By J. Wilson on Nov 19, 2007

If you do the speed limit, you won’t get a ticket.

By Hubcap on Nov 19, 2007

“If you aren’t doing anything wrong, you have nothing to fear.”

The mantra of Good Germans everywhere.

By Stephen on Nov 19, 2007

Tell that to this farmer who got a speed camera ticket for doing 85 mph in his farm tractor. http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/09/908.asp

Makes you wonder if he would have gotten off if he had been doing 20 mph in a car? Probably not, he would be considered “guilty first”.

By Josephine on Nov 19, 2007

Everyone should visit newromesucks.com for an example of a hardworking individual who made a difference for Ohio’s infamous problem town. That first post about “do the speed limit and you wont get a ticket” reminds me of Jims “New Rome Lover Alerts”

Thanks NMA for all you do! Louisiana is a bigtime player in the speedtrap business and Woodworth is very deserving of their recognition. Keep up the good work, speedtrap legislation is on its way down south.

By roux on Nov 19, 2007

Just to let everyone know I-10 just west of Baton Rouge is closed due to a well fire near the interstate. Probably a 2 hour delay to go around.

By Greg on Nov 21, 2007

Doing the speed limit in Summersville, WV is no guarantee you won’t get a ticket. Especially if you are from North of the border.

By Jay on Nov 22, 2007

You have to be pulled over to get a ticket.

By James Young on Nov 22, 2007

“You have to be pulled over to get a ticket.”

No, you don’t. Ever heard of photo radar?

By rmk on Nov 23, 2007

speed trap? so what? if you are going over the speed limit, then you are breaking the law. Even though many agencies un- officially give a 5 mph leeway, it is still breaking the law of going over the speed limit if an agency decides to enforce speed limit within that 5 mph window.

By Douglas Guerra on Nov 23, 2007

“If you do the Speed Limit, you won’t get a ticket”

And if the woman raped in Saudi Arabia had been walking with a male relative, she would not have been sentenced to lashes and jail time.

“If you are going over the Speed Limit, then you are breaking the law”

And it is against the law in Guam for a virgin to marry.

Give me a break! A bad law is a bad law and people break laws they don’t respect or have any particular use for.

By Fritz on Nov 25, 2007

Drivers break the law because of the lack of confidence in them. That’s where the non mandatory 85% method of setting speed limits was supposed to help. Many state and municipalities pay no attention to it. This “one size fits all drivers speed” reaks of the nonsensical notion much like one size pants fits all males or one size bra fits all women. While the vast majority of traffic tickets center around speeding a recent news media article http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/19/1992.asp pretty much dispelled that notion and police departments have known that for a long time but its a cash cow that continues to bare large sums of revenue. Why would you fess up to the truth when the truth will cost you voluminous amounts of money. We all know what drives this mess. We’ve acknowledged the corruptive nature of money because we have all kinds of legalities in our society attempting to prevent it. Yet we’ve turned a blind eye towards this corruptive practice of revenue in traffic control. Tell me what the HELL I’m missing here!
As someone posted ….”If you aren’t doing anything wrong, you have nothing to fear.” The mantra of Good Germans everywhere….no longer applies in the good ‘ole U. S. of A. It used to be a bedrock of our justice system but our legal system has become too sophisticated for that now. As the Supreme Court will consider whether we will continue the right to bear arms….that might go next. Whittling away at our rights and the Constitution has become a national past time for some groups.
I noticed the Caney, OK won the best speed trap in Oklahoma with the runner ups rightfully named. At least in Oklahoma the contest pretty much hit the nail right on the head. I’m ready to see a law passed that forces all municipalities to report their traffic revenue on a regular, timely basis and then reported via the Internet. No more hiding behind the lack of figures. Where’s the transparency?

By James Young on Nov 25, 2007

All rural limits should be posted at the 95th percentile, updated on a biannual basis.

All traffic fines, court costs, administrative costs, fees and any other “fee” should go to a public corporation at the state level, those funds used to fund scholarships to state universities. Take the money out of the equation and speed traps will evaporate.

Caney, OK is not even on the highway but about 1/2 mile away.

By J Carpenter on Nov 28, 2007

Who can afford to speed with the price of gas so high. It is impractible.

By David on Nov 28, 2007

First, J. Wilson is a tool!

Second, Ohio’s worst speed trap town is a little dump called Cleveland Heights. The traffic division here is the biggest part of the PD and they generate thousands per month for the city. Don’t spend your money here and don’t drive through here.

By William on Dec 4, 2007

Speed trap on Little York Road in Vandalia Ohio. You come down a steep hill with a bend and there is one of the meter maids of vandalia. Two tenths after the meter maids your out of vandaili. No way, unless you ride your brakes you can go down the hill at 35. Think with the crime rate of Vandalia, they could upgrade their meter maid force and make them reall police men. Oh well, guess its more important to give tickets than to protect the citizens.

By Ken on Dec 5, 2007

Wilmingtom, NC deserves the recognition as a speed trap area. Twice while passing through Wilmington on the way to Shiloh, NC to visit my invalid brother I have been stopped. Once in my motor home, which for the year model only has lap belts, I was given a ticket for improper passenger restraints. Even wil I protested to the officer the lap belts were standard equipment from the factory and were legal as the full restraint law did not cover the year the motor home was manufactured. But thanks to an attorney with the “Good Sam’s Motor Club,” I was able to fight this one.

The other ticket two years later was for of all things, going too slow and obstructing traffic flow. The roads had detours due to construction and being unsure of the area I was trying to make sure I was going in the right direction. But even after the explaining to the officer my situation, it was to no avail.

Being from Alabama, I would advise against driving through Wilmington, NC with an out of state tag. I believe the police and court system there know most people will not drive back to NC for a traffic ticket and this only enriches the city budget.

By Susan on Dec 5, 2007

Another one is going toward Columbia, SC traveling on I-26 between Peak Exit and Lake Murray Blvd. Exit. Unmarked car maintains certain speed in the passing lane creating bumper to bumper stress for those trying to get to work on time blocking access to any passing and then when you do find an opening, when you “gun it” to get through, that’s when you see the blue lights. It’s called the pressure cooker stradegy.

By The Sword on Dec 5, 2007

Be exceptionally careful on south and north 275 in Michigan, the strethch by the airport. I go through there twice a day and see 4 to 6 police cars pulling over whom ever including semis one after another with the help of another police car up on the overpass, he radios ahead instructing the others. I have no doubt that this is big monies for all of this area. I wish you luck, and a very Merry Christmas!

By Mayble on Dec 6, 2007

Speed traps, try South Carolina. My family was driving through very late one night (around 3:00 AM) and got pulled over by a state trooper outside of Myrtle Beach. (it’s about 10 hours from our home in Tennessee to Myrtle Beach, thats why the late night driving). We weren’t speeding but still got the ticket and then got mailed lots of offers from lawyers if we wanted to fight it.
It’s a no win situation.

By Ralph on Dec 7, 2007

Another favorite tactic is setting up a speed trap at speed transition zones. Also, ticketing motorists traveling through from other areas is a popular ploy. People will usually then just pay the ticket rather fighting it in court.

So you see it is all about maximizing return on ticket revenue and little to do about making our roads safer.

Some examples of speed propaganda.

By Mark on Dec 7, 2007

I live in Massachusetts and have been driving a stretch of route 2 almost daily for over 20 years. It wasn’t until the other day while I was bringing my son to school that something interesting dawned on me. Massachusetts claims it gives out speeding tickets for safety reasons. If that’s true, why do we NEVER see an officer, be it state police or city, with a radar gun in hand during the winter?

By Steven on Dec 10, 2007

In Texas, the town of Lavon just north of Dallas received special attention as the WORST speed trap in the DFW area in a local news broadcast on the topic a couple years ago. The local cops were reported to give $100+ tickets to non-residents for exceeding the speed limit by just 1 mph on nearby highway 78.

I have been careful to avoid it since then…

By OneEyed Bandit on Dec 10, 2007

Define Speed Trap.

Either you are speeding or you are not. If you speeding then how is that a trap.

By James Young on Dec 10, 2007

“Speeding” is a pretty empty term. It means that a driver was exceeding a posted limit. It has nothing to do with unsafe driving.

A “speed trap” is any area where (1) speed limits are set arbitrarily low or (2) speed limits drop more rapidly than recommended by engineers or (3) there is a convenient hiding spot or (4) enforcement is undertaken with the intent of generating cash or (5) speed enforcement is very aggressive without regard to any actual danger posed by drivers.

Since limits are almost universally set well below the 85th percentile and because whole enforcement agencies have been created to generate cash, #s 1 and 4 are the leading reasons that we have speed traps.

By Ralph on Dec 10, 2007

I would like to ask the OneEyedBandit if someone going just 1 mph over the speed limit deserves a ticket.

We all know that this speed kills propaganda is been driven by money. Mainly by the insurance companies and police agencies.

I am not sure how this improves traffic safety if drivers have to focus more attention on their speedometers instead of the road.

Perhaps a one eye bandit is a good description of someone who writes speeding tickets for going 1 mph over.

By Mark on Dec 13, 2007

Obey the speeding laws and relax.

By James Young on Dec 13, 2007

“Obey the speeding laws and relax.”

Easier said than done. Speed limits are set well below the range of optimal speeds for most drivers, that is, the speed at wchich each driver, doing his own calculus, feels most comfortable and safest. Driving at these suboptimal speeds extracts a price of wandering attention, making everybody less safe, just as the engineering data tell us.

