having been on scene at many accidents from bumps to total destruction, and having firsthand experience what it is like trying to evade a wayward vehicle at highway speed and above (and below), I can tell you that speed laws serve a very real purpose even if the effects are not blatantly visual all of the time.

If you want to kill yourself in a car, find a raceway. You have no right to put everybody else at risk too.

I don't shoot my guns at the shopping mall, I find a safe place to do it where I know I am not putting anybody at risk.

Boo hoo, I got a ticket. At least you're alive to bitch about it. I know so many people who would gladly trade places with you. They would give anything to have had just one more chance.

I don't like to hear that everybody got their wallets lightened, but I am glad to not be reading stories about road carnage all over Prince George.

Do you think every fatal accident was a result of somebody driving wildly or recklessly ?

Think again.

They were only driving slightly above the posted speed, but when things happen at that speed, they happen really fast. Too fast to do anything about.

Lastly, I am always the guy who pulls up right behind an accident that just happened on the highway. I am never the guy involved, always just behind it. I pull up slowly, without any trouble and stop to help.

Why is that ?

Don't like speeding tickets... don't speed. Seems pretty easy to me. I wish they would bring back photo radar and use the profits instead of having a gas tax.

what are the speed and accident related statistics for the infamous autobahn?

I am thinking that they have had a public unlimited speed roadway for years.
From reading through the years on that road, it seems that they are just as concerned for safety as Canada is, yet they do not restrict speeds.
They rigorously enforce safety violations.
If a vehicle is weaving in and out, they can be stopped and the vehicles impounded, sometimes permanently. That would really suck to lose your prize testarosa.

From wikipedia:
The recommended speed of the German autobahn is 130 km/h, but there is no general speed limit. Austrian and Swiss autobahns have general speed limits of 130 km/h and 120 km/h, respectively.

A 2005 study by the German Federal Interior Ministry (Bundesministerium des Innern) indicated that Autobahn sections with unrestricted speed have the same accident record as sections with speed limits.

Maybe they have allowed for unlimited speed by designing and building far superior roads. Before you all start jumping on this for our climate, Germany is at a latitude 51 00 N, Prince George is at 53°53′. This means that Germany is about 310 KM further south, about One Hundred Mile. They get pretty close to the same freeze and thaw cycles as most of the central interior. They are in a mountainous region like us as well.

So I ask, what is preventing us from building an autobahn type road here. It is a simple matter of having the correct radius on the curves among other things. I know there is the Fraser canyon to contend with. That is so over due for modernization

That would definitely improve our major conduits north to south and east to west.

Remember the case of Montana

http://www.hwysafety.com/hwy_montana_2001.htm

from the above link:

"Not so fast says a follow up study just completed by National Motorists Association. The study shows the safest period on Montana’s Interstate highways was when there were no daytime speed limits or enforceable speed laws.

"The doubling of fatal accidents occurred after Montana implemented its new safety program; complete with federal funding, artificially low speed limits and full enforcement. "

I got nailed east of Purden. After coming through all the snow in Alberta, I felt the need for speed. Big ticket and all I could say to the cop was "guilty", and he fined me accordingly. Now all I am left with is idiot pains. Speeding on the long week end when there has been steady warnings of police cracking down reminds me of when I was a stupid teenager. I'm a slow learner.