there are some speed limit changes for the better coming up, if a bunch of laws are passed in a lot of states

In West Virginia, the change to the posted speed from 70 mph to 75 mph.

The Oklahoma legislation wants to raise the turnpike to 80 mph from the current 75mph and would also make rural interstate highways from 70 to 75 mph.

Montana would only raise truck speed limits on interstate highways from 65 mph to 70 mph throughout the day. Currently, state highways are limited to 60 mph during the day and 55 mph at night.

Massachusetts would increase the state’s 65 mph speed limit to 70 mph

Kentucky will increase the speed limit from 65 mph to 70 mph on Interstate 165 and I-64.

California will get rid of speed differential for cars and trucks, and allow faster travel for all vehicles on portions of Interstate 5 and state Route 99.

Arkansas is proposing a bill for higher speed limits on certain highways and mandate a 75 mph speed limit on freeways outside urban areas while large trucks would be allowed to travel up to 70 mph.

https://www.powernationtv.com/post/changes-in-speed-limit-laws-being-pursued-across-the-country

the highest numerical speeding tickets (the most expensive, probably) in Texas issued for 2018

Worst violator,

2003 Porsche 911,  166 in a 75
1994 Honda motorcycle, 162 in a 75

2008 Suzuki GSX 160 in a 65
2000 Honda motorcycle 156 in a 65
2002 Honda CBR, 156 in a 70
2013 Ford F-150 150 in a 65
a motorcycle, a Challenger, a Camaro, and a Mustang fill out the top 10, all faster than 147


the most-ticketed car for sailing above 140 mph speeds is the Ford Mustang.

https://www.powernationtv.com/post/behold-the-50-fastest-speeding-tickets-in-texas

if you want peoples attention, make it simple.

http://swarfs.tumblr.com/

Did you hear the one about the town of 184 residents, that had 7 cops? And they shot the fire chief in court... his 2nd time there that day to protest to the judge about speeding tickets. It's all true, and in Arkansas, as you'd expect

on the Tennessee Arkansas border, next to Memphis, 3 miles from the Mississippi River, is a tiny little 5 street town.

With 7 cops, that sat on the small highway 77...  and handed out speeding tickets. It's a 45 mph zone, with a 35 caution zone for curves in the road. A speed trap heaven for cops.

Where was the ticket money going? Police Dept wasn't making the payments on it's cop cars. The Fire Dept had a truck repo'd because city hall hadn't paid it's bill.

But when the fire chief went back to the courthouse to tell the judge what he thought about the 2nd speeding ticket he got that day... all 7 cops were there... and someone shot the unarmed fireman, in the back - in the hip - with a 40 cal.

It was anger over traffic tickets that brought Payne to city hall last week, said his lawyer, Randy Fishman. After failing to get a traffic ticket dismissed on Aug. 27, police gave Payne or his son another ticket that day. Payne, 39, returned to court to vent his anger to Judge Tonya Alexander, Fishman said.

It's unclear exactly what happened next, but Martin said an argument between Payne and the seven police officers who attended the hearing apparently escalated to a scuffle, ending when an officer shot Payne from behind.

Judge Alexander then voided all the tickets written by the department both inside the city and others written outside of its jurisdiction — citations that the department had no authority to write. Alexander then resigned from her position.

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/32680338/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/t/cop-shoots-fire-chief-ark-court-over-tickets/#.Vz3deISDGko
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jericho,_Arkansas


Just days after being released from the hospital, Don Payne was fired as fire chief. His volunteer fire dept of 20 resigned after hearing about Payne’s termination.

