Sumpter Landing Police

[filament]

I have a BIG Beef. As a snow bird, I received a ticket... not bad, I was speeding on Morris. I had to go to the traffic school.So you know that I was very careful, putting on my cruise control everywhere I wentOne day I was on my way to the airport to pick up a friend. I had to drop off some books at the Sumpter County Library on PARR Drive... the road that runs parallel to 477.

That morning I went to AAA to get the directions. The scuttlebutt that was going on was that the cops target out of staters... with upscale cars... on 301 and in that area... the MPH changes without too much notice quickly. In other words they "profile" we seniors ... thinking if we have a nice car with out of state plates.. their fines are chump change to us.

I was really cautious, but not being familiar with the territory I made a deadly error.

I was pulling out of the Library to make a turn to go to 301 toward the TP. I was in the left hand lane making the turn onto 466-- which put me in the middle lane.. not the curb lane

I drove for about 1 mile and saw a blinking school sign.. so I slowed to 15 mph and put on my cruise control. I continued on past McDonalds when I saw the lights flashing. I pulled over thinking that they must have someone in mind in front of me. The cop stopped me for not slowing down for the first school - directly across the street fromthe Library.

I got 2 points and a $180 ticket. Here is the rub...

#1. There is one tiny little sign after you turn the corner onto 466.. about the size of an 8 1/2 x ll" paper... stating that between certain hours the MPH changes to 15.

No sign on the street...SCHOOL ZONE ...like we have up north...NO blinking light above the street.... If you were turning as I was there would be almost no way you could see that sign..

#2. There is no break in the curb on 466... in fact there is no entrance to that first school. The entrance in on the street leading to 466.... There is NO way anyone would be crossing or pulling out in that area..

#3. The cop followed me for about .7 mile before he stopped me. It was obvious that he wanted to get me for passing two schools... or else he would have stopped me after the 1st school.

What I want to do is to find out if --through freedom of information---I can get the # of tickets that are written there in the first three months of the year..

I am confident that it is a Purposeful Speed Trap to get you and me.... with chump change to fill their coffers.

Not only is it a speed trap, but I think that they are purposefully after out of state licences...people who may not be familiar with the environs...Then I would write an article or visit the Sumpter Landing council meeting... but I cannot let this thing sit.. I really feel had.

Any comments? Little old lady from Pittsburgh

[The Great Fumar]

WOW..
I FOUND YOUR SITUATION VERY INTERESTING, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A SPEED TRAP ON 466...I DON'T KNOW IF THEY TARGET OUT OF STATE CARS , BUT I DO KNOW THAT I'M NO LONGER GOING TO RETURN BOOKS TO THE LIBRARY ..SOUNDS DANGEROUS TO ME.....

[Villages Kahuna]

I got one there as well. When I went to traffic school, 21 of the 25 people in attendance had received tickets in the same place. If you happen to be there in the morning, there are often two sheriff's patrol cars writing tickets at the same time. In my traffic class there were three people with the same story as yours, a left turn onto 466 from either the library or Belvedere. One guy got a ticket for 3 miles over. It's a BIG money-maker for the county!

Having been nailed myself, I will admit that the penalty was effective. I really watch my speed all over TV now and particularly in front of the schools. I guess the speed trap worked, at least as far as I'm concerned.

[chuckster]

Didn't realize sumter landing had a police force :dontknow:

[Taltarzac]

Think it is 20 mph by the various Villages schools on 466 and 103 from 7:30 to 8:30 am and then again from 2:00 to 3: 30 pm. :dontknow:

They do seem to stop a lot of people on 466 in front of the Villages two schools in that area.

On a topic related to traffic in this area, while going East, I made a right turn off of 466 onto Belvedere http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=&daddr=251%20Buffalo%20Trail+The%20Villages+FL. Almost did not see the lawn care worker with their truck and trailer parked very close to the corner of 466 and Belvedere. That's one of my pet peeves about driving in the Villages. You really have to watch out for these lawn care people with their vehicles as they seem to park wherever they feel like. Doubt if parking right there was at all legal. :dontknow:

[filament]

It is time to warn all the snow birds about the profiling of out of state cars, esp. the upscale cars like the Acruas and the Lexius' ... these are the ones they love.

I am glad i had such a good response to my first post. I'm back and plan to do something about the injustice of that school situation. There isn't even a cut curb on the 466 bypass of the school.. No tell me... daaaa...This is their cash cow

[Bubbalarry]

Got nailed for same reason missing the signs, while the police watched me pass. I was lucky and only got a warning. It was a couple years ago during February and was it pouring out.

