I'd be the first to complain about speed on local roads. I'm also usually fine with targetted speed traps or DUI enforcement areas. However, when I drove past a recent speeding dragnet on Wonderwood, it got me to wondering about effective use of Duval County resources.
So you've got one officer shooting the radar gun and at least three motorcycle units pulling folks over as you come to the Wonderwood Bridge heading east. At around 8am. Sure, it means targeting the Navy, but I'm not weighing in on that choice. Maybe some people in the Navy feel the need, the need for speed. As I headed west, I saw a navy guy in an SUV and another one on a crotch rocket pulled over, and I'm sure the business was good in that location.
What I'm asking for is a little analysis. Are there a lot of accidents on or near the Wonderwood Bridge that would justify the intense enforcement? Are there lots of pedestrians here? Or is this just an easy place to issue tickets?
I'm not going to run all the numbers myself, but my own opinion is that you treat speeding enforcement like testing in schools. When a class of students is deficient in a certain skill, that's the one a teacher should focus on improving. If the Wonderwood area of Jax is dangerous, then I fully support pulling people over. If it's not, then I would rather see the cavalcade at another location.
