TAMPA BAY - The Florida Highway Patrol Troop C (Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk, Pasco, Hernando, Sumter and Citrus counties) has announced the roads it plans to target with driver license and/or vehicle inspection checkpoints in February. FHP says the checkpoints will be conducted during daytime hours, and generally cause delays of five minutes or less. Scroll down for a list of all affected roads.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
FHP announces daytime driver license, vehicle inspection checkpoints
America get ready for persecution....
Q: Is this legal?
A: There is a policy established by the Florida Highway Patrol that specifies the legal guidelines that must be undertaken by the agency to conduct driver license and vehicle safety inspection checkpoints. The information provided below comes directly from that policy, which was provided by FHP.
Q: How will this impact my drive? Won't these checkpoints cause big traffic jams?
A: Initially, every third vehicle will be stopped, however the Checkpoint Supervisor will monitor traffic to ensure a backup doesn't occur. If delays of more than three to five minutes occur, the Checkpoint Supervisor may order an alternate vehicle count (i.e. every fifth vehicle). If the traffic conditions cause a back up that cannot be easily alleviated by the alternate vehicle count, the Checkpoint Supervisor may temporarily suspend the checkpoint until the back-up has been cleared. Once cleared, the checkpoint can be reactivated using the last vehicle count method that was in place. Per the policy, the degree of intrusion to motorists and the length of detention to each driver should be kept to a minimum.
Q: Do these checkpoints affect trucks and buses too?
A: All vehicles and drivers, including commercial vehicles, buses and large trucks, that enter the checkpoint are subject to screening. The only exception is emergency vehicles.
Q: Isn't this profiling?
A: The FHP police states "vehicles and drivers shall not be stopped on a discretionary basis (i.e., due to the 'looks' of the vehicle or it occupant(s)."
Q: What's a "driver license checkpoint”?
A: Troopers will request the driver license and vehicle registration from each driver detained. If a driver is also the owner or registrant of the vehicle, the Trooper also may request proof of personal injury protection (PIP) insurance. FHP says violations will be enforced pursuant to Florida law and Division policy.
Q: What are" vehicle inspection checkpoints"? Troopers aren't mechanics, so why are they checking my car?
A: Per FHP, defective vehicle equipment, such as bad brakes, worn tires and defective lighting equipment, poses dangers to the public.
Q: What will officers inspect on my vehicle if I'm stopped?
A: Troopers may inspect the following equipment on vehicles:
- Horn
- Windshield wipers
- Brakes
- Tail lamps
- Directional signals (required on all vehicles manufactured after January 1, 1972)
- Stop lamps
- License plate lamp
- Headlamps
- Steering mechanism
- Tires
- Exhaust system
- Other readily visible equipment (windshield, bumpers, etc.)
Q: Am I going to get a ticket? How much do they cost?
A: During the vehicle inspection checkpoints, Troopers may issue a Faulty Equipment Violations, which are non-moving violations and do not carry points for the driver's record. Fees for non-moving violations vary by county. In Hillsborough County, a non-moving violation fee is $103, however if a citation is issued, drivers may have the faulty equipment replaced or repaired, provide proof of those repairs, and have the fine reduced to $83. The non-moving violation fees for other counties included in the checkpoints are: Citrus $116; Hernando $114; Pasco $114; Polk $114; Sumter $11
During the driver license or vehicle inspection checkpoints, citations may be issued for seat belt violations ($103-$116 fine). Drivers that appear to be impaired may be arrested, and their vehicles may be towed.
Q: What times will the checkpoints occur?
A: Any time between sunrise and sunset, according to FHP.
Q: Are these actually DUI checkpoints?
A: No. However if an officer suspects a driver is impaired, the vehicle will be moved off of the roadway and standard procedure for DUI investigation will be conducted. When probable cause exists to believe that the driver has committed DUI, the driver will be held/processed per Florida law and local procedures for DUI offenders. If there's probable cause to believe that the driver or any passenger in the vehicle has committed an offense involving the possession or use of any contraband drug, the driver or passenger will be secured and processed in accordance with Florida law and local procedures for contraband drug offenders. Additionally, when reasonable suspicion exists to believe that the driver or any passenger in the vehicle has committed an offense involving the possession or use of any contraband drug, a K-9 officer may be requested to conduct a K-9 sniff of the vehicle in order to detect and locate contraband drugs.
Here are
the roads impacted by the checkpoints, as determined by local supervisors.
ABC
China, Japan on the brink of war
Chinese warships have pointed missile radars at Japanese military targets and taken the two regional powers to the brink of "a dangerous situation", say Japanese officials.
The news overnight marks a dangerous escalation of a four-month diplomatic and military stand-off between Australia's two largest trading partners, involving disputed islets in the East China Sea.
