Operation Yellow Jacket in PA

[Bravo12]

I can't get into too many details, but I found out that the PA state police are on a rampage for the next 30 days.  They will be running radar/laser from PennDOT trucks, then radioing a marked car farther down the road to make the stop and write the ticket.  They will write for 5mph over the speed limit, and are under pressure to write a ticket every 10 minutes.  PA state police estimate this operation will bring in 9 million dollars in revenue, 1 million of which will cover the troopers' overtime during the 30-day operation.  All interstates in PA, along with some US and state highways (US 22 & 322, PA 60 & 66) are being targeted.

Be careful out there, and watch for the PennDOT trucks as well as the marked patrol cars.

[garry]

Go to www.Snopes.com and look this up. It's a hoax that has been floating around the internet for years.

[Scratch33]

Snopes' webpage on this has been updated recently to reflect that there IS an "Operation Yellow Jacket" going on in PA.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/traffic/speeding.asp


http://www.dot.state.pa.us/Penndot/Districts/district12.nsf/Operation%20Yellow%20Jacket?OpenPage

"Operation Yellow Jacket is a partnership between PennDOT and the Pennsylvania State Police. Troopers dress like PennDOT workers to monitor the speed of motorists to ensure the safety of workers and motorists in work zones. Motorists should remember, the next time they see a PennDOT worker in the work zone, they could be a trooper monitoring speed."

[Scratch33]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Pamela Kane (814) 696-7105  
 


OPERATION YELLOW JACKET AIDS POLICE IN SMOOTH OPERATOR ENFORCEMENT
 


(June 25, 2008)
OPERATION YELLOW JACKET AIDS POLICE IN SMOOTH OPERATOR ENFORCEMENT

HOLLIDAYSBURG – The Pennsylvania State Police are using an old idea to crack down on speeders. They are going undercover – as PennDOT workers.

Over the next few weeks, State Police will be conducting Operation Yellow Jacket along highways in Blair County. As part of the enforcement, PennDOT and State Police will partner to allow troopers to run radar from PennDOT vehicles instead of traditional marked cars.

Operation Yellow Jacket is being utilized during the third wave of Smooth Operator, a statewide initiative that targets aggressive drivers. These behaviors include speeding, tailgating, running red lights and stop signs, weaving through traffic and making unsafe lane changes.

Aggressive driving is the leading cause of traffic fatalities in Pennsylvania. According to PennDOT, 971 people lost their lives in aggressive driving-related crashes last year, including eight in Blair County.
State and local police will be patrolling targeted Smooth Operator roadways throughout the six counties in PennDOT’s Engineering District 9 for the next two weeks, including the Fourth of July holiday.

http://www.dot.state.pa.us/Penndot/Districts/district9.nsf/76320b0b27c6ca428525694c003a012a/80839bde54248181852574740053c59c?OpenDocument

[Rincewind]

I will watch for this in action, thanks.

[garry]

I was aware that troopers have been going undercover in work zones.The section of road pictured in the "Yellow Jacket" link is the town where I live (and can't wait for the damn construction to be over with). I guess putting the "Yellow Jacket" thing in there adds some credibility to the hoax. But the 30-day crackdown is still hoax AFAIK.

EDIT: The thing that is NOT a hoax is the increased use of ENRADD in PA to catch speeders. It's like printing money for the municipalities. ENRADD uses a short metal beam (4' ?) with lasers attached to it. The system times how long it takes you to break the two beams. It's damn near undetectable visually because it blends in with all the other crap along the side of the road. I got nailed in a speed trap using ENRADD last year (4-lane divided highway leading to another 4-lane divided highway with a 35 MPH speed limit).

[Bravo12]

Well, our federal agency fell for it, 'cause I was told about it at rollcall.  Thanks for the Snopes check; since it came through work, I didn't even think to Snopes it.  I'll pass it on.

[chornbe]

PA state troopers used to be under pretty serious restrictions when it came to speed traps. For instance, at one time, they had to park conspicuously (something like 50% of their car had to be plainly visible without obstruction) and keep their marker lights on, else the ticket could be fought under a loophole involving entrapment (which I think is utter BS).

This seems very much counter to those restrictions, so either it's not true or PA has loosened up on those restrictions quite a bit.

Personally, I'm ok with ticketing for excessive speeding. 5 over is a little rough, tho'... that's well within variances in tire and speedo differences at highway speeds, cars and bikes.

[JamminJere]

I was on the PA Turnpike 76 last Sunday late afternoon and early evening from Bedford east to Morgantown. I saw two Penndot 4door pickups along that route and sure enough.. there were regular trooper cars less than a mile down the road. One before the tunnels going toward blue mountain, one between Carlisle and Harrisburg.

I didn't think anything looked weird the first time... but the second time it got my attention. After reading this thread it all makes sense... and kinda gives me goosebumps, coz I know i was more than 5 over when I went past the first Penndot truck, but I was in with traffic moving much faster than I was.

Time from Bedford to Morgantown... 1 hour 45 minutes.    no performance awards...

Jerry

[keppyou812]

Ahhh, this would explain the weird locations of the State of Pennsylvania's finest on I99.  

Jere;  You think that was bad, come over here(Tyrone), and take I99 to Bedford.   I might have the award for slowest slabfest for 50 miles with no accidents involved.  

[JamminJere]

Keppy

I didn't mean it was slow from points a to b... its about 160 miles.  You do the math..

JJ

[SuperHans]

They've been sitting in PENDOT vehicles for years. Used to do it on the Royersford overpass on 422 on occasion.

[DosEquis00]

They've been sitting in PENDOT vehicles for years. Used to do it on the Royersford overpass on 422 on occasion.

Explains the conditions of the roads in PA!

[chiltech500]

Explains the conditions of the roads in PA!

 

imagine, penndot workers standing around doing nothing