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Traffic tickets up in Vidalia
Published Wednesday, August 20, 2008
VIDALIA — The Vidalia Police Department wrote 32 traffic tickets over the weekend, but Police Chief Tapper Hendricks said it was not because of a planned or directed effort to increase ticket writing.
Instead, he said many of the tickets were the result of complaints from citizens.
Though many of those tickets were on Vidalia’s main street — the Carter Street-U.S. 84 corridor — where the most tickets are often written, more than 40 percent of them were written in the so-called “Fruit Loop,” in this case on Apple, Peach and Plum streets.
“I had people calling me from that area, saying, ‘My kids are trying to play out here, but there are people just blowing up and down the road and ignoring the stop signs,” Hendricks said.
In fact, all of the citations from the Fruit Loop were included stop sign violations.
Many people had made it a habit to skip the stop signs, which presented a serious safety concern, Hendricks said.
“It has gone on for a long time, but we are just tightening up a little bit,” he said.
Another area where an increased number of tickets were written was in the vicinity of Danny’s Lounge.
The police had an increased presence in that area because the owners of the establishment had asked them to send officers to the area for extra security, Hendricks said.
The citations issued in that area included loud music, obstruction of the driver’s view by a television and stop sign violations, among others.
On an average day, the Vidalia Police write between three and five traffic citations.
For citizens worried this may be a forerunner of ultra-strict traffic enforcement to come, Hendricks said they don’t have anything to worry about.
“We are not going to be nitpicky people,” Hendricks said. “We’re not going to pull someone over for just anything. It’s going to have to be blatant.”
Comments
Posted by Fonzarosa (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 4:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Good job
Posted by Fenwick (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 7:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
We were riding a round the other night and we thought we were going to get us a ticket over there when the police car put on his lights and sireens. He passed us by like he was going to get some body else. By that time we had been trying to hide all the beer but it was not hidden very good. We all laughed. But it scared us two. I hope every body is careful over there.
Posted by oldschool (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 7:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Well He-- FENWICK You deserived to be pull over drinking and driving. You are the people we are talking about! Think you are above the law and heck you just might kill somebody and not really mean it but it happens. If you are going to do that STAY in NATCHEZ in FENWICK. That seems to be the best place for you out on a country road. I cant believe you made that post!
Posted by Fenwick (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 7:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
We were not drunk when we were riding a round and so it was perfectly ok for us to be driving a round. We were just riding and having some fun like we do lots but we were not drunk. We go out on weekends and get puking drunk but we are responsibil and make sure that we vommit out all the alcohal before we drive any where. And the night I am talking about was not a weekend so that PROVES that we were not drunk.
Posted by kilabe (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 7:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
OMG..........how Dumb can one be??!! Your ate up w/ it Fenwick and your post show it.
Posted by msfixit (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 8:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Folks, Fenwick is a troll. He/She/It is trying to get a response out of people by making outrageous statements. Trolls feed on attention, and the cardinal rule of message board participation is "Don't feed the trolls." If you ignore him he may get more over-the-top for a while seeking a reaction, but eventually you will starve him out.
Posted by Teach4Peace (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 8:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Right Msfixit, that Fenwick is a troll. Trolls come into posting boards, make rediculous off-handed comments to get the commenters riled up. Looks like he/she has been successful from some of the articles and comments I read.
As for the article, I don't ride in Vidalia often, especially not the side streets, but I know one had better pay attention to the stop signs. I don't know if it's positioning or what, but that back road the elementary school is on, I almost ran two stop signs as you seem to just drive right upon them. As far as Carter Street, I am surprised more tickets have not been given out, not because everyone speeds there, but 35 MPH on that stretch is difficult to keep.
Posted by mike8427 (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 8:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Sometimes I think there are alot of trolls on this board, either alot of trolls or alot of dumb people.
Posted by MSviaTN (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 8:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
AGREE with you 100% Mike8427!!! When I start missing home I just come on here and read some of these ridiculous statements and it makes me realize how glad I am I got away!!! ALTHOUGH let me say there ARE still lots of good people there!
Posted by aak1972 (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 9:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
LOL!!!!!! Fenwick used a word they couldnt spell!!! Wonder how they got " a round" an education???
