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Common sense prevails: states trimming use of aircraft for speed traps

GasBuddy Blog -- Thirsty V8's that police agencies many time resort to are fuel thirsty. A typical Ford Crown Vic police edition nets a measly 16mpg combined. Now imagine state police and other agencies using something even more inefficient- aircraft- to net speeders. Well that may finally be coming to an end.

As the AP reports, agencies are somehow finally figuring out that maintaining, fueling, and piloting aircraft is just too darn expensive for the proceeds that come from writing tickets. And keep in mind, to pull a speeder over after seeing visual confirmation via aircraft, you still need a ground unit netting a combined 16mpg to finish stopping the vehicle. Not very efficient.

The California Highway Patrol still has 15 planes...

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Submitted Jul 01, 2012 By: PD

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carinthuist Champion Author San Francisco Posts:2,262 Points:333,075 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jul 25, 2012 1:21:30 PM Ignore carinthuist Report Abuse yes about time
GasPriceHelp4u Champion Author Dayton Posts:2,702 Points:571,725 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Jul 23, 2012 7:04:40 AM Ignore GasPriceHelp4u Report Abuse Its about time they figured its stupid to waste taxpayer money like that!!!
tfsmith1 Rookie Author Washington Posts:13 Points:29,795 Joined:Jun 2012	Message Posted: Jul 22, 2012 5:40:55 PM Ignore tfsmith1 Report Abuse Waste of money just for speeding
clpassenubye Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:3,359 Points:756,980 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Jul 22, 2012 4:40:36 PM Ignore clpassenubye Report Abuse yes
Reishman Veteran Author Illinois Posts:384 Points:518,865 Joined:Sep 2006	Message Posted: Jul 21, 2012 6:27:47 PM Ignore Reishman Report Abuse I'm on a boat!
RONALD777 Champion Author Houston Posts:2,452 Points:366,655 Joined:Nov 2007	Message Posted: Jul 21, 2012 3:58:54 PM Ignore RONALD777 Report Abuse I always wondered how they pulled over cars from a plane.
gasokie Champion Author Oklahoma Posts:3,451 Points:1,327,985 Joined:May 2007	Message Posted: Jul 20, 2012 11:39:27 PM Ignore gasokie Report Abuse Gee. Maybe they can divert some of those traffic pests over to city streets and cut down on the crime the ordinary everyday citizen has to bear while their cops are all bunched up like a bunch of thugs out on the freeway writing tickets and otherwise molesting taxpaying motorists. By the way, I haven't had a ticket in years but I have sure been victimized by criminals who want to steal, druggies operating openly near schools, and a general sense of wondering where all the cops are. Oh wait! They are all still out on the highways. I counted 6 cars of them the other day looking at a one hour ago roll over without injury. What are they? Seven years old? When will the public wise up and start attending city council meetings and seeing about taking care of business...civic business.
albert2008 Champion Author Winnipeg Posts:7,367 Points:1,483,935 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Jul 16, 2012 9:14:57 AM Ignore albert2008 Report Abuse makes sense
clpassenubye Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:3,359 Points:756,980 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Jul 16, 2012 12:47:07 AM Ignore clpassenubye Report Abuse about time
iagdboy Champion Author Albany Posts:1,211 Points:500,400 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Jul 15, 2012 8:54:17 PM Ignore iagdboy Report Abuse police need radar detector busters
stonecold5005 All-Star Author Waco Posts:817 Points:20,240 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jul 14, 2012 9:22:49 AM Ignore stonecold5005 Report Abuse old news
driveonby1 Champion Author Toledo Posts:1,507 Points:256,665 Joined:Jun 2007	Message Posted: Jul 13, 2012 12:34:42 PM Ignore driveonby1 Report Abuse That's why we need bar codes on our car tops; then they could scan before they shoot!
jlf599 Veteran Author Kentucky Posts:339 Points:126,925 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: Jul 13, 2012 11:06:28 AM Ignore jlf599 Report Abuse The answer is simple...Apache gunships to shoot the speeders.
