CRAP!!!(*#&$ I just got a speeding ticket

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by 4X4

Heh, while I'm in rant mode...

BBS, what's with the hit and run? You're offline now? Just took off your gloves, took a swing and ran?

Do oyu have a drivers license? Have you driven in Calgary? Are you one of those ######s that gets all erratic and needs to switch lanes NOW, only to turn 5 blocks later? Are you one of those freaks that cuts poeple off to get into traffic only to turn a block later?

Yes I've seen you before. You're the guy that doesn't know how to drive. You're the guy that never learned driving etiquitte. You're the guy that does not comprehend the physics of large metallic objects moving at high speeds, and how to go with the flow.

Guy, if you've got any experience driving Calgary, or western canada, you'll know what I'm talking about. Until then, back under your rock.

Yes 4X4 I'm able to sit around all day and wait for you to reply so I can reply back.
You're right I've never driven in Calgary (oh wait, except for the last 8.5 years or so, you know the entire time I've had my lisence) throw in riding a motorcycle all over the province (which I suppose I don't know takes a little more concnetration then driving anythign else), and a little driving in the NY, NJ, Pittsburgh, Philly area (basiclly the craziest place in the continent to drive), so I suppose you're right I have no idea what you're talking about. Also being an engineer I definatley would have no idea about the physics of a large metalic moving object, and the fact that one of my best friends actually designed roads for a living for a while means I certainly have no idea why roads are built the way they are and have the speed limits they do.

So please tell me other than "I drive in calgary", what exactly do you know about the design of roads and the speed limits that they have?

And I 100% agree, just because I have some knowledge as to why speed limits are the way they are that means I don't know how to drive. Cutting people off just comes with the territory.

For the record, I speed just as much as the next guy, but I don't complain that the speed limits are too low, I accept that what I'm doing is illegal and possibly dangerous.
I accept that they are the way they are because
a) there are certain design criteria that go into what the speed limits can be
and
b) I'm not so ######ed that I believe that cops have the power to arbitrarily change speed limits so they can catch a bunch of speeders

Prime example, is memorial drive by the CBC building where it drops to 50. Why is that the only spot on memorial that it is 50? You're response will problaby be "So cops can catch speeders"
See, its ######ed people that answer like that that don't take into consideration the fact that there what is essentially a blind merge from 14th street comming onto memorial right there. It couldn't possibly be the fact that having people pull into 70 km/h traffic with a huge blind spot is dangerous, nope it's cause cops need to write more tickets.

Seriously dude, if speed limits are lower than they should be in some areas, its becuase there are idiots like you that think they know more than the people who actually do that stuff for a living.

But seriously, if you think you know so much about what constitues a good/safe speed limit, then by all means follow my previous suggestion and go get a job a city hall teaching all those engineers how to do their jobs.

[Dion]

People are fighting tickets not as a means of not taking responsibility for their actions. It has more to do with the large increases to insurance premiums.

I see no problems with one paying a fine without demerit points. I did this once as I had a squeaky clean record. Prosecutor had no problem with me asking for a fine without demerits. And it wasn't a situation where I was chronic speeder trying to avoid justice.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay

While I agree with pretty much everything you say, BBS does have one point. There are certain enviromental issues around that area that I think would lead to a lower speed limit. Its rather hilly around those parts and the grade of the road still gets kinda steep in certain spots and if memorys serves, its not properly lit yet. I suspect we will see that speed limit increase when the road as a whole is finished.

You are bang on with regards to lights on bridges, I mean, WTF is up with that? You build a bridge to speed up traffic only to put lights on it to slow it down? I too question some of the road engineering in this city. Have for years.

/ducks from the wrath of BBS

Oh there is no wrath for you GATW, see you're a little reasonable and know that there are things you dont' know.
For example the really bad idea of putting lights on overpasses and changing clover leafs to overpasses with lights, I hate those too, and they do slow down traffic (at least on the overpass) so why would they put them in?