Prosecutors say they plan to charge former Fire Chief Don Payne with battery on a police officer. The officer who shot him faces no charges.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2349272/posts

But, as you'd expect... this isn't out of the ordinary in Arkansas... are you ready for this? Jericho was one of 3 small towns under investigation in it's county for money fraud in similar situations. The town of Jennette, also in Crittenden County and also under investigation, exemplifies the gross malfeasance at work in the area. It has a population of less than 150 and cannot account for $24,000 dollars in taxpayer funds. http://www.wmcactionnews5.com/Global/story.asp?S=11637973

Turrell Police Chief Greg Martin entered the home of city councilman Floyd Holmes and threatened him at gunpoint. Yes, the chief of police, sworn to protect and serve, pulling a gun on an unarmed councilman, and his wife, in the councilman’s own home. Why? Money. Just as in Jericho, Turrell’s mayor Franklin Lockhart is accused of hiding city funds. He even fired the city council, though he isn't legally able to do that.

An ABC news article also provided this interesting little tidbit: “This comes just two months after Mayor Lockhart asked a judge to place a lien against the members of town council in the amount of $600,000. The mayor claims council members owe the town because they haven’t performed their duties.”
https://waven.wordpress.com/2010/04/26/a-funny-thing-happened-on-the-way-to-jericho/

https://www.facebook.com/CrittendenCountyMuseum/


To paraphrase Albert Nock’s deathless insight, government police forces don’t exist to eliminate crime, but rather to enforce a government monopoly on crime. Coleman Brackney embodies that principle with uncanny fidelity. This is to be expected of Arkansas, where there quite literally are no standards governing the qualifications and performance of police officers.

Practically any hominid who can drive a car, pull a trigger, and emit sounds that vaguely resemble the English language can be stuffed into a government-issued costume and exercise “authority” on behalf of the State of Arkansas.

A cosmetologist must complete a 2000 hour training... to cut and color hair. But a cop in Arkansas? 0 hours training.

"According to Arkansas state law, officers do not have to be certified for up to a year after they're hired," reported the Memphis Fox News affiliate in February 2010 – just a few weeks after Officer Brackney murdered James Ahern. "The Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training says they can get an 8 month extension on top of that. So for almost 2 years, an officer can patrol the streets, by his or herself, and enforce the law without having any kind of training."

http://freedominourtime.blogspot.com/2013/03/welcome-to-sulphur-springs-when-police.html

greed cameras... have zero tolerance, and no margin for error factor. But they are money makers for the govt

Why a margin for error factor? Because the variation in the tire pressure from hot summer to winter cold snap (I've seen 100 degree difference in 1 day) can change the speedometer reading to actual speed over ground by 10%.

A cop won't bother pulling over anyone for just 2 kph, or mph, because they are instructed to stop people speeding in the higher fine brackets. Like 10 to 15 mph over, when the fine doubles.

https://www.facebook.com/MeanwhileInAustralia/photos/a.388527251219887.92144.388525541220058/1004060196333253/?type=3

More than 16,000 drivers fined in roadworks on E40 between Brussels and Ghent from this past Monday to this Thursday. About 4 thousand per day

Between last Monday and Thursday are more than 16,000 vehicle drivers caught speeding in the passing of the roadworks on the E40 and Wetteren between Erpe Mere. "It then only involves the findings with the zone in the direction of Ghent and the coast," says Michel Van Butsele, head of the federal traffic police of East Flanders.

http://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20150626_01750103?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_term=nieuwsblad&utm_content=article&utm_campaign=seeding

Who is bucking for high score?

found on https://www.facebook.com/HCCCmagazine

Politician ATM (I mean speed ticket camera) found to create $77,000 dollars a day in speeding ticket in Brooklyn

New York News

According to the Department of Transportation’s own statistics, one speed camera in Brooklyn, New York made $77,550 on one of their “best” days.

On July 7th of this year, a camera located near Ocean Parkway at the end of a 400-foot exit ramp in Brooklyn sent out 1,551 $50 tickets, generating $77,550 in state revenue.

According to The Department of Transportation, the city of New York alone has 20 speed cameras already in place, and since the beginning of this year, those cameras have have issued over 183,000 tickets and generated over $9.2 million in revenue.

Within the next year, the agency plans to install at least another hundred cameras in various areas throughout the city.