Posted by Fenwick (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 9:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Some of you people hide behind you're funny names and act real mean. Tht is not right.
Posted by obamayamama (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 9:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
hahah! Finwick is just telling the truth, when I was a teenager in Vidalia, I did the same thing, except I drove over people's car bc I didnt have one! People, don't be so nieve to think kids do not do this.
As for the ticket writing, that is great. My relatives live on Apple Street and kids are blowing past there all the time going entirely too fast trying to look cool. Good job VPD, keep up the good work. Of course, they could be writing more tickets to pay for the updated police department and it's new flat screen televisions.
Posted by natchez500 (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 10:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
ANOTEHR FERRIDAY YES THEY ALL SAY IT WILL NOT BE A LOT OF TICKETS WELL IS THE CHIEF RUNNING THE DEPARTMENT TIME WILL TELL
Posted by aak1972 (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 10:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Survival of the fittest?? Children against cars?? I live in a Vidalia subdivision and all of our kids have played in the streets for years.
Posted by scarlettohara (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 11:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Please don't give this Fenwick person the attention he's looking for. I'm telling you, this is likely an intelligent young person purposefully making inane comments just to get everyone hopping mad so he can get a rise out of it all. I doubt VERY seriously that anything he has said contains any truth.
He's just craving attention...so I will pass over all of his future comments, as I hope you all will, too.
Posted by obamayamama (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 11:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Tapper just needs the money to finish updating the police department!
Hey, notfrom, maybe that's the way to get rid of the kids for a little while, tell them "go play in the traffic" or how about "go swim in the river with some chains on" like Deddy used to say!
Posted by obamayamama (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 11:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Jeez, where do you people live, IN A BOX??? Do you really think people DON'T ride around and drinkcoldbeer in Vidalia, Louisiana???? I mean, come on! What else is there to do? Go to Dimples? Is that any better? I would probably rather be pulled over for drinking than get hit in the head with a beer bottle by some drunk lunitic!
The response from fin's comments may be to see what your teenagers are REALLY doing rather than blowing this guy's obsurd but probably truthful comments off. It least they are just drinking and not smoking crack!
Posted by kpage (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 11:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I can't help it, scarlettohara.......he/she/it said they "vommit"ed all the alcohol out before they drove anywhere...gooooodness gracious! FENWICK really believes he can puke it out and then be in driving condition? What a crock...a shock..what an SMF!
I've seen more cops on the street lately, thank goodness. And I signed a petition yesterday to put speed bumps in our neighborhood because of excessive speeders. I sure don't want to see a child killed in the streets because a driver "is late for work".
Posted by kpage (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 11:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
...or vomited all the alcohol out before getting behind the wheel.
Posted by notfromnatchez (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 11:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)
“I had people calling me from that area, saying, ‘My kids are trying to play out here, but there are people just blowing up and down the road and ignoring the stop signs,” Hendricks said.
Kids are playing in the street?!?!?! Really? Don't they have yards to play in. I guess it is survial of the fittest. If you want your kids to play in the yard.
Posted by notfromnatchez (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 11:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Comment got cut off:
If they play in the street, the odd go up for getting hit...even if the cars mind the speed limit.
If parents are dumb enough to allow their kids to play in the street...well, like i stated. "Survival of the Fittest"
Posted by whatever (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 11:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
LMAO I was on my way to work this morning, when this guy ran right through a 4 way stop sign. He didn't see a police car, so he ran it. Well, I was looking in my rear view mirror thinking, "What an idiot!", when I noticed the guy in the truck behind me had turned on lights, and was actually an unmarked police car. I laughed myself silly over that mess. What are people thinking? How hard is it to stop for 3 seconds at a stop sign, then go?
Posted by dixiebelle (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 11:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Aren't these comments supposed to be about the article?
I think Tapper & his officers are doing a good job. If you run a stop sign, you deserve a ticket. They're there for a reason!
Posted by kpage (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 12:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ok notfrom...let's take away all the kid's bikes, skateboards, basketballs,scooters, etc and tell them to stay in the yard so drivers can fly up and down the street. How selfish to take away the toys children love the most. Ride on the sidewalks, you think? What sidewalks? Parking lots...where insane shoppers can mow them down? In my neighborhood, the streets are full of children riding their bikes and scooters. Tell them to stay out of the street? Hmmmmmmm.
