Stupid Georgia

Public safety is tantamount.

Interesting Obvious

Faith-based government programs aren't going to fund themselves.

Of course they lied. They're politicians. The ONLY thing they know how to do is to lie.

The politicians' and lobbyists' wallets need trauma care too.

I love cliffhangers! I wonder how this story will end. Will the hospitals gain all of the money promised? Or will they receive far less than originally thought?? Will they uncover a nefarious scheme where the extra money is funneled into lawmakers' re-election campaigns?? Will we find out who shot J.R.???

dionysusaur: Interesting Obvious

The part where they lied was obvious, but the size of the payout is kind of interesting.

Ebenator: Stupid Georgia

Speaking as a resident, I completely second that. To their credit, though, once the state decided the red-light camera profits would go to them, not the local cops, the cameras magically stopped being installed. They deserve some credit for putting a stop to that.

In 'merica?...nooo thats not the 'merica I know

Super Speeder? That sounds like an award I need to earn. Seriously though, this is dumb ...

pxlboy: Probably the same assholes who told us the toll booths on SR400 would go away as soon as the road was paid for.

Yup, they're still there.

Did you really think it would go away? Come on. Someone has to fleece the drivers coming in from Alpharetta.

pxlboy: Probably the same assholes who told us the toll booths on SR400 would go away as soon as the road was paid for.

Yup, they're still there.

They did go away...for one weekend. Then they decided to open them back up. So, they didn't lie, once the road was paid for the toll booths were shut down. We the public just didn't ask that they be shut down permanently once it was paid for when this project started. It is amazing what happens when you leave a word out or assume something that isn't clearly stated. Plus, how would the Hawks win public favor if they didn't have tolls they could pay for people.

still don't like the jerks(politicians & the Hawks & the idiots who don't know how to merge onto a major highway in this state.).

The PA & NJ bridge authority got snagged spending all sorts of toll money on community development projects then turning around to say they needed to raise bridge tolls for repairs.

//people in charge will fark you every chance they get

Fines on law breakers? They should have raised taxes on everyone instead.

$60 million will get you a nice cash-register company from the North to move to that state. Even if said company had a long term presence in their (now) former home. I have nothing against that company - but everything against for the economic development departments of Georgia.

The only difference is that this case isnt a economic development board going all cloak and dagger to get a company to move - but another case of why not to do toll roads.

/That state region needs another March To The Sea.
//Repeat until they dont pull such stunts.

And that's why I don't drive down to the south. That and Virginia. fark Virginia.

All money collected from speeding fines should go toward humanitarian efforts such as trauma care and other hospital needs, with any yearly surplus distributed as dividends to residents. The state should in no way profit from the enforcement of traffic laws, as it begs for corruption at every level of the process.

The good news is since the inception of the Super Speeder Law you can go 15 over with less chance of getting pulled over since the cops are on the look out for bigger fish.

pxlboy: Probably the same assholes who told us the toll booths on SR400 would go away as soon as the road was paid for.
Yup, they're still there.

Income Tax was introduced as a temporary measure, too.

The government lied!?!?!? Unpossible!!!!

YOU LIE!!

pxlboy: Hyjamon: pxlboy: Probably the same assholes who told us the toll booths on SR400 would go away as soon as the road was paid for.

Yup, they're still there.

They did go away...for one weekend. Then they decided to open them back up. So, they didn't lie, once the road was paid for the toll booths were shut down. We the public just didn't ask that they be shut down permanently once it was paid for when this project started. It is amazing what happens when you leave a word out or assume something that isn't clearly stated. Plus, how would the Hawks win public favor if they didn't have tolls they could pay for people.

still don't like the jerks(politicians & the Hawks & the idiots who don't know how to merge onto a major highway in this state.).

This. People from other states come here and marvel at our traffic problems. The red lights installed at the on-ramps were the most intelligent thing this state has ever done in the service of relieving congestion.