The politicians are insisting that this has nothing to do with money, but is purely intended to save lives, especially those of children.

http://thefreethoughtproject.com/revenue-generating-speed-camera-77550-day/

Finally, a notorious speed trap city in the south gets busted by the state, and it's police chief and interim chief resign under investigation of ticket quotas and embezzlement

Waldo Florida, just East of Gainesville on the 24 has a population of 1000, one traffic light, 7 cops, and was raising $400,000 dollars a year, through 12000 tickets, and that's one third the towns income.

AAA reports this town as having 2 of the worst speed traps in the nation. 1 on state hwy 301 and one one state hwy 24 to Gainesville, and the speed limits go from 65 to 35. In 10 mph increments. You've probably seen this before, the cops are under each speed limit sign, and you better be way under the speed limit to pass unnoticed. These are locally adjusted speed limits, and up to the city to post, enforce, and collect revenues on, at their discretion. There's where the dollar signs just go full klaxon for city managers, mayors, and police chiefs, just like a Bugs Bunny cartoon.

According to the complaint by the officers, the chief required 12 speeding tickets per cop, per shift, to keep their jobs. http://news.yahoo.com/waldo-suspends-2-police-chiefs-quota-claims-082259586.html



A couple of weeks after the Florida Dept of Law Enforcement investigate the police chief, and he was suspended, the town's interim chief, Cpl. Kenneth Smith, was also suspended after five of the department's officers told the City Council that he was mishandling evidence, taking city property for personal use and imposing a strict ticket quota. http://www.news-press.com/story/news/2014/10/04/notorious-waldo-pd-now-officially/16679601/



http://www.cbsnews.com/news/florida-towns-notorious-speed-traps-under-investigation/

and if you've clicked on the links, and read how the local Sheriff was taking over for the disbanded police dept, you ought to know that when they refer to the other town the Sheriff had to step in and cover, it was because THEY too were ridiculously corrupt, so much so that this March they were the poster boys for the most corrupt city in the US, on CNN. http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/09/us/hampton-florida-corruption/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

The town has even extended its city limits 1,260 feet down the width of a busy highway in order to lay claim to any and all traffic violations--end their accompanying ticket fines--that occur there. (on the 301)

The sight of Hampton Police sitting alongside U.S. 301 on lawn chairs and pointing their radar gun at passersby bas become the norm on the outskirts of town. They became infamous for ticketing anyone and everyone they possibly could for even the tiniest of infractions and between 2010 and 2012 raked in an unbelievable $616,960 in fines. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2577200/Welcome-Hampton-Florida-pop-477-The-speed-trap-town-corrupt-state-lawmakers-want-wiped-map.html


Hampton's peak year came in 2011, when 9,515 speeding tickets brought in more than $253,000.

That was the year state Rep. Charles Van Zant got his speeding ticket. He says he drove directly to the courthouse in Starke and paid it. And, he insists, he carries no grudge. But later, he observed, "When I got my ticket, you couldn't hardly pass by Hampton without getting a ticket. You can say that's law enforcement, but no. That's banking using the U.S. highway system."

Is it clear that speed traps and police corruption aren't rare, in fact, the corruption in Florida is easily the match for any southern state, according to a watchdog organization called Integrity Florida. The group's 2012 study revealed that more than 1,760 of Florida's public officials had been convicted of corruption since 1976. The mayor of Hampton was just busted for selling oxycodone, which he's been addicted to for years. Poor bastard, he was hit in the back with a forklift, and fell off a roof.

Hampton set up its speed trap, just like its neighbors, Waldo and Lawtey. Since Hampton has no schools, homes or businesses along 301, traffic safety really wasn't the issue. The focus always was on revenue -- and state and county officials say that's where the city went wrong. It's the crack that allowed corruption to creep in and take hold.