dockersbin Veteran Author Virginia Beach Posts:407 Points:262,635 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Jul 13, 2012 9:06:01 AM Ignore dockersbin Report Abuse Leave it to the greedy!
albert2008 Champion Author Winnipeg Posts:7,367 Points:1,483,935 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Jul 13, 2012 9:01:26 AM Ignore albert2008 Report Abuse old news
prius22 Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:2,234 Points:391,560 Joined:Apr 2012	Message Posted: Jul 13, 2012 2:07:20 AM Ignore prius22 Report Abuse Common sense and government spending usually never go together.
99dakota Champion Author Providence Posts:8,127 Points:2,175,925 Joined:Oct 2006	Message Posted: Jul 12, 2012 9:29:05 PM Ignore 99dakota Report Abuse Dumb idea dreamed up by overzealous governmental bureaucrats using law enforcement as a source of revenue.
sdslim Champion Author Florida Posts:1,891 Points:1,713,465 Joined:Feb 2007	Message Posted: Jul 11, 2012 3:22:29 PM Ignore sdslim Report Abuse Wasting too much money.
valby Champion Author Massachusetts Posts:2,926 Points:430,090 Joined:Jan 2005	Message Posted: Jul 11, 2012 9:30:00 AM Ignore valby Report Abuse It is the right thing to do.
albert2008 Champion Author Winnipeg Posts:7,367 Points:1,483,935 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Jul 11, 2012 8:58:17 AM Ignore albert2008 Report Abuse about time to smarten up
99dakota Champion Author Providence Posts:8,127 Points:2,175,925 Joined:Oct 2006	Message Posted: Jul 10, 2012 6:10:59 AM Ignore 99dakota Report Abuse It was another example of government run amuk!
StationGF Sophomore Author Chicago Posts:121 Points:35,470 Joined:Jun 2012	Message Posted: Jul 8, 2012 3:50:08 PM Ignore StationGF Report Abuse waste
clpassenubye Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:3,359 Points:756,980 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Jul 7, 2012 11:58:54 PM Ignore clpassenubye Report Abuse finally
clpassenubye Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:3,359 Points:756,980 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Jul 6, 2012 3:27:29 PM Ignore clpassenubye Report Abuse wow
albert2008 Champion Author Winnipeg Posts:7,367 Points:1,483,935 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Jul 6, 2012 9:26:39 AM Ignore albert2008 Report Abuse common sense prevails
99dakota Champion Author Providence Posts:8,127 Points:2,175,925 Joined:Oct 2006	Message Posted: Jul 6, 2012 6:04:58 AM Ignore 99dakota Report Abuse Your government at work here...
CapriceWagon All-Star Author Washington Posts:949 Points:481,770 Joined:Feb 2008	Message Posted: Jul 5, 2012 10:30:47 AM Ignore CapriceWagon Report Abuse I've only known a few people who got caught by a plane, I don't think they run them around here very often if at all anymore
albert2008 Champion Author Winnipeg Posts:7,367 Points:1,483,935 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Jul 5, 2012 9:15:19 AM Ignore albert2008 Report Abuse i agree
Jayburt All-Star Author Toledo Posts:529 Points:131,890 Joined:Jun 2009	Message Posted: Jul 5, 2012 12:24:45 AM Ignore Jayburt Report Abuse Should be required to observe you from ground level in person like the founder fathers said in language put into the original documents anyways. Like red light and speed cameras, it is sad Americans stood by and took that complete breach of our rights without fighting back. I for one did my part by writing my elected officials, did you?
honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:18,650 Points:1,612,445 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Jul 5, 2012 12:06:47 AM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse and the taxpayers have to fund this stupidity. Works well for other things, but not in speed catching.
albert2008 Champion Author Winnipeg Posts:7,367 Points:1,483,935 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2012 8:39:00 AM Ignore albert2008 Report Abuse about time
mrjames1818 Champion Author New Jersey Posts:1,560 Points:2,001,020 Joined:Mar 2004	Message Posted: Jul 3, 2012 1:42:12 AM Ignore mrjames1818 Report Abuse They will trade-in the planes for speed cameras.
kgbellman Champion Author Ann Arbor Posts:2,728 Points:734,765 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Jul 2, 2012 10:40:15 PM Ignore kgbellman Report Abuse It makes sense that they would do away with the aircraft - visual clocking seems to be a big loophole if you choose to go to court.
