Speeding Chasers....

[Jesse Risley]

Maybe this needs to be split off into a different thread, I don't know...but what do you guys think the worst agencies are for issuing citations? Personally, I believe that probably small town agencies are probably the worst about it.

I think small municipalities are good for writing the little stuff, like stopping over the stop line or speeding 3 over. My neighbor was recently doing yard work, so he hops in his truck and backs the truck across the street, turns around and pulls into his yard facing the opposite direction. He was given a ticket for failure to wear a seatbelt..lol..we live in a town of about 3,000.

However, in my experience state patrol agencies tend to be fairly strict and less generous when it comes to warnings, even with a clean driving record. Just about ever officer that I have ever had this conversation with will always say that your attitude is still probably the biggest factor in making that decision.

 

[John Erwin]

WoW!! Not sure how I would force a 6'4", 230 lb. man to wear a safety belt, but I'm glad this happened before that law was passed!

Those are my dimensions and I have no problems with wearing a belt; roominess in the vehicle itself is more of an issue.

 

[Linda Kitchen]

John, I was responding to the fact that the driver now gets the ticket. If he doesn't want to wear a belt it would be hard to force him to! He's big, and strong! In reality my husband always wears his belt, he took it off to reach in the back seat when the officer spotted him.

 

[Dustin Wilcox]

But I think forcing someone under threat of penalty to wear it is a violation of personal freedoms.

Totally agree, not wearing a seat belt affects no one else on the road. Regardless I still don't understand how you can get a ticket for not wearing a seat belt (especially with tinted windows) typically the time between when you know your getting pulled over and the cop making it to your window is at least 30 seconds, more than enough to slip the seat belt on were you not wearing it.

 

[Bill Tabor]

I'm also an airplane pilot, and I learned long ago the benefits, and essential nature of wearing a belt, not to mention in pilot training they kick this stuff into you. But I always where one while driving. It is complete habit and I never even notice I am wearing it - no big deal. All my family and most people I knew (especially those with kids) always wear their belts.

I agree the small towns and municipalities seem to be the worst about speeding and speed traps. I think it is supplemental income for the city.

 

[Mike Hollingshead]

Totally agree, not wearing a seat belt affects no one else on the road. Regardless I still don't understand how you can get a ticket for not wearing a seat belt (especially with tinted windows) typically the time between when you know your getting pulled over and the cop making it to your window is at least 30 seconds, more than enough to slip the seat belt on were you not wearing it.

When I got mine in IL in 06 my window was down as I was driving through the town. He goes by going the other way, then flips around and turns his lights on. I was like, hummm, must be getting someone else. I stop and he stops behind me. I was clueless as to why he was stopping me. When he said why I never even thought to argue, guess I figured he wasn't actually going to give me a ticket for it, but was maybe wanting to have a look in my car or hope for something else. I was wrong. He asked what I was doing and I told him I was chasing. He then took his time writing the ticket. It had to be the longest it's ever taken to get a ticket for myself. Really pissed me off because I had it on out of town till I stopped on a country road. I took it off to get crap out of the back seat behind me. I then honestly forgot to put it back on, as I normally do if I hit the highway. I get in town right after that and got that. Crap storms sure didn't help it be enjoyable either. Then a month later Marysville KS cop says I did not come to a complete stop...even though I am 100% certain I did because I saw him right in front of me about to make the turn onto the highway to go north from where I came. So I was sure to stop then go. He was just being a prick.

 

[Mark Farnik]

Just for everyone's information, in Colorado you can go up to 5 mph over on the interstates and secondary roads outside of city limits without getting a ticket. I was told this by my driving instructor when I was getting my permit three years ago, who's a 30+ year veterean of the Colorado State Patrol.
He also let me in on a dirty little secret - as long as you are driving safely, you can go up to 10 mph over the limit on rural sections of the interstates in Colorado and you won't get pulled over. Technically they could pull you over for going more than 80 mph on the interstate, but if they enforced that they would have to pull over essentially every driver on the interstate, since traffic on rural sections of I-70 and I-76 runs bewteen 80-85 on average. The CSP decided that would be a tremendous waste of time and resources, so unless you're going over 85, conditions are poor or the patrolman is just in a pissy mood, they're not going to pull you over for anything less than 85. I set my cruise about 82 and I've never had any problems with the smokies.
Secondary roads are a different story - you go more than 5 mph over, especially near a town or on a heavily trafficed stretch of road, there's a very strong probability of a ticket. There are some stretches of highway out on the eastern plains where the road is wide open and the law enforcement presence is nil where you can really push it if you have to but I prefer not to take any chances unless its absolutely necessary. So I just leave a little earlier, set my cruise about 69 mph and it's all good.

 

[Cameron Redwine]

Just for everyone's information, in Colorado you can go up to 5 mph over on the interstates and secondary roads outside of city limits without getting a ticket. I was told this by my driving instructor when I was getting my permit three years ago, who's a 30+ year veterean of the Colorado State Patrol.
He also let me in on a dirty little secret - as long as you are driving safely, you can go up to 10 mph over the limit on rural sections of the interstates in Colorado and you won't get pulled over. Technically they could pull you over for going more than 80 mph on the interstate, but if they enforced that they would have to pull over essentially every driver on the interstate, since traffic on rural sections of I-70 and I-76 runs bewteen 80-85 on average. The CSP decided that would be a tremendous waste of time and resources, so unless you're going over 85, conditions are poor or the patrolman is just in a pissy mood, they're not going to pull you over for anything less than 85. I set my cruise about 82 and I've never had any problems with the smokies.
Secondary roads are a different story - you go more than 5 mph over, especially near a town or on a heavily trafficed stretch of road, there's a very strong probability of a ticket. There are some stretches of highway out on the eastern plains where the road is wide open and the law enforcement presence is nil where you can really push it if you have to but I prefer not to take any chances unless its absolutely necessary. So I just leave a little earlier, set my cruise about 69 mph and it's all good.