The red-lights on the on-ramps are helpful but unfortunately don't solve the problem with people doing 45 trying to merge into a traffic flow doing 60+. You are correct about out of staters, I am not originally from GA but I grew up in the DC area and learned to drive on the beltway where people do 65 bumper to bumper with no problems and I lived in around LA for a while and I do marvel at how Atlantians can't drive on 4-6 lane highways intelligently.

My favorite behavior is when I am in a caravan of cars keeping pace with the car ahead of me but allowing proper spacing, and some idiot is riding my tail flashing their lights for me to go faster, then they whip around me into the space I created, slam on the brakes and they are still going the same speed that they were doing behind me.

What's the problem? Don't break the law and you have nothing to worry about. Why is it so hard? They post the speed limit at least once every mile. Can't you people read?

Well, to be fair about the out of state drivers, what do you expect when a family in their minivan from Iowa is driving down to Disney and encounters an interstate with 9 lanes going south and 10 lanes going north? Then they have to navigate several intersections where if you want to go left you have to be in the right lanes and vice versa.

But it is ok, because we get to vote on a big sales tax to give more money to the same knuckleheads who designed the original interchanges. What brainiac takes a major 3 lane road going south and has it merge down to 1 lane before it connects to the next highway? And then you can only go one way on it. If you want to go the other way you have to exit and go through 3 stoplights.

I was driving on the 285 in Atlanta several years back. It was around 5 PM on a weekday and traffic was heavy. Once the traffic let up and we were able to get back to around 55 MPH, a Deer runs into traffic and try's to jump OVER my van... Almost made it, but bounced off the side of the van and runs back into the brush.

/True CSB

Eatin' Queer Fetuses for Jesus: What's the problem? Don't break the law and you have nothing to worry about. Why is it so hard? They post the speed limit at least once every mile. Can't you people read?

You need to be punched...HARD.

Pockafrusta: Eatin' Queer Fetuses for Jesus: What's the problem? Don't break the law and you have nothing to worry about. Why is it so hard? They post the speed limit at least once every mile. Can't you people read?

You need to be punched...HARD.

This is the problem. Most drivers (including most on Fark) think they are very good drivers, so they think "screw the rules, I'll do what I want". Yes, there's a revenue element...but the rules are there for everyone's safety.

Maybe if driver licenses weren't handed out in Cracker Jack boxes, people would have more respect for the fact that they're driving 2000+-pound objects down the road.

Hyjamon: I am not originally from GA but I grew up in the DC area and learned to drive on the beltway where people do 65 bumper to bumper with no problems .

65 on the beltway? You must have left decades ago. The only things traveling faster than 30 MPH on the beltway are the bullets.

AntiNorm:
This is the problem. Most drivers (including most on Fark) think they are very good drivers, so they think "screw the rules, I'll do what I want". Yes, there's a revenue element...but the rules are there for everyone's safety.

Maybe if driver licenses weren't handed out in Cracker Jack boxes, people would have more respect for the fact that they're driving 2000+-pound objects down the road.

Are you really that credulous? Even the transportation commisioner at the time the law went into effect admitted that it wasn't going to make anyone slow down, which meant they knew it was nothing but a money grab.

Most drivers (including most on Fark) think that the people who make and enforce traffic laws do so arbitrarily and for their own benefit, not that of the public.

If you're driving 20 mph over the posted speed limit, I don't care what happens to you, or how much is drained from your bank account.

Huck And Molly Ziegler: If you're driving 20 mph over the posted speed limit, I don't care what happens to you, or how much is drained from your bank account.

That's all well and good until you're busted doing 35 in a school zone during summer break.

Huck And Molly Ziegler: If you're driving 20 mph over the posted speed limit, I don't care what happens to you, or how much is drained from your bank account.

THIS.

And, it amazes me how many people in this country believe that speed limits were created specifically to annoy them.

Loreweaver: Huck And Molly Ziegler: If you're driving 20 mph over the posted speed limit, I don't care what happens to you, or how much is drained from your bank account.

THIS.

And, it amazes me how many people in this country believe that speed limits were created specifically to annoy them.

No no no no. This is not about individual citizens. This is about the state using a false pretense to extract more money out of generally law abiding people. It's like you haven't been paying attention even the littlest bit.

