Worst speeding ticket

[extrashaky]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

I sometimes wonder what the rest of the story that we are not being told is when somebody get's a ticket for a couple of miles over. Of course everybody says they were perfect gentlemen when pulled over and that the cop was always a total jerk but maybe, just maybe...

The one I mentioned above wasn't really a jerk. He was tensed up in cop mode like he intended to start something when he first approached the car. He said he clocked me at 65 in a 60, and I said, "You're seriously stopping me for going 5 over?" That's when he told me it was really 3 over but was still a ticket.

I dealt with cops on a daily basis in my prior career in TV news, so I know there's really no point in arguing when one of them decides to go stupid. I just shrugged and said, "Okay," and he didn't seem to know what to do. He just stood there staring at me for a moment, waiting for me to argue. When I didn't, he stammered a little and asked me why I was out there, and we ended up chatting for a while about my weird job. Then he came back with a warning instead of a ticket.

One thing I didn't mention is that the rental I was driving had "foreign" plates from New Mexico. Like I said above, I think he was bored out in the High Plains, saw a foreigner in his territory and just wanted something to do in the off chance that I might be smuggling hipsters from Taos to Austin in the trunk. There's probably only so much staring at the landscape in the Panhandle one can take before things start to get weird.

[Aipex8]

Wow, it's been since 2001 since I've gotten a ticket, but it was a doozy. It was like 2AM on a Tuesday and I had just worked 18 hours (was working at a tech company in the Seattle area at the time and we were crunching for a release). I owned an FD at the time and was getting on a completely empty freeway and just gunned it down the ramp and kept accelerating up to about 120, then started slowing to the speed limit. Crested a hill still going over 100 and a cop was sitting on the shoulder. I didn't even wait for the lights, I just pulled over in front of the cop. Had my license and registration in my hands with both hands on the wheel and was very compliant. She just gave me a straight speeding ticket luckily and was actually quite nice/understanding. A woman I worked with had a lawyer contact that could get you out of any ticket for $300 (my ticket was $350), so I managed to keep it off my record and save $50.

I swear in NW OR/SW WA they won't pull you over until you are going more than 10 over. I definitely still speed, I just keep it within 10 (unless it's a 25MPH zone, then keep it within 5) and never get a second look from the cops. I'll even pass cops on the freeway when everyone else is in this cluster around them too afraid to go a tiny bit faster than the cop, maybe give them a little wave as I'm passing. LOL

[Horrid_Funk]

Having huge speeding tickets shouldn't be a mark of pride or considered fun. It's the easiest thing to not get one, just set cruise control or pay attention to your speedo. If you can't pay attention to your speed while driving, or just don't care, then you lack the capacity for driving safely and should consider riding the bus. For the price of that ticket you could've spent a day on track, had a lot more fun, and not endangered other people's lives and property without their consent. Sorry if I'm being a little preachy here this is an important topic to me for personal reasons.

As for these less-than-10-mph tickets, that's just local law enforcement being local law enforcement and you have my sympathy. In WA and CA where I've lived (I think it's really the whole west coast) cops won't (or can't, my memory is hazy) ticket until you're 10 or over.

[Clipping_Path]

Only one I had was I tore out of a Chipotle parking lot squealing tires, took the car sideways down this service road at night. Had no idea there was a cop turning onto the road a ways back and witnessed the whole thing. I'll never forget what he said "Wow, that was actually pretty cool. You don't have to stop doing that. Just don't do it around me."

Was nice and wrote me up simply for rolling through a stop sign. One of the only times I acted douchey with the car and of course got nailed.

[Sapphireho]

My worst ticket was about 10 years ago. I was in my truck driving from Susanville to Reno on 395. If you have ever been on this road you know it is one of the most boring and ugly roads in California. I was stuck behind 3 big rigs going about 60 for miles until finally a passing lane going up a small hill. I really got on it to get around all of them, and as soon as I hit the top a CHP in a Mustang was going the other way. He made a U-turn and I knew it was me. I probably hit around 95. I told him my cruise was set at 70, and I only got on it temporarily to pass the trucks, but he was still writing me up. He was really nice, and so was I until he started trying to lecture me on safety. That is when I politely interrupted and mentioned that I've been driving longer than he has been alive, and he can save his lecture.


He wrote me up for I think like 85 in a 70. I did the on-line traffic school. That is my only ticket since my 20's.


Now, there was that day when I was 19 and got 2 tickets in one day....

[HKz]

I have yet to be given a speeding ticket by a cop but I've gotten screwed a couple times by photo enforcement crap -.-

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by HKz

I have yet to be given a speeding ticket by a cop but I've gotten screwed a couple times by photo enforcement crap -.-

Could be worse.

[extrashaky]

Originally Posted by Aipex8

I swear in NW OR/SW WA they won't pull you over until you are going more than 10 over.

This could just be some nonsense I picked up somewhere, but my understanding is that the 10 MPH tradition originates with US federal regulations that only require auto manufacturers to calibrate speedometers to within 10% of the speed, i.e. up to 33 MPH if the speedo shows 30 MPH, up to 77 MPH if the speedo shows 70, etc. Theoretically you could use that as a defense in court, saying that even though you got a ticket for 66, your legal speedo showed 60, so you had no idea you were speeding.