Whether or not you get stopped is completely up to the officer. What you mentioned may have been that particular trooper's rule of thumb, but they can and do stop people for any speed violation, especially if there are outstanding circumstances. Officers use speed among other things for probable cause to stop a vehicle and they can stop you for one mph over if they want to.

You're right though, it's unlikely that they will stop you unless your speed is excessive or you are driving poorly. Just to be clear though, they can stop you for any speed violation and I would definitely slow down to the posted limit should you approach a cop.

A couple of years ago, a trooper ticketed me on I-25 south of Fort Collins for 84 in 75. Why? He said that he stopped me because I didn't slow down enough when I passed him. He clocked me at 84, but would likely have not stopped me if I had slowed down to 70 something vs about 80.

 

[Craig Maire II]

Just paid a speeding ticket that I got last March, 176$ I'm definitely not speeding anymore (well maybe just a little)...

 

[Robert Rohloff]

Speed and belts

07 was my 30th year as a police officer. I do not write seat belt violations to adults, children I will always write the parent. I always wear a seatbelt. I was in a triple fatal collision where I had not had the belt on during an emergecy run, I had a feeling something was not right. As I bent over my partner yelled, after the click one thousand one, two three and I almost died. No doubt I would have if the seatbelt was not on.

As an adult it is your choice. I have worked so many collisions where there was no damage to the occupant area but because the seatbelt was not worn someone died. I suppose it is your choice to be killed however it really sucks having to do a death notification, and the family ALWAYS suffer.......Speed, I usually go 14 mph and above unless it is a school zone. I still have no trouble finding vehicles over that. Some days when I was working traffic unit it was so bad I waited until 20 over. Stay safe there is always another chase

 

[Earl Faubion]

I discovered the perfect cure for this problem years ago. I don't speed.

Gee, I discovered the same thing. A simple solution to a simple problem.

 

[Bryan Putnam]

Just for everyone's information, in Colorado you can go up to 5 mph over on the interstates and secondary roads outside of city limits without getting a ticket. I was told this by my driving instructor when I was getting my permit three years ago, who's a 30+ year veterean of the Colorado State Patrol.
He also let me in on a dirty little secret - as long as you are driving safely, you can go up to 10 mph over the limit on rural sections of the interstates in Colorado and you won't get pulled over. Technically they could pull you over for going more than 80 mph on the interstate, but if they enforced that they would have to pull over essentially every driver on the interstate, since traffic on rural sections of I-70 and I-76 runs bewteen 80-85 on average. The CSP decided that would be a tremendous waste of time and resources, so unless you're going over 85, conditions are poor or the patrolman is just in a pissy mood, they're not going to pull you over for anything less than 85. I set my cruise about 82 and I've never had any problems with the smokies.
Secondary roads are a different story - you go more than 5 mph over, especially near a town or on a heavily trafficed stretch of road, there's a very strong probability of a ticket. There are some stretches of highway out on the eastern plains where the road is wide open and the law enforcement presence is nil where you can really push it if you have to but I prefer not to take any chances unless its absolutely necessary. So I just leave a little earlier, set my cruise about 69 mph and it's all good.

Then how come I got pulled over in Limon for going 74 . The speed limit drops to 65 for no reason there and the cops love that place as a speed trap. I see them sitting on the hill just east of the city every time I drive back and forth from Oklahoma.

I also have to agree with cops being pretty lenient in Oklahoma. My friend got a ticket for going 10 over in nowheresville west Texas, but we got let go for the same near Woodward.

 

[Stephen Levine]

Just a little safety reminder: Many years ago, during drivers ed, they taught us that when you go 60 MPH or greater, you are in essence steering a moving missile and that the faster you drive, the swifter your reaction time must be in order to prevent or avert a tradegy.
I know that lots of people do it, however I believe that driving 85 MPH and more is really dangerous, due to the reaction time issue. Things such as debris in the road, a swerving car, etc become that much more surprising and potentially deadly at high speeds.
Unless it's an utter emergency, like gorilla hail wrapping around a supercell and begining to hit your car, or a fast moving tornado suddenly turing direction and heading at you, I believe that high speeds should be avoided whenever possible, even on open highway.

 

[Cris Schroeder]

I've had really good luck with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. I'll bet I was stopped a dozen different times in college with all the driving I did. I ended up with one ticket for 13 over, and a bunch of warnings. They were always friendly and professional, but don't be fooled into thinking they aren't alert.

My best (or worst) one was running 75 in a 55, in blowing snow. Not as bad as it sounds as the roads were still warm, but he gave me a warning and let me know the bridges were icing up ahead. Nice guy.

Now I rarely drive more than 5-8 over. I'm just not in a hurry as much anymore. Besides, the Kansas State Police haven't been nearly as generous as the OHP. I'm 1 for 1 in Kansas when it comes to tickets.

I never sped in Texas because Oklahoma tags south of the Red River are a ticket magnet.

 

[Wayne Hlinicky]

I agree with Earl Faubion, I don't speed. One person on here from Mo. asked what about small towns on issuing citations. Beware of Edmond, Oklahoma. Don't get mad at all of the cops that write tickets. Some of us would rather do real police work than making money for the cities. There is no faster way for a city to generate large sums of money. And folks there is a QUOTA, the quota comes from the city leaders not the police officers. Sorry for any mis spelled words my company has been working 14hr days cutting up trees from the ice storm. Becareful and safe.