What, you speeding.

[d00df00d]

I have a feeling that most cops, unless they work for one of the ridiculously self-righteous districts in MD or VA or something, understand that speed enforcement is largely bunk. Reckless driving is what police are supposed to be going after -- but that's harder to prove, so they fall back on the only thing they can use a machine to determine, which is speed.

I think most cops also understand that it's not in their best interest to throw the book at everyone who even slightly violates any law. That would degrade the public's trust, not to mention it'd increase their own workload as more tickets would be contested.

So, if you're driving attentively on a totally open and laser-straight stretch of road, and you're nice to the cop when they pull you over for just going too fast, they will be inclined to go easy on you. If you're weaving in and out of traffic around blind corners and then you make life difficult for the cop, they will become MUCH more interested in you.

There are always exceptions, of course, but I feel like this is the general trend -- i.e. maybe 60%-80%.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: d00df00d
I have a feeling that most cops, unless they work for one of the ridiculously self-righteous districts in MD or VA or something, understand that speed enforcement is largely bunk. Reckless driving is what police are supposed to be going after -- but that's harder to prove, so they fall back on the only thing they can use a machine to determine, which is speed.

There are always exceptions, of course, but I feel like this is the general trend -- i.e. maybe 60%-80%.

I agree.

I think more like 99+% highway patrols are decent, but few are not.

Some years ago I was South bound on I405 on a stretch of 5 lanes each way. Traffic was flowing at normal everyday speed of 73-78 MPH when it was not so heavy.

Then a CHP(California Highway Patrol) suddenly slowed down to speed limit of 65 MPH, all vehicles around him slowed down to match his speed and kept about 1 car length behind him.

After few miles there was an empty space on all 5 lanes with no vehicle on front of us for more than 1/2 miles. One car on number 4 lane slowly passed CHP at no more 1-2 MPH, when that car was about 2-3 car lengths ahead CHP car changed to his lane and turned on flashing light.

All vehicles speed up to normal speed of 73-78 MPH after that.

Lesson: Never pass a highway patrol even if he/she drive at much slower than traffic flow, unless he/she is about to exit highway. You can get a ticket for doing only 1-2 MPH above speed limit.

 

[bbhero]

I ran up on a fool state trooper going 65 in a 70 mph zone. Doggone near caused an accident everyone tripping all over themselves trying not to run over him or pass him. He was in the right lane. The person in front of me got over in the right lane behind him. I passed him going 70 to 72. I was like go ahead pull me over for going one or two mph over. I will see you in court. I slowly pulled away from him. About two miles past that point down the road he passed me going at 74 or faster in a 65 zone. If that champion had pulled me and I went to court the likeyhood would have the judge would have thrown it out. All tickets I saw one day in traffic court were all at least 10 mph over or more. So the judge wouldn't have taken 1 or 2 mph seriously.
I got to know many state troopers where I used to live at. One if them told me and I quote, " I don't start pulling people over in a 55 zone until they are at least going 67 or higher". All of the county officers told me at least 10 over in a 55 zone as well. A cheesy officer driving right at the speed limit has a authority complex. Which is probably less than 10% of police officers. 90% plus are really great guys and gals

For the record... In my profession... We have a gray area too. Let's say you have had back surgery. And you last had pain medication at 1300. And you can have two 5\325 percocet every 6 hours.. And by 1850 you are really hurting bad. I can and do have the latitude to give your medication a bit early. Which I gladly would. I'm not going to go around saying ahh no... Right to the very minute. No matter what. That's just foolish in my strongest opinion.

 

[Vikas]

WE usually don't have those problems in MA. 99% of the staties them drive like most other MA drivers aka treat speed limit as a suggestion!

 

[EuroGS]

I've been on both sides of the nice/truth and play dumb/lie window here. My very first time I was pulled over, was in the middle of a construction zone on a 45mph main city road. The zone started at a red light, and the state trooper was sitting on the side of my lane facing away from me, and I sped up after the light turned green to about 40 when I passed him(35mph construction). He flipped on the lights and pulled me over.

When he asked me why I sped past him in a constuction zone, I honestly told him I didn't think the construction zone limits applied in off hours(this was about midnight). I apologized, and was more or less freaking out at the fact I got pulled over(was probably 17) for speeding/had no front plate/headlight blackouts on at night...I thought I was dead for sure. Luckily, he came back and gave me a warning for the speeding, and dismissed seeing the other 2 flaws.

I've never done more than 2-3mph over in a construction zone since.


2nd time I was pulled over, I tried to play dumb/lie my way out of it...and ended up getting nailed. I was cruising through a neighborhood to avoid construction traffic on the main highway, and the road ended to a T. This road was so busy with people cutting through and had so many accidents here, there were posted signs stating you could only turn RIGHT at the T during peak hours of 9am-5pm M-F. Once you turned RIGHT, you had to drive about 3/4 of a mile's worth of road in order to get back to the road you end up on if you were to turn LEFT. Slightly annoying. This was about 9:10am on a Friday morning. I was pulling up to the T with my right signal on, as two local cop cars pass me going somewhere. I slowed down just enough for me to come to a stop right as they both went out of view of me.

I stupidly turned left to avoid the extra round about way, and about an 1/8 mile later I saw the same cop come flying up to me. GAH. Caught. He came up to my window, and I gave some dumb excuse that my ex g/f used to live down here(truth), but I hadn't been down this way in years and completely forgot about that rule(lie). $120 ticket later, I haven't tried to do that again.

 

[artificialist]

I never got ticketed for speeding, but it did catch up to me. I drove my Jetta 1.8T 180HP too fast, crashed, and side airbags saved my life.

Ever since then, I have never exceeded the limit by 5 MPH, unless every other driver is going far faster, and I would mess up traffic.

When I got my Lancer Ralliart, mom jokingly asked me for a notarized statement that even though I have a turbo engine, I will never use it to exceed the speed limit.