I would take a pic with digital camera and fight the ticket period. If the cop is going to give me a piece of trash ticket, I would hope my fighting it makes him come to court on his day off.

What if you found that small sign and had to squint to read it causing a multiple car crash.
If the judge finds against you send a copy of the ticket,cancelled ck and the pics along with a letter to the Gov asking him to have someone from Florida Dept of Transp to come out and view the scene. After viewing determine if your money should be returned.

Communities pull this quite often and it doesn't make them right. This spot is notorious for nabbing everyone because it's setup to do so.

Good luck and I hope hundreds read this and send the Florida Governor tons of mail. After all aren't we as seniors the ones who get out and vote.

[DDoug]

Be careful in Fruitland Park they are worse than anywhere else Lady Lake is getting bad also.On 466A the speed use to change 6 times from The Villages into 27.

[BOMBERO]

When you received your first ticket, you were on Morse Blvd.... not Morris. When you received your second ticket, you were not in Sumpter Landing or even Sumter Landing.
Two tickets? Please be more careful when you drive in our community. Thank you.

[Barefoot]

Two tickets? Please be more careful when you drive in our community. Thank you.


:agree: Filament: Purposeful speed traps or not, if you don't speed, you won't get a ticket.

[mike1472]

I've read many threads complaining about speeders in TV and lack of enforcement. Speed trap or not, YOU WERE SPEEDING AND BROKE THE LAW! Kudos to the police for doing their job. TWO TICKETS already. Give me a break!

[beady]

A school zone is not a speed trap. It is a 20 mph zone to protect the kids. They are in every state I have visited and very closlely watched. Nothing new,or unusual. So, why would anyone be surprised to find one in the Villages ????? Just drive that portion of the road at 20 mph and don't get a ticket. It has absolutely nothing to do with the make and model of your car.

[gfmucci]

I sincerely doubt that "profiling" was taking place.* It's often edifying to play the "maltreated victim" when we're guilty of something.* Sometimes when we are caught doing something wrong, especially if unintentional, we might feel persecuted and resentful.* The police have better things to do than profile old people.* They really would like to avoid pi----g us off.* But they would rather do that than see drivers rip through school zones.*

I've felt persecuted on occasion.* But after I gave it more thought - sometimes years later - I realize I deserve what I got. It is true we are not always fully aware of what we're doing when we're driving. A fine helps enhance our awareness.

[redwitch]

:agree:

If you don't know the schools are there, it is very easy to get caught speeding. While I didn't get a ticket or even pulled over, I was doing the speed limit on 466 when all of a sudden I noticed I was by a school. I noticed no warning signs, nada. The next time I went this direction, I was on the lookout -- it was a very small sign and easily missed. Why not paint "school" or something on the street or at least make the sign visible if it is to protect the children? This spot really does smack of a speed trap and cash cow for Sumter County.

I plead guilty to being a speeder but never knowingly in a residential area and never in a school zone. Give me an empty road or a highway with light traffic and I'm taking off like the proverbial bat. I'll happily follow the speed laws on Morse, 466, 421, etc. There's no reason to be speeding on these roads.

[nanci2539]

When we visited in November, on our way to the airport (returning) we pulled into DD. When we left, we took a right onto the highway (sorry, not familiar withe the route names) and was pulled over. I guess this was a school zone and we didn't see the sign. Tired explaining that but it fell on deaf ears. We got a $210 ticket!

[cabo35]

I went to Wal-Mart this morning and took note of the road and signs in question after reading this thread. The signs are much bigger than 8X10 paper and appear to be in compliance with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices that most states abide by. You can check it out if you are going to contest the ticket to verify your suspicion to the contrary. The signs appear to be state of the art, complete with blinking amber lights powered by solar panels on top. They blink only during the times specified reducing the speed limit to 20 mph in the school zones. It appears to be what I believe in police jargon is a "selective enforcement" zone. Any number of reasons could have initiated enforcement in this obviously targeted area.

In the words of the Sgt. from the Hill Street Blues, "Hey, let's be careful out there." Do you remember his name?

[Hyacinth Bucket]

Dear Little Old Lady from Pittsburgh,

This is the first time I have heard of profiling older people. Live and learn.

I never thought of the police by schools, during session, as a money maker for the area. I always viewed it as protecting the children.

Pittsburgh is a large city with numerous schools - I would think you would be aware of the law - slower speed limit in school zones, when school is in session. I do not think all city schools have curb cuts in Pittsburgh.

