Is the visible presence of the police a deterrent?

[dle]

Have to share a comical happening...

Was turning left this morning onto Gordon from Springfield and I had claimed the intersection on the green, waiting my turn. I saw 2 cars approaching in their separate lanes and I kept my eyes on them as they both tromped on it as the light turned yellow - they were quite a ways back still. So I waited when the light turned yellow and all of a sudden it was as if they hit an invisible fence they stopped so fast at the yellow light. One car's front end actually bounced he hit the brakes so hard. I immediately took a quick look around to try to see what danger they saw that I didn't thinking something not good must be heading in my general direction but it was all clear. I proceeded with my turn, now on the red, and then I saw the "invisible fence" as I passed by the cop car in front of the line going south on Gordon. They would have shot right in front of him going a hell-bent clip had they blown through that yellow and the cop being at the front of the line could have, if so inclined, nabbed himself at least one of them in a quick turn.

I had a good chuckle as thought to myself that cop just impeded traffic violations by 2 vehicles and probably didn't even see the action! It was like watching sychronized swimming ... they both must have spotted him at the same time. Surprised they weren't rear-ended with their change of plans!

We need to see more of them around - I'll bet if they did rotating blitzes at the danger intersections at random times every day for 15 mins or so - just standing there or sitting in their cars, - just being seen but no one would know where they would pop up next - the intersection accident rate would plummet.

Remember how they used to do speed traps and other cars would blink their lights to warn you? Some people used to get mad because they felt the other driver shouldn't be warned - they should just be allowed to be caught by the cops. I felt it didn't really matter what caused them to slow down - the light flashing warning or the cops - all that mattered was that they did and it stayed in their head for a while at least to keep a lighter foot.

[WalterWhite]

*snip*
We need to see more of them around - I'll bet if they did rotating blitzes at the danger intersections at random times every day for 15 mins or so - just standing there or sitting in their cars, - just being seen but no one would know where they would pop up next - the intersection accident rate would plummet.
*snip*

Lol - I hear what you're saying, but can you imagine the uproar if it were known that cops were just sitting in a location only as a visual deterrent? MAPearce's head would explode before he could even type a response reading about that...

[pieinthei]

Love it!!!

[dle]

*snip*
We need to see more of them around - I'll bet if they did rotating blitzes at the danger intersections at random times every day for 15 mins or so - just standing there or sitting in their cars, - just being seen but no one would know where they would pop up next - the intersection accident rate would plummet.
*snip*

Lol - I hear what you're saying, but can you imagine the uproar if it were known that cops were just sitting in a location only as a visual deterrent? MAPearce's head would explode before he could even type a response reading about that...

....stay tuned!

[kbjohnson]

I agree, it is a deterrent and wish there was more of it being done in the urban areas. You know a police vehicle parked at a strategic location, near an unsafe intersection, could be manned by a volunteer policeman. Would be more cost effective and over time have the immature and fast drivers always wondering if they were going to be fined or not.

[dle]

I agree, it is a deterrent and wish there was more of it being done in the urban areas. You know a police vehicle parked at a strategic location, near an unsafe intersection, could be manned by a volunteer policeman. Would be more cost effective and over time have the immature and fast drivers always wondering if they were going to be fined or not.

I agree - and if we could get our auxilliary police back maybe they could help out with that....

[RVThereYet]

**SNIP**

Remember how they used to do speed traps and other cars would blink their lights to warn you? Some people used to get mad because they felt the other driver shouldn't be warned - they should just be allowed to be caught by the cops. I felt it didn't really matter what caused them to slow down - the light flashing warning or the cops - all that mattered was that they did and it stayed in their head for a while at least to keep a lighter foot.

There's a street in our neighbourhood with a 50km/h limit where drivers routinely do 80 km/h ... its pretty easy to tell when driving towards someone that they're flying along a rather quick pace ... so I flash my lights at them as to "warn" them of a police speed trap around the next corner, most hit the binders pretty hard and some even wave "thanks for the warning" ... at least it slows them down for a while . Goes without saying that if there was an actual trap I'd never flash them.

[MAPearce]

Lol - I hear what you're saying, but can you imagine the uproar if it were known that cops were just sitting in a location only as a visual deterrent? MAPearce's head would explode before he could even type a response reading about that...

Well Wally .

If you're there to do a job .. DO IT ...

Can you imagine a response from anyone paying someone to do a job and they just sit there and "look pretty" ????

Dood , what kind of bubble gum are you chewing ??