By NeverLift on Dec 13, 2007

Any use of radar — or pacing, for that matter — on a downhill road is, per se, a trap. Even the normally non-speeding driver will often see a gain of 5mph or more before noticing that he’s doing so — unless his eyes are glued to the speedometer. One patrolman I know used the term “Shanghai-ing” for that practice.

By David on Dec 14, 2007

I have NEVER in my 17 year career wrote anyone for running less than 15 MPH over the posted limit, nor do I have any plans to start.

I started my career in what used to be referred to as “The Speed Trap of Alabama” in the former town of Wilmer, Alabama in West Mobile County. The mayor wad council were as bad or worse than any ever depicted in any movie.

They wanted selective traffic enforcement, that is to say, they wanted ounly those from out of town written citations. They also had PVC pipe in the ground so they could move the speed limit signs whenever it pleased them to do so. I wouldn’t play their game and was therefore terminated. They were disbanded by the Alabama Legislature about 6 months after I was fired.

I don’t write speeding citations to anyone going down hill unless its extremely foggy, which DOES make it dangerous since they can’t se anyone exiting a driveway until too late to even slow down much less stop.

I don’t hide, but sit in plain sight. Your definition of a “Speed Trap” is ridiculous. It cannot be a “trap” when you can plainly see it and it isn’t concealed in anyway. If I were to write citations to every driver who was driving in excess of the speed limit at any time and at any amount over the posted limit I’d write myself one at least 10 times a day.

I’ve only known of one officer who was that anal and he was put on a code enforcement detail (measuring peoples’ grass to see if it’s over 8″, etc.) and he’s just as anal doing that.

If you are dillusional enough to think that higher speed do not make a collision worse then I pity you. You have obviously lived a very sheltered life with absolutely no exposure to seeing the after effects of high spped collisions.

Notice I didn’t say “accidents” do you know why? Because unless a tree falls on a car, or a rock falls down from above with no human having anything to do with it, it isn’t, by definition an “accident” but a “collision.”

I will agree that speeding in and of itself does not constitute reckless behavior, but it can in certain circumstances, i.e. in heavy fog, in the rain (I also don’t write citations in the rain, because I don’t make traffic stoops in the rain).

I have worked more collisions than I can possibly begin to count, and not a single one of them was made any better by either of the vehicles involved going too fast, higher sppeds always make collisons worse. It’s simple physics really.

Oh yes, the state legislatures and/or city coucils pass the speed limits and every toher law, so don’t try to put it off on law enforcement, we’re paid to enforce the laws we don’t write them. And just so you know, I will not enforce a law I know is unethical, immoral or illegal, nor will I let those under me do it.

By James Young on Dec 14, 2007

David writes:

{I have NEVER in my 17 year career wrote anyone for running less than 15 MPH over the posted limit, nor do I have any plans to start.}

Well, that’s a good start.
{They also had PVC pipe in the ground so they could move the speed limit signs whenever it pleased them to do so.}

Were they aware that this fails to comply with MUTCD and is therefore a violation of federal law?

{I don’t hide, but sit in plain sight. Your definition of a “Speed Trap” is ridiculous. It cannot be a “trap” when you can plainly see it and it isn’t concealed in anyway.}

Concealment is only one consideration of many. The real test is intent: is enforcement intended to raise revenue or not?

{If you are dillusional enough to think that higher speed do not make a collision worse then I pity you. You have obviously lived a very sheltered life with absolutely no exposure to seeing the after effects of high spped collisions.}

I don’t believe anybody has said that higher speed crashes are not worse than lower speed crashes, all conditions otherwise exactly the same. The claim has been for nearly 60 years that cars will crash more often at higher speeds than at lower speeds based solely on the extra speed. This is false, of course, and is demonstrated by the shape, direction and location of the crash incidence curve.

Having worked in the emergency room of a major trauma hospital, I’m much too familiar with the effects of collisions.
{. . .it isn’t, by definition an “accident” but a “collision.”}

NHTSA uses “crash,” a neutral term describing the phenomenon without implicit prejudicial terminology. I have used crash for many years.
{I will agree that speeding in and of itself does not constitute reckless behavior, but it can in certain circumstances, i.e. in heavy fog, in the rain }

You are describing “speed too fast for conditions,” while the overwhelming majority of citations are for “speeding,” a completely different dynamic. More cops should make the distinction and behave accordingly.
{Oh yes, the state legislatures and/or city coucils pass the speed limits and every toher law, so don’t try to put it off on law enforcement, we’re paid to enforce the laws we don’t write them.}

I’d get rid of that phrase since it is trite to the point of meaninglessness.

{ And just so you know, I will not enforce a law I know is unethical, immoral or illegal, nor will I let those under me do it.}

I applaud you for that. Given that posted limits require drivers to travel at less than their optimal and, therefore, safest speed, forcing them to the left and UP the crash incidence curve, is not the speed limit itself immoral because it condemns a certain number of persons to early death?

By Enoch Drebber on Dec 16, 2007

If speeding is unsafe then the penalty for speeding should be a loss of driving privileges for some period of time, not a fine. Fines don’t make the roads safer. Prohibiting unsafe drivers from driving makes the roads safer. If you’ve got the money, you might not mind paying fines for the privilege of driving fast.

By Ralph on Dec 16, 2007

I appreciate that David doesn’t write tickets for going less than 15 mph over the limit. Seems to me that he uses some common sense when enforcing the speed limits. Which is good.

He is right about police not the ones passing traffic laws. However, lawmakers rely heavily on police input. Especially on setting speed limits. So there is a lot of bias there.

It is true that collisions at higher speeds make a bigger mess. But it is all relative. Really what is the end result of a vehicle hitting a brick wall going 55 mph or 85 mph?

What should be considered is reaction time and road conditions.

The city where I live close to the revenue from speeding tickets goes into the police fund. So you can be sure that they will be lobbying the police commission hard.

David does make a point that it shouldn’t be called a speed trap. Duck pond would be more accurate.

Usually they will park their units strategically so it makes it hard to notice until too late.

By H.E.Garz on Dec 17, 2007

I have noticed and was astounded when I drove in another country and drivers adhered to the posted limit .
It appears that everybody arrived at the destination on time provided he/she got up out the cot at the proper time.
There were some , which did not and therefore sped to meet the deadline . THOSE did not bother the general traffic but disappeared beyond the horizon .
Observation : It was civilized driving respecting others the right to occupy the roadway also . I saw no “law enforcement” personell!
Even in the midst of heavy traffic in a ,to me, strange large city I had no problem merging traffic at any time !!!!
In this here US we should learn to curb the macho syndrome.

By bones on Dec 18, 2007

in Florida there are no fines for unlawful speeds 1-5 mph over the speed limit.

most of the officers i know won’t issue citations for less than 15mph over, and you would be really hard pressed to find anyone that has issued for less than 11mph(25 mph residential areas being the exception). the overall concensus is that anything less is not worth the effort.

By a new old cop on Dec 18, 2007

There are WAY to many “blanket” statements on this website.

Ralph wrote:

“It is true that collisions at higher speeds make a bigger mess. But it is all relative. Really what is the end result of a vehicle hitting a brick wall going 55 mph or 85 mph?”

It’s all relative, till it happens to one of your relatives.

Walk into a wall, then run into the same wall. Come back and tell us if feel the difference.

By James Young on Dec 18, 2007

anoc writes:

{There are WAY to many “blanket” statements on this website.}

Kind of like “Speed kills.”

{It’s all relative, till it happens to one of your relatives.
Walk into a wall, then run into the same wall. Come back and tell us if feel the difference.}

This ignores the reality that obtains in modern automobiles. We have done much to mitigate the damage done when a car crashes: collapsible barriers, median barriers to separate on-coming traffic, breakaway signage, collapsible steering columns, airbags, flat and soft surfaces replacing formerly pointed surfaces, etc. And we have done even more to prevent crashes in the first place: radial-ply tires, disk brakes, precision steering, brighter and more precise lighting, rumble strips, reflective paint, etc.

Why have we done all these things? So that we could go faster because higher speeds have a pronounced utility, primarily in increased productivity. And then, LE tells us that we can’t use these higher speeds because they were unsafe for 1950s-era cars with balloon tires on two-lane roads.

And then LE is befuddled when we think they’re full of crap.

By Ralph on Dec 18, 2007

I guess if we were to follow new old cop’s argument to its logic conclusion - the speed limits would then be reduced to walking speeds.

Also I would not wish an accident on anyone not just my relatives.

The “speed kills” propaganda has been entrenched in our society by law enforcement and other so called safety groups for too long.

For example: A vehicle going through a stop sign gets broadsided by another vehicle. Or a vehicle makes a lane change in front of another one forcing that vehicle off the road. The vehicle making the lane change and the one that blew the stop sign were traveling at lower speeds.

In both cases it was the other drivers that were charged because they were going over the speed limit even they they did not cause the accident.

Left turning vehicles causing accidents is another good example of this.

This is what is actually happening, at least in the area where I live. The media or police will almost always report as being speed was a factor.

By Diane on Dec 19, 2007

My moto is not to drive any faster than the cops, and they all drive really fast in the Portland Oregon area, donut time you know. The law says speeding is illegal, it also states SLOWER traffic keep to the right. Few can read…

By Douglas Guerra on Dec 20, 2007

I have a question:

I am not a resident of the United States.
I hold a US Passport with a German residency permit.
I also hold a residency permit for Mexico.
I have a German driving license.
My car is registered in Mexico.

