Dear i_tspp-ga;
Thank you for allowing me to answer your interesting question.
Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Code Title 75 governs the speed and safe
operation of vehicles in that state?s jurisdiction:
PENNSYLVANIA MOTOR VEHICLE CODE TITLE 75
http://members.aol.com/StatutesPA/75.html
Nowhere in this code is the use of ?speed traps? by law enforcement
prohibited by state statutes. States that do have laws that prohibit
or limit the use of speed traps are:
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Texas
THE SPEED TRAP EXCHANGE: STATE LAWS
http://speedtrap.org/stetlaws.htm
Unfortunately, for you perhaps, even if there were Pennsylvania state
laws that prohibit speed traps there is no Federal prohibition against
the use of this widely practiced law enforcement tactic.
I hope you find that my answer exceeds your expectations. If you have
any questions about my research please post a clarification request
prior to rating the answer. Otherwise I welcome your rating and your
final comments and I look forward to working with you again in the
near future. Thank you for bringing your question to us.
Best regards;
Tutuzdad-ga ? Google Answers Researcher
INFORMATION SOURCES
Defined above
SEARCH STRATEGY
SEARCH ENGINE USED:
Google ://www.google.com
SEARCH TERMS USED:
Pennsylvania
Motor vehicle
Code
Law
Statute
Federal
Speed trap
Speed traps |
Request for Answer Clarification by
i_tspp-ga
on
12 Oct 2006 12:21 PDT
Dear tutuzdad-ga,
Thank you for your response. Prior to posting my question on google
answers, I searched both of the websites you referenced below. Neither
site contained the information I was looking for.
Both of the websites you referenced are privately operated and do not
encompass the entire scope of Pennsylvania law. If there is such a law
in Pennsylvania regarding speed traps, these websites may not have
that information due to this fact.
In my initial question I posted, I expressed frustration over the lack
of an "official" source to research PA law. The state does not have a
website (to my knowledge) that provides this information.
Thank you.
i_tspp-ga
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Clarification of Answer by
tutuzdad-ga
on
12 Oct 2006 15:47 PDT
I believe that what I have provided is the best you can hope for. You
will not find an text in ANY STATE that outlines laws that DO NOT
exist. In other words, in the US, the general rule regarding the law
is this: That which is not specifically prohibited is deemed to be
permissible. The reason you cannot find references to a prohibition to
this enforcement tactic in Pennsylvania is because it does not exist,
therefore it is permissible. Your question was "Is there a law in
Pennsylvania prohibiting speed traps in any way? (or a Federal law
regarding such activity)" The answer to both is NO.
Is there something else you are after?
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Clarification of Answer by
tutuzdad-ga
on
12 Oct 2006 16:37 PDT
Let me go on to say that a speed "trap" is synonymous with
"entrapment". That is the premise of the prohibition of such a tactic
in states where the tactic is deemed inappropriate. Since each state
defines it's own laws the issue is left to the state to determine if
the tactic is permissiable or not. In PA entrapment is defined in
Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes. Herein the law
states in part that a person is not entrapped unless a public official
or person acting in cooperation with a public official "induces or
encourages" him to commit a crime for the purposes of gaining evidence
of such a crime against him. In most states speeding is considered a
voluntary commmision of a crime and one for which a person is not
"tempted" or encouraged to commit by authorities simply because the
authorities did not make their presence known. Such is appretnly the
case in PA as well.
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Clarification of Answer by
tutuzdad-ga
on
12 Oct 2006 16:38 PDT
Sorry, here's Title 18 and the definition of entrapment:
http://members.aol.com/StatutesP1/18.Cp.3.html
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