Each Wednesday, we’ll publish quick summaries of the articles from the last week on TheNewspaper.com. We’re doing this because these articles are often strongly connected to the issues that National Motorists Association members are interested in.
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Louisiana House Committee Approves Automated Freeway Speed Traps
Louisiana lawmakers took on speed traps, both of the conventional and automated variety, on Monday. The state House Transportation, Highways and Public Works Committee unanimously approved two measures, one that would discourage small town police officers from hiding behind bushes with radar or laser guns, and another that would authorize the use of speed cameras in freeway “construction zones.”
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Santa Ana, California Dumps Red-Light Cameras
Another California city moved to eliminate the use of red-light cameras. A unanimous Santa Ana City Council decided last week to stop doing business with Redflex Traffic Systems based on a staff proposal that would end photo ticketing once the Redflex contract expires on June 21, 2015.
Monday, March 24, 2014
Oklahoma: Man Fights Back Against Speed Trap Harassment
The owner of an Oklahoma pawn shop on Thursday filed a federal lawsuit against the speed trap town of Meeker because the city’s police force harassed him over a sign he put up warning drivers. Out in front of James W. Goad’s business, Meeker Supply and Pawn, the sign read: “Slow down, Meeker Speed Trap Ahead.” That annoyed the department, so on June 4, 2012, reserve officer Sean Sugrue set up a speed trap on Red Hill Road that blocked the driveway to the store.
Sunday, March 23, 2014
France, Latvia, UK Speed Cameras Disabled
Vigilantes disabled a speed camera in La Batie-Divisin, France last week Saturday. According to Le Dauphine, the automated ticketing machine on the RD1075 was wrapped in cellophane, rendering it inoperable.
Friday, March 21, 2014
Indiana Court Rules Against Searching Motorists Who Leave Their Car
Police may not search a motorist simply because he gets out of his car, the Indiana Court of Appeals decided last month. A divided three-judge panel found Huntingburg Police Officer Andrew Hammock was in the wrong when he performed a pat-down search of Michael E. Cunningham simply because the driver wanted to see whether his tail light really was broken while pulled over for the offense on May 17, 2013.
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Battle Lines Form In Ohio Supreme Court Traffic Camera Rematch
Twenty-eight Ohio state lawmakers and policy groups from both sides of the political spectrum have lined up against municipalities and photo ticketing vendors in a fight before the state’s highest court. In 2008, the Ohio Supreme Court decided the legislature did not need to grant cities authority to install automated ticketing machines, but since then opponents of automated ticketing machines have convinced lower courts that there are serious due process flaws. Briefs have been filed in the case that could put red-light cameras and speed cameras out of business in the state.