Japan's defence minister, Itsunori Onodera, told reporters last night that a Chinese frigate pointed a missile control radar at the Japanese destroyer Yuudachi on January 30.
'This is extremely abnormal behaviour': Japan's defense minister, Itsunori Onodera. Photo: AFP
"Something like fire-control radar was directed at a Japan Self-Defense Maritime escort ship in the East China Sea," Mr Onodera told reporters in Tokyo.
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He also said a Chinese vessel had similarly targeted a Japanese ship-based helicopter two weeks earlier.
"This is extremely abnormal behaviour," Mr Onodera said.
"One step in the wrong direction could have pushed things into a dangerous situation," he said.
China Tuesday night called for calm. In a statement issued ahead of Japan's accusation, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman urged Japan "to stop all provocative actions" including sending vessels and planes to the Diaoyu Islands, known as Senkaku in Japanese.
"We hope Japan can take actions to show sincerity and willingness to work with China through talks and negotiations to control and manage the current situation," said spokesman Hua Chunying.
Diplomats and military officials in the United States, Japan and China had previously warned that the dispute was only one accident away from open military conflict.
But last night's news out of Tokyo suggests the two regional powers have come closer to live fire than many had feared.
Western military officers and diplomats were last night seeking more information to determine if the Chinese radar targeting amounted to what is known as "guide mode", which implies a missile has been locked onto a target.
"If you are the Japanese captain you would have an incredibly uncomfortable choice to make very quickly," said a Western diplomat, who has been closely following the dispute. "You’re seconds away if that thing decided to fire".
Mr Onodera's ambiguous language might also cover general radar scoping, known as "acquisition mode", or a targeted radar lock, known as "track mode", which falls short of an implication that a missile has been prepared for firing.
A chorus of outspoken Chinese generals have advocated a tough military stance ever since the Japanese Government brought the Senkaku Islands, or Diaoyu in Chinese, from private Japanese owners in September.
Japanese officials said the nationalisation was intended to de-escalate tensions by preventing the islands from falling into the hands of a hawkish politician.
But Chinese leaders immediately launched a fiery anti-Japan propaganda war, facilitated mass protests and formed a special security "small group" to steer the crisis.
Last month China's new Communist Party boss and military leader, Xi Jinping, took the rare step of ordering the People’s Liberation Army to be prepared for war.
A fortnight ago a People's Liberation Army officer, Colonel Liu Mingfu, ratcheted the sabre-rattling to a new level by raising a scenario with Fairfax Media that he said would justify a nuclear attack, while clarifying that he was not calling upon China to take such measures.
This week, however, a more powerful PLA general who is often categorised as a "hawk", and is known to be close to Mr Xi, called for cool heads to prevail.
He used a running race metaphor to argue that China should not be drawn into war just as it was about to overtake the United States after nearly two centuries of effort.
The same metaphor is also used in a book recently published by Col Liu Mingfu, How the People’s Liberation Army Can Win.
"We should not be interrupted by accidental [warfare] again," wrote Gen Liu Yuan, in an essay extract published in the Global Times.
"What the Americans and the Japanese fear is that we will catch up with them, which is why they exhaust every possible means to suppress China's development," wrote Gen Liu. "We should not fall into their trap."
The Japanese Defence Ministry has previously revealed that Japanese fighter planes were scrambled against Chinese aircraft in the area on 91 occasions between October and December.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/china-japan-on-the-brink-20130206-2dx25.html#ixzz2K7mP2j4d
The news overnight marks a dangerous escalation of a four-month diplomatic and military stand-off between Australia's two largest trading partners, involving disputed islets in the East China Sea.
Japan's defence minister, Itsunori Onodera, told reporters last night that a Chinese frigate pointed a missile control radar at the Japanese destroyer Yuudachi on January 30.
'This is extremely abnormal behaviour': Japan's defense minister, Itsunori Onodera. Photo: AFP
"Something like fire-control radar was directed at a Japan Self-Defense Maritime escort ship in the East China Sea," Mr Onodera told reporters in Tokyo.
Advertisement
He also said a Chinese vessel had similarly targeted a Japanese ship-based helicopter two weeks earlier.
"This is extremely abnormal behaviour," Mr Onodera said.
"One step in the wrong direction could have pushed things into a dangerous situation," he said.
China Tuesday night called for calm. In a statement issued ahead of Japan's accusation, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman urged Japan "to stop all provocative actions" including sending vessels and planes to the Diaoyu Islands, known as Senkaku in Japanese.
"We hope Japan can take actions to show sincerity and willingness to work with China through talks and negotiations to control and manage the current situation," said spokesman Hua Chunying.
Diplomats and military officials in the United States, Japan and China had previously warned that the dispute was only one accident away from open military conflict.