coughlin Champion Author San Jose Posts:5,195 Points:1,120,565 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Jul 2, 2012 10:34:23 PM Ignore coughlin Report Abuse I've always thought that using aircraft for speeders is idiotic. What a waste!
DrCashFlow Champion Author Massachusetts Posts:7,079 Points:1,630,050 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Jul 2, 2012 10:18:31 PM Ignore DrCashFlow Report Abuse One positive of higher gas prices...
Donatelo Champion Author Dayton Posts:1,129 Points:295,245 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Jul 2, 2012 7:46:45 PM Ignore Donatelo Report Abuse ok
kgbellman Champion Author Ann Arbor Posts:2,728 Points:734,765 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Jul 2, 2012 6:45:58 PM Ignore kgbellman Report Abuse Make sense
milespergallon Champion Author Illinois Posts:9,764 Points:1,912,260 Joined:Feb 2007	Message Posted: Jul 2, 2012 4:36:50 PM Ignore milespergallon Report Abuse Sounds like government is actually learning to think. Hope it continues
GatorGuy Champion Author Columbia Posts:2,238 Points:1,209,945 Joined:Jan 2009	Message Posted: Jul 2, 2012 4:11:25 PM Ignore GatorGuy Report Abuse aircraft just always seemed to be overkill to me for catching speeders...nothing else more important they can be doing?
nfldude Champion Author San Diego Posts:3,891 Points:449,480 Joined:Dec 2011	Message Posted: Jul 2, 2012 3:42:23 PM Ignore nfldude Report Abuse I've seen the CHP using aircraft on a speed trap where there is downhill grade on I-80 between Vallejo and Fairfield, which seemed to be an efficient use of resources. The plane told the waiting flock of cruises at the bottom of the grade which cars to pick off. It looked like a shooting gallery, as soon as an Officer was done, he immediately had another target to jump.
JXQW Champion Author Kansas City Posts:2,787 Points:684,925 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Jul 2, 2012 3:09:55 PM Ignore JXQW Report Abuse what was their primary purpose to use airpalne anyway?!
Ken2OD Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:9,087 Points:1,974,865 Joined:Dec 2005	Message Posted: Jul 2, 2012 3:09:28 PM Ignore Ken2OD Report Abuse Bureaucrats are always the last to "wise up." 'Bout Time!
14smoke08 Sophomore Author Montreal Posts:240 Points:47,600 Joined:Jul 2012	Message Posted: Jul 2, 2012 3:07:26 PM Ignore 14smoke08 Report Abuse Its seems to be reasonable that they would stop using aircraft.
caddilac Champion Author Ontario Posts:16,622 Points:2,143,380 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: Jul 2, 2012 3:06:30 PM Ignore caddilac Report Abuse "Common sense prevails: states trimming use of aircraft for speed traps" How can it be a 'trap' when they use a plane? It's not like you can hide a plane behind a tree or some other structure to keep it from being seen by speeders. It would be nice to read something like the following; 'Common sense prevails: Motorists drive at the posted speeds.' But like someone once said, "Common sense isn't so common anymore".
Galmar352 Champion Author San Antonio Posts:10,158 Points:1,882,625 Joined:Dec 2005	Message Posted: Jul 2, 2012 3:03:29 PM Ignore Galmar352 Report Abuse DUH!!
farn1958 All-Star Author Twin Cities Posts:886 Points:183,385 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Jul 2, 2012 3:02:24 PM Ignore farn1958 Report Abuse more yesterday's news.
hallows Champion Author St. Louis Posts:4,713 Points:2,807,545 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Jul 2, 2012 2:57:02 PM Ignore hallows Report Abuse My same sentiments, rampower80!
67yenko Champion Author Mississippi Posts:1,170 Points:364,280 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Jul 2, 2012 2:56:30 PM Ignore 67yenko Report Abuse if they are having to use speed traps to raise revenue... then they just might have to many officers working to make up speed traps to help pay for them....
humancry Champion Author Michigan Posts:4,618 Points:1,002,455 Joined:Nov 2006	Message Posted: Jul 2, 2012 2:54:11 PM Ignore humancry Report Abuse NOR HERE
rampower80 Champion Author Kentucky Posts:2,059 Points:464,840 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Jul 2, 2012 2:53:32 PM Ignore rampower80 Report Abuse I would think the expenese don't add up to the fines involved. I would think such resources would be better utilized on catching criminals and those truly endangering the public.