That's what the "Children At Play" signs are for when you drive into a neighborhood. And for those who can't read, there's a picture of a kid chasing a ball on that sign.
Posted by natchez500 (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 12:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
hope you donot make a mistake dixiebelle and get a ticket something we donot need is a ticket save that money for gasoline
Posted by BOBCAT1974 (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 12:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
just be careful folks,several years ago i remember a child that did get hit while on her bike,she ended up in a wheel chair and latter died as a result of the accident.Most everyone knows that children often play in and out of the street's they know to slow it down.Also,this Saturday night we we're leaving the softball field and pulled in at Mcdonalds to get a burger within minutes we saw,, four cars being pulled over.I think sometimes Vidalia gets to lax in pulling people over.If they did stop people everytime they broke even the smallest law they would need more jail space.So people if you get stopped just keep you're cool,if it's not a big issue then mayby you'll get a warning.
Posted by MSviaTN (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 1:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Don't break any traffic laws - it won't be an issue - take your time!!! Isn't that a brilliant idea? and NOTFROMNATCHEZ - sure you know kids get in the street when they play - do you have kids?
Posted by AVidaliaCitizen (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 2 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I say "good Job" to Tapper and his patrolmen! I think it is fantastic that the police now have a director that will lead them to do their jobs, not just protect his!
I live on the back side of Lee street in Vidalia, and the speeding on my street has gotten out of hand. Of course, the teenagers are bad enough, but we have grown men speeding down the streets constantly. I have been known to stop them in the road myself and tell them to slow down. I am glad to know that VPD is helping in the fight.
I agree that children should not be allowed to play in the street unsupervised. I sit and watch my child when he tries to practice riding his bike without training wheels. I am right there with him, teaching him what to do when he sees a car coming. It is just as important for the kids to know what is expected of them when a car is coming, as it is for the drivers to know that kids don't follow rules.
Saying that a kid shouldn't be in the street, or saying that a kid should know to get out of the way is ludicrious! The driver is supposed to be responsible enough to say to himself, "I don't know what this kid is going to do, so I better slow it down and have one foot on the break just in case." Telling himself that the kid shouldn't have been outside is not going to extinguish his grief when he sees the child's mother at the gravesite.
Vidalia has gone un-policed for way too long. I welcome the tickets. I welcome the added revenue generated by the tickets given to those drivers speeding along Carter Street. I welcome the added safety that comes with the visibility on police patrol. I welcome the dog-catcher patroling the neighborhoods ridding the citizens of mongrels looking for scraps in trash cans. I welcome the sight of officers communicating with the citizens.
Again, "Good for You" Tapper for listening to the citizens of Vidalia. And for putting we citizens before your popularity. Great choice!
Posted by gator (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 2 p.m. (Suggest removal)
That area was a neighborhood long before the Fruit moved in . Maybe a few strategically place speed bumps would slow things down a bit . Anyone who purposely runs a stop sign should be ticketed .
Posted by FHSbulldog (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 2:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The thing that bothers me the most is the number of drivers who run red lights on Carter Street, especially the light by State Farm Insurance Company and the shopping center. There is hardly a day that goes by that I don't see a vehicle run that light. Most of the time I will already be stopped and a car will come whizzing by me. Another light that is bad is the one by Pizza Hut. This is particularly bad because it is by the high school. One thing that might put a stop to this would be to have cameras set up to record the license tags of the offenders and bill thm by mail. Many cities are doing this and it has cut down on this offense. Just a suggestion.
Posted by XXBeautifulDisasterXX (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 2:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
they should wait out around susan circle. vehicles just speed by there doing way over the speed limit. i think the police department should do something bout that. there are so many kids that live in that area.
Posted by XXBeautifulDisasterXX (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 2:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
you're so right countrygurl2010. kids are playing basketball all the time down cadet street. this just upsets me so bad. I know the police department is doing all they can to help out with this but maybe they should try a little harder round this area. especially after school hours =]
Posted by countrygurl2010 (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 3:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
yeah i know what you mean XXBeautifulDisasterXX i know that when i come through there most of the vehicles in front of me just go right through it i mean what if there was a innocent child just accidently runs out there after somethin you ain't gonna have time to stop if you don't stop at the sign. common sense. that is why they have a stop sign right there.
duh.
