Elkhart's Finest

I understand that the city is having a money problem, but the ways of going about reimbursing the city coffers should have a few better avenues than creating "subjective" laws that are completely impossible to enforce correctly.

For Instance:
Noise ordinance. I do not have an "amp" or "custom speakers" in my vehicle, and yet I have been sited as violating the noise ordinance in Elkhart by having my music heard 35 feet away from my vehicle. Are you kidding me???

Noise is a subjective thing. I could see if it were measured quantitatively, and not based on an opinion. I can hear a person clear their throat at about 40 paces, but does that mean that they should have a ticket for a noise violation? No. It means that I have good hearing.

As a normal citizen of Elkhart, I am not in the greatest of financial places right now, and I am sure that you all can see how happy I am going to be to pay a ridiculous $250.00 for a ticket.

Just to give a little background, I have never been in trouble with the law & have always paid my taxes. I have supported the FOP when I was able to because I believed in the ideal that they were keeping the actual criminals from harming people. It seems that I may have been mistaken.

From what I have seen, the "FOP" has been issued with orders to attempt to suck out all the money that they can from REGULAR citizens (which right now means the people that are poor, receiving unemployment, or just getting by).

So overall, I would like to tell the city of Elkhart, that I will pay your ticket (because, if I don't I will go to jail), but I really hope that you take the money and cram it where the sun doesn't shine.

As an addition to the above comment:

A little research into the issue has led me to a few interesting points. The gentleman that pulled me over happens to be the "noise" officer, that is evidently known for giving slack to offenders.

Also, I was asked if I knew that there was a noise ordinance in Elkhart. I answered this truthfully by saying 'yes', but what I wasn't aware of was the idea that there was no measuring devices involved in determining if the ordinance was broken. I had assumed that there was a oscilloscope in the police cruiser. I was, again mistaken. There is no way that this ordinance can be fairly and legally implemented.

This is a prime example of a bureaucratic farce in that normal law-abiding individuals (with 5 kids) cannot catch a break from the people hired to protect them.

I am in the market to buy a home right now, but seeing this happen, I now know that I will, in no wise, live within the city of Elkhart so that I know I am not supporting this kind of indiscriminant "ordinance". If there are to be laws and ordinances, at least the town council can make them realistically enforceable.

This is Elkhart for ya ! my neighbor as has a bunch of trees that grow and destroy my roof and they block my view, yet she only trims the trees off her house,not to mention all the leaves and trash that comes down,grass won't grow. Also her CATS are let out at night and they crap on every place that grass won't grow.

Lord we have the family from he** living next door i beleive they are in the puppy mill bisnuss... i know there are dogs EVERYWHERE they do not tie them take them to a vet.. have shelter for them to get out of the rain and sun ... unless they happen to decide to open thier garage door ... i beleive there are 4 familys living in that home .... i pay my taxas i have called the human shelter on these people many times..and for what? do they correct the problems? NO.... so i too would rethink about buying a home in the city limits...or in elkhart period! this is not a place to raise children ... you may as well be downtown detroit

That Noise ordinance stuff is crazy. Its funny how when times are hard for the average joe, the cops wanna crack down and make things even harder. Last time i was in elkhart, i was at that Matties club and I saw the EPD arrest two people who outside smoking and waiting for a taxi and told them it was for public intoxication....Madness

Tell me bout it....yea they'll give u a ticket...i use to live on W. Garfeild....my dad was on our porch and witnessed a drive by like a normal person he called elkhart finest....45 minutes later we literally have to jump in front of a squad car to get them to do anythin then point out where the bullets at....now if there a robbery at the 7/11 on jackson st....the whole police force will be there...i swear there like two or three squad cars there at any given time for no reason.....sad thing is i wanna be a cop one day but the EPD are embarssing....there all this gang activity and drugs yet they fuck wit the blue collar guy just getting by....go do ur jobs and find the real criminals

I too just recieved a sitation for noise. My radio was heard. The officer admited he did not know what i was listening to could not hear the words just heard music. I do not listen to Rap,heavy metal or any type of music that can at times be difficult to hear the words to. Oh lets not forget moments before being pulled over I was on my cell phone never touched the volume so please someone tell me HOW can my music be to loud if i can talk on a cell phone? Oh one more thing the following day I over heard a story at work of someone being pulled over for wreckless driving. They got a warning a warning Hello my music will not kill anyone his driving might but I get a ticket with a fine of $250.00. What is wrong with this picture? I too am a 30 something mother of 5 never been in trouble and have a perfect driving record.

Noise wrote:

I too just recieved a sitation for noise. My radio was heard. The officer admited he did not know what i was listening to could not hear the words just heard music. I do not listen to Rap,heavy metal or any type of music that can at times be difficult to hear the words to. Oh lets not forget moments before being pulled over I was on my cell phone never touched the volume so please someone tell me HOW can my music be to loud if i can talk on a cell phone? Oh one more thing the following day I over heard a story at work of someone being pulled over for wreckless driving. They got a warning a warning Hello my music will not kill anyone his driving might but I get a ticket with a fine of $250.00. What is wrong with this picture? I too am a 30 something mother of 5 never been in trouble and have a perfect driving record.

Better yet, did anyone happen to catch the news about what was done with all the increased revenues that the noise ordinance has brought in? They bought a brand new Black Mustang (which I am sure comes with all the trimmings). I have read & re-read the ordinance, and find it all to be a load of crap. It is more strict, and less realistic than others in this state that I have seen.

Congrats to the Town Council for (not answering emails and) making such a good use of the new money that is raped from the general populace.

Vote these people out so they cannot do any more damage.

scarie

WARNING: Everyone be on the lookout for the "enforcers" that are enforcing the "Move-over Law". I can feel the idea of squeezing more money out of people. When you 'move-over', be sure to move over a good distance, but don't cross the yellow line. If you were to cross the yellow line, you are thence breaking the law anyways. Good Luck. We will all need it.