Prime example is Shag and Crowchild. An overpass was needed and the obvious solution is a cloverleaf as it is the most efficient. Unfortunately 4X4 had at that point not taken my advice to teach the city planners how to do their jobs and was unable to tell them this and instead the engineers decided on the currend design with a bunch of lights. How stupid could they be? And to think the reasoing they used was something as stupid as the following:

1) Calgary has one of the highest rates of accidents on clover leaf style interchanges in the country (whether its due to bad drivers or poor conditions doesn't really matter, and is up for debate)
2) The decided upon design is the best possible design for reducing the type of accidents that occur at an alarming rate in Calgary. Mainly due to the lack of wide sweeping turns and merge lanes that can be dangerous in icy conditions.
3) Shag is not a major commuter route compared to Crochild and other roads that intersect it (eg, nosehill or sarcee), so a less efficinet design would not have the extreme impact it would at those sites, besides clearing up congestion on crowchild and a safe interchange was the priority.
4) Sarcee is a major commuter route onto crowchild hence a hybrid design was chose for that interchange to reduce danger and congestion as much as possible.

If only 4X4 had been around to put an end to all of that and make the right decisions for everyone.

[Wookie]

Originally Posted by Rhettzky

Simple would be stating the obvious when someone is asking for input. If someone was asking for a good place to buy tensor bandages after spraining their ankle going down a flight of stairs would your advice be "Maybe watch those stairs next time"? Brilliant.

But wait, it's worse, some of these guys wouldn't even recommend taking the option of looking for the best deal. They'd recommend buying it a full price or whatever was asked! God forbid that you have to actually buy it, that now you'd like to find it on sale because that'd be wrong! Especially if they offer options to get it on sale!

[Ironhorse]

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

1) Calgary has one of the highest rates of accidents on clover leaf style interchanges in the country (whether its due to bad drivers or poor conditions doesn't really matter, and is up for debate)

Now this I can totally see. I have lost track of how many muppets I have seen in this city have no clue on the concept of "merging into traffic" (or for that matter, letting someone merge).

[I-Hate-Hulse]

For the hard core nerds in the crowd, the merits of the compressed diamond (Fig 112) can be found in this paper from the US DOT.

http://www.tfhrc.gov/safety/pubs/04091/10.htm#1032

[Phaneuf3]

Stop breaking the law!

[4X4]

OK, BBS. Whatever you say. Your faith in the city planners in cagary is astounding. Since I'm such a moron, will you please explain to me the logic behind having a completely different overpass on every intersection on deerfoot?

And please don't attempt to lower my IQ to your level with some garbage about the grades and the access being different. I want to know why no two interchanges on deerfoot are the same. I want to know why on some of them you turn left to go south and on others, you turn right. I want to know why they can't stick with one, basic plan and keep duplicating it.

By the sounds of what you've written so far, you just don't question anything the city does. Good for ewe. Baaaaa.

[Reggie Dunlop]

You get a speeding ticket when you put your foot on the pedal too hard and exceed the speed limit and get caught doing so. There are signs along the road to inform you of the speed limit, as well as a speedometer right under your nose on your dashboard to inform you of the speed in which your vehicle is going.

It's not the fault of city planners, cops, insurance companies or someone's grandmother any moreso than it the fault of car manufacturers (for making fast cars), Hollywood, or video game developers.

It's the fault of the individual.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by 4X4

If I was the guy in charge of designing roads in Calgary, there'd be a few major changes. First of all, no more lights on overpasses. Secondly, no more deconstruction of cloverleafs and reconstruction into overpasses with lights.

Right. Because having gridlock on Glenmore at Blackfoot most of the day is better than meterring the traffic. I take Blackfoot and Glenmore every day. By getting rid of the clover leaf, people going SB Blackfoot onto EB Glenmore can now merge without hitting opposing traffic trying to cross my path.

