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[MultiMillionMiler]

Once when I was 18 (still a senior in high school), I was driving with a friend down a major rural road that connected our two local towns through the country here in Indiana (going about 63 in a 45). The problem wasn't just that I was speeding, but it was also 9 am on a school day. We were trying to make it to one of our other local high schools to get on a bus to Indianapolis to catch a flight for a school sanctioned business club trip.

Unfortunately "we're trying to catch a flight and we're running late" is not a good excuse for speeding through the country on a school day where there's no airport around lol... the first and only ticket I've ever got

So did you end up making the bus?

[Rothman]

I was pulled over on the Thruway once.  Originally, the trooper cited me for going 80 in a 55 mph work zone.  I claimed he actually zapped a truck that was passing me (not making that up -- a black truck zipped by me).  He dropped it to 70 mph, insisting that he "had me as clear as day."  I fought it in court and got it reduced even further.  Never affected my insurance.

I've complained on here about the Waverly, VA speed trap, where a local cop pulled me over for speeding up towards a 45 mph speed limit sign on my way out of town.  There's a whole cottage industry of lawyers in that area that help out-of-staters fight their tickets in court.  If you do a search on the Internet, unfortunately African-Americans tell their kids to be careful in the "W" towns along US 460 (Wavery, Wakefield, Windsor...).

The best pullover I had was by a bored National Park Service Law Enforcement Ranger.  I pulled out of Cold Harbor in VA and a half-mile down the road, he pulled me over.  He asked me if I knew why I was being pulled over and I said I had no idea.  I was going under the speed limit, if anything.  He said I did not stop at the stop sign when I pulled out of the battlefield.  He then went on this nutty speech about how I had kids in the car and how I was endangering everyone's lives and being reckless.  He then came back to the car, issued me a warning, but emphasized that I was in "THE SYSTEM" and any other NPS LEO would see that I was pulled over once...if I was pulled over again in an NPS site.  My daughter was stifling laughter.

[royo6022]

Once when I was 18 (still a senior in high school), I was driving with a friend down a major rural road that connected our two local towns through the country here in Indiana (going about 63 in a 45). The problem wasn't just that I was speeding, but it was also 9 am on a school day. We were trying to make it to one of our other local high schools to get on a bus to Indianapolis to catch a flight for a school sanctioned business club trip.

Unfortunately "we're trying to catch a flight and we're running late" is not a good excuse for speeding through the country on a school day where there's no airport around lol... the first and only ticket I've ever got

So did you end up making the bus?

My teacher was not happy but we made it, nonetheless. She thought it was funny after she found out about the interaction and ticket. 

It's still on my official record but it's since been removed from my license because of Indiana's new program.

[MultiMillionMiler]

I was only asking because traffic stops could end up taking longer than whatever time saved.

[royo6022]

I was only asking because traffic stops could end up taking longer than whatever time saved.

Ain't that the truth. I have been late to other things several times due to being stopped for speeding but have never gotten a ticket for them. Most of those have been BS though... there's one spot on a highway near the house where I grew up on the county line, state troopers will sit out there in droves overnight and stop anyone going 1 mph over the 55mph limit... once they stopped me there for going 58 and he didn't even ask me for my license, just asked me to slow down...

[Bruce]

Rural Idaho town, going 38 in a 35 approaching a 45 zone. Got the whole spiel.

Did you get off with a warning rather than a ticket?

Sounds like Carey ID, a notorious speed trap at the US 20/US 26 junction.

Got a warning but it took 30 minutes to "process" and made me late enough to miss the cutoff time for checkins at my hotel for the night. Bonners Ferry, never again.

[chrisdiaz]

If we're talking worst warning: I was driving on a road in Conway, SC. I was cleaning my glasses and not paying attention to my surroundings. I was going 48 in a 35. I pulled the "I just moved here and didn't know" card and it worked. Normally I try to stick to 9 over.


Worst ticket (and only ticket): I was 18, a senior in HS, and went home for lunch. I left a little late to drive back to school. There is another school zone on my way to my high school. The normal speed limit on the road is 40, and the school speed limit drops to 15 for the school. The cop clocked me at 43 in the 15. I was extremely mad. It was 11am (yes on a school day) on a normal hours day, and the fact that the speed limit drops more than 50% for a school zone is ridiculous. Also, every student that attends that school receives transportation, so there is no excuse that the speed limit "is for the walkers".
I went to go fight the ticket, and as per usual, they were not willing to budge. Even with an attorney, nothing. $450 ticket, $500 attorney, $300 Driver Responsibility Assessment, and 6 points on my license.

[elsmere241]

This happened twice, in Apex, NC where I lived at the time:

I was coming home from work (in north Cary) around 12:30 am, and was zipping through downtown Apex, almost home.  A cop was heading the other way, clocked me, turned around and pulled me over.  He ran my license and registration, told me how fast I was going (56 in a 35 once) and let me go.  I think because it was so late and there was no other traffic, that I got away with it both times.  I did try to be more careful after that, though.

[MultiMillionMiler]

If we're talking worst warning: I was driving on a road in Conway, SC. I was cleaning my glasses and not paying attention to my surroundings. I was going 48 in a 35. I pulled the "I just moved here and didn't know" card and it worked. Normally I try to stick to 9 over.


