Speeding can be very expensive!

C

CharlesW

The Rainmaker
I just got this from my cousin in Illinois.
He didn't happen to be the one telling the story.

Drive in IL? Pass this on!

Thought I would share my experience with you in the hope of helping you avoid the same fate.
I was ticketed by an officer in a van with a digital set up and radar system in early May traveling 61 MPH in a 45 MPH construction zone on I-88 near Naperville, IL. I received my MUST APPEAR citation, a close-up photo of me, a close-up photo of my car, and a close-up photo of my license plate, all time/date stamped. My court date was this week. I was probably 1 of 200 or so people in the courtroom (a makeshift courtroom at the Downers Grove American Legion, in the Bingo Hall).
I was asked how I pleaded. I plead guilty and asked the court for supervision. My fine broke down like this; $465.00 fine, $285.00 court costs for a total of $750.00.
Court Supervision for me was granted. The Judge actually apologized before proceedings to all present for the high court costs that would be assessed, but operating costs increased 3 times since last year.
The state has many of these unmarked vans in
operation and moves them around the state. If you are issued a citation there is no way out of it. You may get supervision, most people did.
But many of the people tried ahead of me were also cited for driving at a higher speed, driving without their seat belt on, driving with expired plates, following too close, operating an unsafe vehicle, improper lane usage and driving too fast for conditions.
Some people were asked to provide proof that they had insurance at the time the citation was issued and if could not, their case was continued.

I saw people fined so much money they were crying
when they wrote the check. Some people were back in court for the second time because they could not pay when convicted at an earlier date. They asked another continuance. Some were granted it and some were handcuffed and hauled off - one with his wife and two kids standing in the back of the courtroom crying.
Some people brought their attorney, it didn't
matter, they wasted their money on that. This is a real money maker; I saw fines as high as $10,000.

Heed my warning, this can cost you a lot of money!

Bottom line: I should not have been speeding in a construction zone. Neither should you!


Also ...be aware some intersections are now photo ticket zones like 111th and Harlem. If you stop past the large white line you get a ticket. If you do not make it thru the intersection before it turns red you get a ticket. If you do not make a full stop behind the white line before making a right turn on red you get a ticket. All tickets are timed with your photo, license plate, and violation. You cannot beat the system. All tickets are $467.00 fines.

Bottom line! Be careful!

Illinois info

Search map of photoenforced intersections/areas in the United States:
(now has 2000+ locations and maps)

Red Light Cameras, Speed Cameras, Railroad, Stop Sign, Toll Road, Sound - Locations and Fines
 
Iowa's is somewhat similar.

Iowa Department of Transportation officials said the fines for speeding in a work zone until now were always doubled, but the new fines will be significantly higher, up to a $1,000 as part of a new state law taking affect July 1.

Drivers speeding can expect to pay $150 for speeding 10 mph over the limit, $300 for 11-20 mph over the limit, $500 for 21-25 mph over the limit and speeds in excess of 26 mph will warrant a $1,000 fine.

DOT officials said the intent of the new fines is not to make money, but to improve safety for employees in work zones.

Iowa State Patrol officials said achieving that goal will depend heavily on motorists.

"To slow their speed, to pay attention, to be courteous and take care of those people out there trying to improve our road systems and make sure they all go home at the end of their shifts as well," said Curt Henderson with the Iowa State Patrol.

The new law applies to all work zones on city, county and state roads.
 
We have some freeway construction going on close to me. The road is clearly marked a construction zone with notice that fines are doubled for speeding. They are trying to get people down to 55 mph in this zone. I slow down but not to 55, maybe 60-62 mph. People pass me like I'm standing still. I was paying attention to this the other day and in a 10 mile stretch, I did not pass one vehicle. Every car going my direction went passed me like a bullet. Oddly enough as is often the case there was no one working in the work zone.
 
You need to get Blinder's installed on the front and rear of your car and get a top of the line radar detector. COPS shoot laser at me all the time.
 
it may seem excessive, but understandable. I know people that do work on the raods and they have told me how some people go blowing through the area, putting them at risk and also the drivers, a number of years ago someone thought they would be smart and try to go around the cones ... they went straight into a steamroller... the driver of the car was killed.
The question is, is it really worth it?