What are the ramifications if I receive a Speeding Ticket in a State such as Texas or Colorado, do not pay the Ticket and I never return to that State? If I am stopped in another State, is there a record of that ticket in some sort of data base? Will the police of the other State jail me and make me pay the original State? I have been told, Traffic Tickets are Infractions - an offence for which one cannot be jailed.

Just curious. I have asked this question on other sites but no one can or is willing to give me any insight.

By Bruce Grossheim on Dec 22, 2007

Most of you never heard of Mishicot Wisconisn. With one cop thats everywheres at once.Where speed limits go from 45 to 25 mph at either end of town. Theres three ways into town and there all down hill. No Mercy..Bruce

By John Holmes on Dec 24, 2007

I think some of these places get listed just because a person got cited for a speeding violation. Spent 30 years in Law Enforcement of which 7 were traffic enforcement. At that time Wisconsin was 65 daytime, 55 night and semis 45 day and night. Talk about giving breaks. Some of the counties and cities listed in some of the states I spend considerable time in and you alsmost never see a radar car. Most speed enforcement comes in spurges when Federal Grant monies are paying overtime. In the old days the traffic violations I wrote were 85% of the fine went to the state school fund 15% to the county the violation ocurred in. That’s the way it should have been left.

By Mark on Dec 24, 2007

The Massachusetts State Police this week publicly announced they would be giving out more speeding tickets because of money the state has lost in other areas. You notice they didn’t say they were giving out speeding tickets for safety reasons. Kind of makes you wonder, doesn’t it?

By Mike Cantwell on Dec 28, 2007

Dave wrote on Dec 14:

“If you are dillusional enough to think that higher speed do not make a collision worse then I pity you. You have obviously lived a very sheltered life with absolutely no exposure to seeing the after effects of high spped collisions.”

The death rate on the German Autobaun is actually lower then the death rate on US highways. Most of the Autobaun does not have a speed limit. This is because Germany concentrates their efforts on safety and training, not tax revenue.

I worked as an EMT many years ago. Drunks have the highest accident rate, while reasonable speeders had the lowest rate of accidents. Injuries and death rarely correlated to the speed. I understand the general theory, but it really doesn’t correlate to reality as often as the “experts” tell you it does.

By Joe Bleaux on Dec 30, 2007

In a democratic country, officials are elected to pass laws. We are then expected to live by those laws. This has worked very well for a long time. Now we have people who think we should make our own laws if we aren’t happy with the ones we have. I’m pretty sure when a person robs a convenience store, he feels that’s o.k. because he needs whatever they have. According to some of you, he should have the right to decide. Every day as I’m driving, I just shake my head at the cars that are speeding badly and wonder where the police are, so I’m sure only a tiny percentage of the speeders are being caught. However, if you take the threat of being caught away, I shudder to think what our roads would be like. Also, some of the fastest drivers I see appear to be some of the worst drivers, so don’t think because you feel you should be able to break the speed limits that this makes you a good driver. Mostly, it just makes you a self-centered selfish idiot. Just remember that the rest of us have to drive on the same road with you.

By James Young on Dec 30, 2007

Joe Bleaux writes:

{In a democratic country, officials are elected to pass laws. We are then expected to live by those laws. This has worked very well for a long time. Now we have people who think we should make our own laws if we aren’t happy with the ones we have. I’m pretty sure when a person robs a convenience store, he feels that’s o.k. because he needs whatever they have. According to some of you, he should have the right to decide.}

Aside from the philosophical errors and the egregious conflation of speeding with robbery, this is just plain wrong.

{However, if you take the threat of being caught away, I shudder to think what our roads would be like.}

This has been done in a couple of places, further examined by some academic studies. According to the USDOT, drivers do not significantly change their driving habits (including choice of speed) in response to changes in the posted limits or the level of enforcement. We know that when Montana rescinded its numerical limit in favor of R&P, the fatality rate continued its decline but when they re-instated a 75 mph limit, the fatality rate went up. We also know that the fatality rate along the autobahn is just slightly lower than US Interstates. Your fear is not justified.

{ Mostly, it just makes you a self-centered selfish idiot. Just remember that the rest of us have to drive on the same road with you.}

And our speeding does not affect you at all. You need not take any actions solely because of my speed. All you have to do is to stay in the far right lane, just as the law requires, yet you selfishly want to control my behavior.

By Joe Bleaux on Dec 30, 2007

{All you have to do is to stay in the far right lane, just as the law requires, yet you selfishly want to control my behavior.}
The law requires that slower traffic stay in the far right lane. By your reasoning, I should do as the law REQUIRES and stay in the right lane even if I’m doing the speed LIMIT so as to make room for all the people who are BREAKING the law. Rather bizarre reasoning, I must say. How can I be slower traffic if I am doing the speed LIMIT?!

Aside from all this, roads are not 4 lanes or more. Just a few days ago, I was passed by one of those great drivers on a 2 lane road. It happened that another vehicle was entering the road just ahead. Maybe both were at fault, but the vehicle entering the road didn’t stop, neither did the one passing. The only thing that prevented a terrible collision was by some hard braking on my part. I’m sure the person passing thinks he is a wonderful driver. By the way, I was doing just over the speed limit when he started to pass. This may not be relevant to the argument you’re making, but it should sense you seem to be saying that everyone should make their own driving laws.

By NeverLift on Dec 31, 2007

The rule about “slower” traffic staying to the right is independent of the speed limit. Even where there are no limits, it is still the best practice. The safest speed is the prevailing speed, when there is other traffic by which to determine that and, on the typical California freeway, excluding times when they are jammed up, it is usually 5 to 10 mph over the limit. I occasionally ride as a passenger with a driver who will do just under the limit in the #3 lane (second from the left) of a four lane freeway, being passed on both sides about every 30 seconds, and it is a terrifying experience.

“Slower,” with regard to staying to the right, has nothing to do with the speed you are doing relative to the limit. Indeed, unless you are in an entry congested section of a freeway, you should always be in the righmost available lane, at whatever speed you are traveling. “Available” does not mean darting in and out of the right hand lane to skip past other vehicles, when that lane is intermittently occupied; use common sense.

BTW: If you try driving at below high spped in the left lane of a German autobahn, you are very likely to be rear-ended in a serious crash, since the higher speed drivers will use their flashing lights rather than brake for you, expecting that you will move over. Unless you were passing another even slower vehicle at that time, you had no business being in that lane in the first place, and will probably be judged to be the cause of any resulting accident — even though another vehicle ran into you! And you were.

By NeverLift on Dec 31, 2007

PS: My screen name derives from my practice in road racing, at places like Sears Point (now Infineon), and Laguna Seca. On the freeways, it’s “Rarely Lifts”. The lifting, of course, refers to my foot on the throttle.

By pillsbury on Jan 2, 2008

Dear Mr. j.Wilson and Mr. hubcap -
dont speed and cant get a ticket?
On November 23rd near Lumberton N.C., I
was traveling northbound on I95 and was ticketed for going 78 in a 65 zone. Problem
is, I had my cruise set on 65 and was paying attention. The h.p. clocked another h.p. on the southbound side and burnt me for it.
It ONLY cost me $300 bucks.
You can observe speed limits and still git burnt.
trust me — its all about the
MONEY !!!!!

By pillsbury on Jan 2, 2008

enforcement of speeding laws is primarily
for income generation.
catching crackheads = costs
catching child molesters = costs
catching burglers = costs
catching dope dealers = costs
catching speeders = PROFITABLE

By Hubcap on Jan 3, 2008

pillsbury,

I think you missed my point. I was not agreeing with jwilson–quite the opposite–I was mocking him.

Frankly I think that attitude of sit-down-shut-up-and-do-what-you-are-told is un-American. And to believe that doing so will keep you out of trouble is just dumb.

You just proved that to the tune of $300; sorry to hear that happened to you.

By pillsbury on Jan 4, 2008

Speed is never the ACTUAL cause of a collision. It is a factor in the severity of a crash. Not paying attention,distractions,
and bad judgement are ACTUAL causes of collisions.
Propaganda is directed toward speeding
because it is usually a consious decision -
making it simple for law enforcement to
prosicute == EASY MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!

By pillsbury on Jan 4, 2008

Sounds like most of us on this webite might maybe oughtta git in touch ( directly )with the National motorists association.
and put our heads together about some legislation.
like one of the lawyers told me (refering to h.p.’s enforcement techniques)
“its another one our rights we’re losing”

By pillsbury on Jan 5, 2008

OH BOY!!!!
Guess who got pulled today in my home town by s.c. h.p. for no seatbelt !!
and I had it on the WHOLE TIME –
Id really woulda got hot if he wrote me for it.
If you come through St. George,South Carolina (thats Stank George) you better watch it.

By Bruce Grossheim on Jan 6, 2008

The City of Two Rivers Wisconsin wants to charge a $175 DOLLAR FEE FOR the police to respond to your traffice accident. Many other municipalities in the midwest are doing this. They feel they can bill your Insurance. But if your a resident, you should be able to deduct the fee from your proprty tax bill? Bruce

By David Feryance on Jan 9, 2008

Waukesha Wis is the worst city in SE Wisconsin for traffic tickets. Its a poorly designed city with confusing angled streets almost the whole town is a 25 zone. The police there never give warnings for anything I missed a No Turn on Red sign unitentionaly. I told the cop I did not purposly break it. I was from out of town and it was an unfimilar intersection but it did not matrer he still wrote out failure to obey sign and a wopping $79 ticket. I tried to fight it in court but all the judge cared was points. Of all the laws to enforce in Waukesha it’s No Turn On red. Waukesha is very much like New Rome no Police dept just a fund raising dpept. Don’t enter this city there is nothing there for you avoid it!

