Worst places to get a ticket

[golden eagle]

Technically, no place is a good place to get a ticket, but what places do you definitely need to be on the watch for cops? For me, it's Union County, IL. My uncle, a Greyhound driver in Chicago, once told me that if you get a traffic ticket there, you can't mail your ticket, go into town and pay it at that moment, pay online, etc. Instead, you have to physically go back there on an appointed court date. Supposedly, the rationale behind it is that out-of-towners would have to get a hotel room to stay while they come to take care of their fines, thus it would generate revenue for the area. Knowing that, I also slow down through Union County. 

[leifvanderwall]

You do not want to get pulled over by the University of Michigan police, especially after you leave a bar. They will make you go through exercises and give you a breath test right on the spot, and they will be DISAPPOINTED if you are not legally drunk.

[jdb1234]

Technically, no place is a good place to get a ticket, but what places do you definitely need to be on the watch for cops? For me, it's Union County, IL. My uncle, a Greyhound driver in Chicago, once told me that if you get a traffic ticket there, you can't mail your ticket, go into town and pay it at that moment, pay online, etc. Instead, you have to physically go back there on an appointed court date. Supposedly, the rationale behind it is that out-of-towners would have to get a hotel room to stay while they come to take care of their fines, thus it would generate revenue for the area. Knowing that, I also slow down through Union County. 

That sounds very similar to Harpersville, AL minus the hotel room part.

[Scott5114]

Texas has some ridiculous definition of what constitutes "night". Things I would still consider "daytime" are considered "night" by the cops, and uses that to write tickets. This resulted in me getting a $175 bill in Wheeler County once.

[agentsteel53]

Texas has some ridiculous definition of what constitutes "night". Things I would still consider "daytime" are considered "night" by the cops, and uses that to write tickets. This resulted in me getting a $175 bill in Wheeler County once.

I tend to use my rule of thumb: "the more ridiculous the law, the more heavily it is enforced" - so a speed limit lowering for "night" likely takes place in mid-afternoon.  Texas is the most honest state in the land with regards to their speed limits - like every other state they will pull you over for doing 86, but they sign 80 instead of 75.  And at night ... yep, best to keep it under 70 or so when it is signed 65!

[architect77]

While driving from California to NC back in 1998, I got a ticket in west Texas for going 109mph. I had to go and pay the sheriff all the money I had in my wallet($250) right then and there. I was happy to do it since Texas didn't exchange information with other states and my insurance comp. would never find out. I was pulled over just four hours later however for going 87mph and had to again pay the sheriff in person near Roby, Texas.

[agentsteel53]

I get the distinct idea that that cash never made the county's official coffers...

[mightyace]

I get the distinct idea that that cash never made the county's official coffers...

Gee, now why would you think that? 

[golden eagle]

While driving from California to NC back in 1998, I got a ticket in west Texas for going 109mph. I had to go and pay the sheriff all the money I had in my wallet($250) right then and there. I was happy to do it since Texas didn't exchange information with other states and my insurance comp. would never find out. I was pulled over just four hours later however for going 87mph and had to again pay the sheriff in person near Roby, Texas.

Why didn't you not drive more carefully after the first ticket?

[rawr apples]

Beaverton,OR

cops seem to be ruthless here

[agentsteel53]

Ahh, good old Beaverton.  A friend of mine once got a ticket for going 46 coming off a 35mph residential zone, onto the freeway onramp (signed 55).  He was told the speed limit remained 35 until he actually got to the highway through lanes.  Yeaaaaah, real safe.

[hbelkins]

While driving from California to NC back in 1998, I got a ticket in west Texas for going 109mph. I had to go and pay the sheriff all the money I had in my wallet($250) right then and there. I was happy to do it since Texas didn't exchange information with other states and my insurance comp. would never find out. I was pulled over just four hours later however for going 87mph and had to again pay the sheriff in person near Roby, Texas.

You got two speeding tickets within four hours' time? You didn't learn your lesson from the first one? How did you pay the second one if you had to pay all the money you had for the first one?

[TheStranger]

I can't believe nobody's mentioned that infamous speedtrap near Columbus (now defunct)...where tickets often were given for the most spurious reasons, too:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Rome,_Ohio
http://www.newromesucks.com/

[Scott5114]

Boy, I'm reading that New Rome site, and some of the stories there irk me to no end. Thank God that town was abolished. 

In Oklahoma, we no longer have to worry about ridiculous speed trap towns, as there is a state law on the books which requires cities and towns to report the percentage of their income that is from traffic fines. If it is over a certain amount, the town forfeits all rights to enforce traffic laws in favor of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. However, one particularly nasty OHP officer has made national news twice due to--I shit you not--pulling over an occupied ambulance and then another incident involving excessive force. He was suspended twice but it somewhat concerns me that OHP is unable or unwilling to just fire the guy.

I'm a bit worried about the town of Washington, OK as well. I have a friend who lives there, and towards the beginning of the school year she was pulled over 4 times or so for the most inane reasons. Once she was issued a ticket for ~$300 and encountered baroque requirements in how the fine was to be paid (can't remember now, but I seem to recall it involved money orders and had to be delivered by hand). One other time she was pulled over for something like a taillight and the (male) cop made her get out of the car and frisked her, making it a point to, uh, "check" her breasts. That pissed me off to hear about, naturally, though she was just content that it saved her from getting a ticket. Although the one time I was pulled over in Washington--I was going to visit that friend and was mere yards from her house when I got pulled over--it was for a perfectly legitimate reason (I was speeding and I knew it) and I was politely let off with a warning. Maybe she's just pissed off the wrong person somehow. In any event, I don't think they could make enough money off of traffic fines to end up getting barred from enforcement, because the town itself has about 200 residents (but growing) and is located on SH-24, which elegantly connects the town to nowhere of importance, just sort of snaking around the bowels of McClain County and terminating at the same highway it starts on.

[andytom]

Beaverton,OR

cops seem to be ruthless here

My experience has been the opposite.  In the 13 years I've been here, I've only been stopped once and that was for being down to 1 working brake light.  He let me off with a warning on the condition that I get them fixed the next day.

--Andy

[roadfro]

I can't believe nobody's mentioned that infamous speedtrap near Columbus (now defunct)...where tickets often were given for the most spurious reasons, too:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Rome,_Ohio
http://www.newromesucks.com/

I've never seen so many stories about police abuse of power/brutality/incompetence in my life.  I've never heard of New Rome, but I am sure glad for everyone that this corrupt village was dissolved.