Worst ticket (and only ticket): I was 18, a senior in HS, and went home for lunch. I left a little late to drive back to school. There is another school zone on my way to my high school. The normal speed limit on the road is 40, and the school speed limit drops to 15 for the school. The cop clocked me at 43 in the 15. I was extremely mad. It was 11am (yes on a school day) on a normal hours day, and the fact that the speed limit drops more than 50% for a school zone is ridiculous. Also, every student that attends that school receives transportation, so there is no excuse that the speed limit "is for the walkers".
I went to go fight the ticket, and as per usual, they were not willing to budge. Even with an attorney, nothing. $450 ticket, $500 attorney, $300 Driver Responsibility Assessment, and 6 points on my license.

That's a scam. What were you supposed to slam on your breaks or something as soon as you see the sign? 15 mph is too slow a speed limit for any zone on a public road. Unless you're in a parking lot or something, Good God.

[ET21]

Nothing, have yet to be pulled over. But I've been tailed a few times when driving home late, very clear they were looking up my plates 

[index]

80 in a 55 on 421 in eastern Watauga County. My excuse was that I had to go to the bathroom. I wasn't lying. The trooper let me off with a warning and told me to take Pepto next time or something.

That, and I was extremely anxious and shaky. I have absolutely no idea how I did not get a ticket. I was in a very rough patch at the time, so a few months later I ended up writing the guy a thank-you note sent to the local office in Hudson, NC.

[zzcarp]

If we're talking worst warning: I was driving on a road in Conway, SC. I was cleaning my glasses and not paying attention to my surroundings. I was going 48 in a 35. I pulled the "I just moved here and didn't know" card and it worked. Normally I try to stick to 9 over.


Worst ticket (and only ticket): I was 18, a senior in HS, and went home for lunch. I left a little late to drive back to school. There is another school zone on my way to my high school. The normal speed limit on the road is 40, and the school speed limit drops to 15 for the school. The cop clocked me at 43 in the 15. I was extremely mad. It was 11am (yes on a school day) on a normal hours day, and the fact that the speed limit drops more than 50% for a school zone is ridiculous. Also, every student that attends that school receives transportation, so there is no excuse that the speed limit "is for the walkers".
I went to go fight the ticket, and as per usual, they were not willing to budge. Even with an attorney, nothing. $450 ticket, $500 attorney, $300 Driver Responsibility Assessment, and 6 points on my license.

That's a scam. What were you supposed to slam on your breaks or something as soon as you see the sign? 15 mph is too slow a speed limit for any zone on a public road. Unless you're in a parking lot or something, Good God.

15 does seem excessively slow for a school zone with no walkers, etc. There can be appropriate places for a 15mph limit with buildings close to the street and the potential for pedestrians-we have those in some of our Colorado mountain communities such as Ward-but they should be for extraordinary situations, not as a rule.

I once got a ticket in a school zone in Sycamore, OH for doing 33 in a 20. The problem was I'd slowed from 35 to 20 for the school zone, but right after the driveway (where several people had stopped in front of me to make a left turn into the parking lot) was a speed limit 50 sign, so I sort-of gunned it. The actual "End School Zone" sign was another 500 feet away at the intersection where I was turning. The cop seemed to be flying when he caught up with me a mile or two out of town. I should have argued the signage issue, but it was cheaper to pay the $100 ticket and not miss work than to go to a courtroom 90 minutes away.

[webny99]

I got pulled over once for 78 mph in a 55 mph zone - definitely too fast, but the worst part was that I had just been passed by an Audi doing 80+ at least. I wouldn't say we were racing, but close to it. I was on a road I'm super familiar with, and running late for work, so I wasn't even really watching my speed or watching for cops. I was in the right lane and the Audi was in the left but he saw the cop before me and braked first so he got away with it while I got pulled over and got a ticket. I was only 18 at the time so I was too nervous to bring that up to the cop, not that it would have made any difference, but it was still incredibly frustrating to watch a faster driver escape before my eyes.

[chrisdiaz]

If we're talking worst warning: I was driving on a road in Conway, SC. I was cleaning my glasses and not paying attention to my surroundings. I was going 48 in a 35. I pulled the "I just moved here and didn't know" card and it worked. Normally I try to stick to 9 over.


Worst ticket (and only ticket): I was 18, a senior in HS, and went home for lunch. I left a little late to drive back to school. There is another school zone on my way to my high school. The normal speed limit on the road is 40, and the school speed limit drops to 15 for the school. The cop clocked me at 43 in the 15. I was extremely mad. It was 11am (yes on a school day) on a normal hours day, and the fact that the speed limit drops more than 50% for a school zone is ridiculous. Also, every student that attends that school receives transportation, so there is no excuse that the speed limit "is for the walkers".
I went to go fight the ticket, and as per usual, they were not willing to budge. Even with an attorney, nothing. $450 ticket, $500 attorney, $300 Driver Responsibility Assessment, and 6 points on my license.