By pillsbury on Jan 10, 2008

Unfortunatly, I to was preyed upon by n.c.h.p.. Such as mr.David Feryance. Now, in my case, I was ACTUALLY not speeding, but I still payed for it.
I truly try to be honest and obejective. After what happened in N.C. I have lost a lot of respect for law enforcement.
Two out of the last three times I was pulled by h.p., there was no actual valid reason to pull me. That makes me wonder if
66% of traffic fines are legal. Or at least
“rightful”.
Obviously, law - particularly traffic laws have no sense of right and wrong.

By pillsbury on Jan 10, 2008

just because its “illegal” doesnt make it wrong -
or just because its “legal” doesnt make it right.

By Joe on Jan 13, 2008

Many municipalities brashly come right out and admit revenue is the motivational force for traffic control. The secret that never was is out. When there’s one factor (speeding) that causes about 5% of all accidents but 95% of all traffic tickets, somethings dire wrong. Read http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/21/2148.asp . I’ve never seen a survey taken of the driving public but I’d expect that most would find it wrong to enforce traffic laws for the purpose of collecting revenue. Yet despite this, governments all over are doing exactly that. Lets face it, we now live in a country in which there’s a big disconnect between governments and the people. E.g. we have a dysfunctional democracy. Example; http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=20080111_1_A9_hCoun66755&allcom=1#commentform Better yet, we have police departments all over the country who have managed to isolate themselves from the public and only see them when there’s tickets to be issued and then they want respect. I don’t think sooooo under those circumstances.
Active participation by the citizens in government is the ONLY way it’s gonna work and good luck on that!! Yet, we run around the world advertising democracy like in Iraq.
Right now most governments, from local on up the command, run on autopilot. Flying the way they want with little to no input from average citizens. Unfortunately this void is often filled by radicals and extremists like MADD, ect. They are all too glad to use the public officials WE elected to represent us….. for THEIR political agenda. They have determined how they want you to drive and…..their getting by with it!! Ladies and gentlemen, until this changes things are gonna get a hell’va lot worse. What I see on the horizon is not pretty for the driving public. I write my congressmen quite often but we ALL need to start doing so.

By pillsbury on Jan 13, 2008

As far as losing our rights little by little,
check out senate bill #s1959 recently introduced to congress. most of it sounds real good, but as they say,”the devil is in the details” if you oppose, go to http://www.onlinepetition.com. I aint the sharpest tool in the shed, but maybe it could affect our rights later down the road with the issues of this website.

By pillsbury on Jan 13, 2008

Mr. Joe Bleaux,
Respectfully, in reference to your Dec. 30 comment, Perhaps the person passing you simply used bad judgment. And perhaps the person entering the hiway wasnt paying attention. The speed probably was not the actual cause of the near collision.
however, I was not there at the time.

By dwolfe on Jan 15, 2008

Everyone who says speeding is wrong and you won’t get a ticket if you don’t do anything wrong.
Well, I live in a very congested area, I shudder to think of everyone doing the same speed limit, it would make traffic and congestion worse! There has to be a good mix of people driving too fast, people driving too slow, and people driving the speed limit, which most of the time, is too slow. It is a fund-raising tactic by every municipality. People driving like idiots, whether too slow or too fast are the culprets of accidents, I know plenty of people who drive fast safely, it’s the other people on the road not paying attention that pose the threat.

By Greg A. Garofalo on Jan 17, 2008

Speeding enforcement may be necessary in residential neighborhoods, especially with curving streets. Small children are at risk here. School zones when children are present also makes sense. What does not is when motorists are on a controlled access highway, not under construction, and excellent road engineering.

Traffic, mostly speeding tickets, are definitely sought for revenue for the Village/City/Township government. The court and the municipality split all fines. I have learned that Village Managers actually consider it a “Budget Item”, source of income that should go up at a minimum of 5 to 10% a year, while crime they don’t care about.

Police Chiefs, being Political in nature, are pressured to insist their officers write a minimum quota. If the cop does not, solving a murder case, two rapes, 4 burglaries and arresting and confiscating 5-10 illegal handguns, plus a multidude of drug arrests, matters little in his evaluation. “But how many tickets did he write is all important.” I learned that so well in 22 years of law enforcement.

When I did make Sergeant, the biggest reason the Chief and Deputy Chief did not think I should be a Sergeant (Civil Service Commission disagreed), was because I did not right enough traffic tickets. Although my felony and misdemeanor arrest record was the highest on the department; I had a 4 year college degree in my field; was in the US Army 3 years with a year tour in Viet Nam as a Combat Military Policeman; I studied case law monthly for 25 years (two different law bulletins),constitutional law, Substantive Criminal–law-Penal codes, Rules of Evidence and court room procedure, and the laws of Arrest Search Seizure & Confessions; I studied major crime scene and homicide investigation text books and all avenues of evidence collection; advanced traffic crash investigation (fatalities), Arson investigation, 4 courses in interview and interrogation techniques; and having worked as a certified youth officer did extensive work with youth delinquency, abuse/neglect cases, minors in need of supervision; attended an 11 week course at a major university in Police Staff & Command School.

Having had 10 years of extensive street work, criminal investigations and arrests, traffic or suspicious vehicle stops which literally stopped an armed robbery about to happen, and criminal investigations covering most of the penal code statutes which stuck in court; my main deficiency was not enough speeding tickets or general traffic tickets (I usually gave them in accidents though).

I worked 5 major crime homicides (for a small town that is a lot); serial rapist cases (got him). With all that knowledge and experience the men below me wanted me to be their Sgt, because they knew I had the knowledge and experience to guide them, and that I was exceptionally fair, fought for them for schools, and cared for them as human beings, not revenue agents; someone they could ask questions of and get an informed answer. But because I did not believe in what the Chief and Village Mgr wanted, ticket revenue for the Village budget, I was told forget about ever being Lieutenant.

In fact they buried me in a job that nullified my rank back to doing a patrolman’s duties, and advised the officers they did not have to obey my orders as a sergeant. They did other punishments also, like freezing me on midnights; giving me the worst officers on the department (who began to work harder than ever for me because they knew I was tagged); 2nd guessing every supervisory judgement I made, and suspended me for it.

Three chief’s in a row in my career did this to me, and went as far as telling new rookies not to mix with me or they would not make their probation. I was isolated and ostracized because I didn’t believe in using speeding enforcement to earn revenue. THIS IS NOT SERVE AND PROTECT; THIS IS SERVE AND COLLECT.

By Nancy on Jan 25, 2008

Two years ago I moved from Louisiana to Washington state. It’s very frustrating here as the speed limits change from 25 mph to 45 mph randomly with few signs to note this. Often signs are rather far off the road. Woodworth LA is a piece of cake compared to Lakewood/Dupont/Olympia area, also Puyallup, well, the entire NW area of WA!

By STEVE on Jan 27, 2008

MCminnville tn. has a new chief of police, and he has set up numerous speed traps in various locations in the city limits.
visitors beware!!

By Joe Bleaux on Jan 28, 2008

In a couple of posts I made earlier, I’m sure I came across as defending lawmen. This is hardly true. I would like to think all lawmen are trying to do a good job, but that is just not the way it is. Before all lawmen can get respect and uphold the law, they must first abide by the laws they are sworn to uphold. Not long ago, I had a state trooper pass me at a high enough speed to actually shake my car. He had no lights or siren on. I don’t know of any law that says an HP has a right to drive above the speed limit without lights or siren on. This was just one time of many. Just last night, I had a city policeman pass at a very high rate of speed. As soon as he passed and finished showing off, he turned off, slowed down and turned the blue lights off. Believe me, when he passed, he was by far the biggest danger on the road. At a convenience store one night, A group of lawmen got a call about a business about 2 blocks away. One of them did a 180 degree turn backward in a busy parking lot squealing tires all the way. This was to go 2 blocks away. Luckily, this fool didn’t kill anyone. If I had been his boss and seen that, that would have been his last day on the job. Add to this that our local sheriff is probably one of the biggest crooks in the county. These are just some examples of why lawmen will never get a lot of respect until they decide they are not above the law. I really don’t see that happening.

By pillsbury on Jan 28, 2008

I can relate to Mr. bleaux’s comment abount h.p. hiway conduct. Its been several years back, when s.c.h.p. had 90-92 model mustang patrol cars, I was very nearly run off the road by one. I was just coming into a 45 zone on a curve when he flew at me like a bat out of hell - in the middle of the road - on a curve - double yellow line - coming out of a 45 mph zone. If he wasnt runnin at least 90 I aint FAT!! Im 5.6 280lbs

By pillsbury on Jan 28, 2008

We need traffic laws, law enforcement and law enforcment officers. But we need officers with a higher moral standard than probably half the population. Money doesnt need to be an incentive. Just as the Bible says “the love of money is the root of all evil” Unfortunatly, our law enforcement is “eat up” with the love of money.
I advocate exceeding speed limits when its safe, prudent and courtious.
But that gives THEM an excuse to take what little money I have.
I remember both on h.p. and local police cars - on the speedometer lens, there was a decal that read “I set an example”
Hmmmmm I wonder —–

By Nancy on Jan 29, 2008

I have to agree with Mr Bleaux. I have witnessed all these crazy driving cops. As a nurse I am out weird hours sometimes. I used to think better education and better pay was the answer but with the school teacher things that are going on………..well, I digress……The cops can be real hazards themselves sometimes.