The city doesn't pay its bills on time, if it pays them at all, the audit says. It doesn't balance the checkbook or withhold employee payroll taxes or hold elections when it should. It doesn't maintain insurance on city vehicles.

All the ticket revenue can't be accounted for, and obviously didn't get used properly for maintenance of the Fire Dept engine

Photo by EDWARD M. PIO RODA/CN
http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/09/us/hampton-florida-corruption/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

The Houston Chronicle reported that the Houston Police Dept has 4 corrupt cops that arrange tickets to get overtime, a million dollars worth

Four veteran Houston police officers who collected nearly $1 million in overtime pay combined since 2008 were recently suspended for listing one another as witnesses on traffic tickets to help themselves get overtime for testifying in court, according to records obtained Wednesday.

From 2008 to the present, the four officers who specialize in writing tickets together were paid $943,000 in overtime, city payroll records show.

An audit of traffic tickets written by the four officers showed they "unnecessarily listed other officers on tickets issued to citizens, or (were) unnecessarily listed on tickets issued to citizens by other officers, after writing multiple citations," according to disciplinary records.

As a result of the investigation, each officer admitted to breaking various rules, including failure to use sound judgment. They also acknowledged violating HPD rules against assigning themselves or other officers on citations "for the sole purpose of obtaining or accruing court overtime compensation," the records state.

Found on http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Four-suspended-HPD-officers-used-ticket-scheme-to-3877815.php

no daytime speed limit of Montana, what happened to that? Answer - one asshole cop (Ken Braidenbach) pulled over guy (Rudy Stanko) who challenged his speeding ticket for 85mph in an unsafe area

Neither Nevada nor Montana had a daytime speed limit before before the the 1974 action that made 55 the federal speed limit... and when the double nickel was repealed in 1995 reverted to the original anything goes at your own risk... Rudy, who is easily found by Google due to his frequent legal problems was driving 85 mph. No big deal, I do it a lot. But he was in some area with no shoulders, narrow, and had frost heaves (according to the asshole cop qwho had to come up with some reason to arrest the driver) was hilly and curvy, and the cop and the judge who dissented from the majority of the rest of the judges on the case found that driving over hills and around curves is inherently unsafe because you can't see over hills and around corners. Appearantly, the judge and cop never do so. Saints among us, just absolute angels. (assholes)

So driving on a 2 lane in March 1996, in a 1996 Camaro with new tires, in full daylight, with no traffic and no other discernable elements to make his 85mph "unsafe" caused an asshole cop to pull over the Camaro. Damn cliche!

You can read the entire case, and it's effing great to read the legal brief that explains the appeal to the speeding ticket based on the vague nature of unconstitutional, but in brief, the cop, and the effing attorney general of the state of Montana could come up with no reason to arrest and ticket the driver Rudy. SO :

¶ 28 It is evident from the testimony in this case and the arguments to the Court that the average motorist in Montana would have no idea of the speed at which he or she could operate his or her motor vehicle on this State's highways without violating Montana's “basic rule” based simply on the speed at which he or she is traveling.   Furthermore, the basic rule not only permits, but requires the kind of arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement that the due process clause in general, and the void-for-vagueness doctrine in particular, are designed to prevent.   It impermissibly delegates the basic public policy of how fast is too fast on Montana's highways to “policemen, judges, and juries for resolution on an ad hoc and subjective basis.”  Grayned, 408 U.S. at 109, 92 S.Ct. at 2299, 33 L.Ed.2d at 228. - 

