BEWARE! Western Way Speed Trap...

[ducklite]

I'd say people to get distracted.

Distracted driving causes more accidents then drunk driving.

Sometimes when you are driving a "rental car" speeding can happen easily.
I know when I drive my wifes car, I can be speeding before I know what happens! It counts the speed in 10's not 5mph, like mine. It drives more smooth, very easy to speed. Am I not paying attention? Not sure how you answer this? I was watching the road, watching other cars, driving with both hands on the wheel, it didn't feel like I was speeding, but when I looked down I was going 70mph unstead of 60.

I have two cars that I drive. Because I drive one more than the other is not an excuse to speed with the other.

It trips me out when people "throw stones". Who lives in a glass house?

I've driven up and down that road dozens of times now, passing FHP each time, and have yet to get pulled over, because I drive the speed limit. And like I said earlier, my car isn't exactly a family sedan, trust me, they notice me.

I do agree with the OP, the police officer could have given her a warning. When he checked her record, and show no tickets, why did he feel the need to be the one?

If they were indeed doing 55mph, they were 20 miles over the limit. IMHO, a warning could be issued at 5-10 over the limit. 20 is far to fast for a warning, it's bordering on reckless. As I see it they got off easy by not getting a more severe ticket.

A speed trap is just that. A trap. It's when the speed drops drastically , fast.

That's not the case here. You get off a limited access toll road using and exit ramp onto what is basically a well paved rural road. No one would reasonably expect the speed limit to remain the same as it had been on the highway. Coming from WDW the speed limit drops by 5 mph--hardly a drestic drop.

Small signs, sometimes no flashing lights.

The speed lmit signs are standard size, and not obscured by visual clutter or other signage or trees/plants of any type. Flashing lights for speed limit signs? Get real.

The signs for Fast Food are bigger than the Warning Speed Signs!!!!! Give me a break.

There are no fast food or any other type of signs cluttering the landscape on Western Way.

Last week an officer got killed while given a ticket in Emporer. The driver wasn't speeding who ran into him. I just say this because it seems so strange. When you have crack dealers, gangs, Enron's, and the police take the easy way to "protect and serve" by giving speeding tickets to for the most part law abbiding citizens, who pay taxes. Who are we protecting?

Other law abiding citizens. Speed kills. Giving tickets makes people slow down. It punishes law breakers and makes most think twice about how they are driving the next time they get behind the wheel.

When a police officer has someone pulled over, it's actually a Safety Hazard. That's where the term rubber neckers comes in. Almost Everybody slows down and looks. It really disrubts traffic. I've never seen it make traffic safer.

Your opinion. On Western Way it's not exactly an issue when it's not that widely used yet to begin with.

Anyway. I like the way PA will give you a ticket, but unless its reckless driving , it wont go against your driving record and raise your insurance. This is cool. I Wish every state would do this. That's what gets you. When it want get off your driving record for three years. And you have to pay high premiums for years. This is what makes it worth fighting.
I hope she goes to court and gets it dropped

It's not going to get dropped. She was speeding, by her own admission doing 20 mph over the limit. What do you want, the police to congratulate her? If you break the law, you pay the price.

Anne

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Disneyhappy said: She had to go to Gainesvilles to contest the ticket.

Then she probably got her ticket in Waldo, Florida, a little town on US 331 north of Gainesville. Waldo is one of two cities in the entire country listed by AAA as speed trap cities. (The other is Lawtey, Florida, another little town on US 331 but further north and in a different county.) The speed drops drastically when you enter Waldo and Waldo PD strictly patrols the road and snares car after car. The state has erected large flashing speed warning signs just outside the city limits but people who don't know the reputation speed anyway and get caught. The city's budget is largely based on ticket money which is how it earned it's AAA designation.

Going to court in Florida on a speeding ticket on your own....and winning....is very difficult. I could see the police officer verbally claiming that the speed infraction was higher and that he was being nice to state a lower number on the citation, but a judge actually allowing the alleged infraction to be changed....in court....is surprising, if true. Alachua County has excellent judges, even in Traffic Court, and I can't see them allowing that. But to win on a speeding ticket, you pretty much need a lawyer in any Florida county.