By Joe on Jan 29, 2008

I have worked afternoons for years and use a major local expressway. Driving home from work, you better not be in the far left lane (six lane road) unless you keep a close eye on your tail. Your likely to get run over by a local cop moving fast enough rock your vehicle as he passes….w/no light or siren engaged. It’s common practice around here. Local blogs even bring it up frequently.

By thomas frederick on Jan 30, 2008

IF POLICE OFFICER’S STOP THE LIE’S TO GIVE TICKLET’S. POLICE OFFICER’S LIE ALL THE TIME TO WRITE TICKLET’S.ALL POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVE A UNWRITEN RULE THAT SAY’S ALL OFFICER’S MUST WRITE 100 TICKLET’S PER 30 DAY. NO POLICE OFFICER SHOULD ON THIS SITE.I AM A EX POLICE OFFICER MYSELF ALL 28 YEARS.THE REASON 100 TICKLET PER 30 DAYS IS TO SHOW DEPARTMENT THAT THE OFFICER’S IS DOING THERE JOB.OFFICER’S HAVE TO AREST SO MANY PEOPLE PER 30 DAY TOO.

By Richard F. Jones on Jan 31, 2008

Personally speaking, I do not break driving laws intentionally. Sure, I may be in a hurry just as much as the next person, but over all, I make it a point not to speed. I was coming north on Cleveland Avenue in Canton, Ohio this past summer. I was next to two other vehicles going at the about the same speed and before I knew it, all three of us were being summoned to pull over into an abandonned parking lot just south of 12th Street NW. The officer individually wrote citations for all three of us and claimed he had clocked all three of us at the same time. I learned shortly afterwards that no police radar gun can identify three vehicles side - by - side, all at the same time. Yet I was told that if we were all keeping pace with one another, if one was speeding, all three of us ahd to be speeding. Why fight it? The law always prevails whether they are right or wrong!

By sakdsfhsl on Feb 1, 2008

The biggest problem in my opinion are the smaller citations cops can write. In the states of Illinois and Missouri there are around 10 laws in each one that are vague enough that any officer could write one at any time.

I do in fact know someone who was written 11 tickets by one off-duty police officer for one encounter in which the off-duty cop followed this person in a personal vehicle at high speeds (30mph over the limit) for about 12 miles. The person claims that while s/he knew s/he was being followed they didn’t know it was a cop (I wasn’t there and am trying to allow this person some anonymity). The tickets were not thrown out and the cop is still out there and was given no penalty.

I was at one point written 4 tickets. One speeding, one for not having a car licensed (It wasn’t my car), one for not having the car inspected (this was because it wasn’t licensed to me the owner had it inspected), and one for not having proof of insurance ( the cop had my insurance card in his hand). Two of these were thrown out and I paid about $450 for the other two between court costs and fines.

The joke that comes to my mind is “Cops are like snakes: The only good one’s a dead one.”

Though I have met a few good cops so the joke’s not true but it is amusing.

By Ronin1 on Feb 9, 2008

There was an article recently in the Tampa Tribune entitled “Bay area tops for lead foot”. An “independant” report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety looked at driver in eight major US cities and found that on major highways, guess what? mosy people speed. Then further reading reveals that the study was wholy funded by insurance companies. Imagine that. Now my rates can go up again in the Tampa bay area. Insurance companies suck.

By James Young on Feb 9, 2008

More than once IIHS has simply made up their own data.

By tracker on Feb 15, 2008

Sgt. Garafolo,
Your blog reads like a resume and I wish you were down here in the Mid-South. I have a great respect for people like you and and the major attributes you have worked toward do not seem to seem to work in politics. Ethical standards, moral reasoning and a firm background in the educational process concerning law should have earned you the honors and respect of your peers. Those standards were lost in the Clinton administration. I am a Viet-Nam Marine veteran. The standards put forth by your department constitute harassment and unethical business standards. It is too bad you put up with that BS all those years. I have been fighting illicit traffic ticketing for over fifteen years now. I finally had enough of paying a percentage of my wages to the judiciary because a valid license was a way the courts could find me for fines for burned out lights, cracks in windshields speeding less than ten miles over on state and interstate highways which used to have limits of 80 mph and now are deescalated in small town rural areas where you watch the animals to see if the local sheriff and his minions are hiding behind them. I could not work in law-enforcement because the politics behind it say ” Do as I say not as I do.” God bless an honest cop.

By Mike on Feb 15, 2008

The worst are the VIRGINA STATE TROOPERS ON I-95. They will write anyone for nonsense. They even write cops and their family members. Don’t visit Virginia of give them any of your money. They are all in-bredded hicks!

By Tara on Feb 16, 2008

If that’s actually true about the 100 ticket quota for cops, wouldn’t it be great if one day EVERYONE did the speed limit (no matter how much it would kill us.) Kind of like when everyone gets together and refuses to buy gas all in the same day. BOY wouldn’t cops be frustrated that day (hehe)

By Joe on Feb 17, 2008

Tara, cops have a quota to fill, thats been glaringly apparent. Speeding citations are just the low hanging fruit of traffic control. If you quit speeding it would force them to work a little harder but they would find other things to write you for. The driving public can’t win under current circumstances. Until enough drivers get enough and start putting the pressure where it belongs, the politicians have no reason to instate traffic control reform. Two things need to happen. Make quota’s in any form, illegal. Take the money out of traffic control. That’s a good start.

By roger beatty on Feb 18, 2008

the cops in colorado springs colorado are gestapo they torment the people that live in that city . i will never go back there.

By Gail Minks on Feb 22, 2008

A retired law enforcement officer myself. Wow what a bunch of immature,whinning, overprivledged self centered brats that have never grown up. And I am talking about people in their twenties, thirties and forties and older. I see too many people impressed with themselves, no respect for other people. What is with this love affair with speed that so many Americans have? I dont bury my head in the sand that there are no crooked cops. There are, but there are far more honest ones then there are crooked ones. There are crooked cops just like there are crooked lawyers, doctors, school teachers, business people and oh yes clergymen as well. We have all heard about young men being molested by the clergy of their faith.

By James Young on Feb 22, 2008

Gail Minks writes:

{A retired law enforcement officer myself. Wow what a bunch of immature, whinning, overprivledged self centered brats that have never grown up.}

Rather like the supercilious insiders who never have to answer for their arrogance, incompetence or misguided zealotry?

{What is with this love affair with speed that so many Americans have?}

It is not the speed that is the issue. It is the systematic abuse of reasonable behavior under color of authority.

By Joe on Feb 22, 2008

Gail Minks, theres’ one difference between crooked cops and the rest of us. The reason it’s a little different is I don’t change cops lives by doing my job. They can mine. So ‘ya I believe they are worthy of a little more vigilance and scrutiny by the rest of us then most people of other careers.

By tracker on Feb 22, 2008

Gail,

How about this one. An illegal left turn for simply crossing the street to get to Wal-Mart. I bought gas at a BP which was directly across from Wal-Mart about fifteen years ago. I went out the BP lot to the street, turned left and stopped for the stop sign. There was a four way light running East to West and the road was divided where a street runs north and south. I was not on that one. I waited for four cars to make the illegal left turn because I did not even know there was a sign there after the 4-way light and the divide when cars made the south to east turn. I followed the four cars into the Wal-Mart parking lot and saw four or more police cars and officers stopping all motorists and giving out tickets.

Cars running east to west were supposed to use that entrance and I crossed the street from south to north. The entrance was directly across the street The police had a citation trap set up and my reasoning with the officer went on deaf ears. I knew the clerk at the counter at BP and I asked, not told, the officer to check with him. His arrogance and rudeness made me so mad we were shouting at each other and his fellow officers approached with their hands on their guns asking him if he could handle me. He stated he could arrest me, impound my car and hold me for up to 18 hours without charging me. The enraging statement was I would be liable for an $88.50 tow charge and $10.00 a day storage fees. Does this sound like a speed-trap. Our argument started out civil because all I did was cross the street and made about a 6′ slight left turn to enter an entrance to a private parking lot which was being used to fill citation quotas. The officer told me to take my witness to court and tell it to the judge. Loss of pay: About $90.00 after all withholding, parking fees: $10.00 Mileage and fuel: About $15.00 Dismissal with no court cost and an official protest of the intimidation and unethical practice of law-enforcement: Priceless.

There were never law-enforcement officers hidden behind those stores again. I respect those who respect me as a person guilty or innocent. I give the police the respect they deserve, but just because they have the authority and weapons does not mean they have the right to intimidate everyone they accuse. I paid $62.50 no less than a week before this stop because I was cited for 62mph in a 55mph on an interstate highway. It was after dark and I believed I was in a 65mph zone. This officer was more than courteous. My petition in court cost me the fine, but the judge graciously dismissed the $61.00 court cost. The fine was only $1.50 more than the court cost. Justice in this case was well worth the $1.50, but the police officer who antagonized my situation and insinuated I was a liar stated” We all have problems when I told him of my recent visit to court. Speed-traps, revenue agents, toll collectors; it all boils down to money and quotas on how to balance the budget. Respect is due where respect is given. Respect the badge, but weigh the respect by how it is used.

By pillsbury on Feb 22, 2008

Gail Minks
Respectfully, there are a lot of crooks of all kinds out there. And maybe Im wining and crying about my situation. However, when I was on the side of the road, a man with a gun stole $270.00 from me. But first he pulled my over with his blue light.
As The Almighty GOD as my witness, I WAS abiding by the law and was pulled and ticketed.
After thinking about what happed, I am certain the officer who clocked me NEW what he was doing. he clocked another patrol car on the opposite side of the interstate. Thats where he got his 78 mph from. then he stuck it to this poor whining sap with out of state tags.
I truly beleive my rights have been violated.

