Re: [DMCForum] Re: Cop stories

[Ryan Wright <ryanpwright@xxxxxxxxx>]

Martin,

On 12/14/05, Martin Gutkowski <martin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Over 150,000 miles on British and European roads since I passed my test
> in 1996. I'd never been pulled over, till I got to Atlanta on the way to
> the Memphis show, half an hour after landing, got pulled for 83 in a 70
> (or something, I forget). I explained to the officer that a) I'm

You're lucky. If you were going any faster, you'd have been in real
trouble. In most states 15mph over the limit is a criminal reckless
driving offense. $500+ fine, license suspension and a good chance of a
short visit to the county jail. Oh, and they'll require SR-22 "high
risk" insurance for the next 3 years if you want to drive again; that
will run several hundred dollars a month to obtain.

These can always be reduced to a simple speeding ticket with the help
of an attorney. Of course, that's not in the least bit cheap. When I
was 16 I raced a guy from one stoplight to another, resulting in a
reckless driving charge. The guy I raced hired an attorney and plead
innocent. I didn't know better, showed up by myself and plead guilty
(because I was guilty. I didn't know you were supposed to outright
lie.) He got a $100 fine, I got $500 + 1 month license suspension + 90
days in jail + 3 years of SR-22. How's that for fair?

So I went back and hired an attorney of my own. Revoked my guilty plea
and did things "right". Ended up with a couple hundred dollar fine
(and a $2,500 bill from the lawyer, but still, it beat the shit out of
the alternative).

> Just want to have a quick moan too - what got me more annoyed about US
> highways than anything were the apparent random speed limits. You'd be
> chipping along at 75 and suddenly for no discernable reason, its 55.
> Then 65. Then 75. And if you miss the sign, you're screwed! Over here,

Exactly! This is intended to collect revenue. They sit in a hiding
place right on the other side of the sign and wait for your ass.
Often, they'll hide just before an increased speed limit - say it goes
from 55 to 70, they sit a couple hundred feet before the 70 because
people always speed up early.

Speed limits are also intentionally lowered in many places well below
what they should be. If you're on a road that feels like you should be
doing 55, because you're out in the middle of fracking nowhere, they
might have the limit set at 35 or 40 so they can sit on the side and
bust you.

Speed limits in the United States are neither set nor enforced for
safety, they're set and enforced for revenue. That's all it is.

--
- Ryan
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