For instance: A part of my daily commute involves a 5 mile stretch of a 5 lane highway with fencing on one side and train tracks on the other. The speed limit used to be 55 mph, but traffic usually moved at 65 mph. Why wasn't the LIMIT 65 mph then since that was obviously what people were comfortable doing? Anything over 65 mph could have been argued to be unsafe based soley on traffic patterns of tens of thousands of drivers. 55 mph was, for a LIMIT, obviously too slow.

So of course, the city petitioned the state to change the speed limit on that section of road. The state obliged and now the speed limit is 45 mph. Precisely 20 mph less than the natural speed thousands of drivers comfortably and safely drove that stretch of highway for years.

So we all drive 55 to 60 mph now, rather than the 65 to 70 mph we used to for fear of being unjustifably fined. Not because it's safer, but because of the threat of an unreasonable and unjustified fine.

mdeesnuts: Loreweaver: Huck And Molly Ziegler: If you're driving 20 mph over the posted speed limit, I don't care what happens to you, or how much is drained from your bank account.

THIS.

And, it amazes me how many people in this country believe that speed limits were created specifically to annoy them.

No no no no. This is not about individual citizens. This is about the state using a false pretense to extract more money out of generally law abiding people. It's like you haven't been paying attention even the littlest bit.

For instance: A part of my daily commute involves a 5 mile stretch of a 5 lane highway with fencing on one side and train tracks on the other. The speed limit used to be 55 mph, but traffic usually moved at 65 mph. Why wasn't the LIMIT 65 mph then since that was obviously what people were comfortable doing? Anything over 65 mph could have been argued to be unsafe based soley on traffic patterns of tens of thousands of drivers. 55 mph was, for a LIMIT, obviously too slow.

So of course, the city petitioned the state to change the speed limit on that section of road. The state obliged and now the speed limit is 45 mph. Precisely 20 mph less than the natural speed thousands of drivers comfortably and safely drove that stretch of highway for years.

So we all drive 55 to 60 mph now, rather than the 65 to 70 mph we used to for fear of being unjustifably fined. Not because it's safer, but because of the threat of an unreasonable and unjustified fine.

Yet, at the same time, here where I live, we have people complaining about the 40 MPH limit on 2-lane roads. This is an area where the main roads are overcrowded during the day, and lined with strip malls and retail outlets. Back roads are thin and winding, with lots of hills, blind curves, and steep embankments.

And these yahoos keep tailgating on main roads and/or doing 10+ over the posted limit on back roads. Every single day, we get at least one report of a vehicle that missed a curve and crashed into a ditch, or dove into the oncoming lane to make it through the corner, only to smash into oncoming traffic. Excessive speed is always a factor in these crashes.

My personal favorite are the tailgaters, who believe riding 6 inches off my rear bumper will somehow magically enable me to travel faster than the line of traffic in front of me.

I am tired of people trying to blame their impatience and lack of common sense on Gub'Mint-imposed speed limits.

Do many municipalities use artificially low speed limits as a revenue stream? Yes.

Should they be called on it, and forced to readjust it properly to fit traffic patterns and the Laws of Physics? YES.

Do many drivers use this as an excuse to ignore said Laws of Physics? YES.

Do you think speed cameras are a money making machine?

Well how about you deny them the revenue by sticking to the posted speed limit?

Problem solved!

Loreweaver:
I am tired of people trying to blame their impatience and lack of common sense on Gub'Mint-imposed speed limits.

Do many municipalities use artificially low speed limits as a revenue stream? Yes.

Should they be called on it, and forced to readjust it properly to fit traffic patterns and the Laws of Physics? YES.

Do many drivers use this as an excuse to ignore said Laws of Physics? YES.

That last one made me chuckle for some reason.

Sounds like your area needs better enforcement, not heaftier penalties. And I wish I could get sheep around here to care that the local police department is filled full of dickheads (that's a quote from a cop I know that ended up quiting). I called the police department when they had a press release stating "we're lowering limits all over town" and asked them why, because it was curiously missing from the press release.