OF COURSE I'D BE *bleep* ....

[MAPearce]

We need to see more of them around - I'll bet if they did rotating blitzes at the danger intersections at random times every day for 15 mins or so - just standing there or sitting in their cars, - just being seen but no one would know where they would pop up next - the intersection accident rate would plumme

dle ... I'd LOVE to see traffic cops on the streets at random locations ALL DAY , EVERY DAY ..

But , while their there , if they see an offence they should enforce the law ..

intersection accidents would indeed plummet .. and so should your insurance rates ..

[dle]

**SNIP**

Remember how they used to do speed traps and other cars would blink their lights to warn you? Some people used to get mad because they felt the other driver shouldn't be warned - they should just be allowed to be caught by the cops. I felt it didn't really matter what caused them to slow down - the light flashing warning or the cops - all that mattered was that they did and it stayed in their head for a while at least to keep a lighter foot.

There's a street in our neighbourhood with a 50km/h limit where drivers routinely do 80 km/h ... its pretty easy to tell when driving towards someone that they're flying along a rather quick pace ... so I flash my lights at them as to "warn" them of a police speed trap around the next corner, most hit the binders pretty hard and some even wave "thanks for the warning" ... at least it slows them down for a while . Goes without saying that if there was an actual trap I'd never flash them.

you devil you - whatever works lol!

[dle]

We need to see more of them around - I'll bet if they did rotating blitzes at the danger intersections at random times every day for 15 mins or so - just standing there or sitting in their cars, - just being seen but no one would know where they would pop up next - the intersection accident rate would plumme

dle ... I'd LOVE to see traffic cops on the streets at random locations ALL DAY , EVERY DAY ..

But , while their there , if they see an offence they should enforce the law ..

intersection accidents would indeed plummet .. and so should your insurance rates ..

agreed! there's that word I love - enforcement! Soooo, maybe if we got our auxilliaries back, they could also be utilized as "traffic cops" and do some enforcing of these kinds of infractions? I think if it was known that enforcement actually occurs, it might cause SOME drivers think twice and pick up their socks to avoid a fine & points (which should include higher insurance rates after your 1st freebie minor violation - the more violations & points, the higher the insurance you should pay, right?)

[Bsuds]

We need a bunch of these.

https://www.narcity.com/ca/bc/vancouver ... owing-down

[Ken7]

I agree, it is a deterrent and wish there was more of it being done in the urban areas. You know a police vehicle parked at a strategic location, near an unsafe intersection, could be manned by a volunteer policeman. Would be more cost effective and over time have the immature and fast drivers always wondering if they were going to be fined or not.

It's all good IF there is action taken by all patrol members. I've seen it where the same thing happens and the officer continues on his way.

The only way to change it is have all members get involved. Sadly, we will hear, they are just too busy here to enforce traffic.

[Urban Cowboy]

I agree, it is a deterrent and wish there was more of it being done in the urban areas. You know a police vehicle parked at a strategic location, near an unsafe intersection, could be manned by a volunteer policeman. Would be more cost effective and over time have the immature and fast drivers always wondering if they were going to be fined or not.

Actually as a young one many many moons ago, I remember in southern Ontario their Provincial Police would place cruisers at strategic locations, along main highways like the Queen Elizabeth Way, and collect the drivers with a van.

The car would be left there for the weekend, particularly long weekends, and served a very useful purpose as a deterrent, but without the cost of wages.

Given that there would still be the odd manned vehicle in the mix, drivers had little choice but to assume there was an officer in the car they were approaching.

[WalterWhite]

I agree, it is a deterrent and wish there was more of it being done in the urban areas. You know a police vehicle parked at a strategic location, near an unsafe intersection, could be manned by a volunteer policeman. Would be more cost effective and over time have the immature and fast drivers always wondering if they were going to be fined or not.

Actually as a young one many many moons ago, I remember in southern Ontario their Provincial Police would place cruisers at strategic locations, along main highways like the Queen Elizabeth Way, and collect the drivers with a van.

The car would be left there for the weekend, particularly long weekends, and served a very useful purpose as a deterrent, but without the cost of wages.

Given that there would still be the odd manned vehicle in the mix, drivers had little choice but to assume there was an officer in the car they were approaching.

There's a spot on Hwy. 97 along Monte Lake on the way to Kamloops that a property owner (campground if memory serves correct) has done just that. Parked an old white Crown Vic on the edge of their property. Even has an RCMP decal on the door. Gets me every time.