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Not so ExCITING

Not so ExCITING

Opinion by Jarred Green Graphic by Julia Volzke

Author: Bodine, James/Tuesday, January 26, 2016/Categories: Opinion

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Over the weekend, I was issued a citation for speeding, which is as I’m sure anyone who has been ticketed can attest to, was not all that pleasant of an experience.

 

The very next day, I visited the online website for the Durango Herald, and it had an article about the low number of actual speeding citations issued in 2014 compared to the numbers in 2015.

 

This lead me to believe that the police department does not want to be viewed as lenient when it comes to issuing citations.

 

So almost immediately I thought, “I bet they’re just camping out in well-known speed traps

trying to up the numbers so they aren’t questioned about their numbers again.”

 

Which is, in my experience, what they do to reach their quota.

 

My father was a police officer, so I have an idea of what it’s like for officers who have to meet a certain quota of citations.

 

I would have to sit in with him when I was younger while he was working, and he would do what I just described.

 

He would find a popular speed trap, usually on a hill, hidden from view of regular traffic, camp there for about five minutes, pull someone over, write them a citation, return to his spot, and wait for the next speeding motorist.

 

This cycle would go on until he reached quota, and once he did, he would be done for the day.

 

As a young child, it was interesting to see my father doing his work and “catching bad guys.”

 

Thinking back on it though, and being on the other side, it seems kind of cruel, just stalking the next speeder.

 

It makes sense if the specific area is known to cause accidents because of speeding in an attempt to lessen the amount of accidents, but if it’s just a trap, it’s kind of screwy.

 

After being ticketed though, I realized that I just got my first-ever citation, and I don’t really know how the process is supposed to go down.

 

I was told that I could get my case deferred. What is deferring?

 

I was also told that I’d get points on my license. What are these points? How do I get them? What do they do?  I have so many questions about the process and don’t have the answers.

It’s one of those things that seems to never be taught in schools, but you’re expected to know the proper process, like taxes, jury duty or balancing a checkbook.


So, watch your speed, because there might be someone waiting for you in a speed trap.

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