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She survived her first driving-while-texting accident – but not her second

Except the greater good would be better served without the checkpoints.

I know I didn't post a link, but I'm not making it up. DUI checkpoints are far less effective than patrol cops at taking drunk drivers off the road, and every cop manning a check point is a cop who isn't out patrolling.


They might sound like common sense, but the simple fact is that they don't work nearly as well as one might hope.

They'd work better without those facebook posts warning people not to go by a certain intersection, as there is a checkpoint there. It's too easy for the drunks to avoid the checkpoints.

It seems to me it would be easier in general to enforce traffic laws if the patrol were not quite so visible. Whenever a CHP is seen, and you can spot them a mile off, all of a sudden the speed limit becomes the maximum speed and the cell phones go back in pockets. Then, when it's no longer in sight, it's business as usual.
 
They'd work better without those facebook posts warning people not to go by a certain intersection, as there is a checkpoint there. It's too easy for the drunks to avoid the checkpoints.

True, but I doubt any attempt to stop it would pass constitutional muster. I suppose it's sort of like shouting fire in a crowded theatre in that it would lead to a situation more dangerous to the general public, but I feel it's generally more unlike that it is like

There are also apps that collect data on areas where roadblocks will be set up (because SCOTUS requires the police to announce in advance the general location/time of a checkpoint, but not the specifics) as well as collect reports by other users of the app as to the specific location of roadblocks.





It seems to me it would be easier in general to enforce traffic laws if the patrol were not quite so visible. Whenever a CHP is seen, and you can spot them a mile off, all of a sudden the speed limit becomes the maximum speed and the cell phones go back in pockets. Then, when it's no longer in sight, it's business as usual.

Well, some cops are better than others at hiding, and some roads are better than others. (Route 684 in NY is a patrolman's wet dream. So many concealed parking spots)


But as to drunk drivers, I don't think concealment matters all that much. Granted, they're probably not going to catch you if you're at 0.09 because that isn't all that impaired (I know, statistics show you're about 125x more likely to get in an accident at 3 drinks), but the really drunk drivers aren't going to be able to conceal their intoxication from a patrol cop whether or not they see it. The worthless ***holes can't even stay in their lane.
 
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