What's with all the cops on 288?

[marmer 74]

Several nights now, early evening, I've seen two or three (or more) cops -- Houston, constable, sheriff, shooting laser between 610 and BW8 on 288. A few more southbound, but some northbound, too. Some agency has a new Dodge Charger in white with the "Police" graphic subdued, and I've seen that one several times, too. What's going on with that? One thing you can say for 288 -- it doesn't seem to me to be full of people driving too _fast_!

[musicman 193]

it's just a speed trap. go down the gulf freeway in the morning. just about everyday there are 3 or 4 between 610 and the beltway.

[TJones 53]

They are merely making sure you are wearing your seatbelt, have proper registration on your car, and not going over the posted speed limit. They are just doing their jobs, imagine that. Making sure you get home safe and sound to your family, my gosh, what nerve those doughnut eaters have.

[marmer 74]

They are merely making sure you are wearing your seatbelt, have proper registration on your car, and not going over the posted speed limit. They are just doing their jobs, imagine that. Making sure you get home safe and sound to your family, my gosh, what nerve those doughnut eaters have.

OK, I almost didn't respond because I didn't want to start an argument. You certainly didn't speak to the intent of my post, which was asking if anyone knew a reason for the suddenly greatly increased speed enforcement on 288.

First of all, although wearing seatbelts and having proper registration are certainly good things, they have little to no effect on my getting home safely. Not arguing against seatbelts, and I could be wrong, but in heavy traffic at highway speeds it doesn't seem very easy to see if someone is wearing a seatbelt. And I haven't seen any reports of major accidents with significant injuries which might (maybe) cause a higher priority on seatbelt enforcement.

Registration doesn't even come into play until the traffic stop. Same with the inspection sticker, which actually has some, though in today's world, minor, effect on safety.

I drive it every day, and I haven't seen a bunch of wrecks. I haven't seen a bunch of people driving way faster than the flow of traffic. I do think people driving way faster than the flow of traffic should be stopped. But this is usually heavy enough traffic that driving faster than the speed limit is not possible. Of course they are doing their job and doing what they are told to do. But it sure looks to me like they have been told to sit there with laser and cherrypick cars until they get lucky enough to catch someone going barely fast enough not to get laughed out of court. And I do have a problem with that. EDIT: I have never been stopped on 288 or in the Pearland area.

Edited April 24, 2008 by marmer

[N Judah 29]

It's the MONNNNNNNNNNEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

[editor 1003]

[N Judah 29]

Egads, I am caught! C'est la vie.

Edited April 24, 2008 by N Judah

[marmer 74]

And another thing, if it is for revenue purposes, which is what it sounds like, isn't there fairly significant cost to the county/city to have that many assets (cars, officers, laser guns) tied up to catch a handful of relatively small-potatoes speeders? I would think you'd get more bang for the buck, so to speak, with one cop, in light traffic, catching the occasional leadfoot going 20+ over up where the fines get big and there's actually some safety benefit...

Just asking. I could be all wrong. I'm not anti-cop, this just seems weird.

[20thStDad 257]

You can't get more bang for the buck than being able to pull over one after the other, which I see them do all day, both ways, on 288.

Personally I'd feel safer if they did a damn thing about catching people who steal things, but according to them it's pretty much not possible.

Edited April 25, 2008 by 20thStDad

[CoolBuddy06 15]

It's the MONNNNNNNNNNEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Yep, it's the $$$. And you have many PDs looking for it on 288: HPD, Harris County Sheriff, Pearland Police, Brazoria County Sheriff, Manvel Police (a little to the south), and Troopers all have some juris on 288!!! Go figure.

Solution?

[memebag 22]

Solution?

1. Never speed.

2. Keep inspection, registration and insurance up to date.

3. Wear seat belts.

If they can't write tickets, they'll have to do something else.

[cottonmather0 2]

You must not drive much down southbound 288!

[memebag 22]

You must not drive much down southbound 288!

You talkin' to me? I drive down 288 southbound twice a week.

[N Judah 29]

1. Never speed.

2. Keep inspection, registration and insurance up to date.

3. Wear seat belts.

If they can't write tickets, they'll have to do something else.

Like what, jaywalking? Nothing pulls in the revenue like speeding tickets. If they can't write tickets, I am terrified at the thought of what depths they might stoop to.

[memebag 22]

Like what, jaywalking? Nothing pulls in the revenue like speeding tickets. If they can't write tickets, I am terrified at the thought of what depths they might stoop to.

So ... it's our duty to let our insurance lapse to keep the cops from mischief?

[N Judah 29]

So ... it's our duty to let our insurance lapse to keep the cops from mischief?

I think it's either that or some cops will end up getting laid off or have their hours cut back. Sort of like billable hours.

[cottonmather0 2]

You talkin' to me? I drive down 288 southbound twice a week.

No, the OP.

It seems like a pretty silly question if you drive down 288 at all with any regularity. There are ALWAYS cops everywhere.

[marmer 74]

No, the OP.

It seems like a pretty silly question if you drive down 288 at all with any regularity. There are ALWAYS cops everywhere.

I am the original poster. I commute from Pearland to Houston on 288 every week day and usually at least one weekend day. I have done so since the fall of 1990. I'd be willing to bet that I have driven more miles on 288 than you have. There are often several cops, in somewhat predictable locations. Since HPD got the Charger a month or so ago, there have been quite noticeably more, and out of the cars shooting laser, which they didn't use to do. I'm wondering why the change, because it is definitely a change.

[CoolBuddy06 15]

I am the original poster. I commute from Pearland to Houston on 288 every week day and usually at least one weekend day. I have done so since the fall of 1990. I'd be willing to bet that I have driven more miles on 288 than you have. There are often several cops, in somewhat predictable locations. Since HPD got the Charger a month or so ago, there have been quite noticeably more, and out of the cars shooting laser, which they didn't use to do. I'm wondering why the change, because it is definitely a change.

They're just working for the money, and choose to work smart. People tend to go faster on the road especially since it just got smoother. Meanwhile police like to stay there b/c it is well laid out, they can be there most hours of the day and not just in the hot hot afternoon hours. They love to catch a few guys on the SB lanes before having morning coffee!!

[Mr. Smarts 0]

No, the OP.

It seems like a pretty silly question if you drive down 288 at all with any regularity. There are ALWAYS cops everywhere.

I've been driving 288 daily for the past 8 years. You must be new or don't pay attention. Because over the past few months, the cops have swarmed that area! Between BW8 and 610, you see tons of cops pulling people over. We obviously have too many police in Houston, because they have nothing better to do than give traffic tickets. I can understand 1 or 2 cops patrolling that stretch of highway, but sometimes there are 3-5 cops giving tickets. Give me a break, HPD has terrible response times, they need to take those cars off Park and start driving the streets some more. The crime also occurs on the streets and rarely the highway. They aren't the highway patrol, they are the Houston Police. They need to spread those cops into the neighborhoods and get the crime down. I drive often and it seems that for some reason they isolated into the 288 area.