A question about Authoritarianism

[vienna]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

I'd say 'points for pulls' is a most unfortunate and potentially misleading way of explaining a crackdown on a given theme or category of offence which is temporarily made the subject of a zero tolerance operation brought about by a localised and notable increase in said type or types of offences.

I have to agree with Clive in that I have never been made aware of definitive 'quotas' or absolutes being dictated.

There are a few traffic black spots near me where deaths have occurred in traffic related incidents and it is not uncommon for road stops being performed where zero tolerance is operated on whatever theme is taken for the time eg: speeding, tyres, insurance, road vehicle excise etc.

I admit to have taken part in them on occasion myself and the moment the operation ceases or has run its course it was always back to the individual LEO using his power of discretion (being able to verbally warn without the need to issue a ticket)....and often that had a better response from motorists.

We also have such 'task force' enforcement in areas where there is a very large number of traffic incidents, particularly when there in a danger to pedestrians and other vehicles. What really irritates me is when these efforts are reported on the news, there are invariably those people who have been ticketed for violations fuming and shouting about how the only reason they got a ticket is because the LEOs are out to make some "quota" and they are trying to "rip off" the 'innocent' public. The question begs itself: if that citizen did get a ticket, wasn't it because they did violate a law and by doing so put others in harm's way and if they had followed the law, they wouldn't have received the ticket? Those idiots aren't angry because they were 'unjustly' ticketed due to some imaginary 'quota system', they are angry because they behaved like asses and got caught...


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