But last night's news out of Tokyo suggests the two regional powers have come closer to live fire than many had feared.
Western military officers and diplomats were last night seeking more information to determine if the Chinese radar targeting amounted to what is known as "guide mode", which implies a missile has been locked onto a target.
"If you are the Japanese captain you would have an incredibly uncomfortable choice to make very quickly," said a Western diplomat, who has been closely following the dispute. "You’re seconds away if that thing decided to fire".
Mr Onodera's ambiguous language might also cover general radar scoping, known as "acquisition mode", or a targeted radar lock, known as "track mode", which falls short of an implication that a missile has been prepared for firing.
A chorus of outspoken Chinese generals have advocated a tough military stance ever since the Japanese Government brought the Senkaku Islands, or Diaoyu in Chinese, from private Japanese owners in September.
Japanese officials said the nationalisation was intended to de-escalate tensions by preventing the islands from falling into the hands of a hawkish politician.
But Chinese leaders immediately launched a fiery anti-Japan propaganda war, facilitated mass protests and formed a special security "small group" to steer the crisis.
Last month China's new Communist Party boss and military leader, Xi Jinping, took the rare step of ordering the People’s Liberation Army to be prepared for war.
A fortnight ago a People's Liberation Army officer, Colonel Liu Mingfu, ratcheted the sabre-rattling to a new level by raising a scenario with Fairfax Media that he said would justify a nuclear attack, while clarifying that he was not calling upon China to take such measures.
This week, however, a more powerful PLA general who is often categorised as a "hawk", and is known to be close to Mr Xi, called for cool heads to prevail.
He used a running race metaphor to argue that China should not be drawn into war just as it was about to overtake the United States after nearly two centuries of effort.
The same metaphor is also used in a book recently published by Col Liu Mingfu, How the People’s Liberation Army Can Win.
"We should not be interrupted by accidental [warfare] again," wrote Gen Liu Yuan, in an essay extract published in the Global Times.
"What the Americans and the Japanese fear is that we will catch up with them, which is why they exhaust every possible means to suppress China's development," wrote Gen Liu. "We should not fall into their trap."
The Japanese Defence Ministry has previously revealed that Japanese fighter planes were scrambled against Chinese aircraft in the area on 91 occasions between October and December.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/china-japan-on-the-brink-20130206-2dx25.html#ixzz2K7mP2j4d
Israel deploys third Iron Dome battery in the north
A third Iron Dome battery was deployed in the north of the country on Tuesday as a precautionary measure in light of the increasingly volatile situation in Syria.
It is the largest deployment of the anti-missile system in the north of the country since the system became operational in 2011.
Channel 2 reported Tuesday that Israel had also deployed longer-range Patriot missiles in the Galilee over the past week.
Army Radio said the development was not in response to any specific threat, but rather due to the tension in the region following last week’s airstrike on Syria, which has been widely attributed to Israel. Iran has threatened that Israel would regret the attack that reportedly destroyed advanced SA-17 anti-aircraft missiles that were being transported from Syria to Lebanon.
“Just as it regretted its aggression after the 33-day, 22-day and eight-day wars, today the Zionist entity will regret the aggression it launched against Syria,” said Saeed Jalili, the head of Iran’s National Security Council, referring to the Second Lebanon War against Lebanese terror group Hezbollah, and operations Cast Lead and Pillar of Defense against the Palestinian group Hamas.
At the end of January two other batteries were positioned near Haifa and Safed.
During the Second Lebanon War in 2006 Hezbollah targeted both cities with missiles.
Meant to protect strategic assets and heavy populated areas, the Iron Dome system proved effective during Operation Pillar of Defense, intercepting 84 percent of the rockets fired from the Gaza Strip at residential areas in Israel’s south and center.
The Times of Israel
Moscow Endures the Snowiest Winter in 100 Years
MOSCOW, February 5 (RIA Novosti) – Moscow has not witnessed such a snowy winter in the past 100 years, Deputy Mayor Pyotr Biryukov said on Tuesday, after heavy snowfall hit the Russian capital last night.
“This is the snowiest winter in 100 years,” Biryukov said, adding that 216 centimeters (85 inches) of snow have blanketed Moscow since the beginning of winter, which is 1.5 times above climatic norm.
The snowfall, which continued in and around the capital until the early hours of Tuesday, brought Moscow's traffic to a virtual standstill. The total length of traffic jams in the city reached 3,500 kilometers (2,175 miles), which is equal to the distance between Moscow and Madrid.
The snowfall also caused the delay of 155 flights, while 56 planes had to seek alternative landing sites. Among them was that of Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, which had to land in St. Petersburg due to weather conditions.
RIA Novosti
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