Use your brain.
you ain't in that big a hurry.
what if somethin happens.
geez.
=)
Posted by countrygurl2010 (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 4:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
yeah b/c that is when most of them come out and play in the streets and stuff.
ppl need to be alot careful when driving in an area like that.
it is horrible.
be careful.
STOP.
Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 4:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Good job Vidalia PD, it's about time
Now tighten up on the bridges, people go way too fast on the bridges, and lately we've had people killed on the bridges.
Posted by justice (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 5:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
They had a 45mph speed limit sign on the east bound bridge a few weeks ago . Someone removed that sign . I guess the hwy dept. want people to continue speeding . Folks blast across those bridges all the time going 65-70mph , even more .
Posted by cooper3k1 (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 6:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Concerning the children in the streets, from what I remember the rule is yield to pedestrians. No one should be going through a neighborhood fast anyways! It is common knowledge that their are families with children in the residential areas and that drivers should be cautious!!
Posted by beammeupscotty (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 7:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Someone mentioned speed bumps, the roads are speed bumps. Yesterday I saw a car drive around a speed bump then bottomed out in a pot hole. Speed bumps ony work when you have good roads.
Posted by Fenwick (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 8:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
One of my friends said the other day that most towns have speed bumps and Natchez has speed holes. I thought that was real funny.
Posted by justayappin (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 10:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
BOBCAT, there was a little girl that was hit while ridding her bike yrs ago, she was my sisters bestfriend. That was the reason that so many stop signs were placed in the neighborhood. She was a happy child that had just learned to ride her bike and was hit by a family member. Sadly, there are not sidewalks on all of the streets for children to ride their bikes on. The point is not that we let our children play in the streets here, the point is people should not be allowed to drive like a nascar driver either. I am happy to see the VPD in the "Fruit Loop". Gator - this traffic is not from the Fruit of the Loom... it's teenagers, young adults and people who live right here in the neighborhood that speed through the stop signs. You don't have access to FOTL through the neighborhood. For many yrs the citizens have had to raise total hell about this situation, THANK YOU TAPPER for stepping up and being the chief that you we have needed.
Posted by starla (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 11:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Bicycles have just as much right to the streets as cars! When we lived in Ridgecrest (thank God I moved out of that hellhole!). My daughter couldn't hardly ride her bike around the neighborhood because of the idiots who drove down the streets like they were freeways!
Posted by dragonflyday (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 11:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
acso and npd should take notes from vidalia," duh " . yes people do speed to fast on the bridges, way to go vpd great job keep it up.
Posted by pbnj (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 1:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think NPD could take notes from this. One time I asked for an officer to come monitor speeding on my Duncan Park area street and all I got was an empty patrol car parked on my street. Well let me say it did no good. But if some actual tickets had been written then word would have gotten around to all these people to slow down. Sad thing is, we do get a lot of teenage speeders but we also get a few daily regulars that are adults that must be late for work, church, happy hour, tennis match, or anything else that would qualify as more important than a child's life. It's very sad that I have tried to get speed bumps but was told they are expensive and hard to get and the best way would be to get neighbors to pitch in to pay for them. Today I was driving down North Rankin between Monroe and Madison and there were THREE speed humps in that one small block..... go see for yourself and see if you think those people chipped in and paid for their speed bumps?????
Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 4:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
People should think about where there children will play when they buy a home....No speeding that is breaking the law...But yet children in the street playing isn't?
Posted by Swapmeet (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 7:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
(Posted by pbnj: I think NPD could take notes from this. One time I asked for an officer to come monitor speeding on my Duncan Park area street and all I got was an empty patrol car parked on my street. Well let me say it did no good. But if some actual tickets had been written then word would have gotten around to all these people to slow down. Sad thing is, we do get a lot of teenage speeders but we also get a few daily regulars that are adults that must be late for work, church, happy hour, tennis match, or anything else that would qualify as more important than a child's life. It's very sad that I have tried to get speed bumps but was told they are expensive and hard to get and the best way would be to get neighbors to pitch in to pay for them. Today I was driving down North Rankin between Monroe and Madison and there were THREE speed humps in that one small block..... go see for yourself and see if you think those people chipped in and paid for their speed bumps?????)