We live in a rural area and it is only the newcomers who are not aware that the police are vigilant in school safety zone areas - I should rephrase that - from newcomers to people who do not obey signs.

We had a Traffic Police man killed, (a senior citizen) directing traffic as the cars and buses were leaving the school, not to long ago. He was killed because a senior citizen did not follow his instructions - he was told to stop. Because the driver of the vehicle did not stop a younger driver swerved so that this speeder would not hit him.

In the process, the student killed the traffic cop.

Due to the driver of the vehicle who did not follow the law many lives will never be the same, the family of the police man who was killed, the young driver of the car and his passengers, and all the people who cared for the traffic cop in this rural community.

I think now you will drive more carefully. Not only in TV, but anywhere.

Please be careful when you turn, in TV, that there are no senior citizens who are driving golf carts - in the golf cart lane. If it wasn't for the excellent reflexes and brakes of the person who was driving a golf cart, a scene we observed) another person would have either been killed or seriously injured due to a driver who wasn't following the rules.

Hyacinth Bucket

[nyclicker]

Up here in New York almost every police unit has radar. Buy a radar detector, they work, Doesn't mean you must speed but at least it will warn you and you can check how fast you are moving.

[Hancle704]

Just a few questions and an observation. Why did they decide to place the Charter Schools along what the Planners should have known would become one of the busiest roads in the area? Has anyone ever seen a school-bound student walking alongside or, crossing CR 466? Makes one wonder what were they thinking during the development planning stage? Must have been the same lack of foresight that has now created traffic nighmares on Morse Blvd between CR 466 and Hwys 27/441.

It will get worse as more folks move into TV and other commercial tennants move into this growing market, so please slow down, you are retired.

[Barbi]

This is better than taxes --- it's voluntary funding

[captain1202]

All right with the "holier than thou" you non-speeders. Consider traffic laws for what they REALLY are....revenue enhancement. Localities and the state police make the most of it to load up their coffers. Who really travels 55, 60, or 65 on the interstate? Not many folks I have seen. Travel those speeds and you get run down, often by a state trooper rushing to a doughnut stop.

If they were really SERIOUS about having you slow down for the school district, They would place a LARGE sign in an obvious place with a prominent yellow flashing light and speed warning.

Not sure about Florida, but in Massachusetts, all traffic control signs must be approved by the State Highway Dept. If the sign is not approved, the sign cannot be enforced, legally. Many towns simply post signs hoping no one will challenge them and 99.9% of people don't because they are not aware of the issue. If you are taken to court you can ask for them to produce the approval letter from the state for the sign, if they can't provide it..case dismissed.

I also wonder about the enforceability of various signs on private property, stop signs in a mall parking lot, for example, for all the reasons above.

Again. not condoning reckless driving, just a little enforcement sanity.

NOTE TO FLORIDA RESIDENTS: These revenues help keep your property taxes down, don;t complain too loudly. :clap2:

[SteveZ]

Rt 466 is an interesting road. As with most 4-lane divided highways, people tend to ignore the posted speed limit signs, warning signs, etc. and "drive according to the conditions." In other words, the tendency is to go as fast as the car and traffic will allow without swerving or screaching tires.

When one speeds on unfamiliar roads, or is not especially alert in a strange area for local hazards, be thankful that all one may end up with is a ticket.

The Villages can be lulling, in that folk are so relaxed here they can tend to let down their guard, especially on the highways. Strict enforcement of traffic laws in the most sensistive of locations (especially school zones) not only should be expected, but praised.

Don't get me wrong, I'm probably a lot more lead-footed than I should be. Every once in a while I have found myself being asked for license and registration due to having pressed my luck a little too much. I don't even want to guess how many times I qualified for a ticket yet never got one, so I can't really complain when the law-of-averages catches up with me.

The bottom line is, if you don't know the roads and the local hazards, take more care and be more observant, otherwise the result is obvious.

[Sidney Lanier]

I guess I am one of those nonspeeders described in an earlier post as "holier than thou." I don't see it that way. When I follow local speed limits, or when I set the cruise control on 70 mph on the Turnpike, it's not so much being "holier than thou" as it is the peace of mind that comes from not having to worry that the flashing lights in my rear-view mirror are for me. I taught all our kids to drive and urged them NOT to use a radar detector but rather to drive in such a way that they do not NEED one! Yes, of course traffic ticketing serves as a revenue raiser too, but no matter what the explanation (or excuse!), it's a lot easier--and certainly less stressful--to follow the rules than have to be concerned about them constantly. IMHO....