BobK/Orlando

 

[djbleach]

In court the judge changes tickets ALL THE TIME.
She could get the car calibrated and hopefully get "Improper Equipment"
Who knows if her car isn't off calibration?
She could be 10-15 miles off, and not really know she was speeding.
Judge could rule "failure to obey traffic signs" and not speeding.
So If Florida has some different court systems, just because a police officer "says" you are speeding, isn't always the final outcome.
My wife was in an accident. The officer gave her a ticket for running the red light?
The judge ask the officer was he there? NO...Then how did you know she ran a red light? Case dismissed.
I am willing to bet that ANYBODY who reads this post HAS sped or WILL speed. So have some compassion for this person. If she was a child molester, rapist, drug kingpin, Enron exec, Armed robber, then yeah, Lets Give them the book. A little ol lady who got distracted in an unfimiliar place and was accidentally speeding, lets give her a break.
What about when the police do these High Speed Chase's and people get killed. Is that Justified?
Anyway.
If you truley are a driver who obeys the speed limit sign to a T, then you are more the exception to the rule. So 55 means, 55, etc. You can stand on the soap box.

 

[ztbz]

Disney does have Speed Traps because many times there are more than two or three (or more) patrol cars waiting for their next victum, one time while I was driving my Disney Bus I notice that bunch of Orange County Deputies and Disney had set up a sting opearation. They had a peron who look like he/she was doing a Land Survay but instead of the normal Survay equiment on a tripod there was a Radar Gun and that person would radio down the street where about 25 motorcycle Cops were waiting to pull over any car speeding as they came by them on Disney Property. (by the way the motorcyle cops all were hidien behind the Disney/Mgm overpass).

Most of the time its Cast Members that are getting stopped, but think about this, a Speeding Ticket can cost alot of money maybe up to two weeks worth of pay for the Low-paid Disney Employees, that alot of money going to pay a fine which could mean not being able to pay bills or put food on the table.

Does anybody know what the percentages of tickets that the Orange County Sherriff Department writes on Disney Property? versus those that are written outside the Disney World property (In other words do they write more tickets at Walt Disney World then outside Walt Disney World).

My guest is that Orange County Deputies hands out more tickets to Guests, Employees and to Vendors serving Walt Disney World than they would outside of Disney like in the Orlando or Winter Garden or Apopka City limits or in rural areas.

Why does Orange County Sherriff Department write tickets out of their Jurisdiction such as in Osceola County near the Animal Kingdom toll plaza park entrance?

As far as revenue sharing goes, it is true that in Florida the money from traffic fines is shared between the county where the ticket was written and the municipality where it was written. Not sure if the specifc departments also get a piece of the pie. Disney does not directly get any money from traffic tickets written on Disney property, that is true. However Walt Disney World is spread across two incorporated municipalities, the cities of Lake Buena Vista and Bay Lake. (All 4 theme parks are in Bay Lake, Florida, the Downtown Disney area is in Lake Buena Vista, Florida). Both municipalities are formalities and are run by the Reedy Creek Improvement District. I'm not certain but we could speculate that RCID receives a cut from traffic tickets written on Disney property, just like other municipalities where tickets are written...............and RCID is owned by.......Disney. So indirectly Disney could be making money off tickets

This was my point in the message that I posted earler Disney does not get the money directy but the do save on the money that would have had to spend for the Law Enforcement if it was not for the speeding tickets.

 

[sha_lyn]

Most of the time its Cast Members that are getting stopped, but think about this, a Speeding Ticket can cost alot of money maybe up to two weeks worth of pay for the Low-paid Disney Employees, that alot of money going to pay a fine which could mean not being able to pay bills or put food on the table

If they can't afford the tickets then they don't need to be risking it by breaking the law.

 

[Disneyhappy]

Disneyhappy said: She had to go to Gainesvilles to contest the ticket.

Going to court in Florida on a speeding ticket on your own....and winning....is very difficult. I could see the police officer verbally claiming that the speed infraction was higher and that he was being nice to state a lower number on the citation, but a judge actually allowing the alleged infraction to be changed....in court....is surprising, if true. Alachua County has excellent judges, even in Traffic Court, and I can't see them allowing that. But to win on a speeding ticket, you pretty much need a lawyer in any Florida county.

BobK/Orlando

My niece learned this lesson the hard way. I suggested she retain an attorney to contest the ticket but she thought she could handle it herself. I learned in my job that contesting a ticket without representation rarely works. The justice system wants to send a message to citizens not to contest tickets because it takes up the courts time as well as the police officer's time. The Judges and Magistrates are much less likely to wield their power if there is an attorney in the room that is informed on the law.

I'll have to ask my niece if she got her ticket in Waldo. I looked for the fax of the final judgment she sent me to look but I don't know where I placed it.

You don't need to believe me that my niece's story is true. All I know is that I personally saw the initial ticket and then she faxed me the final judgment because I couldn't believe it myself. The charges on the final Judgment was definitely different than the original ticket and ironically, the final fine was about the same amount when they increased the speeding violation and took off the license defacement charge.

Another interesting side note about FL traffic tickets is that the ticket information is available to the public and traffic court attorneys send out letters/postcards offering their services for a flat fee. For some reason, my niece's address was listed as living with me (her sister lived with me two years ago which may explain the mix up). So even though her broken license showed her correct address in Tampa with my sister, the ticket listed my address which the police officer must have taken off of their DMV system. I must have received about 15 solicitations in the mail addressed to my niece from attorneys wanting to assist her in traffic court. I'm curious as to whether an out of state tourist could contest a traffic ticket via an attorney without personally having to be present.

After this experience, my 24-year-old med student niece who thought life was fair is no longer as naive as she used to be. (But I bet she still speeds!)

 

[ducklite]

In court the judge changes tickets ALL THE TIME.
She could get the car calibrated and hopefully get "Improper Equipment"
Who knows if her car isn't off calibration?
She could be 10-15 miles off, and not really know she was speeding.
Judge could rule "failure to obey traffic signs" and not speeding.
So If Florida has some different court systems, just because a police officer "says" you are speeding, isn't always the final outcome.
My wife was in an accident. The officer gave her a ticket for running the red light?
The judge ask the officer was he there? NO...Then how did you know she ran a red light? Case dismissed.
I am willing to bet that ANYBODY who reads this post HAS sped or WILL speed. So have some compassion for this person. If she was a child molester, rapist, drug kingpin, Enron exec, Armed robber, then yeah, Lets Give them the book. A little ol lady who got distracted in an unfimiliar place and was accidentally speeding, lets give her a break.
What about when the police do these High Speed Chase's and people get killed. Is that Justified?
Anyway.
If you truley are a driver who obeys the speed limit sign to a T, then you are more the exception to the rule. So 55 means, 55, etc. You can stand on the soap box.

Why not just decalre anarchy on the roads and nobody has to obey any traffic rules at all? Spped limits are set for a reason. You disobey the limites, you'll get a ticket. I do'nt understand why that is such a difficult concept.

And if you car speedometer is off by more than 1-2 mph and you don't realize it, flat out you shouldn't be driving, you are not aware of your vehicle and therefore a menace on the road.

Anne

 

[ducklite]

Disney does have Speed Traps because many times there are more than two or three (or more) patrol cars waiting for their next victum, one time while I was driving my Disney Bus I notice that bunch of Orange County Deputies and Disney had set up a sting opearation. They had a peron who look like he/she was doing a Land Survay but instead of the normal Survay equiment on a tripod there was a Radar Gun and that person would radio down the street where about 25 motorcycle Cops were waiting to pull over any car speeding as they came by them on Disney Property. (by the way the motorcyle cops all were hidien behind the Disney/Mgm overpass).

220/221 whatever it takes. If you obey the speed limit what does it matter to you?

Most of the time its Cast Members that are getting stopped, but think about this, a Speeding Ticket can cost alot of money maybe up to two weeks worth of pay for the Low-paid Disney Employees, that alot of money going to pay a fine which could mean not being able to pay bills or put food on the table.

No symapthy here. Bottom line, if they did the speed lmit they wouldn't need to worry. I have never heard such lame excuses for breaking the law in my life.

Does anybody know what the percentages of tickets that the Orange County Sherriff Department writes on Disney Property? versus those that are written outside the Disney World property (In other words do they write more tickets at Walt Disney World then outside Walt Disney World).

Considering the size of Orange county, that's highly doubtful.

My guest is that Orange County Deputies hands out more tickets to Guests, Employees and to Vendors serving Walt Disney World than they would outside of Disney like in the Orlando or Winter Garden or Apopka City limits or in rural areas.

Again, highly doubtful. Maybe you've not seen the speed traps on the far west end of Winter Garden on Route 50, on 17-92 up towards Maitland, they are all over the place. And it's really moot, don't speed and you don't have to worry.

Why does Orange County Sherriff Department write tickets out of their Jurisdiction such as in Osceola County near the Animal Kingdom toll plaza park entrance?

Actually they are in their jurisdiction as long as Osceola doesn't object. And in all honesty, it's the Osceola County SD that I usually see over in that area.

Anne

 

[jodifla]

Disneyhappy said: She had to go to Gainesvilles to contest the ticket.

Then she probably got her ticket in Waldo, Florida, a little town on US 331 north of Gainesville. Waldo is one of two cities in the entire country listed by AAA as speed trap cities. (The other is Lawtey, Florida, another little town on US 331 but further north and in a different county.) The speed drops drastically when you enter Waldo and Waldo PD strictly patrols the road and snares car after car. The state has erected large flashing speed warning signs just outside the city limits but people who don't know the reputation speed anyway and get caught. The city's budget is largely based on ticket money which is how it earned it's AAA designation.

Going to court in Florida on a speeding ticket on your own....and winning....is very difficult. I could see the police officer verbally claiming that the speed infraction was higher and that he was being nice to state a lower number on the citation, but a judge actually allowing the alleged infraction to be changed....in court....is surprising, if true. Alachua County has excellent judges, even in Traffic Court, and I can't see them allowing that. But to win on a speeding ticket, you pretty much need a lawyer in any Florida county.

BobK/Orlando

Yes, Waldo is notorious. And it's nothing to do with safety. It's all about the cash.

And tickets get dropped all the time, so OP should definitely get a lawyer. If the officer doesn't show up, the ticket is thrown out.

 

[deltachi8]

It annoys me when tickets get dropped or pled down to a parking ticket, etc. If you want the tickets to actually slow people down, then the courts have to back up the police by enforcing the intended penalties, making people pay the fines and the (usual) associated increase in insurance.

A few years ago, I was ticketed for rolling through a stop sign? Did I? At first I didn't think so so I decided to go to court, then when the day came, realizing I didn't have much of an argument, I was just going to show up, plead guilty and pay the fine. I told them that when I got there and was told "No, thats not what we do, you plea to a parking ticket and go to traffic school...it's what everyone with no driving record does." No, it cost me money for the "parking ticket" and traffic school, but no points on my record and no insurance cost...if you really wanted my attention, hit me with a cople points and let me pay the increased insurance.

For years, people have hammered away at the safety aspect of speed limits but few pay attention to that argument. However, one way to get almost all people's attention is to hit them in the pocket book.

 

[Lewisc]

It doesn't sound like Western Way meets the classic definitioin of a speed trap.

Nevertheless I want to thank the OP to alerting us that this is an area that has speed enforcement.

 

[Disneyhappy]

It annoys me when tickets get dropped or pled down to a parking ticket, etc. If you want the tickets to actually slow people down, then the courts have to back up the police by enforcing the intended penalties, making people pay the fines and the (usual) associated increase in insurance.

A few years ago, I was ticketed for rolling through a stop sign? Did I? At first I didn't think so so I decided to go to court, then when the day came, realizing I didn't have much of an argument, I was just going to show up, plead guilty and pay the fine. I told them that when I got there and was told "No, thats not what we do, you plea to a parking ticket and go to traffic school...it's what everyone with no driving record does." No, it cost me money for the "parking ticket" and traffic school, but no points on my record and no insurance cost...if you really wanted my attention, hit me with a cople points and let me pay the increased insurance.

For years, people have hammered away at the safety aspect of speed limits but few pay attention to that argument. However, one way to get almost all people's attention is to hit them in the pocket book.

I totally agree with your statement.One has to pay the fine if they do the crime - not that speeding is technically a crime but you get my drift. I got a speeding ticket once (or twice in my younger days!). I knew I was speeding and didn't argue. I just paid the ticket. However, it is part of our justice system to be able to challenge a ticket, which I would have done if I felt the initial charge was unfair.

I want to thank the original poster who was kind enough to inform us about the speed limit and potential speed trap on Western Way. I'm sure you weren't expecting the unsolicited criticism received on this thread. I'm sorry about your mom getting a ticket despite your warnings. Lessons learned, I guess. At least I know I am not the only fallible human on this earth!

 

[manning]

Disneyhappy said: She had to go to Gainesvilles to contest the ticket.

Then she probably got her ticket in Waldo, Florida, a little town on US 331 north of Gainesville. Waldo is one of two cities in the entire country listed by AAA as speed trap cities. (The other is Lawtey, Florida, another little town on US 331 but further north and in a different county.) The speed drops drastically when you enter Waldo and Waldo PD strictly patrols the road and snares car after car. The state has erected large flashing speed warning signs just outside the city limits but people who don't know the reputation speed anyway and get caught. The city's budget is largely based on ticket money which is how it earned it's AAA designation.

Going to court in Florida on a speeding ticket on your own....and winning....is very difficult. I could see the police officer verbally claiming that the speed infraction was higher and that he was being nice to state a lower number on the citation, but a judge actually allowing the alleged infraction to be changed....in court....is surprising, if true. Alachua County has excellent judges, even in Traffic Court, and I can't see them allowing that. But to win on a speeding ticket, you pretty much need a lawyer in any Florida county.