¶ 29 For example, the statute requires that a motor vehicle operator and Montana's law enforcement personnel take into consideration the amount of traffic at the location in question, the condition of the vehicle's brakes, the vehicle's weight, the grade and width of the highway, the condition of its surface, and its freedom from obstruction to the view ahead.   However, there is no specification of how these various factors are to be weighted, or whether priority should be given to some factors as opposed to others.   This case is a good example of the problems inherent in trying to consistently apply all of these variables in a way that gives motorists notice of the speed at which the operation of their vehicle becomes a violation of the law.   For all practical purposes, there was no other traffic on the highway at the time that Stanko was arrested, the condition of his vehicle was excellent, the surface of the road was dry, and the view ahead was unobstructed for a distance of at least 249 to 374 feet.   On the other hand, the road was narrow, there were hills and curves which presented some degree of obstruction to the view ahead, and there was an occasional frost heave on the surface of the road.   A reasonable speed under these circumstances would require a calculation of sight distances and stopping distances for the particular vehicle.   These functions are normally provided by engineers employed by highway departments who then post signs indicating when it is necessary to reduce speed on a curve or hill crest in order to safely operate a motor vehicle.   It is not the kind of decision that the average motor vehicle operator is qualified to make, and not the kind of decision that policemen or highway patrolmen should be called upon to make.   Most importantly, for constitutional purposes, even if law enforcement officials were qualified to make those kinds of judgments, the statute would not satisfy the requirement that a motor vehicle operator of average intelligence know what conduct is prohibited and when his or her conduct is going to be subject to criminal penalties. -

¶ 30 For these reasons, we conclude that that part of § 61-8-303(1), MCA, which makes it a criminal offense to operate a motor vehicle “at a rate of speed ․ greater than is reasonable and proper under the conditions existing at the point of operation” is void for vagueness on its face and in violation of the Due Process Clause of Article II, Section 17, of the Montana Constitution.

¶ 31 We do not, however, mean to imply that motorists who lose control of their vehicle or endanger the life, limb, or property of others by the operation of their vehicle on a street or highway cannot be punished for that conduct pursuant to other statutes, such as § 61-8-301, MCA (reckless driving), or § 61-8-302, MCA (careless driving).   We simply hold that Montanans cannot be charged, prosecuted, and punished for speed alone without notifying them of the speed at which their conduct violates the law.

I learned about this from Car and Driver magazine, August 2014, page 66. They really should have reprinted the legal brief, http://caselaw.findlaw.com/mt-supreme-court/1110919.html  it's fantastic.


And so, they had to put up speed limits in Montana because cops aren't able to use better professional judgement to give speeding tickets. 

found humor... so funny in it's innocent mistakes

Found on https://www.facebook.com/generatorphotography

sneaky cops using radar...

found on http://flaviogomes.warmup.com.br/

Speed limit infographic

found on http://thekevinchen.wordpress.com/2010/06/08/need-for-speed/

Cities are getting desperate to raise money, Poway California hired a company to monitor road speeds to see where to put their cops

So if you are driving through Poway, beware, the cops are getting pushed to write more tickets. 

stolen cars

what do you think the ratio of stolen cars, to located cars, to convictions for car thefts is... and how many cops are working on stolen car reports....

vs

how many cops are working speed traps / radar speed limit enforcement.

Yeah, I have a low opinion of law enforcement priorities. Based on facts, and the local newpaper reporters doing diligent investigative journalism. http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/12/about-40-of-all-tickets-written-in-san.html

Here in San Diego, if your car is stolen, you can forget it. go to your insurance company, and deal with them. 

About 40% of all tickets written in San Diego are in just 4 locations, and 2 are basically College student areas

11% near SDSU at College Avenue between El Cajon Boulevard and Montezuma Road

5% in Pacific Beach, Garnet Avenue between Ingraham Street and Balboa Avenue

another of the top 5 most ticketed is also in Pacific Beach, coming down Mt Soledad rd to Balboa

So, are cops targetting young speeders? Seems like it. But keep in mind what I posted http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2008/01/speed-limit-enforcement.html about cops giving speeding tickets, they prefer to ticket in the 2nd or higher price bracket... not in the 5 to 15 mph over, but over 15 mph over the posted speed limit when fines really get expensive... because a million people driving the same way 5 miles over the limit as they do at the limit, versus a few people driving way over the limit who will get fined enormously for driving near or over the limit of their braking and avoidance ability is another way to see the issue, but keep reading to see that it really is all about the money.