That's a scam. What were you supposed to slam on your breaks or something as soon as you see the sign? 15 mph is too slow a speed limit for any zone on a public road. Unless you're in a parking lot or something, Good God.

Literally. That was when I lived on Long Island. Now I live in South Carolina, and the speed limit only drops 10mph for a school zone. I was just annoyed that they have a speed limit that low for a school that nobody walks to, but thats just Suffolk County, NY for you.

[chrisdiaz]

Damn 78 in a 55? In Long Island, usually nothing under 80 draws the attention of police unless you're driving like an asshole or conditions are horrible. I feel bad for you because an 18 year olds car insurance is already much higher than normal, and then you have to add a ticket onto that for exceeding an absurdly low limit designed for 1950s cars.

After I got my speeding ticket (mentioned above) for 28 over in a school zone, my insurance, as a driver on my parent's policy, was $250 a month. Now, in South Carolina, my insurance is $347 for SIX months. NY car insurance is expensive because everyone drives like assholes.

[Amaury]

On a drive to Lake Forest Park, Washington, back in October, I got a "ticket" in the mail a week or so after the drive from going 27 MPH in a school zone in the city from those stupid enforcement cameras. I was at an intersection and just got going a little too fast from a dead stop after turning left and pretty much slowed down immediately. Unfortunately, those dumb cameras aren't human beings who can use their own judgment to see that you slowed down right away. It was processed as a parking infraction and didn't go on my record, so I'm not counting it.

So, just warnings for me.
* Pulled over for crossing the deadman's space when getting on Interstate 82 westbound at the Firing Center area (MP/Exit 26). I was behind a semi, so I got on the freeway early to get around it. At the same time, I wanted to be courteous and let the semi get on, so I also went all the way to the left lane.
* Pulled over for running a stop sign at night in Kittitas.
* Pulled over because I didn't get slowed down quickly enough to 35 MPH coming into Electric City, Washington, on a drive to Omak, Washington, back in April 2021. Got clocked at 44 MPH.

All warnings, as mentioned.

[jakeroot]

Worst ticket (and only ticket): I was 18, a senior in HS, and went home for lunch. I left a little late to drive back to school. There is another school zone on my way to my high school. The normal speed limit on the road is 40, and the school speed limit drops to 15 for the school. The cop clocked me at 43 in the 15. I was extremely mad. It was 11am (yes on a school day) on a normal hours day, and the fact that the speed limit drops more than 50% for a school zone is ridiculous. Also, every student that attends that school receives transportation, so there is no excuse that the speed limit "is for the walkers".
I went to go fight the ticket, and as per usual, they were not willing to budge. Even with an attorney, nothing. $450 ticket, $500 attorney, $300 Driver Responsibility Assessment, and 6 points on my license.

Did you not see the school zone at all? 43 in a 15 zone is brave as hell.

[CtrlAltDel]

* Pulled over for crossing the deadman's space when getting on Interstate 82 westbound at the Firing Center area (MP/Exit 26).

What is a deadman's space?

[chrisdiaz]

Worst ticket (and only ticket): I was 18, a senior in HS, and went home for lunch. I left a little late to drive back to school. There is another school zone on my way to my high school. The normal speed limit on the road is 40, and the school speed limit drops to 15 for the school. The cop clocked me at 43 in the 15. I was extremely mad. It was 11am (yes on a school day) on a normal hours day, and the fact that the speed limit drops more than 50% for a school zone is ridiculous. Also, every student that attends that school receives transportation, so there is no excuse that the speed limit "is for the walkers".
I went to go fight the ticket, and as per usual, they were not willing to budge. Even with an attorney, nothing. $450 ticket, $500 attorney, $300 Driver Responsibility Assessment, and 6 points on my license.

Did you not see the school zone at all? 43 in a 15 zone is brave as hell.

I most definitely saw it, ironically it was the elementary school that I went to, so I really had no excuse  It was just annoying that it drops THAT much. Nobody actually goes 15 to be honest.

[Rothman]

* Pulled over for crossing the deadman's space when getting on Interstate 82 westbound at the Firing Center area (MP/Exit 26).

What is a deadman's space?

*bets on it being the gore*

[Amaury]

Yes.

[CtrlAltDel]

Ah. So, if I'm understanding correctly, your path was more like the red arrow than the blue one:


I was thinking along the lines of cutting through the park and ride, and then across the grass to the ramp. But I really didn't think that was right.

[Amaury]

Yes. I started moving over about where the white car is here: https://goo.gl/maps/8hw6tMpyUFZJjKhZ9

[webny99]

Damn 78 in a 55? In Long Island, usually nothing under 80 draws the attention of police unless you're driving like an asshole or conditions are horrible.

Well, Long Island doesn't have 65 mph, so your 55 mph is kind of like our 65 mph.

Around here 20 mph over the limit is faster than most traffic and puts you at high risk for getting a ticket no matter what the limit is. 15 mph over the limit or less is usually fine. 15-20 mph over is sort of the buffer zone, but since that ticket I rarely exceed 20 mph over.

[CtrlAltDel]

Yes. I started moving over about where the white car is here: https://goo.gl/maps/8hw6tMpyUFZJjKhZ9

Gotcha.