Speed Limits

CharlesW · 12-10-02, 06:03

In the mid-west, we seem to have quite a discrepancy in how speed limits are enforced.
I'm not talking school zones, but open road stuff. Some areas have 5 mph leeway, some 10 mph, some no leeway at all. My concern is where the interstate system goes through the actual city limits of a town. In my area, at least two small cities set up on the interstate regularly. The interstate is usually a 10 mph tolerance zone, the city police have 5 mph or less. Same speed limit, same signs, two different enforcement styles. I recently read where a driver was issued a ticket, (not a warning), for going 78 in a 75 mph posted zone.
Something doesn't seem quite right here. Or maybe it's just me.
What are some of your thoughts?

Charles

samiam513 · 12-10-02, 06:15

here's nothing you can do. It's a speed LIMIT. as in fastest you can legally travel on that road. Not slowest.

Best thing to do is learn wehre the cops hide. I can tell if a cop is hiding in the spots where I live before I get within radar of him.

iQuABoB · 12-10-02, 06:19

If you are over the speed limit, just enough for a ticket... will the cops only come after you if they are doing radar at the time? Or will they simply turn on their flashers if they are in traffic near you?

BradE · 12-10-02, 06:24

My girlfriend was actually given a ticket for going 37 in a 35 zone.

Around Cincinnati it varies quite a bit. Local cops and the State Patrol here seem to be the worst, they will stop you for just about anything they can find. They give tickets for tail lights, no warnings. Whereas the Sheriffs department here is VERY laid back. I have actually had a Sheriffs Deputy pass me when I was going 45 in a 35 zone.

For the most part I think it boils down to the personality of the individual cop. Some choose to be major jerks and make your life as difficult as the possibly can, while others are really nice down to earth people. Guess it's sorta the luck of the draw.

Shiny Lil Detlr · 12-10-02, 06:35

my trick is simple. In town here most cops do about 15 over the speed limit. So if I see one, I slow up enough to get behind him and pace him from behind. No way I'm gettin a ticket if I'm pacing a cop.

Also I make sure I memorize the hiding spots wherever I go, and have a radar detector whenever I'm someplace I dont know hiding spots at.

Also most of the time I can figure out how I have to time it for cops to be changing shift, as in when no cop is actually at a speed trap post, they're just on the way to/from. Then I just have to worry about cops going down the road who dont have radar turned on. Its easy enough not to pass a cop if he's goin down the road and you see him.

Mindflux · 12-10-02, 06:41

Quote:

Originally posted by Shiny Lil Detlr
[b]my trick is simple. In town here most cops do about 15 over the speed limit. So if I see one, I slow up enough to get behind him and pace him from behind. No way I'm gettin a ticket if I'm pacing a cop.

'

That's not necessarily true, I've had cops pace me when I'm behind them.. I've never gotten ticketed for it but I know people that have.

Officer: "Well I pulled you over for speeding!"

Person: "But I was following traffic"

Officer: "Yeah I saw you pacing me, I was speeding"

A lot of cops have radar that works out the back window too now.. they're getting tricky.

bretfraz · 12-10-02, 07:11

What the police will ticket you for is really a decision made by the individual dept. Some will let you get away with 10 over, even 15 over, others will nail you at 0.0000001 over. It's totally arbitrary.

Last night I was driving on a 4 lane limited access road. Speed limit was 50, I was doing about 60. There was a cop on the side of the road with his radar on, clocking people. Obviously he clocked me long before I saw him but he let me go. This particular road is perfect for high speed driving - smooth, curvy, well maintained, limited access. It almost begs you to stand on the gas. Lots of people do and the cops do pretty well on this road.

Lots of things play into why a cop will give you a ticket and not all make sense or are fair. That's modern law enforcement for you. Either don't speed or get a radar detector and roll the dice.

Shiny Lil Detlr · 12-10-02, 07:15

also I notice it depends alot on how you look and what you're driving.... I got pulled over in my wife's Century while wearing a suit and tie.... went away with a warning for 10 over. Got pulled in my Blazer in blue jeans and a t-shirt, got a ticket for 10 over (got thrown out though because it turns out the radar gun was out of calibration)

caddyman · 12-10-02, 07:24

3 things to argue:

1) If you are behind a cop pacing him at 15 over, all you have to do is say the police officer neither had his emergency lights on, nor did he have his siren on, therefore he must obey the speed limits, according to the law

2) 2 mph, is a VERY small margin, you could argue that since the speedomerters are not usually calibrated in regular, non- "police" cars, that your speedometer was not correct, and that it could have been that way from the manufacturer

3) have your speedometer calibrated and certified, that way you can argue you knew what speed you were going!!