There are two options when building interchanges. One is to use up a tonne of space. The other is to use lights on the non-freeway intersecting roads. I would rather have the odd light than the 3 km detour that you have to take to get onto WB Glenmore from NB Deerfoot.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by 4X4

OK, BBS. Whatever you say. Your faith in the city planners in cagary is astounding. Since I'm such a moron, will you please explain to me the logic behind having a completely different overpass on every intersection on deerfoot?

And please don't attempt to lower my IQ to your level with some garbage about the grades and the access being different. I want to know why no two interchanges on deerfoot are the same. I want to know why on some of them you turn left to go south and on others, you turn right. I want to know why they can't stick with one, basic plan and keep duplicating it.

By the sounds of what you've written so far, you just don't question anything the city does. Good for ewe. Baaaaa.

Yes 4X4 you're absolutely right, there is no reason why the interchanges at different roads should be different. For example, the Glenmore exit should be exactly the same as the 64th exit because they are exactly the same. Never mind that one is probably one of the busisest roads in the city while the other is at best a secondary commuter route. Oh and while one has huge ass hills on either side and the other is essentially at a river bottom probaly has nothing to do with it.

I love how you said not to lower your iq with reasons like grade and access being different, but if you are so naive to beleive that you can build whatever you want wherever you want and it won't be astronomically expensive then I guess those points are irrelevant.

Seriously dude, you have yet to show that you have one iota of knowledge other than "I drive in Calgary" to show why it is you think speed limits are too low. You say I don't understand the physics of a large hunk of moving metal, yet you apparently have no faith in the people who do that kind of stuff for a living. So please give me a single reason other that "I drive in Calgary and the speed limits are too low". Do I always agree with the city planners/engineers decisions (for example the shag/crowchild interchange)? No, but unlike you I'm not so stupid as to beleive that they do those things no other reason than that's what they felt like and the cops made them do it so they can write more tickets.

But hey, if you want to ignore logical arguements some more and tell me that I don't know how to drive and that I'm a sheep for understanding some of the engineering priciples that go into designing roads go right ahead, I suggest you now move on to mother jokes as that seems to be your best arguement for the way roads are built.

[Ironhorse]

Originally Posted by 4X4

I'll tell you what. If I was the guy in charge of designing roads in Calgary, there'd be a few major changes. First of all, no more lights on overpasses. Secondly, no more deconstruction of cloverleafs and reconstruction into overpasses with lights.

The problem with cloverleafs is that they are only efficient up to a certain traffic volume, and assume that traffic volume is fairly equal in all directions. As that volume increases, they become a bottleneck.

You'll see a lot of the new interchanges with lights and dual turn lanes because it is more efficient in rush hour traffic; most of the communities feeding these interchanges into a large artery have heavy traffic flow in one direction in the morning, and then the opposite direction at the end of the day. The traffic computers can adjust the traffic lights for the volume direction, and they'll put more cars through per 5 minutes than a cloverleaf can.

Originally Posted by 4X4

Your faith in the city planners in cagary is astounding. Since I'm such a moron, will you please explain to me the logic behind having a completely different overpass on every intersection on deerfoot?

I suspect it is partially due to the fact that Deerfoot was designed in 4 distinct phases, and also that there were probably changes in design philosophy as well as real estate issues. Sure, the city has made some design mistakes (concrete road surface experiment on Deerfoot, Calf Robe bridge anyone?), but to call them totally incompetent is carrying things a bit too far IMHO.

[Rhettzky]

Originally Posted by Ironhorse

Sure, the city has made some design mistakes (concrete road surface experiment on Deerfoot, Calf Robe bridge anyone?), but to call them totally incompetent is carrying things a bit too far IMHO.

I don't know why everyone is calling out the city planners on this anyways. Most interchanges in the city are built by Consultants for the city. City engineers oversee the project as a whole but when it comes to individual designs it is the Consultant that crunches the numbers.