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,3731...
Check out this link. It's an interesting article about "virtual" speed bumps. They are actually painted instead of being real and cost very little compared to real speed bumps. I don't think it's a good idea because regular commuters would quickly learn that they wouldn't have to slow down.
The main reason I posted the article was to show pandj that real speed bumps are expensive and it would cost (according to the article) anywhere from $3,000-4500 to put them in.
Posted by sayitloud (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 8:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
notfrom's comment was just cruel. He doesn't like people and now after reading his posts he doesn't like children either.
Posted by sayitloud (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 8:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
HAHA! You just proved my point!!!
Posted by sayitloud (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 8:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)
HAHA!! You just proved my point!!
Thanks for making my day!
Posted by notfromnatchez (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 9:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
My kids don't play in the street. They know that it is dangerous out there. They stick to the yard.
Sayitloud, you are an idiot and you prove it every time you say something. Does us all a favor and change your name to SAYNOTHING.
Posted by notfromnatchez (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 9:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"Does" should be "Do"
Posted by obamayamama (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 9:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
haha! That was great notfrom, sayitloud is such a moron with her one liners! She reminds me of that nerdy little skinny, zit faced girl in eighth grade that nobody liked. She would give people 50 cents for cokes just so they would talk to her, but she was so annoying, no one could stand her.
Posted by kpage (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 10:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thankfully I live in a pleasant neighborhood where children play in the streets, neighbors gather in one's yard to discuss football, there is no stray dog problem to plague us, and no dilapidated homes in need of demolition. No, this is no rich neighborhood...just regular folk who mow our grass every week and will tell you if you leave your car lights on. We also watch for suspicious folk meddling where they shouldn't be. I had a CHOICE on where to live and I'm happy with it....except for speeders. I hope the girl who circulated a speed bump petition the other day gets us our "slower downers".
Posted by linenbreeze (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 2:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
(kpage) Do you know the Brady's or the Cleavers?
Posted by dragonflyday (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 2:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
it's sad that a speed bump cost 3500-4500,and a childs life is worth nothing. is natchez that broke,cause of all the sticky fingers working there.
Posted by theduke (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 3:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I know there are speed bumps all in Montebello & surrounding neighborhoods.
Posted by redusmfan (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 8:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
duke, they are not speed bumps, those are speed mountains....I bet they show up on the geographical view of Natchez whne you do a Google earth view of Roselawn area.....lol...
My mom lives in that area. Case dismissed........
Posted by kpage (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 9:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
linenbreeze...I don't know the Cleaver's personally but I hear they're nice. Our neighborhood is as close as the Beav's as you can find these days. I made a choice to move here and put thought into what the neighborhood would be like in 10-20 years. Looks like we made a good investment. If folk live in the slums, it's their choice. If folk want to move to a safe neighborhood to raise their kids... and if they really want it bad enough, they can have it.
Posted by bolyert (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 11:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
way to go tapper i am glad that vidalia finally has someone that will do the city some good for everyone that lives in city limits you should be glad you live there i live off airport rd and when i moved here it was a good place to have kids but now people are crazy around here it is 25 down our rd and it seems like they do 50 sometimes i called the police jury and they told me they couldn't put speed bumps down they were getting suied for them i would rather the car get screwed instead of my children getting hurt he told me to call the cpso when they speed but when you call them nothing happens so i think we need someone new there too we also need to do something about the bus drivers we have the one that does this area drives like a bat out of hell i was following the bus the other day to school and i was doing 60 on the highway she/he was going faster than me and when we got to the turn at the high school she turned in front of two cars what are they trying to do show them how to break the law before they are able to drive my child is 4 she/he scared him to death the first day he rode and once again great job tapper stop the speeders so people will stop getting hit
Posted by theduke (anonymous) on August 23, 2008 at 1:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
redusmfan
I stand corrected, they are speed mountains, but they at least warn you to slow down & go easy. Or tare your car up!
My Mama also lives in Montebello & is almost 83 & she hates them.
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