So reading on the article, you find that the first one I wrote about, the 11% of all tickets in San Diego, the most of any place in San Diego, are at the bottom of the hills on either side of a speed limit drop zone of 600 feet (for nothing different in the road condition, no schools) because it's a senior citizen residential block where the speed drops from 35 to 25 (again... at the bottom of two hills when you've got gravity speeding you up), and to quote the reporter "Nearly all the tickets were issued in the senior zone when drivers exceeded 40 miles per hour, causing fines to increase by $125 or more."  confirming what I said about the 15 and over ticketing method causing fines to increase by $125 or more.
Using today’s fine amounts, the drivers ticketed on the College Avenue stretch during the year reviewed were fined more than $600,000. If all of the drivers paid those fines — and some do not — the city’s take would be more than $109,000 with the rest going to the county or the state.

Here is where you can see its all about the money... putting in a stop light will cost about a half million, writing tickets will earn about 20% more than that, about $600,000

More than that, the reporter, Matt Clark doesn't hold back.. I like that! He puts the matter in clear perspective when he points out
In the College Avenue zone (the one I've been talking about), 39 accidents occurred and cops handed out 1,678 tickets between July 2005 and June 2010,

Other areas of the city had more accidents — and fewer speeding tickets.

Three people died in 104 accidents on University Avenue between Park Boulevard and Utah Street in North Park. Officers issued five speeding tickets.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/dec/18/11-city-speeding-tickets-written-one-spot/?page=1#article

All fired up? Or would you like to read a really good rant about speed traps and how people got fed up and fought back? http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/01/here-comes-rant-moneymaking-speedtraps.html 

be careful in Poway (just off the 15 north from San Diego) the cops are hanging around everywhere catching speeders, here at the intersection of Poway and Silver Lake roads

Just across the street from KFC where I was getting lunch,

they were running radar on Community south of Poway Rd as well, but I didn't have time to take pictures and it isn't necessary to illustrate my point. Here is last months Poway speed trap: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/10/for-all-you-do-this-guy-is-ready-to.html

Worst speed trap state? and worst speedtrap city?

Florida, and Livonia Michigan

Livonia has 28 sppedtraps per 100,000 residents
Nevada has Reno and Las Vegas making 2 of the top 6 (4 and 6)
Colorado has Denver and Colorado Springs making 2 of the top 8 (5 and 8)
Florida has 4 of the top 14 worst speed trap cities in a list made from stats that http://www.speedtrap.org/ compiled and was printed in Hemmings Muscle Machines Nov 2011 issue

(here comes a rant) Moneymaking Speedtraps in Tennessee and Texas, everday guys win the fight against tyranny

If your route to work or NASCAR racing events at the Bristol Motor Speedway goes through Highway 11-E in Bluff City, beware that the local politicians have MADE a speed trap in Bluff City to generate revenue, they didn't take advantage of an existing change of speed limits, they changed 1 mile of roads speed.

YES, MONEYMAKING by effing with highway speeds and creating a speedtrap with cameras just to get your $90.

The 55 mph highway is 2 lanes in both directions, and for a mile, has been effed with to install a 45mph camera zone to screw drivers out of their money so the politicians don't have to stop giving themselves their own pay raises.

A guy who is running for State Rep, Lee White, stood on the roadside with a picket sign to alert drivers of the speedtrap, and gain free publicity for being a nice guy. Fair enough, thank you Lee! http://www2.tricities.com/news/2010/mar/22/lee_white_takes_advantage_of_race_traffic_pickets_-ar-235812/

What really brought this speedtrap to the world's attention was a cool guy that was hit with a ticket, and wasn't putting up with this BS. He looked into the ripoff, and learned that the Bluff City police department were not only assholes for letting this speedtrap happen without protesting it (speedtraps aren't law enforcement) but they also were too stupid to keep their OWN WEBSITE. So the ticketed guy I mentioned, Brian McCrary bought the Police website domain name, and now it protests the speedtrap!

