Rural Speed Traps

[JFNM]

Originally Posted by B Bob

The problem is greatly increased due to the fact that in many areas if you drive the speed limit you have people going crazy behind you trying to get you to go faster or get around you. I call that the hurry up sickness.

Indeed!

Interesting to me is the fact that LEO's in New Mexico (probably other states) do not observe the traffic laws that they enforce. Seems to me that being a good example would be an excellent place to start positively effecting public opinion.

[psaint]

Originally Posted by CampDaven

We enjoy old highway and byway routes for the relaxation and views of Americana that have been forgotten. Safer there too!
Being at or below the speed limit when passing the sign is key. Never tested this hypothesis, but some prove it true.


Dave and Nola, RV Mutants

It is far more dangerous to drive state and local roads than it is to drive on the interstates.

[RVNeophytes2]

Originally Posted by twogypsies

What was your speed as you came to the 30 mph sign?

It had slowed to 45 mph, he clocked me at 46.

[We had about 100 people at our banquet last night (all of this stemmed from a reunion of Womens Airforce Service Pilots), everyone weighed in. It seems I didn't get the memo about this little hamlet's sole source of revenue. Participants added Hamilton and Hico, two larger towns along Route 281, to the list. It's hard for RV'ers to totally avoid that major North-South alternative to the horrors of I-35. I'm used to being radared constantly, on 281; but, it's worth reiterating for all of you.]

[CampDaven]

Originally Posted by psaint

It is far more dangerous to drive state and local roads than it is to drive on the interstates.

Perhaps after dark.
I've seen enough carnage on boring freeways, as that is where folks flock, to hurry.


Dave and Nola, RV Mutants

[jerboy]

I must lead a very sheltered life. I have been behind the wheel for over 50 years and have NEVER seen a motorhome pulled over by the law.

[Jeffcarp]

Originally Posted by Sheriffbubba

I've been a "cop" for 22 years... Now granted, I have not worked anywhere in the South but I just want to remind people that police officers and sheriff deputies have a very difficult and dangerous job to do.

I have tremendous respect for police and don't know how you do what you do every day. I'd like to comment on a couple items in your post regarding small town speeding citations.

I can appreciate that residents may want people speeding through their town to be addressed. However, no resident in that town could stand and observe traffic and tell the difference between someone driving 28 miles per hour and someone driving at the 25 mile per hour speed limit. Clearly, if residents are complaining about speeders through town they are complaining about the 35 or 40 mph driver. They aren't complaining about 3 mph.

Picking someone up for driving 28 miles per hour in a 25 mile per hour zone is not a safety issue. I'm not aware of any studies that show an increased safety risk at 28 miles per hour versus at 25 miles per hour.

I even understand the need to use petty differences in the speed limit to pull over people as a tool for catching other illegal activities. I was pulled over one night on a small north-south highway in New Mexico for going 4 miles per hour over the limit. The police officer actually stated to me that the reason for pulling me over was that I was clocked at 39 miles per hour in a 35 mile-per-hour zone. After many questions and some observations on his part he basically told us that this highway is a north-south route for Mexican drug smugglers who want to bypass the interstate. Fair enough. They have a tough job to do and I don't mind getting pulled over for technically breaking the law in that circumstance. He did not write me a ticket for speeding because I was not his target and he let me go and wished me and my family a good evening.

So yes, while I understand it is easy to say don't break the law, at the same time I hope that you would acknowledge that being a police officer is all about discretion. I would guess that you exercise discretion many times per day. The small-town police that are sitting and looking for trivial violations of speeding law of a couple miles per hour are not exercising any sort of discretion and I can only conclude like others have here that the sole purpose for this tactic of policing is revenue generation.

[MSHappyCampers]

Originally Posted by SpaceNorman

With budgets being what they are - you/we may as well realize that it's all about the benjamins. Fleecing motorists is one of the easiest ways to make up a budget shortfall. You/we are merely cash cows to be harvested in many of these instances.

Unfortunately this is too true! We try to watch our speed carefully when approaching a small town!

[Gordon Dewald]

A small town near us has photo radar administered by a private company through a contract. Last year the town's cut of the revenue (40%) was over 800,000.00.

The mayor in an interesting aside during an interview noted the majority of the tickets were issued at the edges of town and it was too bad more time was not spent in school and playground zones. Note: photo radar is touted as a great safety tool used to slow traffic in critical areas.

There is also a small town south of us that is known for traffic tickets. There is a steep hill on the north side entering town that has the speed limit reduced about half way down. Heavy use of brakes is required to slow down. The police sit right at the bottom of the hill rather than a 1/4 mile farther where the edge of habitation actually starts.

[CampDaven]

Originally Posted by Jalan

I can only conclude like others have here that the sole purpose for this tactic of policing is revenue generation.

I haven't heard any solutions, only complaints, so I guess being careful is the answer.


Dave and Nola, RV Mutants

[flaggship1]

Garmin RV 760... speed limit change warning combined with careful attention. Plenty of time to adjust speed. One of the reasons we travel the Highways rather than Interstates is to slow down and enjoy the drive. That and the lack of tolls.

"Thanks to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible to travel across the country from coast to coast without seeing anything. Charles Kuralt"

Slow down and see the towns for what they are - someones home town. One additional advantage is that the RV Parks along the US Highways are often gems compared to those along the interstate.

[Gordon Dewald]

GPS helps but do not rely wholly on it. The mapping system is at times quite a bit behind the changes in speed zones and the placement of signs.

At issue as well is the distance between the speed reduced ahead sign and the actual speed sign. Some jurisdictions have sufficient distance so speed reduction can be accomplished simply by closing the throttle and coasting, others require significant braking. Some do not have warning signs at all or if they did have been tardy in replacing the fallen sign. There are standards and all drivers "should" expect consistency.

In the example picture the sign is not plumb and twisted to the side. Any sign reflectivity is greatly diminished especially at night making it difficult to read.

When I worked for a major road authority there were international sign standards that we were required to adhere to. It appears that many small and even larger municipal jurisdictions do not subscribe to the standards or do not have the knowledge or manpower to maintain.

[markmiiler]

Lawtey Florida police department has been disbanded as they were caught siphoning funds to build their personal homes.

[flaggship1]

Originally Posted by Gordon Dewald

GPS helps but do not rely wholly on it. The mapping system is at times quite a bit behind the changes in speed zones and the placement of signs.

I've found it to be fairly accurate with biggest exception being road construction. The "traffic fines doubled" in construction areas are all the input I need to be at the right speed immediately in those zones. Not surprisingly, I guess, I see very few LEOs in those areas but it only takes one.

[Gordon Dewald]

Hi Steve;
We travel between Canada and Yuma on a yearly basis.

I have noted a number of instances where the construction zone speeds are still in the current GPS database both for our GPS and Rand McNally units.

I have also noted several instances where the database is not current on the location of the edge of town speed zones. I have set the GPS to warn me two miles before a speed zone change in order to be warned of this. My Garmin Zumo does not have the warning feature but the Rand McNally does.

No tickets so far - touch wood!