Basically this is how it works; (Based on a project I worked on a few months ago) We won a job through the city working on an underpass at 4th Street and 10th Ave S.E. (Think King Eddy to Coyotes under the tracks) The city asks for the Consultant to come up with a few concepts for the underpass. We submitted eight options originally with varying grades, accesses, sidewalk configurations and project limits. After meeting with the city planner and finalizing all options subject to his approval we touched up the drawings and had an open house. The open house just showcases the project to the citizens and looks for feed back. Then we narrow down the concepts to three detailed designs based on city planner feedback and opinions from the open house. Then submit final designs to the city planner for review. Now this process can loop between design review and open houses for months on end depending on how the public perceives the project and of course if funding is readily available for the project.

The city does set speed guidelines and has their own set of design criteria but for the most part consultants have a good hand in the way these things are designed. Maybe this is why you see such a wide variety of interchange and intersection designs in the city is because of all the different consulting firms working with the city.

[4X4]

huh.. Looks like it's me against the world.

Ken 42... How about people learning how to merge? Can you merge? Does it **** you off that others can't? Is your solution to "dumb it down" for the BBS's of the world?

BBS... I'm still not sure how I became the subject of your scorn, but I'm pretty sure that you're lacking something in life. I'm making a simple point. The posted limits in Calgary are too low in many places. Your arguement is that I'm not a city planner. OOOHHH. I'm not a city planner!. Jesus Christ. Don't kick me while I'm down.

Do I really need to explain how to drive? Why is this such a mystery to Calgary? Y'know, the further I get from Calgary, the more I become aware of just how sheltered Calgarians are. You make me laugh, BBS.

Just because you shut up and follow whatever rules are laid in front of you doesn't mean that the rest of the world is out of line for questioning those rules. Get over your self for a minute and re read the thread.

Really, BBS, you can have this one if you want it. Go ahead and dis me into oblivion. I'll let you in on a well known fact to the rest of the world: people in Calgary don't know how to drive.

You can dispute that with whomever you please. Call me a moron, call me an idiot. Keep your head in the sand. One day you just might go to a big city. Then you will know WTF I'm talking about. Until then, keep scraping your nose against the ceiling. Bigger they are, harder they fall.

[4X4]

You're kidding me. Holy Crap. I just read your post again BBS. Are you actually comparing Glenmore to 64th?

You really are a notch below.

[Natt]

Originally Posted by 4X4

Either I'm a bionic superhuman, or a good portion of the posted speed limits cater to the lowest common denominator (old poeple and asian ladies) (bring on the "you're a racist" retorts).

How about shutting down the bogus driving schools that sell licenses to asians? And don't bother calling me a racist. My friend's mom "bought" her DL.

You're a racist. It's just weird how you talk about how sheltered everyone else is but I can't imagine an "open minded unsheltered person" saying that... Really though, I don't care what your justification is... so let's move on...

Back on topic to the very original reason for this post:

Rakiet I got a speeding ticket a few months back (on the newly reconstructed Crowchild). It was actually a funny situation because I didnt even realize I was speeding. I usually just drive at the same speed as the rest of traffic. That time there were three other cars surrounding me and we were all speeding. It was that cop's lucky night because he caught two out of three of us, (the other car sped away...)
I went downtown (the address is on your ticket). I plead guilty (because I was speeding after all!) and then asked them to lower the ticket fine and/or reduce my demerits. The man I spoke to could not reduce the fine (which I paid) but did erase my demerits.
You should get there early though, I was there around 8am and still had to wait about 30 minutes... by the time I left, the line had tripled in size...

Hope that helps!

[Reggie Dunlop]

If you speed habitually, you will be caught. Only a matter of time.

And it's got nothing to do with any other aforementioned anecdotal example of hazardous driving. There is no substantive argument otherwise.

Aggressive drivers who habitually ignore or flout established speed limits should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, to the point of invoking the possibility of incarceration for the most flagrant and recalcitrant offenders.

Our roads, streets and byways would all the more pleasant and safe.

[soulchoice]

Originally Posted by 4X4

huh.. Looks like it's me against the world.