That is, the Police Department website, is now a protest against THEIR OWN SPEEDTRAP! http://www.bluffcitypd.com/

read all about it http://www2.tricities.com/news/2010/jun/07/anti-speed_camera_activist_nabs_bluff_city_pds_exp-ar-233757/

I learned about it at http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/08/man-busted-by-traffic-camera-gets-unique-revenge-on-police-depar/

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Now, in Lakeway Texas, Lance Mitchell, co-founder of the website http://speedtrapahead.org/wordpress/ is fed up with the traps in his town and decided to fight against them by taking to the streets and warning other motorists about nearby speed traps.

If he's out on the road and spots a police officer in a speed trap, Mitchell will backtrack to a spot ahead of the trap, then don a bright orange "Speed Trap Ahead" t-shirt in order to alert other motorists of the waiting radar.

While the Austin American-Statesman ( http://www.statesman.com/news/local/in-lakeway-a-crusade-against-speed-traps-1146294.html?viewAsSinglePage=true excerpt below) notes that it's illegal to warn others of an enforcement action, it is illegal to warn others of an enforcement action, it's not illegal to warn people about the traffic code . In fact, Mitchell believes he is doing the same work as the officers initiating the speed traps but also saving everyone money in the process. People slow down when they see him thus avoiding a ticket and a raise in insurance premiums.

He pissed off the cops running the speedtrap, and they lost their porofessionalism, if they ever had it, and they made it a vendetta to ticket him. The Lakeway Police Department fined him, jailed him and eventually the two went to court. Mitchell won and then turned around and sued the town and a few of its police officers to court and the judge reamed them. Yeah Judge!

Some TEXAS towns have gone so far over the top on speedtraps to raise money for their budget (and give themselves payraises) that the state of Texas passed a law capping the revenue small municipalities may receive from speeding tickets at 30 percent of their total budgets.

here is an excerpt from the Austin American Statesman, the really meaty part that highlights the cop James Debrow (25 year vet of the state police) getting his personal vendetta that started in Apr 2008 going against Mitchell a year later in 2009

Early on April 22, 2009, Mitchell spotted a Lakeway police cruiser set up inside a school zone with a radar gun. He set up his warning station up-road, pointing enthusiastically at his speedtrapahead.org logo shirt whenever a driver passed.

a black police cruiser soon arrives. Mitchell asks if he is being detained.

"We're doing an investigation here," Debrow says. "We'll let you know."

A bit later, Debrow consults with a code enforcement officer who shows up. Another officer takes photos of Mitchell and his truck.

A few minutes later the group approaches Mitchell; an officer asks for his ID.

When he hands over a card with his name, address and birth date, Debrow demands his driver's license. As Mitchell begins to explain how, technically, that is not legally required as he was not driving, Debrow abruptly orders Mitchell handcuffed and placed under arrest.

During the 13 hours he was detained, Mitchell eventually was informed he was being charged with violating Lakeway's sign ordinance by displaying a sign on his shirt and a decal on his truck.

City officials are unaware of police handcuffing and arresting anyone else for sign violations.

Still, the city doggedly pursued its sign violation charges against Mitchell.

"There was more than just a T-shirt," pointed out city prosecutor Scott Taliaferro. "There was also a truck involved."

Lakeway police even tacked on two additional charges against Mitchell: engaging in construction operations that produced noise disturbances. The charges seemed to baffle even the prosecution, and they were dismissed before the trial.

In testimony, the Lakeway officer who wrote the tickets, Hector Almaguer, insisted he was simply following orders from Debrow, who'd instructed him to call if he ever saw Mitchell exposing a speed trap. He also said Debrow told him the local judge had issued a standing order to have Mitchell arrested.

"I about jumped three inches out of my chair when I heard that," the municipal judge, Kevin Madison, recalled. "That is absolutely not true."