> Just pointing to the other side of the coin, and wondering why
> somebody would be going 53 in a 35, or did you see that speed limit
> sign in your mirror ?
>
> Dooden
> A15 Green Ape
Well Dooden, there were quite a few other "little" details that I
left out in my original post because I just didn't feel like typing
it all out for everyone. But now that I've seen quite a few
responses, and after all, you did ask:
To start with, I live right on and next to this 1/4 mile stretch of
35 mph posted roadway. If I pull out and turn right, I only roll
about 200 feet and it goes up to 45 mph, then 2 miles later it's 55
mph. I go this way 99% of the time.
If I turn left (as I did this time) it stays 35 mph for only 1/2
mile and then goes to 50 mph for a short distance, then 55 mph.
In either direction, most cars do 45-55 the whole way. It's just
the way most people drive this road. I have lived here and driven
it for 7 years and always pass CHP and Sheriffs doing 5-7 mph over
and I never get pulled over for that. They WILL give you that.
They have even told me that personally. I usually stay right at 5
mph over. Not slow enough to have a mile long line of cars behind
me, and not fast enough to even worry about a ticket.
I had not driven my 4Runner in a solid week and the windsheild was
pretty dirty so I cleaned it with the squirts and wipers while
waiting for it to warm up a bit. It looked clean to me sitting
there in the driveway, but it appearently still had some funk on
it. I don't know what it was. It was dark outside.
I pulled out onto the road and my "still cold and carburated" old
Toyota started to stumble a bit. This happened in front of a few
cars coming up behind me at the speed most people travel at on this
road...........about 45. So naturally I gave it more gas to get
moving up to the same speed. Doing this probably put me a little
over the 35 mph posted limit now, but that shouldn't have been a big
deal.
I was now on a short bridge which then heads into an easy left hand
bend in the road, and I remember letting off the throttle as soon as
I got close to the speed of traffic, and just maintained it across
the bridge. As I am coming to the end of the bridge, a vehicle was
coming to a stop on my right, facing me directly, with his lights
full on in my face and lighting up my windshield. (this is where I
get distracted for the next 500 ft, and right past the cop, who's
sitting in front of a 50 mph speed limit sign) The road that that
vehicle is on is extremely steep, and facing the direction that I am
going, and it causes his lowbeams to look like they are "high" beams
and it really lights up my windshield. I have a hard time looking
through the muck still on my windshield and so I try to clean it off
some more with my squirts and wipers. As I am doing that, I pass
another road entrance on my right, that is just like the other one,
except it is facing the same direction as me and there's no one
there.
Since I know I am getting close to a major bump up in the posted
speed limit, as I am still cleaning my windshield, I subconciously
speed up and get moving. There's no more roads on my right, no
driveways, no major intersections, nobody in front of me, and I'm
heading into a 50 mph section. That's where mister wonderful was
sitting. I didn't even know it was a cop as I came up behind him.
I couldn't see details. I saw a vehicle sitting on the side of the
road, and I let off the throttle because I was still dealing with my
windshield and although I could see that the vehicle wasn't moving,
I couldn't tell if there were people beside that vehicle, on the
road, or what was going on for sure. It was just a safety reaction
on my part, also subconciously. When the cop pulled me over and
told me he clocked me at 53, (and noticed that I slowed down as soon
as I saw him) I was shocked and I let him know that. That just
seemed too high. Then I remembered that my bigger tires have the
speedo reading slower than I am going. I don't know how slow, but I
forgot about it completely cause I hadn't driven the truck in a full
week. I drive many different vehicles during the week, and I just
forgot to remind myself of that particular detail in the first 2
blocks of driving it that night. I would have remembered it in a
mile or so after passing the cop, after my windshield was clean, and
after I was settled down into the vehicle again.
So that's why I'm a bit pissed about it. That's also why I put "I
know I'm guilty" in my post heading. (Warning, rant follows) I know
that I was guilty, but come on!! I was guilty of speeding because I
chose to do the more important thing and concentrate on making sure
that I could see where I was going!! Still getting used to the
trucks controls again and cleaning the windshield off better, I was
going a little faster than some peice of metal sticking up out of
the ground says I can go. Shut the f^#$ up. Tell you what, next
time I'll say screw the dirty window, and I'll make damn sure that
I'm only doing 35 mph, as I drive by that cop again and plow into
him and kill him as I can't see him standing right next to the road
there. Oooops. Sorry bout that. But aren't you glad that I was
doing only 35 mph when I killed your husband ma'am?? Yea right.
The cop was sitting only 100-200 ft away from a 50 mph sign.
This is not the first time that I have been pulled over this way. I
got it reduced last time, and just did online traffic school.
He could see that I had windshield fluid all over my window. He
could tell that my motor wasn't even warmed up. He could see that I
am a 40 year old class A driver with every endorsment that one can
get, plus a motorcycle endorsement. He could see that I live right
there! He could see that my license is clean. He could see that I
had insurance, the truck registration was current. He could see
that I was very polite and cordial. He could see that I was white.
(hehehe just a little joke guys, don't freak)But no, he had to give
me a ticket anyway, all the while saying, "boy, I might as well go
home now. I'm just not doing my job here giving you a break and
all. The judge is gonna see this and say "what? only 9 miles
over?" OH brother. Was this guy for real? The speed limit signs
do not have a brain and cannot take into account weather, road
conditions, traffic, vehicle condition, and how much experiance and
control and brains the driver has. The cop can! He chose not to
use his brain. He just wanted to write another ticket.
Of course I'm going to fight it. I'll let you all know what happens.
MrMoose
A14 (4 awhile)
But on the other side, if there were no Police I could just shoot them
crackheads and thiefs....
Things that make you go... Hummmmmmmmmmmmmm
Just pointing to the other side of the coin, and wondering why
somebody would be going 53 in a 35, or did you see that speed limit
sign in your mirror ?
I have thanked the State Troopers and Sheriff deputies when they pull
people over in front of my house, 35 MPH posted, but folks go by at
highway speeds.. one deputy told me if I want to video tape them and
send it in they might even ticket based off the video.
Dooden
A15 Green Ape
> > > > MrMoose > > A14 (4 awhile)