[chelsea24]

I love the Sumter County Sheriff's Office! When we were moving in, the mover's didn't want to unload the truck until they had the cash. (Also wanted my husband to meet them at some weight station, which sounded goofy to me.) Anyway, they wouldn't unload the truck, so I called the Sheriff. And boy did he handle it! He called their boss and the boss was also rude to the Deputy, so he hung up on the boss then told the two cocky men that if they didn't unload the truck NOW they were both going to be held for Grand Theft. Boy, did they unload in a hurry, and nothing was broken! He, of course, had already checked to make sure my husband had the cash, which he did. I can't say enough about how much I Love the Sumter County Sheriff's Dept.! :clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

[gfmucci]

All right with the "holier than thou" you non-speeders.* Consider traffic laws for what they REALLY are....revenue enhancement.** Travel those speeds and you get run down, often by a state trooper rushing to a doughnut stop. NOTE TO FLORIDA RESIDENTS:* These revenues help keep your property taxes down, don;t complain too loudly.* :clap2:
Wow!* This post sounds like Captain has had bad experiences with the law.* In my 35 years working for local government (not in law enforcement), fines and forfeitures do NOT keep property taxes down.* They barely pay for the processing costs for the police reports and court costs that are generated by each ticket, unless it is a podunk small community that really abuses their authority which is very rare.* As for donuts, if only police are the donut hounds the shops would all fold from lack of sales volume.

[Beltlady]

It is time to warn all the snow birds about the profiling of out of state cars, esp. the upscale cars like the Acruas and the Lexius' ... these are the ones they love.

I am glad i had such a good response to my first post. I'm back and plan to do something about the injustice of that school situation. There isn't even a cut curb on the 466 bypass of the school.. No tell me... daaaa...This is their cash cow
It's their buffalo not a cow. ::)

[Frangyomory]

Personally I wish there were more police checking traffic every day. The speed limit is 35 in most roads and now Morse is down to 30. Unfortunately, people who visit the Villages for short vacations and even some residents, apparently don't know their "numbers" because they constantly go over the posted limit.

This is a no whining zone so if you are caught SPEEDING, pay up and shut up!!!

The school zone is just two blocks from our home and I saw the signs the first time I drove to the "new" Wal-Mart. When school is in session, the light is flashing.

No excuses. If you do the crime....do the time....pay the fine.....for goodness sake, stop griping and stop speeding!!! Where are you going in such a hurry anyway!!!

[Hyacinth Bucket]

Barb1191 :agree: :agree: :agree:

HB

[Frangyomory]

Unfortunately, here in the Villages we do have some folks who keep driving long after they should give up their license. Some folks who never drove now drive golf carts and they can be a hazard. I've seen it all and it never ceases to worry me.

[Talk Host]

All right with the "holier than thou" you non-speeders.


How dare you!!!! (as you shift the blame from yourself to somebody else) Since when is observing the speed limit being "holier than thou." Since when can you pick and chose which laws you wish to observe or violate. The speed limit is the law and it is placed there your your protection and mine. If you exeed the speed limit, you deserve a ticket. If you speed you have no regard for the life and safety of my family and me. I hope the police write a thousand tickets. There are over two million people in prision today who decided they were above the law.

[Hyacinth Bucket]

When we purchased our golf cart insurance, the woman who sold it to us informed us of numerous accidents and deaths of people going above the speed limit on golf carts, passing other golf carts, and not watching where they were going.

We did check how fast our electric golf cart goes, 2001, on a straight away it goes about 14 -15 mph, going downhill it goes up to 22 mph.

On another thread someone wrote why a golf cart was not built to go more than 20 mph.

English, there are no words that can express the feelings I experienced when you wrote about the driver who killed another person and only received a ticket - violation of right of way.

We have observed drivers in cars cutting off golf carts when they are making a turn.

To all of you who are reading this - we are moving to TV to live and not worry we might get killed and/or injured while driving and/or passenger in a golf cart. There are enough road warriors where we live.

HB

[billethkid]

One thing I do not understand is if the majority of non commercial traffic is retired occupied, then what is the hurry?
Gotta get home for the PM snooze? Geritol waiting?

At 60 miles an hour going to 61 saves one minute at the end of an hour. So what is being accomplished by going ANYWHERE in TV at speeds 10++ over the speed limit...

NO EXCUSES....NONE....if you are speeding you need to be ticketed....and the profiling is just line chatter....