By Joe on Feb 23, 2008

Well Mr. Minks sir, I believe you’ve got it backwards, it’s law enforcement that has a love affair with speed ….enforcement. Ca-Ching$$$….. Ca-Ching$$$ does that ring a bell, I mean uh cash register? Why would 90 percent of all citations written be given out for speeding when roughly 90 percent of all accidents are not caused by speeding? I believe we all know the answer to that question…many times over.
Driving is the act of getting from point A to point B. Speed is the physics behind it. “Speeding” is a velocity beyond two numbers posted on a metal sign. An absolute used by LEO’s to collect revenue while affecting little else. Most drivers would rate speed as the most important factor right underneath safety. It may be one reason why there’s such a conflict between the two. There also happens to be no correlation between them.
Many of us believe we live in a modern, high technology society. Despite the vast improvements of our roads and vehicles in the past 50 years, the speed limits we must drive reflect back to the days of the ’50’s, if that. Some local roads have Model T speed limits on them. Some roads because of the speed limits don’t deserve to be called roads at all, more like trails. Maybe it’s reflective of the conservative trend our nation has been drifting in recent years.

You guys in law enforcement are so bent on speed enforcement that if aircraft didn’t require a high rate of speed to stay aloft, you’d figure some way to write them speeding tickets. Maybe it’s not the right way but drivers “vote” on speed limits with their accelerator pedal. Low limits mean high non-compliance. Low limits also means Ca-Ching$$$….. Ca-Ching$$$.

As for crooked cops, there seems to be NO way to get rid of them. “The system” doesn’t allow for it except in extreme cases. Once a cop, always a cop, good or bad. Law Enforcement is that one profession that requires pristine credibility for the law to have credibility. Our justice system requires it. It’s one of the prices you pay to possesses that awesome authority you carry around with you. You can affect my life in a heart beat. Most of the rest of us, good or bad, could never have that affect on you in that manner of authority. It may not be fair but we MUST expect higher standards for LEO’s vs the rest of us and we MUST have a method to get rid of the one’s that don’t meet those expectations. Good luck on that one.

{ bunch of immature,whinning, overprivledged self centered brats that have never grown up}

I kinda look at it this way, you can always throw a bunch of adjectives around when your losing a debate or you have nothing constructive to say. Oh, I felt left out because you didn’t specifically mention the 60’s.

By Warrington Resident on Feb 26, 2008

As a resident of Warrington, PA I can attest that the Warrington PD is the most bloated useless orgainzation around. As is the case with most local police departments, they have no reason to exist except to collect fines. In Warrington they consume >50% of the township budget with no corresponding benefit.

By James Young on Feb 28, 2008

The village of Kiowa Oklahoma – hometown of Reba McIntire — has a new gimmick. Long known as a speed trap, their new campaign is to eradicate “tailgating” so they stop anybody who is remotely close to the car in front and cite them for following too closely. Here is where it gets interesting. They say that for an extra $100 voluntary contribution they can keep it off your driving record so no points will be assessed. Translated into harsher terms, this means that they just don’t report it to the state and keep it all and that the “voluntary” part of the contribution is really extortion.

One of our set designers – scouting locations in that part of the country – got caught and (knowing that I was from near that area) asked me about it. I was not aware of their new program so I called my contacts who verified what this guy suspected: scam!

By Tara on Feb 29, 2008

I cannot believe that a retired law enforcement officer would even make a comparison between child molestation and the abuse of ticketing and speed traps. Mr. or Ms. Minks, you are clearly on the wrong message board with your kind of comments. I assume that you are a female (with the name Gail) and you actually sound like one. We all know female cops are the worst and have HUGE power trips. I wonder if that’s why you’re so upset that intelligent adults would sit here and “whine” about law enforcement?

By Ryan Cawdor on Feb 29, 2008

Protect yourselves and mount a video camera in your car. Heck, mount TWO! I have three video cameras in my vehicle and record every second I drive. If the drive is uneventful I delete the video. If something happens with a crooked COP then I have my video for court and for YouTube and of course, FOX NEWS. I respect the good, honest COPS and hate corrupt COPS. Know your rights and stand up for them. The Supreme Court has ruled that you have the absolute right to video tape ALL encounters in public. Police can NOT stop you legally from taping every encounter with them. Do it and this will stop the police harassment from dishonest COPS.

By pillsbury on Feb 29, 2008

as much as I disagree with gail minks, he / she is entitled to his / her opinion. thats one of the great things about america. (while we stil have that right).
now in my opinion, child molestation is at the top of the list of problems in society while traffic violations is at the bottom of the list.
say a cop walks into a conveinience store. on his right he sees a kid stuffing candy in his pockets . on his left he sees a gunman robbing the clerk. The cop grabs the kid. thats law enforcement.

By pillsbury on Feb 29, 2008

mr ryan cawdor -
funny you should mention cameras. I have been talking (only talking so far) with a computer savey freind of mine about building our own EDR. with at least four video inputs and audio. I sure coulda used it in n.c. the day after thanksgiving.
I think EDR’s are a good idea - ONLY if its voluntary. not mandatory.

By pillsbury on Feb 29, 2008

you talk about a racket. particularly during holidays, h.p.’s write so many tickets the courts cant handle them all. Like my court date — it keeps getting postponed and postponed. I was told that this particular holiday - h.p. wrote over a thousand tickets - in one 3 day weekend in one county!! I’ll elaborate more once my case is settled.

By Dave on Mar 2, 2008

Living in Arizonia Iam thankfull that we do not appear in the worst problem areas based on the comments I have read. We have cameras in Scottsdale on the freeway. Many complain and several have gone over 115 mph and they still are angry with a ticket. They say only a traffic officer should give tickets. The speeds have slowed down with cameras. There is also an 11 mph leeway before you are ticketed. For some traffic laws are not or them. Pease drive saftely.

By tracker on Mar 3, 2008

I can live with the +1 to -11 mphover if that was lawful, but crooked municipalities, not necessairily all LE will have the attitude ” you were over + .000001 mile and that’s the law. We have several around here, and I will not mention the name of the one that has 3 less LE officers because of misconduct.

By tracker on Mar 3, 2008

Pillsbury,
If the court keeps postponing your court date I would add up the mileage and the money and lost from work, parking fees, gas expenses etc, and file a motion with the state Attorney General. The Bill of Rights says you have a right to a speedy trial and it appears you are being harassed if you are not guilty.
P.S. This is not legal Advice, but our judges at the local levels know what they can get away with. The AG may not respond because I believe it is a political issue nation-wide. I would like to know what happens.

By pillsbury on Mar 3, 2008

thanks for the advice tracker - I really shoulda thought of that. What I wound up doing, is hiring one of those lawyers that solicited me by mail. Mainly because its like 175 miles one way. Counldnt afford to take off work.
I have quite a few choice words about the whole deal. But Im a Christian and I aint supposed to talk like that!!!!!
I expect the lawyer to get it dissmissed so he gits to keep the whole fee I sent him.
and p.s. Im not guilty.

By tracker on Mar 4, 2008

Pillsbury,
On my ticket I was mad, but reasonably polite toward the judge. I told our county sheriff I would see him see him in his county jail Wednesday because the municipality held court on the second Tuesday of every month. I told the sheriff this the saturday before the hearing at a church fund-raiser. I told him I wanted my case to go to the county. The sheriff was not involved with shady LE. I was only nineteen miles from home one way. I live in Speed-Trap alley covering Fayette County And Shelby County Tennessee. The judge said I was not losing anything so why was I pushing for a jury trial. I told him I had 43 days of anger, 38 miles of gasoline and mileage on my car, several stamps and envelopes to write a few letters and Tuesday nights was the night my favorite televison show was on. I can’t believe with my attitude he did not cite me for contempt of court. My contempt was based on the townships abuse of the principles distinguishing ethical practice of law vs, business practice of law. Sorry about the fees.

By Joe on Mar 4, 2008

I belive in my state the defendant can ask for one delay and the officer can ask for one delay and that’s it.

By pillsbury on Mar 4, 2008

yea, tracker-
one thing you want to be is polite to a judge. In my situation, im not gonna see no judge. I almost lost it when the n.c.h.p. told me I was going 78. I almost told him he was f&#%^%*g crazy. But shoot, he didnt know how fast I was going, he was just “taking ticket orders” from the radar cop. He actually didnt sound to confident in the charge himself. Plus, my buddy was with me,and the look on his face was “PLEASE DONT GIT US LOCKED UP!!!”
But a real kick in the pants - my buddy wasnt wearin no seat belt. cop comes back with our licenses and hands me my ticket and tells my buddy “WELL, MY COMPUTER CRASHED SO YOU DONT GET A TICKET TODAY”
NOW AINT THAT JUST PRETTY %(*^$*%$

By pillsbury on Mar 4, 2008

Another thing I see, is on my way to work I often see a Walterboro city p.o. pass me.
Mind you Im going 55 in a 55 zone - he’ll be coming up behind me and as I slow down for the upcoming 45 zone, He’ll pass me like Im on the side of the road. All the time my radar detector is going nuts.
If I drove like that he would burn me.

