Picture it: You’re driving along a lonely stretch of road at 3 a.m., minding your own business, when all of a sudden, out of nowhere, whips out a police car with his lights on. You had no idea that there was a speedway ahead of you, or that the police were camped there overnight waiting for somebody. The last thing you want to do is disappoint the law enforcement officer in the backseat of your car by not giving them the green light. So, what would you do? Pull over, of course! But what if that’s not an option? What if the road is closed ahead and you can’t pull over? Would you honk at the officer, trying to get them to leave you alone, or would you give them the finger, as many New Englanders do when they feel like the cops are bothering them unnecessarily? How about other motorists? Would they be friendly, helpful, or would they give you the evil eye because you’ve got the bright blue lights on your car telling them you’re a cop?
Yes, Virginia, there is a speedway officer on standby at every New England state park, waiting to give you a ticket for going three miles over the limit. And it appears some speedway towns like Albany, New York don’t even have a speedway, but instead have a traffic enforcement officer who sleeps in the station on call twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. So what’s the difference between the two, and are there any downsides to having a speedway officer on call?
Watch Dogs And Warning Signs
Let’s start with the good, the police car that races towards you at 3 a.m. is a warning sign that you’re approaching a speedway. However, it’s also possible that the officer is just doing his job, checking cars on the road. But the point is that you don’t know what he’s there for, and you would’ve never heard of a state park speedway if it weren’t for that 3 a.m. wake-up call.
Similarly, an unkempt lawn with no sign pointing to a speedway, a closed restaurant, or a closed gas station could also be a warning sign. These are places you wouldn’t want to be if you know you’re going to get a ticket because there’s no warning sign there. It’s also important to look at the bigger picture. Are there any unsafety issues with these places? Are there any accidents there that the police need to investigate? Is there a need for additional patrols there because of high crime or vandalism? These questions should be asked before deciding that the place is dangerous and needs to be closed.
Speed Limits And Ticket Snitches
When approaching a speedway, there’s no use in trying to sneak past the officer because speed limits there are usually very high. This isn’t a place you want to be if you’re going even a couple of miles over the speed limit, because when you get pulled over by the cop, that’s the last thing you want to do. Honking at the cop doesn’t help, either; it just makes things worse. The safest and easiest way to go over the speed limit is to simply slow down a bit and be mindful of the pace of other traffic, as long as you’re not going much above the limit.
Another safety concern at a speedway is aggressive speeding by other drivers. This isn’t something you want to worry about if you’re driving a well-maintained vehicle with good brakes. However, if you’re driving an older model that lacks in these departments, you might find yourself in a dangerous situation if somebody decides to tailgate you, or pass you on the right, or the left. These are the sorts of things that could lead to an accident, and that’s the last thing you want to happen if you’re not prepared for it. Sometimes it’s better to slow down and wait for the dust to settle before driving on again. This is especially true if you’re on a two-lane road and there’s no other cars around for miles. In these situations, it’s better to let the slower driver pass you, and then you can speed up again as soon as you’re sure that no cars are coming from behind.
The Downsides
Even though having a speedway officer on standby at every state park is a great idea, it also has its downsides. The main drawback is that state speedways are usually very expensive to maintain. This is because the police have to pay overtime to the officers that work there, as well as the occasional need for new equipment. For example, every year the police have to replace their police cars’ tires because of the heavy use they get at the speedways. Another expensive item are the road signs for the speedway, as they have to be changed out frequently due to weathering and extreme temperatures. In addition, the parks that have speedways usually have a very high call volume, especially in the summer months. This is because there are a lot of people with idle summertime weekends who decide to take the plunge and drive at high speeds on winding, deserted backroads. In these situations, it’s better to have a cop on hand rather than no cop at all, but it’s still a very costly option to have a full-time cop at every state park.
The Ultimate Solution
The solution to all of this is relatively simple: either have a speedway where nobody wants to go above the speed limit, or have a general patrol car that can handle any situations that might arise. Having said that, it’s important to keep in mind that not all speedways are created equal. Some are much more dangerous than others, so you have to be careful where you drive and how fast you go. But, as long as you’re not causing trouble or risking an accident, having a cop on hand is a great option.
Ultimately, having a cop on hand at a speedway isn’t something that can be avoided. It’s either there or it isn’t, and in some cases, it might be a good idea to have more than one officer on hand, just to be safe. In addition to having a police officer on call, some towns and cities have a separate traffic enforcement officer who patrols the same area that the police would patrol if they weren’t at the state park.
State Park Speedways
State parks are the perfect place to have a speedway, since there are no other cars around except for the occasional motorcyclist or cyclist. In these situations, it’s easy for the police to set up a speed trap without worrying about anyone running into them or getting upset because they’re not actually at a park.
In some cases, a state park might not even need to have a speedway. It depends on the type of crime that occurs at the park and what sort of traffic accidents are caused by weather or otherwise. Some parks are just places where people come to escape the hustle and bustle of the world and relax, so the last thing they want to do is hustle past a cop to beat the traffic.
However, not all state parks are created equal. Some state parks are extremely dangerous due to dense foliage, wildlife, or rough roads. In these situations, it might not be a good idea to set up a speed trap there, because you might end up causing more harm than good. It’s best to use your judgement and know the risks before setting up a speed trap or having a roadblock there. This is just one more reason why it’s important to do your research before choosing a state park.
Traffic Cops
There’s also the option of having a cop on hand that isn’t necessarily a state park cop. In some cases, it could be a tribal cop, a sheriff’s deputy, or even a regular patrol officer from the local police department. In these situations, it’s usually best to have a general law enforcement officer stationed there, rather than a special patrol car for the state park. However, it still depends on the situation and if you know that a certain area is prone to accidents or crime, it might not be a bad idea to have a cop on hand specifically to patrol that area. This could be beneficial because often times these sorts of establishments are a target for thieves, so it’s good to have an officer there who can protect the property and keep an eye on things.
No matter what, having a cop there is never a bad option. It might be difficult to find a specific location to set up a speedway, but once it’s done, it’s usually safer and more convenient for everyone, especially for the drivers who will use it.