Florida's Friendliest Home Town....unless they are behind the wheel that is!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Commercial traffic speeding...easy...call the number on the truck....c'mon silent majority ....do something!!

There is my $2.95 (that's two cents with oil adjusted inflation).

BTK

[opbob77]

I took a good look Friday after this post and sure enough, there is a clearly visible sign on each side of Belvedere/CR101. As you continue north on 466 there are more signs as you approach the Charter School. It would seem to me that complaining about getting a ticket that was deserved is the typical blame everyone but me attitude that pervades our lives today.

[redwitch]

As I said, I'm a speeder, but not in residential zones and certainly not in school zones. The last thing I ever want to hear is the sound of my car hitting a child darting around something I cannot see. Yes, if I get pulled over I'll try to talk my way out of the ticket but if I'm getting one, I sign the ticket without hesitation and thank the officer for doing his duty (and I'm NOT being sarcastic when I say it).

There are some non-speeders that are seriously holier-than-thou just like some non-smokers are downright obnoxious even if you're smoking in your own home. There are some nonp-speeders that simply tell you, well, hope you don't get in an accident and do pay your ticket when you get it. The former can get me on my high horse faster than my daughter being a brat. The latter I agree with wholeheartedly.

BTW -- Speeding doesn't necessarily being reckless. I don't go faster than my car can handle. I don't whip through traffic. Heck, I don't even speed if traffic is moderate. But give me a freeway with little traffic late at night and I'm in hog heaven!

[billethkid]

Speeding is speeding!
Over the limit is over the limit.
No rationale changes the "allowability"......

The faster one goes the hurrier they get....they are usually at the light WAITING when the rest of us get there.

It really does not matter how it is painted, speeding is a problem in TV.

The more speed traps the better.

Did you ever notice in school zones (anywhere, USA...including TV) where there is not a cruiser visible...while most slow down....most do not do the limit....and if there is at least one car going faster the the next one, all seem to have to match it.

Bring on the cops....let them use the revenue to buy newer and better speed detecting equipment.

Not holier than thou non speeder...just want the speeders to slow down.

BTK

[Hyacinth Bucket]

As of now, 1334 members have looked at this post and 38 have posted their feelings. Since there is a consensus on speeding - if is great.

Wish more people would read this thread and hear what is being said. Appears many people though are interested in reading about the police.

HB

[Halle]

Redwitch
What makes you think it is ok for you to pick and choose when to obey the law?

[redwitch]

I didn't say it was okay. I said I did it. Vast difference to me. We all pick and choose what we do -- whether it is legal or illegal. Some of what we choose is good for us, our country, our land, our family. Some of it is not. I will never have a drink and drive a car. Period. I'm sure most of you will and do. I do not condemn you for that. It is your choice. I do not talk on my phone when driving. Again, many of you do. Your choice. It is my choice to speed when I feel it is safe.

I have gotten three tickets in my life. One was for running a stop sign that I contested since the sign was well hidden behind a bush. The judge agreed. One was for going 37 in a 35 mph zone (!) (and, yes, my actual speed was 37). One was for an illegal u-turn. I didn't know it was illegal but I paid the ticket regardless. I have been pulled over a few times for speeding on freeways. I have been warned to slow down but have not been ticketed. Not once.

[Talk Host]

I didn't say it was okay. I said I did it. Vast difference to me. We all pick and choose what we do -- whether it is legal or illegal. Some of what we choose is good for us, our country, our land, our family. Some of it is not. I will never have a drink and drive a car. Period. I'm sure most of you will and do. I do not condemn you for that. It is your choice. I do not talk on my phone when driving. Again, many of you do. Your choice. It is my choice to speed when I feel it is safe.

I have gotten three tickets in my life. One was for running a stop sign that I contested since the sign was well hidden behind a bush. The judge agreed. One was for going 37 in a 35 mph zone (!) (and, yes, my actual speed was 37). one was for an illegal u-turn. I didn't know it was illegal but I paid the ticket regardless. I have been pulled over a few times for speeding on freeways. I have been warned to slow down but have not been ticketed. Not once.


Remember that when one speeds, they put the lives of other people (including my wife, daughter and grandchildren) at risk. Not only is the speeder at risk but so are others on the road. You say you do not condemn those who drink and drive. I do. They are a threat to society. They belong in jail. Most European countries have a ZERO alcohol limit for drivers. The prisons are full of people who pick and choose which laws they choose to obey.

[Frank2]

I recall reading a bumper sticket at one time: "IF YOU'RE IN A HURRY, YOU'RE IN THE WRONG PLACE!!" :cop: