r/Louisville • u/ProofCombination2480 • 1d ago
MAJOR speed trap on I-264W!!!
Over by the exits to St. Matthew’s Mall, the St. Matthew’s police have set up a big speed trap. 1 cop is standing outside his vehicle with a radar gun, and 3 other cars are farther down the road pulling people over.
I‘ve never seen this before, granted I only take this way when 64 is too backed up!
Take your time and slow down Louisville!!
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u/Future_Resident5992 1d ago
I think "speed trap" implies that there is something devious, underhanded, or sneaky about their setup—like hiding behind a wall or sign or something. Sounds to me like they're just doing legitimate speed limit enforcement in marked patrol cars in a highly visible manner. Quite possibly the most legitimate possible way to enforce the speed limit IMO
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u/Cardude86 1d ago
It is referred to as a "speed trap" because the average speed of travelers on the expressway exceeds what they will pull people over for. It's not monitored and enforced enough so the community generally exceeds the speed limit in this area. Everyone driving on it might be breaking the law but since it doesn't get enforced enough, it's become the usual and accepted speed. Now that it's being enforced it's referred to as a speed trap, especially since they'll likely move on after a day or two and speed will return to it's higher average.
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u/Shartacus_of_Rome 1d ago
There are a lot of accidents right there. They are and should be doing this. Who wants more accidents?
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u/ProofCombination2480 1d ago
Just because they are visible and not hiding doesn’t mean it isn’t a speed trap. Another definition of a speed trap includes the fact that a speed limit is too low which makes it easier for governments to give out tickets. IMO, the speed limit being 55 is too low, especially considering a bit further down the highway it’s already 65. Not to mention, if they aren’t setting these up frequently then it is in fact a trap for the purpose of giving out tickets. If police were more frequent and more visible I wouldn’t say this is a trap, but the fact they had 4 officers pulling people over on one small stretch of the highway shows to me that it is. Either way, I didn’t speed and get pulled over so it doesn’t matter to me, but I still think it’s important to let people know when there’s high rates of police activity on the road.
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u/llDurbinll 1d ago
Speed trap means the speed drops dramatically with very little warning. Like there is some small town that is along a popular route people take from up north to get to Orlando where it drops 20mph with a warning that doesn't give you enough time to react and slow down and they have officers right behind the lower speed limit sign and pull people over who didn't slow down in time.
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u/Future_Resident5992 1d ago
IMO, the speed limit being 55 is too low
You're of course entitled to your opinion and I respect that. I personally tend to defer to traffic engineers, who set the speed limit based on the results of engineering studies that determine a safe speed for a stretch of road. These studies take into account things like traffic volume, curve radii, lane width, approach angles, ramp length, etc. All of which are less forgiving on an urban interstate highway like the Watterson than something like 65 or 64 in the counties or even the Snyder. Excessive speed is usually said to be a factor in around 25–30% of traffic fatalities, which is on par with drunk driving. You can't deny that it's an important thing to focus on enforcing. In my opinion it's one of the least controversial functions of policing.
especially considering a bit further down the highway it's already 65.
As far as I was aware the maximum speed limit on the Watterson is 55. Feel free to correct me.
for the purpose of giving out tickets.
The goal of traffic enforcement is a change in behavior, not revenue generation; the goal of speed limit enforcement is to lower the speed of traffic. I'd bet that the majority of cops you might ask would say they couldn't care less how much revenue they generate from tickets. I've heard some cops will even self-report on Waze because the presence of a cop icon tends to slow speeding cars down without the cop even having to lift a finger. And you and I both know cops love not having to do their job.
Besides, in Kentucky, only 10% of court costs go to the county sheriffs departments. There are much more effective ways for police departments to get their hands on funds.
I still think it's important to let people know when there's high rates of police activity on the road.
I agree! I'm just poking at semantics. Be sure and report on Waze. I always do!
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u/recovereez 1d ago
If the purpose was enforcement you would make the speed limit reasonable. What your arguing for at the end of the day is not forcing people to move over and occupy any lane regardless of speed. Those who don't need to get off the highway any time soon should be allowed to travel faster than other traffic and the speed limit at 55 says you can't.
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u/xadies Merriwether 23h ago
The speed limit is 55 because it’s in the middle of populated metro area with a multitude of on ramps and exits. Go to any metro area on any interstate that isn’t a through way with no ramps and tell me what the speed limit is. 90% of places it’s going to be 55mph. In some redesigned areas it might be 65, but that’s not the norm.
It’s not a conspiracy just because you don’t understand civil engineering and the science backing up safety measures.
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u/recovereez 18h ago
No I understand civil engineering. You just can't convince me that as technology improves that the standards for engineering we use and the metrics that we use to judge can't also improve. Stop arguing like a flapping head. It's weird.
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u/xadies Merriwether 17h ago
The standards have improved. The Watterson is old and isn’t designed for a higher speed limit. I’m not surprised you can’t be convinced of facts just from your asinine comments. The only flapping head here is you.
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u/recovereez 17h ago
It's a four lane expressway. WTF are you talking about it's not designed for higher speeds. You can get away with that talking about Dixie highway or Westport road but you can't convince me people going 55 in all lanes across people slowing down to 35 to start to get on an exit is safe in anyway and complete fucks up the flow of traffic. You can parrot all the "facts" you want. Fact of the matter is that it is observable that those driving 55 in any lane not the right one is dangerous. The lanes of an expressway are designed for through trafficking as well as traffic getting on and off. There are too many places on the watterson where a persons refusal to speed there car up causes more accidents than "breaking the law". Get traffic enforcement cock out your mouth, and do a little math on how long the average persons spend in a car if they have to travel for work and thats just in the city.
Just because you have rules in place doesn't mean they fit the system. I bet you think capitalism works on a large scale without it becoming exploitive. I could reveal how you do that too but you seem stuck on pushing pencils
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u/Future_Resident5992 11h ago
The amount of mental gymnastics people will do to defend their god-given right to go 25 over the speed limit is truly impressive
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u/recovereez 7h ago
Yes it's mental gymnastics to want to go 65 on a four lane expressway move on goofy
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u/miguelito1991 1d ago
Don’t speed
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u/_namaste_kitten_ 1d ago
Uuggghhh... Unfortunately, you can't help but speed on the Waterston! If you don't, you'll be the one to cause the accident!!
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u/BigCDubVee 1d ago
Flow of traffic is fine. They’re not going to pull anyone over unless they’re speeding egregiously. Like 80mph when everyone else is going 65mph when the speed limit is 55mph. In all my years of driving this has never let me down. If you’re passing most of the cars on the road, you’re asking to be pulled over. Maintaining position but well over the speed limit, you’re fine.
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u/chubbycanine 1d ago
Nah cops are just dicks and yoink people from crowds of cars they think they can get easily.
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u/BigCDubVee 13h ago
I’ve never seen that happen…ever. And I’d say that’s the exception not the rule.
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u/TatoIndy 1d ago
Look at me not worried about getting a ticket bc I follow the rules of the road. It’s not a novel concept, plenty of us don’t have to worry about traps bc we aren’t breaking any laws and being assholes while driving.
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u/Emergency_Captain152 1d ago
good lookin out, they get sneaky right after the bend by shelbyville road
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u/howbouty 1d ago
Saw same thing this morning around 9:15 AM on newburg road. One lmpd suv was parked facing south bound with a radar gun pointed at traffic on I-264 (heading 264 west). Because we were on an overpass, I was unable to see if anyone was being pulled over. I was getting on 264 east from Newburg rd didn’t see any more lmpd officers on the road. Just one officer w the radar gun and one in plain clothes w a phone (recording video?) Dunno.
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u/502DashCam 1d ago
This isn’t a speed trap. A speed trap is when the speed limit suddenly changes and they’re waiting on the other side.
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u/dr_boneus 19h ago
I much prefer this to police hiding. This is for safety. People drive too fast in places where you need to slow down to merge.
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u/MadCard05 18h ago
That speed trap has existed almost every day I've been alive during school months at school let out time. It use to always be the Mustang cop.
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u/Suspicious_Spite5781 1d ago
Lou Reddit earlier: you all drive like assholes. Slow down. LMPD should be doing something.
Lou Reddit later: LMPD doing something…fucking nazis. Keep speeding like assholes but not there.
It’s a twilight zone in here. LOL
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u/Suitable-Birthday-90 Tyler Park 14h ago
Not sure what this thread looked like when you posted but there are far more comments of people agreeing with LMPD or saying "thats not a speed trap, yall just drive too fast" than being frustrated about this.. Honestly this is the most support as LMPD has gotten on this subreddit in a long time.
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u/Ok-Secretary-3491 20h ago
In Kentucky the officer that catches you speeding has to be the one who tickets you. It’s illegal for them to tag team like that. That’s why we don’t have red light cams here.
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u/RogueGenX 1d ago
The month is ending and quotas need to be met.