By Dee on Mar 4, 2008

I spent 4 years working and living in Germany where, for the most part, there are no speed limits. It was the best driving experience I have ever had. Drivers were courteous, respectful, and fast. When there were speed limits posted they were EXACTLY the speed you needed to be going to safely negotiate the road. During all this time (4 years) driving at speeds of 120-160 mph do you know how many accidents/collisions I saw? Only one!!!! It is true that the collision was extremely bad due to the speed of the vehicles, however, I do not believe that speed “causes” collisions. In Germany you can not eat, drink, talk on the cell phone, put on your make up, comb your hair, shave your face, or anything that would distract you from driving. Besides these things being against the law, Germans just know to pay attention when driving at high speeds. I truely believe that if the speed limits were raised or abolished people wouldn’t be doing distracting tasks because they would be too busy paying attention to the road.

Our roads were built to be driven faster and therefore people tend to feel they are driving so slow for the road that they can accomplish other tasks while driving. If speed limits were set to EXACTLY the maximum “safe” speed for the road, there would be less collisions because people would be paying more attention to driving as opposed to other tasks.

Just my 2 cents worth.

By pillsbury on Mar 5, 2008

Somthing dawned on me a couple of days ago. I was watching my speedometer more than I was watching the road.
Am I more scared of getting a ticket than getting in a wreck?
Of course, if I get enough points against me I’ll loose my CDL and thus my job. I doubt h.p. cares.

By tracker on Mar 6, 2008

Pillsbury,
I try to be courteous in a traffic stop. If LEO’s come off belligerent it sets off my verbal attack mode. Ignorance of the law is no excuse and that goes for LEO’s too. With a CDL you have a lot of mileage to cover and that puts you in the cross-hairs of traffic control.If you are on a designated route, so are those LEO’s you come in frequent contact with. My son was arrested for a paid ticket out-of-state which someone did not post in the Georgia courts years before he received his CDL. They pulled him over for a broken headlight on his personal car, and found he had an outstanding warrant for his arrest in Ga. The sad part was he has renewed his license several times over the years and it never showed up till computers starting tracking numbers. It was fortunate he still had the cancelled check and receipt from Gainesville Ga. over ten years ago. We figure it cost about $2000.00 or so for bond, court costs, and reinstatement of license which should not have been revoked. My biggest peeve was that there was no apology or reimbursement from the courts.

By Frank S. on Mar 7, 2008

Stay outta Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin! The cops there are “Collar Dollar” happy fools. The Police Chief is a woman…I will say no more!

By pillsbury on Mar 7, 2008

tracker –
there needs to be “recourse legislation”
for situations like that. and my situation.
fat chance of that. we have a constitutional “right to travel” - however its getting to the point that we have to purchase our rights anymore. In S.C. they have gone as far as “selling the right to drive a motor vehicle without insurance”.
It used to be $500. bucks per year.
Sounda like your son had to “buy back” his right to travel.

By pillsbury on Mar 7, 2008

law enforcement techniques are just a small part of our “GREED BASED ECONOMY”. You can only float on greed so long. I love this country but Im afraid its going down soon.
for example - “W” is going to borrow umpteen billion dollars from china to give us all a tax break. They do expect a majority of that money to be spent on the increased gasoline price. GOLLY FREAKIN” G!!!

By pillsbury on Mar 7, 2008

One problem is when the insurance intstitutes and the government and the h.p. tells people “speed kills” and other crap like that - people dont “STOP AND THINK” about it. They take it in and keep going - because they have a busy life.
And seat belts - In Dorchester, S.C. on march 6, there was a REAL BAD head on collision involving a school bus.
42 students on board. y’all oughtta se the bus. The worst injury was a sprained wrist.
( not counting the driver who was wearing a seat belt). The car that hit it was obliterated.

By pillsbury on Mar 7, 2008

S.C school buses dont have seat belts.

By Tim on Mar 9, 2008

I used to drive 75-85 MPH on the freeways and paid no attention to the speed limits on “surface” streets. After filling my tank last summer I was shocked by the price. So, just for the heck of it, I decided to drive no faster that the posted limits. My mileage went from 33.4 to 37.6 in my 1991 Honda Civic. That saved me about $4 a fill-up, or about $100 a year. It takes me about a minute longer to travel the 15 miles to my job. Big Deal!

I also decided to see what would happen if I drove 2-3 seconds behind the car in front of me. Well, the difference in the times it took me to travel to my most often traveled destinations were insignificant. On top of that, I got where I was going feeling less stressed and tired. In inclement weather I slow down and increase my distance to 5 seconds.

By James Young on Mar 9, 2008

Tim writes:

{I used to drive 75-85 MPH on the freeways and paid no attention to the speed limits on “surface” streets. After filling my tank last summer I was shocked by the price. So, just for the heck of it, I decided to drive no faster that the posted limits. My mileage went from 33.4 to 37.6 in my 1991 Honda Civic. That saved me about $4 a fill-up, or about $100 a year. It takes me about a minute longer to travel the 15 miles to my job. Big Deal!}

Hmmm. Just another apologist trying to justify low speed limits. If you were first shocked at the price of fuel last summer, then you have not been paying attention. I get 33 mpg (BMW 328Ci) whether I drive 55 or 85 mph. The key variable is the degree of congestion. You also need to revisit your mathematics to determine how much time you save and how much it is worth. BTW, 75 mph on the 15 between Riverside and San Diego means that you are creating a hazard since traffic often runs 90+ mph.

I also hope that if you’re only going the posted limit that you’re staying in the far right hand lane so as to not impede faster drivers.

By Tim on Mar 9, 2008

By James Young on Mar 9, 2008

Tim writes:

{I used to drive 75-85 MPH on the freeways and paid no attention to the speed limits on “surface” streets. After filling my tank last summer I was shocked by the price. So, just for the heck of it, I decided to drive no faster than the posted limits. My mileage went from 33.4 to 37.6 in my 1991 Honda Civic. That saved me about $4 a fill-up, or about $100 a year. It takes me about a minute longer to travel the 15 miles to my job. Big Deal!}
————————————–
Hmmm. Just another apologist trying to justify low speed limits. If you were first shocked at the price of fuel last summer, then you have not been paying attention. I get 33 mpg (BMW 328Ci) whether I drive 55 or 85 mph. The key variable is the degree of congestion. You also need to revisit your mathematics to determine how much time you save and how much it is worth. BTW, 75 mph on the 15 between Riverside and San Diego means that you are creating a hazard since traffic often runs 90+ mph.

I also hope that if you’re only going the posted limit that you’re staying in the far right hand lane so as to not impede faster drivers.

—————————————-
Apparently, I inadvertently upset you. I apologize for that. However, I did not mean to justify speed limits at all. I was just telling my story for what it was worth.

My 15 mile trip to work is 10 miles on freeways and 5 miles on surface streets. It seems to make little difference to exceed the speed limit the five miles on surface streets what with all the stop lights. So, at 75 MPH I averaged about 10.8 minutes. At 65 I average about 12.5. I guess I should have said, “…a minute or two. Big deal.”
I used to make a weekly round trip from San Luis Obispo to Fresno - a distance of roughly 150 miles. Sometimes I’d get my little Honda up to 95 on Hwy 41 and always broke the limit on Hwy 46. I got a ticket. So, I slowed down to the 55 MPH limit. Because of traffic on the mostly single lane highways, it took me an average of about 20 minutes longer to make the trip. Big deal!

I guess the term “shocked” was a bit of an exaggeration. However, it was the highest I had ever paid up to that point.

I want to give you a special congratulation on your BMW. It seems you have the only car in the world that can overcome the laws of physics! I wonder if all BMWs are that way, or is it just yours? No more energy to go 85 as it uses at 55. How wonderful!

I used to live 2 miles from the I15 in San Diego. I drove it every day. The left lane was filled with people driving 80-85 MPH. They would be about a car-length apart — a very dangerous situation! I would be in the lane next to the far right lane driving the limit — 70, I think it was. I’d keep 2 to 3 seconds behind the vehicle in front of me, too.

I submit that if you are driving up to 90 MPH you are passing over 95 percent of the cars. If you ever get a ticket for that speed it would be one for reckless driving — a two pointer on your record which is the same as a DWI. Oops, there goes your insurance rates!

By James Young on Mar 9, 2008

{Apparently, I inadvertently upset you. I apologize for that. However, I did not mean to justify speed limits at all. I was just telling my story for what it was worth.}

I have learned after nearly 50 years of fighting greed, political inertia and enforcement intransigence to not get upset. Merely pointing out flaws means only that I’m watching and responding, not that I’m upset. I have heard every excuse in the book to justify artificially low limits and they’re just a hollow now as they were in 1974.

{Because of traffic on the mostly single lane highways, it took me an average of about 20 minutes longer to make the trip. Big deal!}

It is a big deal. Consider that if just ½ of the drivers lost 20 minutes a week that’s 625,000 man-years of productivity lost each year. Speed limits are not benign creatures without consequences. Implementing and enforcing them costs huge time and money, even aside from the cost of enforcement and congestion. Remember that NMSL cost us over a trillion dollars in lost productivity, not to mention the extra crashes, injuries and fatalities caused by forcing drivers to travel below the minimization point of the crash incidence curve.

{I want to give you a special congratulation on your BMW. It seems you have the only car in the world that can overcome the laws of physics!}

It comes from steady travel, not accelerating wildly, good aerodynamics, and a very tall overdrive.

{I submit that if you are driving up to 90 MPH you are passing over 95 percent of the cars.}

That’s about right. It would put me right at the 95th percentile, the safest speed as determined by engineering investigations for Interstate grade highways.

{ If you ever get a ticket for that speed it would be one for reckless driving — a two pointer on your record which is the same as a DWI. Oops, there goes your insurance rates!}

Condescension aside, I would much rather incur the very remote risk of a ticket for traveling with the traffic than to slow down to the point where I am creating a hazard and exposing myself to even more likely risk.

