Years ago South Carolina had several small towns that were on the way to the beach from North Carolina. If you had Nc plates you better be below the speed limit. They charged you cash on the spot. Another way for either the cops and/or town to make money.
The one I go through every day starts with letting the northbound lane go, including two lanes to make a left turn. Then the left turn light goes red and the southbound lane if free to go. After a while the northbound lane gets a red to let the southbound traffic turning left go. Sometime later the westbound lanes can go, including the ones making a left turn. Eventually the left turn lanes get a red and the eastbound traffic can go. Finally the left hand turn lanes of the eastbound side can go.
I set there calculating how many hours a year I set parked at the intersection.
Back in the '80s I got stopped in Findlay OH. It was a righteous bust since I'd nailed the Firebird as I left town. The cop had a credit card imprinter in the back seat so I was on my way after making my contribution.
I don't think either of our traffic signals holds us up more than a minute and a half or so .
Technically you did not "park" there when you were inside the car with the ignition on. You "stopped" there at the intersection. I have seen "No stopping" traffic signs.
Most of the rest in town are like that. 30 years ago the one I mentioned was a two lane bypsass on the outskirts of town. Now it's Big Box Store Row and tends to be a cluster f*ck. The DOT would love to build another bypass but two rivers and some mountains makes that almost impossible. This ain't Kansas and you don't just pave a road through the corn fields.
The previous cluster f*ck was called Malfunction Junction and they managed to fix that just in time for the real traffic flow to move elsewhere.
You're right. When I'm on a bike I don't put the kickstand down. In fact I'm in gear with the clutch out scanning for escape routes if I hear the squealing of tires.
They had what I'd call a Stop Sign Trap a little southwest of Dallas. The road had a soft turn to the left, but it seemed to go straight, to a place with no cars, no buildings, nothing, and I didn't come to a full stop, but there was a cop there waiting for me.
Because I was visiting my brother and driving his car, I didnt' want to wait until a letter came and I went to the court house listed on the ticket. It was only 6 blocks away, a brand new beautiful building just for traffic court.
There were 30 "defendants" already there, a full-time Spanish translator, and with mikes and speakers, everything was audible to everyone. One guy in front of me was also from out of state, and they gave him a choice of -- I forget the amounts now but something like -- $60 for the ticket or $75 if they wouldn't notify the state he lived in. Official bribery, I'd call it. As improper as I thought it was, I too chose that option.
I wonder if they even notified the state if one paid the smaller amount. If not, it was extortion.
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