New Jersey Assemblyman: 75 mph limit on Turnpike, Parkway

[agentsteel53]

Does anyone have any facts as to how the state police decide where to patrol and how frequently?  It seems pretty random to me.

I would imagine they intend it that way.

[agentsteel53]

so what's wrong with driving around aimlessly?  is it an environmental thing? 

[PHLBOS]

so what's wrong with driving around aimlessly?  is it an environmental thing? 

According to the Newark, DE law; it's a "quality of life" issue.  I'm sure some anti-crusiing statutes (elsewhere) were enacted for "environmental and/or anti-pollution" reasons/measures.

[jeffandnicole]

Newark, DE is home to the University of Delaware, and their Main Street and downtown areas are filled with college students.  I can't remember the specifics when this rule went into effect, but I think it had something to do with motorists that would do nothing but drive down Main St. blaring music and checking out and cat calling at the women.  Those motorists would come back up a parallel street, then do the loop again.  Over and over again.  For hours at a time.

Knowing the area, I would have a hard time figuring out why someone would need to drive down the street 3 times in a 2 hour period between 8pm and 4am.  I'm sure if someone was looking for a specific store or parking area and had to loop around a few times, they would drive by unnoticed.  Assuming they aren't blaring the radio and yelling at the women, that is.

[elsmere241]

Knowing the area, I would have a hard time figuring out why someone would need to drive down the street 3 times in a 2 hour period between 8pm and 4am.  I'm sure if someone was looking for a specific store or parking area and had to loop around a few times, they would drive by unnoticed.  Assuming they aren't blaring the radio and yelling at the women, that is.

Except - like I first stated - at least one person got snagged because he drove past the checkpoint three times as opposed to the entire loop.  (It was on Main between Newark Shopping Center and Chapel.  He made the mistake of entering NSC a couple of times on Chapel and exiting it on Main.)  The cruising ban came a few months after an experiment to ban night stopping/standing/parking on Main Street failed.  It isn't necessarily the University students cruising Main Street - those folks tend(ed) to come from all over.

Again, I think they focus mostly on the noise ordinance these days, whether it's loud car stereos or loud parties.  I think it's pathetic that they have to keep clamping down on binge/underage drinking.  (That's part of why I don't live in Newark now.)

[agentsteel53]

loud/obnoxious people can be prosecuted under laws against causing a disturbance, public drunkenness, etc.  all well-known laws with a justified place in society.

I may drive around in weird patterns and loops looking for old signs and what have you... even at 3am, because that is when I happened to get there.  in fact, at 3am I am more likely to circle around more, because I spot a sign and then have to circle around to line up a photo opportunity. 

that should be my right - as long as I'm not harming anyone, and can pay for my own gas, why shouldn't I be allowed to drive around at my leisure?

[1995hoo]

I rather strongly suspect (but do not know for sure) that many anti-cruising ordinances probably stand or fall on many of the same grounds applied to anti-loitering ordinances. If a municipality (or other government) can prohibit one, more than likely they can prohibit the other. I know some anti-loitering laws have been tossed out for being vague while others have been upheld, so I highly doubt there's any universal principle applicable throughout the US.

[Alps]

My 2 cents: If you can prohibit trurck trarffic, through traffic, motorized vehicles, etc., you are equally free to prohibit vehicles that have already passed the same point twice. What you can NOT prohibit is minority-driven vehicles.

[vdeane]

Knowing the area, I would have a hard time figuring out why someone would need to drive down the street 3 times in a 2 hour period between 8pm and 4am.  I'm sure if someone was looking for a specific store or parking area and had to loop around a few times, they would drive by unnoticed.  Assuming they aren't blaring the radio and yelling at the women, that is.

Except - like I first stated - at least one person got snagged because he drove past the checkpoint three times as opposed to the entire loop.  (It was on Main between Newark Shopping Center and Chapel.  He made the mistake of entering NSC a couple of times on Chapel and exiting it on Main.)  The cruising ban came a few months after an experiment to ban night stopping/standing/parking on Main Street failed.  It isn't necessarily the University students cruising Main Street - those folks tend(ed) to come from all over.

Again, I think they focus mostly on the noise ordinance these days, whether it's loud car stereos or loud parties.  I think it's pathetic that they have to keep clamping down on binge/underage drinking.  (That's part of why I don't live in Newark now.)

Looking at the law on the web, it does in fact ban passing any point more than twice, not simply driving around the whole loop over and over.

Also looking at these laws, I wonder if there's anything Newark doesn't consider a mere "privilege".  They sound like parents who think we're the children who can only do what they allow.

