Rural Speed Traps This Summer

[andyshane]

I had an interesting experience yesterday, in Lipan, Texas.

It is a town of 430 people, along FM 4 north of Granbury. I was traveling northbound in support of a veterans' event at Sweetwater.

Approaching the town, I backed off at the 30 mph sign shown below, but not fast enough. 

As a result, an officer identifying himself as a police lieutenant for the town pulled me over and issued a $171 citation.

So, if bridging the confluence of state highways that lead up from Hill Country into Granbury, and Interstate 20 to the north, either avoid FM 4 or use great caution traversing this route.

Any other such places out there, lying in wait for unsuspecting motorists?
 

[wildebill308]

Not just in Lipan but all over.  There is always a big  push on holidays. Yesterday there were 6 or 7 units working the West 820-I-30 interchange area. I also saw several state police and different sheriff's department cars on the back way to Burleson. 

Bill

[tbutler]

Being retired, I stick to the speed limit, to the letter.  There may be occasional minor lapses but it is my intention to be at or below the speed limit at all times.  Yes, I've heard it all.  In the Rio Grande Valley, there are several small towns along TX 100 on the way to South Padre Island that are well known for their ultra-strict speed limit enforcement.  Not only do you have to be at or below speed limit at the sign but you also have to watch out not to start speeding up before the sign that raises the speed limit on the way out of town.

Right now we are staying with our daughter and her family in Foristell, MO, a tiny community on I-70 about 40 miles west of St. Louis, MO.  They are on constant patrol in the town with 45 and 35 mile per hour speed limits and they freely patrol I-70 within their city limits.  If there aren't cars passing you, slow down! 

It isn't only this, we were traveling through a small town in eastern Washington State in caravan with friends when a car in front of him slowed for a left turn.  With plenty of room on the shoulder he passed the vehicle on the shoulder (a common Texas driving pattern).  He was immediately set upon by a patrol car and ticketed, fined $300 for careless driving!  I am certain that this was a set-up as the police car was waiting on the opposite side of the highway off the roadway in the grass. 

Times are hard for small towns, taxes are hard to raise and tourists are fair game.  If you are out-of-town, you are vulnerable.  Out of state is double jeopardy!  Your license plate says tourist.  Driving a motor home means rich dude!  That means a bigger fine!  Forewarned is forearmed!

Slow down, travel safe this summer!

[desertdeals69]

Searchlight NV has a trap at 25 MPH.

[gelsw]

Spanish Valley Drive south of Moab, Utah. Was crawling along at 45 hunting for the vets office near the county line. Got a ticket, the speed limit is 30. Turns out there is faded paint on the pavement I had never noticed despite being there maybe a dozen times. This on a straight flat country road miles from town. Barney one bullet had quite the attitude, I just thought he was an arrogant jerk.

Route 220 south of Monterey, Va. Remembering the incident described below and not being in any hurry we were traveling about 45 mph, since leaving Elkins, WV earlier that day had twice pulled over and let faster drivers pass us. Driving through Monterey passed a sheriff and a state trooper talking to each other on the side of the road. A couple miles south on 220 saw flashing lights and pulled over to let him pass. He stopped behind me. 65 in 55 zone. I know I was doing 45. He was also an arrogant A-hole, got the impression he wanted to beat a confession out of me. At the next town south got gas and someone coming out of the station came over and cautioned me to go very slow the authorities are overly exuberent. Told him to late and relayed what just happened. He said they can't get repeat business at the hotels around the springs because of the scam the authorities have going. He walked off shaking his head dejectedly. I met with the troopers sargent and filed a complaint against Trooper Carpenter. Don't know if he still has a job or not.

And then in Michigan following route 2 into St. Ignace. Was following a fifth wheel doing 55, the speed limit. A trooper passed us going the other way, spun around and I got a ticket for doing 70. Told him no way but you know how far that got me.

Several things in common here. The last time I got a speeding ticket in Ohio was about 30 years ago and that was because I had a headlight out and that got his attention. All three of the above was in other states where I am much less likely to come back and fight it. In Michigan was driving a 550 Mercedes with the top down. In Va. was in a Roush Mustang with bright red paint. COP MAGNETS!!!

[hermanmullins]

At one time several small towns in Texas were come down on by the States Attorney Generals Office for being Speed Traps. One I can recall was the small town of Melissa, TX. Melissa is the next town north of McKinney. Hwy 75 runs through it.This was during the time when the speed limit all over the country was 55 MPH. Melissa had a population of less then 1,500 and a police force of 8 officers plus the chief. Truckers on their CBs would talk about getting one of the squad cars between them and seeing how small they could make it if they ran together.  

When the Attorney General came down on them they voted in off premises Beer and Wine sales. They were going to get your money one way or the other.

 

Herman

 

[jleamont]

Wow, interesting and humorous to read...from my seat anyway .

