Slow Down and Live
. . . and Who's the OFFICER in the Backseat?
“SLOW DOWN AND LIVE.” These words are stamped across the bumper sticker on an Illinois squad car in our June calendar image. It’s a mantra we’ve all repeated to ourselves at one point or another, battling rush hour traffic, or exclaiming to an impatient driver behind us.
But just how long have we battled erratic driving, and how far do we have left to go? In this month’s article, we’re exploring Chicago’s need for speed–and the efforts taken to slow it down.
Caption from back of image: Ralph Jackson, of the Junior Chamber of Commerce with the new sticker going on the police cars that the Jay Cees are donating. Chief L.A. Capparelli of the Traffic division is on hand. June 22, 1955.
The History of Speeding Tickets
When you picture Chicago, you might think of deep dish pizza. Wrigley Field or Comiskey Park. The Great Chicago Fire. But did you think of…handing out the first speeding ticket using a radar device? That honor goes to none other than Chicago Police Officer Leonard Baldy, when he used one of the earliest radar guns to capture an overzealous driver’s speed.
STAY CONNECTED
Just how did it work? The handy contraption utilized the Doppler Effect, which, according to an article on the subject, “emits radio waves that collide with the speeding car and come back reflected.”
Of course, the technology didn’t happen overnight. The earliest studies on the Doppler effect date back to the 1800s, by Christian Doppler himself, yet it had decades to go until it evolved into the RADAR machines we know today.
The telemobiloscope arrived on the scene in 1904, utilizing electric waves to sense the distance between metallic objects. Scientists and mathematicians eagerly adapted that technology during World War II, developing devices that pinged off nearby ships and airplanes. Eventually, the machinery made its way into police squad cars. The Electro-Matic Radar Speed Meter gave officers valuable information in real-time, finally letting departments across the country crack down on speeding.
Of course, the introduction of such technology–and speeding tickets–wasn’t always easy. While some drivers became accustomed to the posted limits, others looked for ways to evade them. Thus came “the Fuzzbuster,” which let drivers scan nearby radar signals from police radar guns to know when to slow down. The device rested on the driver’s dashboard and emitted a short beep whenever the car approached police radar. Purchases for the device soared, and over time, law enforcement put a stop to their usage.
Did You Know How Fast You Were Going?
Every day, most of us hop in our cars and (hopefully) obey traffic laws. That wasn’t the case for Rodney Jones. In 2011, his motorcycle whipped past an on-duty police officer at a blazing 182mph. State Trooper Jason Heinzl wrote the ticket that day, and for good reason, considering Jones was a whopping 127 miles over the speed limit.
Revving Up for Change
According to a study published by the city’s Department of Transportation, 136 people were killed in traffic crashes in Chicago in 2023. A hefty 68% of those fatalities were related to speeding. Thankfully, incidents have been on a downward trend since then–thanks to efforts to keep pedestrians and drivers safe, from implementing bus boarding islands to designated bike lanes.
City officials have looked at ways to stop the issue, attempting to lower local speed limits from 30 mph to 25 mph. The change might not seem drastic, but CBS reports that “pedestrians hit by cars traveling 25 mph are half as likely to die as those struck by cars traveling 30 mph.” While efforts to change the limit stalled earlier this year, it proves a point–speeding remains a serious concern not just in Chicago, but across the country. And with it, a question: how many more fatalities have to occur before erratic driving is gone for good? Can Americans overcome their need for speed?
At the PONetwork, we’re always searching for cases that make us look twice–then dive a little deeper. We’re eager to know if you have any information about:
- Chief L.A. Capparelli?
- Ralph Jackson?
- The officer in the backseat of the car in the photo?
Send details and photos to pon@ponetwork.com. Together, let’s dig deeper into history!
Speaking of stickers...
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