[elsmere241]

Also looking at these laws, I wonder if there's anything Newark doesn't consider a mere "privilege".  They sound like parents who think we're the children who can only do what they allow.

And yet thanks to university students running amok (part of the reason some of these laws are in place) I don't consider anything within a mile of campus safe - even as the University of Delaware pushes its way further and further out into the city and the city government gives them whatever it wants.  For the student body it isn't enough - they want more bars downtown, a student seat on city council, and for students who commit crimes off campus to be subject only to University discipline.

[PHLBOS]

My 2 cents: If you can prohibit trurck trarffic, through traffic, motorized vehicles, etc., you are equally free to prohibit vehicles that have already passed the same point twice. What you can NOT prohibit is minority-driven vehicles.

Note to self: carry several minority disguises and license plates when cruising through Newark, DE or equivalent.

[31E]

That's one strange law - if they're not causing any noise or trouble, why make driving around aimlessly a crime? The people who run that town must be really bored, with a good dose of arrogance with that privilege line. What are they trying to run? A slave plantation?

[agentsteel53]

Looking at the law on the web, it does in fact ban passing any point more than twice, not simply driving around the whole loop over and over.

god damn, so if I'm waiting at a traffic light at the top of a hill in a stick-shift vehicle, I can be in trouble if I roll back even a fraction of an inch?

[elsmere241]

Looking at the law on the web, it does in fact ban passing any point more than twice, not simply driving around the whole loop over and over.

god damn, so if I'm waiting at a traffic light at the top of a hill in a stick-shift vehicle, I can be in trouble if I roll back even a fraction of an inch?

Fortunately that loop doesn't have hills to speak of.

[vdeane]

Looking at the law on the web, it does in fact ban passing any point more than twice, not simply driving around the whole loop over and over.

god damn, so if I'm waiting at a traffic light at the top of a hill in a stick-shift vehicle, I can be in trouble if I roll back even a fraction of an inch?

Fortunately that loop doesn't have hills to speak of.

I think it's all of downtown, not just the loop.

Also looking at these laws, I wonder if there's anything Newark doesn't consider a mere "privilege".  They sound like parents who think we're the children who can only do what they allow.

And yet thanks to university students running amok (part of the reason some of these laws are in place) I don't consider anything within a mile of campus safe - even as the University of Delaware pushes its way further and further out into the city and the city government gives them whatever it wants.  For the student body it isn't enough - they want more bars downtown, a student seat on city council, and for students who commit crimes off campus to be subject only to University discipline.

So prosecute them for the laws they are already breaking (and creating a disturbance IS against the law), don't invent new laws that go after people that are not involved.  And, best of all, these laws that were already on the books have stiffer punishments.  Why fine someone $25 when you could throw them in jail for a week?

[elsmere241]

Looking at the law on the web, it does in fact ban passing any point more than twice, not simply driving around the whole loop over and over.

god damn, so if I'm waiting at a traffic light at the top of a hill in a stick-shift vehicle, I can be in trouble if I roll back even a fraction of an inch?

Fortunately that loop doesn't have hills to speak of.

I think it's all of downtown, not just the loop.

No, it is just the loop - it doesn't include any side streets.

[jeffandnicole]

Per the official law: Sec. 20-48(a)2:

Designated area shall mean that area of the City of Newark consisting of Main Street from Library Avenue to Elkton Road, Elkton Road from Main Street to Delaware Avenue, Delaware Avenue from Elkton Road to Library Avenue, Library Avenue from Delaware Avenue to Main Street.

[elsmere241]

Per the official law: Sec. 20-48(a)2:

Designated area shall mean that area of the City of Newark consisting of Main Street from Library Avenue to Elkton Road, Elkton Road from Main Street to Delaware Avenue, Delaware Avenue from Elkton Road to Library Avenue, Library Avenue from Delaware Avenue to Main Street.

I've never heard of it interpreted as including any streets inside the loop, but there's no reason to nitpick here.

[vdeane]

Looking at the law on the web, it does in fact ban passing any point more than twice, not simply driving around the whole loop over and over.

god damn, so if I'm waiting at a traffic light at the top of a hill in a stick-shift vehicle, I can be in trouble if I roll back even a fraction of an inch?

Fortunately that loop doesn't have hills to speak of.

I think it's all of downtown, not just the loop.

No, it is just the loop - it doesn't include any side streets.

This site begs to differ.  No mention of just being loop - heck, it's even ambiguous over whether it only applies to downtown!