The Duchess of Zeon wrote: Big difference from a checkpoint which is creating a roadblock to summarily do a papers check of everyone going through.
This is what I'm having a hard time understanding, because the bolded part just isn't what happens. Perhaps your experience is different, but every time I've been stopped at one of these sobriety checkpoints -- we call them the R.I.D.E. (Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere) program here -- I've never been asked to provide anything other than a brief exchange of pleasantries and an answer to a question about my recent drinking (or lack thereof). There just isn't time for anything else, and unless there's an officer typing away like a madman on a computer to run everyone's license plate as they file slowly through, no one knows that I've ever been pulled over.
I've not been through a checkpoint, so not 100% sure how it's done in my state. But one of the benefits I have read about DUI checkpoints (from a law enforcement perspective, anyway) is all the 'extra' stuff they catch: warrants and the like. So it would seem that US checkpoints (or at least some, it didn't specify and as we all know with the US which state you're in makes a big difference) are at the very least running names of those who pass through.
Still, even if you find that sort of thing as intrusive or what have you (running license, registration etc at a DUI checkpoint) that doesn't mean ban them: just change/enforce policy such that they're not allowed to and it's only about a "have you been drinking?" type of thing.
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I've been through two checkpoints in Florida - though they were a number of years ago. As I recall, they were quick and painless. Simply "Have you been drinking tonight?" "No, officer." "Move along." No papers check, no license/reg check. At least not of which I was aware. I will say that both were around holidays, one specifically New Year's day, as I recall.
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RogueIce wrote:Still, even if you find that sort of thing as intrusive or what have you (running license, registration etc at a DUI checkpoint) that doesn't mean ban them: just change/enforce policy such that they're not allowed to and it's only about a "have you been drinking?" type of thing.
I think this is procedure in AU anyway, since I've gone through RBTs in a rusted-ass old crap car while poorly dressed and 19. They could (I guess) have put me through the blender for xyz stuff, but its counter-productive so they don't. The study I linked earlier suggests that the cultural changes of RBT enforcement are an important factor (as the educational and deterrence element are in the US) and harrassing people about other shit at the same time would hurt that impact.
As it is, literally the only people who do a u-turn when they see RBTs are drunk drivers, because everyone else can spare 30 no-risk seconds with a policeman to catch drunk drivers/reinforce reduction in cultural tolerance for drink driving/etc without being afraid they'll say mean things about bald tyres or bogged quarter panels or whatever. In states that auto-run plates electronically (like the service Kamakaze Sith mentioned with insurance) I imagine they'll pull those guys down, but even then maybe not: they know where they live, after all, and holding up the line means less people tested and less people taking a positive attitude towards RBT enforcement home.
RogueIce wrote:From everything I've heard the best way to increase intersection safety (as opposed to wanting to enforce it more) is to simply have a delayed green: when one side goes red, the opposing green light will not switch for a second or two to give traffic time to clear the intersection. You can still enforce red light runners of course, but if your real interest is safety they should have delayed greens. If some locality doesn't do that and thinks just installing cameras is "good enough" I'd have to seriously question their motivations.
Delaying the green is how it works here in Greece; the other side's pedestrian light greens up a second before your own light goes green, which you can exploit to get going instantly. Not that many people know it, though.
Dr. Trainwreck wrote:
Delaying the green is how it works here in Greece; the other side's pedestrian light greens up a second before your own light goes green, which you can exploit to get going instantly. Not that many people know it, though.
I was honestly surprised places exist that don't delay green lights. It's such a simple measure...
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Letting one side go before the last guys on the other side could have cleared the intersection actually blew people's minds. They said to me, 'who the fuck would set it up that way'.
Dr. Trainwreck wrote:
Delaying the green is how it works here in Greece; the other side's pedestrian light greens up a second before your own light goes green, which you can exploit to get going instantly. Not that many people know it, though.
I was honestly surprised places exist that don't delay green lights. It's such a simple measure...