Last time I was stopped was in the motorhome (old C) was on I-44 in OK (2008). Got stopped headed south and back north the following week (different officer) argued with both. Both times they told me I didn't have my turn signal on prior to selecting the lane at the toll booth. After the first one I purposely put my signal on when I saw him sitting there, flashed my high beams (to get his attention) and he still stopped me, that started the argument. I told him had you been paying attention you would have seen my blinker, next time I will blow the horn. After he identified me he explained that they will stop RV's often to see if they are human trafficking. My next response obviously was "well I could be neither of you looked inside the coach"!

Funny, from the angle they both were sitting at neither could have seen my right turn signal unless they were staring at me as I approached the toll lanes, which in both cases they obviously were not since my signal had been at least 300 feet before it branched out for the toll booth and I was well under the speed limit. I told them right turn signals are only on the right side on all makes and models, you cant normally seem them working from the left side. I haven't been on that road since.

Crazy thing, while we were standing there a guy in an old 1500 Chevy pulls up pulling a travel trailer (and you heard him coming for miles truck was wound out) four people in the front seat behind the travel trailer was a car trailer with another 1500 Chevy on it with the bed full of car parts (towering up over the cab not tied down). I looked at him and said "really, you stopped me? Where I come from you go to prison for something like that". He shrugged his shoulders and said that's normal around these parts.

No citations either time, I purposely avoid that road and will not purchase anything in OK, I just glide through, honesty goes along way, if we were stopped to check for human trafficking or some other suspicion I would have had no problem with that, just don't lie to me and tell me you stopped me for a moving violation that never occurred.

[Russsilber]

Stoppped by Fl HP just south of Daytona Beach in my SC GTP. Had to wait for patrol car to catch up. I was going 123 mph according to the heads up display.

Wife bet a dollar I would get a ticket. Officer asked did I know how fast I was going? I said 123 mph. He took all the information and went back to his patrol car. He came back in less then a minute and said just slow down. Won a dollar. Go figure.

Edited June 1, 2016 by Russsilber
Spelling

[smwrld]

Similar to TButler, I was stopped on TX 100 coming from South Padre two years ago in Los Fresnos.  This year I went through the town slowly, 15 miles below the speed limit, and I picked up a policeman who followed me to the town line.  According to several friends this is a common practice in Texas.

 

[wayne77590]

Tom,

As a point of interest, many many years ago (And I mean many) a gentleman was given a citation for doing 55 in a 35 zone.  He was leaving a town  and the speed limit increased from 35 to 55 so he started to speed up and when he got to the 55 mph sign he was doing 55. He took a court hearing and at the hearing he asked the judge, "If approaching a sign doing 55 mph and the sign says 35 then I must be doing 35 when I reach the sign, so if I'm doing 35 mph and see a sign that says 55 mph can I not be doing that speed when I reach the sign?"  The judge dismissed the case against him and in his favor.   Just saying,  and precedence set.   It is a stupid law that one must be doing the lower speed limit, down shifting and braking but one cannot increase in the reverse.

[hermanmullins]

Wayne,

Another story from many, many (and I mean many) year ago ,

I was driving back to the base in Hutchinson, Ks. I was given a speeding ticket. I went to the Justice of the Peace (pun intended). He was a slightly over weight gentleman in bib overalls and the court was in the basement of the local school house. Barney Fiffe the officer ( again pun intended) that issued the citation was there.

The judge asked "how do you plead?" I asked if I could ask a question and the judge said yes. "Your honor, the speed limit in Kansas is only listed as Safe and Reasonable, correct?' 'Where the judge replied, correct." I then stated, "your honor the day I received this citation the sky's were as clear as could be, the only other vehicle in sight was this officer and you could see all the way to Thursday, yes, I was doing 70 mph and felt that that was a "Safe and reasonable speed". At this point the judge turned to Barney and asked how many days had it been since the citation was issued, where Barney replied 10. The judge said "then we still have time to issue a citation for 'Wreck less driving, so son which would you like to pay? A ticket for speeding or wreck less driving? Where by I replied, How much is the speeding ticket and the judge said $19.00.(I told you it was a long time ago) I then asked how much the ticket for wreck less driving was and he said $125.00, I said,"GUILTY of SPEEDING your Honor".  

Moral to this story is "Safe and Reasonable" mean different thing to different people, I have four children to prove it.

 

Herman 

[MiCyn]

Diboll & Corrigan TX US 59 between Lufkin and Cleveland. Watch your speed this is how they make their annual budget.

[rtardell]

I used to live east of Dallas and there was a small town named Lavon (pop-450 back then, 1.5 miles of hwy 78, 28 cops, 12 police cars, handed out more tickets than the rest of Collin Co. combined)  I was pulled over doing just under the 55MPH speed limit.  The cop already had the ticket pre filled out for 65MPH, just my name and license still blank.  He informed me I could keep it off my insurance by just seeing the magistrate (also the mayor, police chief, city treasurer) and paying an "administrative Fee".
I called the County Atty's office and was informed there wasn't anything they could, but they refused to drive thru there.
The state representative tried to get an investigation started so they instigated a smear campaign and got him voted out.