They said they'd get back to me...

Tricky Chicken: Hyjamon: I am not originally from GA but I grew up in the DC area and learned to drive on the beltway where people do 65 bumper to bumper with no problems .

65 on the beltway? You must have left decades ago. The only things traveling faster than 30 MPH on the beltway are the bullets.

wow, yea, it has been a few decades but I don't miss the slog up and down 270 anymore that's for sure.

Loreweaver: mdeesnuts: Loreweaver: Huck And Molly Ziegler: If you're driving 20 mph over the posted speed limit, I don't care what happens to you, or how much is drained from your bank account.

THIS.

And, it amazes me how many people in this country believe that speed limits were created specifically to annoy them.

No no no no. This is not about individual citizens. This is about the state using a false pretense to extract more money out of generally law abiding people. It's like you haven't been paying attention even the littlest bit.

For instance: A part of my daily commute involves a 5 mile stretch of a 5 lane highway with fencing on one side and train tracks on the other. The speed limit used to be 55 mph, but traffic usually moved at 65 mph. Why wasn't the LIMIT 65 mph then since that was obviously what people were comfortable doing? Anything over 65 mph could have been argued to be unsafe based soley on traffic patterns of tens of thousands of drivers. 55 mph was, for a LIMIT, obviously too slow.

So of course, the city petitioned the state to change the speed limit on that section of road. The state obliged and now the speed limit is 45 mph. Precisely 20 mph less than the natural speed thousands of drivers comfortably and safely drove that stretch of highway for years.

So we all drive 55 to 60 mph now, rather than the 65 to 70 mph we used to for fear of being unjustifably fined. Not because it's safer, but because of the threat of an unreasonable and unjustified fine.

Yet, at the same time, here where I live, we have people complaining about the 40 MPH limit on 2-lane roads. This is an area where the main roads are overcrowded during the day, and lined with strip malls and retail outlets. Back roads are thin and winding, with lots of hills, blind curves, and steep embankments.

And these yahoos keep tailgating on main roads and/or doing 10+ over the posted limit on back roads. Every single day, we get at least one report of a vehicle that missed a curve and crashed ...

All I have to say is ... I have better insurance than you. Even if I do crash, guess what, you're going to hurt physically, mentally, and financially. Enjoy my $10 million umbrella coverage, peon!

The money is of course not going to be applied where it SHOULD be, which is towards road and rail infrastructure and the cost of scraping dead, uninsured people off roads. It goes into the general fund, where it can be used to fund social spending, and more importantly, keep the vast numbers of government employees paid at 15-20% more than private workers.

GoDawgs!:
You do realize NCR had a large campus like 1 mile away from their new HQ since...forever, right?

Yes, I do. I knew of a previous exodus of Ohioans following NCR/AT&T there - in the late 1980's-early 1990's. Saw that one happen, and even knew someone that moved over from that(and back, thankfully). I thought they'd have moved back much earlier than 2008-2009, given how the merger went. Given how much history that corporation has with Ohio, the actions of Georgia's government are not taken favorably at all in this state.

I have no fault for NCR responding to such a request (and moving), for that was a business decision based on the information they had at the time. The blame goes on the people that made them the offer, Georgia's government. If Georgia's economic development board wasn't all cloak/dagger about the thing - and communicated to Ohio to work something out - perhaps there wouldn't be a problem.

Shame that Georgia didnt take Diebold instead, since I dunno how many would miss Diebold outside of NE Ohio.

Just admit it- Ohio blows and nobody wants to be there.
If Georgia's government had to keep things under the covers, Ohio sure must have had something of value - and didn't want Ohioans knowing that their pocket was being picked. The state of Georgia would have found someone else to rob if Ohio "sucked".

That, and we don't have toll roads going everywhichway except for the Ohio Turnpike. Towns might set their own speed traps, but at least you can avoid them. Georgia's version of the Chaika lanes, such as demonstrated in this article, not so much.

/Yes, I know a bit more about NCR than you think.
//A lot more.