Ken 42... How about people learning how to merge? Can you merge? Does it **** you off that others can't? Is your solution to "dumb it down" for the BBS's of the world?

BBS... I'm still not sure how I became the subject of your scorn, but I'm pretty sure that you're lacking something in life. I'm making a simple point. The posted limits in Calgary are too low in many places. Your arguement is that I'm not a city planner. OOOHHH. I'm not a city planner!. Jesus Christ. Don't kick me while I'm down.

Do I really need to explain how to drive? Why is this such a mystery to Calgary? Y'know, the further I get from Calgary, the more I become aware of just how sheltered Calgarians are. You make me laugh, BBS.

Just because you shut up and follow whatever rules are laid in front of you doesn't mean that the rest of the world is out of line for questioning those rules. Get over your self for a minute and re read the thread.

Really, BBS, you can have this one if you want it. Go ahead and dis me into oblivion. I'll let you in on a well known fact to the rest of the world: people in Calgary don't know how to drive.

You can dispute that with whomever you please. Call me a moron, call me an idiot. Keep your head in the sand. One day you just might go to a big city. Then you will know WTF I'm talking about. Until then, keep scraping your nose against the ceiling. Bigger they are, harder they fall.

This has become quite a intense topic. But, I have to admit for the most part there are or seem to be a larger number of Calgary drivers whom drive like they are in a small town. For example, if the speed limit is 100, dont try to merge at 90 and hope that someone lets you in. Time and time again, I am seeing this occur. Go speed limit or more and I will kindly let you in. But I certainly will not slow down to less than speed limit because one fails to remember proper merging techniques.

Then there is the usual, not following the left lane concept, not that hard really on deerfoot for example. As much as the traffic woes are in larger cities(Montreal, Toronto, LA, etc, not during rush hours, but other driving times). The people there seem to have figured out these concepts and live with it day to day. Though all my ranting will certainly not change anything in this city or anywhere else, as people will continue to drive how they want and are entitled to. There will always been complainers of some sort, whether warranted or not, they always exist.

However, Edmonton driver are even worse. Mind you, they dont have a true freeway, thus the slower drivers.

[soulchoice]

Originally Posted by Rakiet

alright..I need to know how the family will find out. the ticket says I can pay at a registry or court so thats cool. But I have a feeling this is the elast of my worries, how does the insurance company find out and then notify the people who pay it [parents]? Should I expect a letter in the mail?

In Calgary, don't bother asking how, its just a typical speeding ticket

Don't listen to the comments about living up to your speeding and paying. If there is a way to avoid paying the full amount and demerits, do it, don't let anyone tell you different. Sure you can not speed, but if that is not an option for you, then so be it. I usually am above speed limit, except during bad weather and have had my share of tickets when I was younger too. With experience came the ability to determine for the most part when to speed and when not to. Do what you have to do and get a reduction in court. We have all been younger(31 now) and things happen.

As previous posters stated, go to your scheduled court date. Talk to the crown. Tell him your a student and awknowledge the speeding. Tell him/her, you can pay right there, if he can reduce the charge and no demerits. Chances are they will meet your demands. If the cop is not there, the charge will be thrown out(chances are he will be, cause they are paid to be there).

But, before you go to court and plead guilty. Check out the entire ticket, look for some errors. If for example the date was wrong on the ticket(year, say it says 2005) bring it up and they will have to drop the charge. Just to let you know, one ticket will not affect the insurance rates at all, no worries there. Plus, most insurance companies only do random checks on driving records, its not a yearly thing, unless you have been red flagged by having too many demerits. Good luck.

[return to the red]

awwwww crap I got pulled over yesterday for going 80 in a 50 zone and rolling through a stop sign...all together it could have cost me like $450 but the officer was nice enough to reduce it to just 10 K over the speed limit so a mere $78

The funny thing was I was listening to the game on the radio and cheering when the Flames went up 2-1 and then booing when the Jackets tied it while he was issuing my ticket...he found it kinda funny