Corrupt town exists solely as a speed trap

I'll bet there's a lot more places like this that have not been found yet.

There used to be a few of those in Oklahoma in the 1950s. You've see the cop hiding behind the billboard in movies? Yup, Saw it in the 50s.

Seen it in Virginia in the 50s to prey on the sailors.

These towns, Hampton and Waldo were known for speed traps for snowbirds and summer travellers. Today many cities have speed cams. The final result is the same enforcement with no police on the spot.

I recall,Genoa, a very small town near Carson City, NV had 25mph signs on its outskirts so before you had a chance to slow down, assuming you did, a cop was waiting on the side of,the road. Bang, you got a ticket even if you were 5 mph over.

Tons of small towns around the US would be my guess as well.

I live in a small county (area wise) in southeastern PA. There are 57 different municipalities in this county, a lot of two cop towns (they have more but that's the best way to describe the type of town) There are stretches of a four lane road (not highway) that goes up and down from 40 mph to 25 mph from town to town. Needless to say there are often speed traps set up within the first block of the 25 mph zones.

Many tourist areas have speed traps. It is unfortunate that they prey on victims who are visiting. Getting a speeding ticket in these municipalities will give you a bad experience, and in most cases cause a travelers to either not return or proceed causiously through the marked area. Drvers beware!!!

Some towns running speed traps are finding it hurts the town in many other ways. As they gain a reputation for operating a speed trap, the traffic through town decreases and those that do travel through refuse to stop. This causes the local businesses to suffer and many have closed because the lost revenue. Loss of businesses translates to less taxes which increases the dependence on speed trap revenue. It truly is a spiral that results in situations like Hampton.

Only way to deal with these folks is to use a radar detector.

Best thing to do, if the town is big enough, is let the local Chamber of Commerce know you won't be spending any money in their town. I haven't gotten any tickets, but I've let a few know in the Chicago area. There was a cop running radar at a local shopping center in Bloomingdale, IL and I called the mall office and told them I was going to shop elsewhere.

In central Ohio we had a similar problem about a decade ago (before red light / speed cameras) with a town called New Rome. They were one of those towns that was run by a bunch of "family and friends". It was bad enough that Ohio passed a bill targeting such communities for removal.

This town was 3 blocks long and two blocks wide on US Rt 40. They had a population of a little over 100. It was typical for there to be two cruisers patrolling at a time.

Their income from traffic tickets was between $300,000.00 and $500,000.00, and that was with using actual Officers in cruisers. I'd hate to think what they could have done with cameras.

Since most people learned not to speed there, they started writing tickets for things like "your licence plate light is too dim" which is a judgement call by the Officer.

They were banned from using the State computer system to check licence plates because of abuse. They called in to the state to check huge numbers plates that stopped at the red light in their town.

A few people started a website where people could see what was going on there - http://newromesucks.com/. They have started operating the website again to help inform people about cameras and their problems. It's an interesting read - especially if you read some of the older stuff in their archives.

another speed trap waiting to happen

I just stay close to the speed limit.

I have always felt that those with radar detectors INTEND to speed and want to be advised when to slow down before resuming speeding.

To each his own.

I watched that video. It's hard to believe this town operates this way. I can see why law makers want it shut down. Maybe the management needs to be regulated more closely and have an opportunity to cease it's shady operations.

This ' newromesucks.com ' site is really worth looking at, thank you for posting it for us all to see. I think it basically tells a story which is unfortunately quite typical to a lot of places known to many of us.

If people keep ignoring the warnings, this town will keep getting away with it.

As with Waldo in FL. there is one even worse. Starke.
The AAA even has billboards on both sides of this town warning drivers about the speed trap. They are both on the same road RT301. The town of Hampton is in the middle of the two. AAA would route drivers around them on their maps (even if it was a longer way around) In Starke during school hours, the speed limit through the whole town is 15MPH (this is a major truck route)
I used to go that way several times a year, I started to take a longer way about 30 miles rather than go that way.

That's like thinking the only reason to have red light camera warnings is because you like to run red lights. The only reason the Florida town got caught was because they got so blatant. There's many towns out there still using tickets for a revenue generator and a good way to do that is to put a speed limit reduction where one wouldn't expect it.

When I'm in my own area I don't use the detector and know where the red light cameras are. In an unfamiliar area it's another matter.

