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This Louisiana Town Runs Largely on Traffic Fines. If You Fight Your Ticket, the Mayor Is Your Judge. (www.propublica.org)
submitted 2 years ago by to c/news@lemmy.world
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Fenton, population 226, brings in over $1 million per year through its mayor’s court, an unusual justice system in which the mayor can serve as judge even though he’s responsible for town finances.

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[–] 37 points 2 years ago (17 children)

the most expedient solution would be to drive nowhere near Fenton, LA

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  • [–] 29 points 2 years ago

    This is impossible. You have no choice but to drive through Fenton to get to lake Charles without at least an hour detour through moss bluff. I live in this area and my in-laws live in Fenton (it’s bigger than it seems. The town itself is small but the surrounding area has lots of home. A lot more than 225 people in the town too.) You just don’t speed. You get a warning sign about it changing to 50. Go 50. I used to pick up my buddy in kinder, one town over heading to lake Charles for work, and we would wait to light the blunt till we passed though.

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  • [+] -16 points 2 years ago (12 children)

    Or just not break the speed limit?

    I get the concerns about possible corruption (though the article didn't show us anything in this regard), but I'm like what's the problem? If you break the law you get a fine. I'd be more concerned about the paces where you don't!

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  • [–] 18 points 2 years ago (5 children)

    "Yeah, I clocked you going 20 over"

    "But I was driving the speed limit"

    "Take it up with the judge"

    ---Later---

    "You were going 20 over, pay at the desk"

    "But I was going the speed limit!"

    "Got any proof?"

    "No?"

    "Then go pay at the desk"

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  • [–] 7 points 2 years ago (3 children)

    More like "you were going 1 mph over, the law's the law"

    Speed trap towns aren't reasonable. That's the point.

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  • [–] 0 points 2 years ago

    The article said they only write tickets for going more than 61mph in a 50mph zone. That's 20% over, 44% longer brake distance if there is an accident and more noise for the people living nearby.

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  • [–] 0 points 2 years ago

    If this happens it will be a scandal. The article only showed cases of:

    “Yeah, I clocked you going 20 over”
    “I' did, but will still fight the ticket in court”
    “Take it up with the judge”

    “You were going 20 over, pay at the desk”
    “All right, I actually did driver too fast. But it's not fair!!!”
    “Alright, go pay at the desk”

    So I'll wait until someone can actually show that evidence is faked and people are sentenced without due process, violating the principle of "innocent until proven guilty". Because what the article showed were a lot of people who broke traffic laws, but none who were bribed or who sentenced people to fines without evidence.

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  • [–] 9 points 2 years ago*

    I live in Louisiana. Fenton is what's known here as a speed trap town.

    Except for the i-10, every major highway in LA has these. The trick is that the average speed limit on these highways is around 60 or 70, and then it drops to 30 or 40 for a mile stretch where cops are waiting for you just after the sign.

    If you missed the sign or haven't slowed down sufficiently by the time you reach it, they pull you over and write you a ticket for ~$600. I got one of these in 2018 for the latter reason.

    It's not just about obeying the speed limit. You can follow the speed limit to the letter and miss one sign on accident. It actually is a trap. It's a main source of income for the small towns along the highways of LA.

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  • [–] 5 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    The speed limit is often artificially low to entice people to speed though. Especially in towns like this that subsist off speeding fines.

    Back in 2007 a group of UGA students drove the 285 loop around Atlanta at exactly over the posted speed limit (at the time 55mph). This caused traffic to back up for hours and the teens were arrested for blocking the flow of traffic.

    And, from personal experience, driving on 285 at less than 70mph is absolutely terrifying. You're liable to get hit by someone who is just moving with the flow of traffic. It's substantially less safe to adhere to the posted speed limits.

    So what is the expectation then, if not to speed?

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    The street design may be a massive problem, indeed. And I welcome any change towards more reasonable street design and more public transport. This part of the high way system seems to be rather busy - perfect for a high speed train connection.

    But that's not what the article criticizes and this misdirection is exactly what I find problematic about the article. Until better roads are designed "just break the law" doesn't sound like a good idea to me.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago

    I think you missed my point.

    The roads are designed with people travelling 75mph in mind. They easily support those speeds. There is no design problem.

    There is a policy problem in that, despite the roads being designed to safely operate at 75mph+, the law has the limit set at 50mph. This creates an environment where you are encouraged to speed, as going the speed limit feels like moving at a crawl.

    There is no safety requirement for setting the limit so low. It is entirely to allow the police to pull over people arbitrarily, as everyone is always in violation of the law.

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