"J"
 
Speeding in a work zone in Indiana is $ 1000.00
Only problem I have with it is the work is being done in a 1/4 mile section but they put up signs 5 to 10 miles before you get their.:wall
 
Smokin' Mark said:
You need to get Blinder's installed on the front and rear of your car and get a top of the line radar detector. COPS shoot laser at me all the time.
Click to expand...
I was running a radar detector, a CB radio and a police scanner 30 years ago to try to avoid tickets. It helped, but it wasn't foolproof.

FWIW, some of those "pigs" as you refer to them are friends of mine.
The term is considered pretty derogatory and not really appreciated.
 
You're right brother..."pigs" wasn't right of me to say. I apologize. I have cop friends too. But even they will tell you that no one really cares if you speed or not as long as it's not reckless driving. The idea is to generate revenue. So, if you don't want to be part of the "revenue machine", make the investment and make yourself (almost) invisible.

- Blinder M45 up front
- Blinder M25 in rear
- Laser Veil (optional but worth it)
- State of the art radar detector (V1, STi Driver, etc.)

Roughly $2000 professionally installed.

Pay now? Or pay later?
 
When the speed limit was raised to 70 here, I no longer felt the need to speed.
I ran the radar detector, the CB radio and the police scanner in order to be able to drive 70 to 80.
Since the IHP usually allows you 10 to 13 over, I can drive that same 80+ without all the hardware.
If 80 was good enough for me back then, it should be good enough for me now. :D
 
I don't think the point is about speeding necessarily, but doing it in a work zone where you have people working about 15 feet from traffic.

By me they have gone over to night work and shut down sections of roadway. For those people that think that isn't bad, try dealing with the over crowded secondary roads in the morning while getting into work. My 10 minute drive has already taken close to 30 minutes.

It's only a few miles to keep the speed down... after its clear feel free to step down on the pedal again :D
 
CharlesW said:
When the speed limit was raised to 70 here, I no longer felt the need to speed.
I ran the radar detector, the CB radio and the police scanner in order to be able to drive 70 to 80.
Since the IHP usually allows you 10 to 13 over, I can drive that same 80+ without all the hardware.
If 80 was good enough for me back then, it should be good enough for me now. :D
Click to expand...
If you ever come to Indiana and plan on driving 80mph better lay your wallet on the dash where it will be handy beause you are going to need it.
 
jaybs02 said:
I don't think the point is about speeding necessarily, but doing it in a work zone where you have people working about 15 feet from traffic.

By me they have gone over to night work and shut down sections of roadway. For those people that think that isn't bad, try dealing with the over crowded secondary roads in the morning while getting into work. My 10 minute drive has already taken close to 30 minutes.

It's only a few miles to keep the speed down... after its clear feel free to step down on the pedal again :D
Click to expand...

no problem here slowing down while there are workers present, but only a few places I have seen actually cover the road work signs when they are not working.

JohnHenry said:
I wonder if the families of the dead highway workers care about speeders. Those darn cops ruin everybody's fun.
Click to expand...

after Pockets and I saw a guy drive right into the back of a moving barrier truck with flashing lights and warning signs leading up to it, I'm not sure anyone is safe anywhere :wow:

black bart said:
If you ever come to Indiana and plan on driving 80mph better lay your wallet on the dash where it will be handy beause you are going to need it.
Click to expand...

If you get caught doing 80 in NY you won't need your wallet, you'll get a new friend named Bubba
:bubba and you'll need a lawyer :passout:
 
part of the reason i left ca dept of transportation was wages and i knew one day my number would come up working on the highway .. now i work for the ca dept of corrections and feel much safer :cool:..id rather take on a couple inmates and hope help is coming than get run down by a speeding bigrig...i think those fines are way out of line
 
Indiana fines you $1000.00 but 25 over which would be 65 in a 40 will get you a $10'000.00 fine and 6 months
in jail :surrenderI forgot you also louse your license.
 
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