So even at noon when the kiddies are in school the limit is 15 *everywhere* in town? That's insane. And who would know that, unless they got signs posting that when you first enter the town.

@sailornorm, when you clipped the quote you attributed it to Tuckahoemike but the quote was what I wrote.

I would not equate my statements with "That's like thinking the only reason to have red light camera warnings is because you like to run red lights" I think a legitimate reason for being warned of an upcoming red light camera would be to make sure no one is tailgating you.

It would make sense - when traveling - to have warning of places where there are blatant speed traps so I would agree with your characterization of a speed limit reduction where one wouldn't expect it." If AAA has put up warning signs, it is pretty blatant.

Radar detectors are another matter. If you never go way over the speed limit, you would not need one. Are you telling us that you always drive within no more than, say, 6 MPH over the speed limit?

I wonder when the school year starts/ends or if summer school also counts?

At least we don't have to worry about added "snow days".

Ron

They have the "when the light is blinking" sign.
This road is a major truck rout between US 10 & US 75.
I have seen the same signs in a lot of towns in Florida, usually they are only on when children are entering or leaving school. This town found a way to make money using these signs.
Most of the cars I have seen being stopped had out of state plates. They never seem to stop the locals.
They know somebody passing thru will not bother to come back to fight the tickets.

Many years ago I was paired up with a prison guard for 18 holes in Cheraw. Near the end of the round he asked where I was heading next. I said Myrtle Beach. He told me about a little town on my route and told me to do 35mph. NOT 36, or 37. Sure enough, just inside the 35mph sign was a cop in the trees....and there I was doing 34mph.

Who said golf does not pay?

In Pennsylvania only the State Police are allowed to use RADAR, the local cops can only use timing devices like VASCAR and ROBIC, a RADAR detector wouldn't help with all the small towns around here with their 15 mph drop in the speed limit at their borders.

I have a RADAR detector that is also GPS based and has a an updatable RLC database.

This discussion will be become very interesting when we have cars that drive themselves and flying cars?
I almost cant wait!
it has and always will be a vicious circle of calling it safety but rubbing their hands together for the counting the revenue!!!

Watching speed cameras & traps in the Washington, DC area - you know that the huge haul in tickets has become a larger portion of the "budget" over the last few years. Don't think it's going away soon.

Fred

Yes, I try to stay at a reasonable speed relative to the posted limit and traffic conditions. The detector is a tool to keep me better informed of what's going on out there, just like the red light camera warning.

I expect that some people would never understand your good intentions in using red light camera warnings. You can choose to believe whatever you wish regarding mine in using a detector.

My apologies to Tuckahoemike, I hope I got the attributions correct this time, and yes, we agree to each his own.

There is a much bigger problem, the entire state of Louisiana. They are known to target out of state drivers, both by the out-of-state plates and by identifying rental cars. And radar detectors will not help, nor will obeying the speed limits, they simply stop and ticket out-of-state drivers and claim they were going over the speed limit, even when they were not. Quite some time ago the TV news show "60 Minutes" even did a piece on it where they kept a camera on their speedometer and drove through the state, and were stopped repeatedly. The disgust that you feel for that corrupt Florida town is what I feel for the entire state of Louisiana.

Lidar can't be picked up with radar detectors. It does not send out a signal and more efficient and full proof in court. Once you are hit with one of these, you just as well pay the ticket because there is no beating it. It is time vs distance much like the old whammy systems or Vascar systems that the Highway Patrol still uses. More and more departments are beginning to use them. The only drawback is that they have to be stationary in order to clock you but can hide in the bushes and clock you when you come by.

While a Radar Detector is useless against laser, there are plenty of Laser Jammer/Shifter products on the market that work quite well. I have successfully used Escort's ZR4 to avoid detection, and it also helps in avoiding setting off laser based speed cameras

Technology... can't live with or without 'em!

There is a bill currently before the Pennsylvania legislature that will allow local law enforcement to use radar.

I moved to PA 1-1/2 years ago and was surprised only State Patrol was using radar, and everyone else is using 1970's Vascar. At the same time, construction signs are emitting Ka band radar. The other shock is many municipal police are paid barely above minimum wage. Good luck getting those under-funded departments to buy, calibrate and maintain radar.

Every session for as long as I can remember there has been such a bill in the PA legislature, it never really goes any where.

It says what some of the towns main sources of income are and why to totally avoid the town/route if you can!