By James Young on Mar 9, 2008

Sidebar issue to the above post:

If Tim was taking the 41 and 46 from SLO to Fresno, he would go right through Cholame, little more than a bar/restaurant and general store, but famous for being the site (actually, near the site) of James Dean’s infamous crash in 1955. Popular legend is that Dean was speeding well over the limit but reconstruction of the crash indicates that he was travelling only 55 mph, below the limit. He was killed when another driver turned left in front of him so the issue was ROW, not excessive speed.

By Joe on Mar 9, 2008

Yea, I also remember for a long time James Deans’ accident was based on the presumption that he was speeding as the cause of his demise. It wasn’t until computers got powerful enough and programs were written to model a crash that the truth came out. I have to admit I too was surprised at the news but elated that the speed haters couldn’t claim another victory.

By Tim on Mar 9, 2008

By James Young on Mar 9, 2008

If Tim was taking the 41 and 46 from SLO to Fresno, he would go right through Cholame, little more than a bar/restaurant and general store, but famous for being the site (actually, near the site) of James Dean’s infamous crash in 1955. —————————————-
Yes, there’s a plaque there and something else I’ve forgotten — a bench or something…

By Joe on Mar 9, 2008

Tim, you won’t drive 75-85 MPH on the expressways in Tulsa Okla, not that the major roads can’t handle it. You’ll get bagged before you ever reach that speed. The guy driving the unmarked cop car who wears some medium blue uniform that almost looks like someone’s work uniform will have a big smile on his face (if he’s not an imposer) because you’ve made his job of filling his daily quota easier. Plus you’ll be donating handsomely to the city coffers. If the good ‘ole boys in OK get a hold of you I don’t even want to think what a 15 to 20 mph over speeding ticket would cost. You might get by with that in CA. But don’t try it in OK. They’ll bust your butt. If your ever in this direction, bare that in mind. James knows what I’m talking about. There’s a voracious appetite around here to feed the city coffers via traffic ticket moneys and speeders are their bread and butter ticket. I don’t have time or energy to explain it but you can find more of my comments around these blogs. It’s a traffic control system that has a purpose but it’s not traffic safety.

By Tim on Mar 9, 2008

{Because of traffic on the mostly single lane highways, it took me an average of about 20 minutes longer to make the trip. Big deal!}
—————————–
It is a big deal. Consider that if just ½ of the drivers lost 20 minutes a week that’s 625,000 man-years of productivity lost each year. Speed limits are not benign creatures without consequences. Implementing and enforcing them costs huge time and money, even aside from the cost of enforcement and congestion. Remember that NMSL cost us over a trillion dollars in lost productivity, not to mention the extra crashes, injuries and fatalities caused by forcing drivers to travel below the minimization point of the crash incidence curve.
———-
James, 20 minutes to ME is no big deal. But, the fact is that I arrived less stressed and less tired (the faster we go the more we SHOULD concentrate on what’s going on around us). My car got about 15 percent better mileage per gallon and it received less wear and tear, makes the 20 minutes, TO ME, well worth it.
__________________________
{I want to give you a special congratulation on your BMW. It seems you have the only car in the world that can overcome the laws of physics!}
————–
It comes from steady travel, not accelerating wildly, good aerodynamics, and a very tall overdrive.
——————————-
C’mon, James! You cannot get the same energy use at 85 as you can at 55. Unless your aeodynamics and travel techniques change at the higher speed.

By James Young on Mar 9, 2008

For the record:

Joe and I have never met. He lives in Tulsa. I grew up in Tulsa, left to go to UT Austin many years ago and returned in early 2006 to rebuild my uncle’s house that I inherited. I am familiar with traffic enforcement there, about its focus on money, money and probably money. I also lived in Denver, Salt Lake City and Beverly Hills. My mother still lives in Tulsa so I’m back every once in a while. Austin, TX is home but I’m currently in Temecula (CA) for two different jobs.

By Joe on Mar 10, 2008

Thanks for clearing that up James. They may be getting us mixed up.

By lisamborders on Mar 27, 2008

in foristell, mo you don’t have to be speeding to get a SPEEDING ticket!!! the cops sit in a little area between the highway so one is able to head east and one is able to head west…they are known to pull anyone over and issue them a speeding ticket even when you haven’t actually been speeding! how can you prove you weren’t? also lots of semis in that area swerve into your lane and people have sped up to avoid getting pushed into the wall…the police wait right there in that area where this happens ALL THE TIME and issue tickets for speeding when all people are doing is trying to avoid an accident! there is a semi weigh station right there and it is scary the way a lot of these trucks drive through there! i personally haven’t had a ticket here but i’ve been with people that got pulled over for “speeding” - one had the cruise control set to 65 mph and the speed limit is 70 mph! and i’ve known LOTS of people that have had the same complaint!

By pillsbury on Mar 27, 2008

If anyone might be around North Charleston s.c. - I saw on the news that they are starting a red light camera ticket thing. They CLAIM this particular intersection has a lot of incidents. maybe it does-maybe it dont. Im not sure which street it was, I guess people better watch out. Them h.p.’s want your $$$$$$!!!

By Rod on Mar 31, 2008

Be warned Hanging Rock Ohio on the Ohio River
US 52 is a place where out of town cars are pulled over for trumped up charges,,tailgating weaving,1Mph over,and you name it.High priced cars,women and lone drivers expect to go to kangaroo town court where the Mayor is Judge,prosecutor,and treasurer.Not guilty pleas will get you jailed for hours of waiting on court date.The date will be set for weeks later then moved for sickness reason.Use Ky. US 23 if possible and save a lot of grief.

By pillsbury on Mar 31, 2008

HEY Y’all want to see how S.C state troopers will treat you? Go to http://www.live5news.com. (thats wcsc Charleston) watch them poke people with shotguns and kick them and call them racist names.

However, not all of them are that bad. There is a few good ones out there. They are just getting harder to find.

By pillsbury on Apr 1, 2008

They ought to write tickets for “DINGBATISM”. My buddys wife, (same buddy that was with me in n.c.) was driving on the road they live on when she noticed this dude sitting in a driveway talking on his cell.

He backs out. BAM!!!!! totals her car. He gits out, still talking on his cell. He never got off his FREAKING phone.

Paying attention is the real problem with auto incidents. not SPEEDING.

By True-D on Apr 2, 2008

This ticket writing thing has become a new type of “tax” I think. The city budget is short this year. (As elsewhere I am sure) Although they have taken it to another level in my city.

Since no insurance tickets carry the heaviest fines they are targeting people driving older cars. I guess they have to have a reason to stop someone so they are using bogus radar readings to stop these people to check their insurance. The rational is they have 3 citations on the ticket and I guess it saves paper & time if you can fill up at least two. It’s as if they are having to earn their own salary through ticket writing.

I was stopped in this manner last month. I was driving an 89 Cougar. I am 52 years old and have never received a speeding ticket in my life. Why? I don’t speed except perhaps an occasional mile or two inadvertently on a hill for a couple of seconds.

I was on a city street/state hwy. The speed changes from 50 to 40. It is near home and I have lived here for 20 years so I know the area well. I was surprised when the officer said I was speeding when he said I was doing 54, but in total shock when he said it was in a 40! I presumed he meant in the 50 at first and thought “well maybe it is possible” until then. He was much more concerned about my car and my insurance papers. He wrote out the ticket and had already marked the insurance box and had to mark it out when I showed him the papers.

When I went to the window it was first presumed I wanted to take the Defensive Driving, I said no I am not guilty. The ticket even says I was going Northbound when I was actually Southbound. I was given a date to appear and did.

At that time I was offered deferred adjudication. I told him the same thing so then I waited for the Judge to call me for a trial date. I was warned that I was at a disadvantage without an attorney, that I could not appeal the decision, that it was now a misdemeanor charge,etc. He did have me scared but I stood my ground thinking surely an attorney could get it dismissed for $50. WRONG. They are charging $500 to take a ticket to court and the City won’t give anything except deferred adjudication without appearing in Court.

When I went the first time I noticed that almost everyone of the 60 or so people in court that day had tickets for no insurance. Some were dismissed after showing their papers that they weren’t carrying at the time. It was a real mill. I decided to fight this “all the way” to jail by sitting out the ticket in protest. (I can’t pay it anyway or afford the points on my record.) But it seems they have that covered too. They just get a civil judgement, etc. and put a lien on your vehicle.

Today I discovered even though it is now a misdemeanor and not a ticket the standard is only a “preponderance” of the evidence. As in civil court.

You know I don’t mind being stopped to check my insurance at all. But why use a bogus reason to do it which creates a hardship even if the person has insurance? And if you are after fines why target the people with the least ability to pay?

This is very disheartening when I see Escalades, etc. who are truly speeding and tailgating, etc. Perhaps they are still doing that because they can afford $500 to fight the tickets so it is not profitable for the City.

Just like eveything else in our country it’s become another racket. Legalized blackmail.

By 120 + on Apr 2, 2008

I WAS GOING DOWN I-20 NEAR LONGVIEW TX ON MY CBR954
I WAS CLOCK DOING 185MPH THE COP STOP ME AFTER I SLOW DOWN ABOUT 6 MILES UP THE RODE AND HE ASK ME IF I WAS THE BIKE THAT PAST HIM DOING 185 OF CORSE I TOLD HIM I DIDNT KNOW WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT AND HE COULD NOT PROVE IT WAS ME SO HE TOLD ME TO BE CAREFUL AND LET ME GO

By tracker on Apr 3, 2008

4/3/08: True-D,
All those legal terms they threw at you do