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Idle
Time
by Scott
Casey
Prejudice?
Most, if not all, police
forces employ radar equipment to help control speeding vehicles.
Officers receive countless hours of classroom training and
practical experience in the operation of radar devices such as the
Genesis One and Genesis Two (forward and rearward looking) vehicle
mounted radar guns. They also receive training on the portable
Laser radar gun.
In the business of speed
detection and enforcement, these officers make countless roadside
stops. Some drivers may get a break when caught but this is never a
conscious decision based on the size of the vehicle they drive. The
break they receive usually comes by luck and may be based on where
the officer meets the vehicle, i.e. a very narrow road with minimum
sight distance for turning around, or perhaps the angle that the
officer was on when encountering a speeder.
Unfortunately that isn’t the
case when it comes to the CVSE (Commercial Vehicle Standards
Enforcement) and the use of the Genesis One Radar guns that have
been placed in their vehicles. Just for the record - I don't have a
problem with radar guns. As a matter of fact I’m sure many
accidents could be prevented if there were even more speed
enforcement.
I am however against what
appears to be a double standard between commercial vehicles and
private vehicles. I recently witnessed a CVSE officer being passed
by five speeding four-wheelers while the CVSE vehicle was doing the
posted "Construction Zone" speed limit. Seconds later the CVSE
vehicle, hit the emergency lights, made a quick u-turn, and stopped
an empty tandem axle flatbed.
I was inquisitive and
stopped. Waiting until the CVSE vehicle left I approached the
trucker and he produced a ticket for Speed Against Highway Sign,
MVA 146.
I was very disappointed to
say the least. Not because the trucker got a ticket, he was
speeding and he deserved it. No I was disappointed that the five
private vehicles sped away scoffing at the Peace Officer logo on
the rear of the CVSE vehicle. If they’re on the highway anyway why
doesn’t their mandate allow them to ticket the general public? I
believe this sends a mixed message and reduces the respect that the
general public and the trucking industry has for the Special
Constable status that these men and women carry.
But what really upsets me
more than anything else is the fact that I believe it is very wrong
that a specific, easily identifiable group, (truckers) are singled
out for extra anti-speeding law enforcement. Especially when
statistics prove that this group is already the safest on our
highways.
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