Lets write to the town council / mayor and let them at least know others are aware of what they are doing!

I saw "Lidar" mentioned above. --Does anyone know how many states or places are now using this technology for enforcing traffic laws?

We took US 301 north through Hampton three days ago because Garmin routed us that way when set to minimize travel time going from Tampa over to I-95 north. One can take I-4 to I-95 but it's less direct. We worked hard not to speed and were not stopped. But there are places in the Waldo-Hampton-Starke Florida area on US-301 where one has to brake harder than you might think necessary to get down from highway speeds to local speeds in time.

I've seen 15 mph school zones in other places in Florida besides Starke, though not town-wide, and they love catching unaware out-of-staters at spring break time. Are you sure about that town-wide 15 mph speed at school times, Vito? US 301 in Starke is not one long school zone.

It is never a good idea to go through an unfamiliar small town with out-of-state plates in particular (they know it's hard for you to fight the ticket) even 1 mph or arguably anything within 3 mph below the speed limit. For a few localities such as Hampton FL, speeding ticket revenue is a major part of how they operate.

Thanks for that comment, I did not know that speed enforcement could get that far into ridiculous. (Since speed limits are mostly below the level of what safe drivers go, the whole thing has a touch or ridiculous to it.)

Starke is NOT a town-wide speed limit of 15 school zone.

Actually, there are two school zones.
1) A small town few miles north of Starke (called Lawtey). Speed drops quickly from 60 to 30 in stages.
2) And in Starke itself. Speed (also) drops quickly from 60 to 30 in stages.

BOTH school zones are 15mph during regular school zone times with blinking lights and only a few thousand feet long. Otherwise they are standard 30 mph.

BUT since 301 is a MAJOR alternative route to I75 & I95, it effectively becomes a 15mph zone even when school is out. Lots of semi's stop and go through many stop lights just bring the traffic to a crawl.

It is true Hampton, Waldo, Starke, and Lawtey are defined as speed traps, and a large part of their revenue is based on tickets.

Not defending the practice (or the places), just exaggerated info is no help to anyone. Though, Hampton is just, truly, unbelievably corrupt.

Who would have thought politicians could be corrupt?

I go to Florida every winter. Good to see this town is going to go.

@Riohnes...

Thanks for the http://newromesucks.com/ link...

Nuvi1300WTGPS

http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/29/us/hampton-florida-corruption-...

Well, at least they are trying. The best parts are getting rid of the police department and annexing the highway where the speed trap was working.

Ludowici, Georgia, comes to mind with thread. Back in the 60s Ludowici was renown for its speed trap. Check out this link: http://www.atlantatimemachine.com/misc/ludowici.htm

I have both of these loaded on my Nuvi and not because I intend to run a red light (very dangerous) or speed. (big $$$ fine) I have them because I don't trust the system to give me an honest yellow and don't want to be subject to entrapment at the hands of some town like those in the article who have set the thing to something that's essentially -impossible- to comply with. Same goes for the speed cam: the Nuvi will warn me of the cam watching the area where the speed drops from 45 to 25 in less than a block. (Remember when there used to be "Reduced Speed Zone Ahead" signs along the road?)

Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices
(http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/pdfs/2009r1r2/pdf_index.htm)

Section 2C.38 Reduced Speed Limit Ahead Signs (W3-5, W3-5a)
Guidance:
01 A Reduced Speed Limit Ahead (W3-5 or W3-5a) sign
(see Figure 2C-7) should be used to inform road users of a
reduced speed zone where the speed limit is being reduced
by more than 10 mph, or where engineering judgment
indicates the need for advance notice to comply with the
posted speed limit ahead.
Standard:
02 If used, Reduced Speed Limit Ahead signs shall be
followed by a Speed Limit (R2-1) sign installed at the
beginning of the zone where the speed limit applies.
03 The speed limit displayed on the Reduced Speed
Limit Ahead sign shall be identical to the speed limit
displayed on the subsequent Speed Limit sign.

Note that in 01 it says SHOULD, not SHALL. That makes it a suggested guideline, not required.

Note that in 02 is says IF USED which means it only applies if you have the signs to start with.

The only mandatory part of this guideline is section 03, which says that the speed posted being reduced to has to be exactly what the reduced speed is.

All in all, until they make guidelines like this mandatory, it's not worth the time and effort to propose them.