BobK/Orlando

"The city's budget is largely based on ticket money which is how it earned it's AAA designation."


I remember reading some years back a Missouri state representative got caught in a speed trap. 90% of the city's budget was funded by the speed trap. He got so mad he introduced and got passed a state law allowing only a very small amount of speeding fines to be allocated to a city budget. In a very short time the offending city went bankrupt and had to unincorporate.

Think you could get a few state reps to drive thru these towns?

 

[manning]

I don't know if this is still true in Illinois. A patrol car monitoring speed has to be a certain maximum number of feet from a posted speed sign when the speed limit changes.

Also if speed signs are properly posted on changes you should be able to take you foot off the gas and coast down to the new speed when you reach the reduced speed sign. If you have to break hard to get there, LOOK FOR THE COP!!

 

[kaytieeldr]

So, pretty much what it comes down to is, if you don't SPEED, you won't be TRAPped

 

[sha_lyn]

So, pretty much what it comes down to is, if you don't SPEED, you won't be TRAPped

ITA.... I get so tired about the whinning ...... Well I know I was breaking to law, but they shouldn't have stopped me I wasn't hurting anyone. all they want is my money

Oh please Speed is a major factor in auto accidents. Ever think they just don't want to be scrapping your brains off the pavement, or that of their loved ones because "you" were an idiot who thought you were above the speeding laws.


Now that others have explained the layout of Western Way the speed limit makes complete sense. It is not a limited access road with on/off ramps. It has major crossroads from which large comercial trucks enter or cross the road.
Even if the posted limits didn't make sense, you don't get the break the laws just because you don't llike/understand them.

 

[Mystry62]

In Florida if you don't have your drivers license an officer will call in and have it verified. Tickets are required to have the the code number of the regulation that was violated. Find me a regulation that makes it a violation to have a cracked license. The drivers license must be current and not expired.

I think this is what you're looking for:

322.15 License to be carried and exhibited on demand; fingerprint to be imprinted upon a citation.--

(1) Every licensee shall have his or her driver's license, which must be fully legible with no portion of such license faded, altered, mutilated, or defaced, in his or her immediate possession at all times when operating a motor vehicle and shall display the same upon the demand of a law enforcement officer or an authorized representative of the department.

(2) Upon the failure of any person to display a driver's license as required by subsection (1), the law enforcement officer or authorized representative of the department stopping the person shall require the person to imprint his or her fingerprint upon any citation issued by the officer or authorized representative.

(3) In relation to violations of subsection (1) or s. 322.03(5), persons who cannot supply proof of a valid driver's license for the reason that the license was suspended for failure to comply with that citation shall be issued a suspension clearance by the clerk of the court for that citation upon payment of the applicable penalty and fee for that citation. If proof of a valid driver's license is not provided to the clerk of the court within 30 days, the person's driver's license shall again be suspended for failure to comply.

(4) A violation of subsection (1) is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a nonmoving violation as provided in chapter 318.

While I have a really hard time believing that an FHP changed the speed on a ticket from 10 over to 20 over, it is definitely against the law to present an officer with a damaged license.... However, most officers will give you a warning and ask you to get it fixed within 30 days.

 

[seashoreCM]

Does it make sense to not dispute the cracked license immediately but ask for clemency after the ruling?

Clemency is not a denial. In order for there to be clemency there must have been something onerous (like a big fine) from which clemency is being sought.

Reasons would include "extenuating circumstances" namely being deployed in the military and being unable to access normal channels (DMV's) to have the license replaced. Also worth stating is that the rigamaroles of helping defend the country should not be compounded by not being able to drive during a limited R&R period while waiting for a new license to be issued and the old license is still legible and functional.

Clemency would not be appropriate for the speeding fine.

 

[colleen costello]

My Mom (the law-breaking, maniacal whiner who evidently needs to have her license withdrawn) taught me "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." So to those who appreciated my sincere effort to warn you to slow down if you take this new route, you are welcome. The rest of you evidently need no warning as you never speed, never miss signs, never make a mistake, and certainly never mind any consequences because you are most definitely paragons of perfection in practically every way. Clearly my post was directed at the less-than-perfect among users of this Board and those perfect need simply ignore it.

 

[sha_lyn]

Oh for crying out loud.
I guess your moms advice doesn't apply to you, only those who disagree with your rants