[tbutler]

21 hours ago, Russsilber said:

Stoppped by Fl HP just south of Daytona Beach in my SC GTP. Had to wait for patrol car to catch up. I was going 123 mph according to the heads up display.

Wife bet a dollar I would get a ticket. Officer asked did I know how fast I was going? I said 123 mph. He took all the information and went back to his patrol car. He came back in less then a minute and said just slow down. Won a dollar. Go figure.

Russ,

Good point.  I've been stopped several times (at least 3 that I can recall right now) for speeding, never owned anything that would go 123 MPH.  I've never had a speeding ticket.  I never argue or deny.  Yes sir, you got me, I was doing xx (whatever he said) MPH.  No sir, no excuse.  It's like talking to airport security or customs and border protection, answer the questions asked, say nothing more.  Be polite.  It may not work every time, it sure can't make the matter worse.

 

[10ec]

WHERE IS IT ALL THE TERRORIST ARE ? 

[starrcreek]

Searchlight  Tonopah and Beatty, NV.  Beatty, coming south on US 95,down hill,  the bears hid behind the big billboard for the town.  Tonopah town is hilly, patrolled by Nye county sheriff.  Tonopah, county seat for Nye county, population 3200, to the south Pahrump 32,000.  Someday the voters will move the county seat. 

Safe Travels,

Fred

[aztec7fan]

Here in Colorado, I can offer a couple of suggestions:

    If you are heading into the mountains from the Denver area along highway 285 south (going to Conifer, Buena Vista, or other parts south), avoid the urge to get a running start to go up the hill just after C-470.  The speed limit is 45 here, and this area is part of a small town called Morrison which gets a large amount of its revenue from speeders on the highway.  Same thing going downhill coming back into Denver, but at this point, you will probably be in low gear. 

 Also watch out for a speed trap in Empire as well, another small town with a notorious speed trap.

 

[rsbilledwards]

Better than 50% of Morrison's budget comes from that curvy section of S bound 285. I drive it daily. There are frequently 2 cars there. the real deal is that he cars look like Christmas trees when they hit the lights, pretty intimidating. It is a training ground for beginner cops to develop their attitudes. Then They go to Denver.

Bill Edwards

 

 

[blakeloke]

I haven't had a speeding ticket since high school and try to stay at or below the posted limit.  But, one small town comes to mind when I used to travel from Houston to Tyler/Van/Carthage regularly (East Texas via hwy. 59).  That town is Tanaha.  We still go up that way and I try to anticipate the ever changing speed limits to avoid getting in trouble.

Here's a listing of Texas Speed traps.  Some are older and others are recent.  http://www.speedtrap.org/state/45/Texas

Blake

[kaypsmith]

After 34 years, 18 of which, AAA had billboards posted in both directions that it is a speed trap, Waldo Florida, has been shut down.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/florida-town-infamous-for-speed-traps-disbanding-police-force/

[hermanmullins]

Next time you are being entertained by Lee Marvin Adams, ask about EARL, Arkansas. You will split your shorts laughing.

Herman 

[fagnaml]

Most of the small towns on US 287 between Wichita Falls and Amarillo in north Texas can be and are speed traps.  Very little distance between speed signs slowing from 70 to 50 to 30 mph in those small towns.   US 287 gets lots of summer traffic as we Texans escape the summer heat for a week of vacation and cooler temps in the Colorado or Wyoming mountains.

[manholt]

After reading all of this, I'm saying a silent prayer of thanks to my guardian angel!  In all my years off driving an RV, I have never had a ticket!  In a car, yes, 121mph on the old Galveston Causeway Bridge, cops had a road block set up at Harbor side rd. $2,000 bond, driver safety course and then I got my $ back less $500 for court cost and ticket erased from my record!  The Kemah water police gave me a ticket for doing 24mph in a 5mph no wake zone...Judge threw it out of court, when he found out I was in a 47' Blue Water Race boat.  My idle speed was 24mph...I think Kemah gets their cops from the Ozarks!

It's embarrassing, but Texas has and has had a lot of Speed Traps...be real careful around San Antonio and the Valley!

Carl C.

[blakeloke]

Good to note the speed traps on 287.  We've only been on 287 once and had a hard time keeping up with the change in speed limits.

As Mike eludes to us Texans escaping the heat to the mountains of Wyoming.  We will be leaving here soon to the cooler climes of Laramie and the Badlands.

It is hot and muggy here!

Blake

[manholt]

I'm in Ruidoso, NM.  Cool nights 57/61, warm days 70/77...some rain, hard to beat !

Carl C.

[hayesfamily]

I know this is an older post but Ill share my story as well. Coming from Florida with the Family got yanked in Turner County GA but a county sheriff sitting up on the hill by an exit ramp. "CLAIMS" i was going 94 in a 70 coming up I75 ... seriously? 

Didnt argue took the ticket and requested to got to court. How about they plea out the case and it was cheaper for me to take the plea than it was to pay a lawyer to fight a crooked system.

They get you going an coming. What can you do?