Police departments don't want to lose those cases, so they train the cops to allow a buffer. Since calculating percentages is a bit too difficult for them, they use a flat 10 MPH instead.

Originally Posted by Horrid_Funk

As for these less-than-10-mph tickets, that's just local law enforcement being local law enforcement and you have my sympathy.

The one I discussed above was a Texas state trooper, complete with goofy hat.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by extrashaky

This could just be some nonsense I picked up somewhere, but my understanding is that the 10 MPH tradition originates with US federal regulations that only require auto manufacturers to calibrate speedometers to within 10% of the speed, i.e. up to 33 MPH if the speedo shows 30 MPH, up to 77 MPH if the speedo shows 70, etc. Theoretically you could use that as a defense in court, saying that even though you got a ticket for 66, your legal speedo showed 60, so you had no idea you were speeding.

Police departments don't want to lose those cases, so they train the cops to allow a buffer. Since calculating percentages is a bit too difficult for them, they use a flat 10 MPH instead.



The one I discussed above was a Texas state trooper, complete with goofy hat.

Around here it can vary heavily on what road you are on. On the highways they usually give an easy 20 KPH (12 MPH) or even more margin. In the city you may be lucky if they give you 10 KPH. No way of knowing what they will do. A cop buddy once told me they are not so much worried about just the speed alone but how your overall driving is. He said you could wiz past him at 120K in a 100K zone and he won't bat an eye (His actual words) but if you are weaving in and out of lanes or tailgating at 5K over he will pull you over. We have very few traffic cops in secluded areas though. Since most are in higher population density areas they are generally more focused on the drivers that are actually creating a hazard. Just last week I actually saw one pull over a car that was doing about 80 KPH on a 100 KPH highway. Would like to have stopped and thanked him since that was far more dangerous then doing the 120K that everybody else was doing.

[chaoskaze]

Originally Posted by Leonardo

I haven't been pulled over, let alone ticketed, in 10 years. Never been pulled over in my truck either.

Back when I was 20 I got a racing ticket. I actually was not "racing" at the time. But at that point in my life, my driving habits... Lets just say, left room for improvement.

They sent me to a "Driving Class" at a hospital 2.5 hours away. The class started in the conference room where we looked at photos of crashes and injured people for two hours. Then they tell us that all the photos were of crashes in the last few days. And that now we are all going to QUIETLY visit the recovering people in their rooms. Before we went room to room, they took us into an empty operating room. A doctor described in graphic detail some of the things that go on in the OR. The Dr also decsribed what he does to save the lives of people that get in car wrecks. At this point, a guy passed out that was in the class.

We then visited the people we saw in the photos earlier. It was extremely impactful to me and others in the class. It brought everything home to me in a way that I will never forget. It was clear to me that I had been stupid and that I had to change my driving habits instantly.

I still think about it sometimes.

Drive safe out there.

Most ppl drive too aggrasive for their own good, there is a place to drive fast when it comes.

That being said...... nothing can ever happen in Eugene! Time to get back in college vibe.

[chaoskaze]

Originally Posted by Sapphireho

My worst ticket was about 10 years ago. I was in my truck driving from Susanville to Reno on 395. If you have ever been on this road you know it is one of the most boring and ugly roads in California. I was stuck behind 3 big rigs going about 60 for miles until finally a passing lane going up a small hill. I really got on it to get around all of them, and as soon as I hit the top a CHP in a Mustang was going the other way. He made a U-turn and I knew it was me. I probably hit around 95. I told him my cruise was set at 70, and I only got on it temporarily to pass the trucks, but he was still writing me up. He was really nice, and so was I until he started trying to lecture me on safety. That is when I politely interrupted and mentioned that I've been driving longer than he has been alive, and he can save his lecture.


He wrote me up for I think like 85 in a 70. I did the on-line traffic school. That is my only ticket since my 20's.


Now, there was that day when I was 19 and got 2 tickets in one day....

I got a ticket last year doing exactly that, exactly same situation with the hill and trucks, except I was passing Jackpot. >__>

The cop was super nice thou, the cops in those rural area had to write some tickets to keep the place running I guess........

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by extrashaky

This could just be some nonsense I picked up somewhere, but my understanding is that the 10 MPH tradition originates with US federal regulations ...

You are partially correct. The international standards say the speedo can never show below actual speed when tested, but can show as much as 110% of actual speed. So, in theory, it would never cause you to speed.

Now, that is with standard tires, etc, etc.

I think if you go have it tested and it shows it was inaccurate, then you can use that in court, but its very unlikely it will be in your favor.

[HKz]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Could be worse.

I'm sure it's coming

[Sapphireho]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

You are partially correct. The international standards say the speedo can never show below actual speed when tested, but can show as much as 110% of actual speed. So, in theory, it would never cause you to speed.

Now, that is with standard tires, etc, etc.

I think if you go have it tested and it shows it was inaccurate, then you can use that in court, but its very unlikely it will be in your favor.

This is how my lotus is. Drives me crazy. 80 on the Speedo is actually 74.

They even tell you that in the manual.