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Post by CrankyMonkey on Nov 15, 2004 10:33:40 GMT -5
While travelling the highways of Jersey last night, I had an unfortunate encounter with one of the rather unpleasant state troopers. Apparently, they frown on going over the speed limit... by 20 mph... in a safe zone. And, despite the fact that I flashed my baby blues at him and looked quite remorseful, I STILL got a big fat ticket which will likely cost me over $250. Now, I've gotten out of my fair share of tickets (thanks to my big... eyes...) but this one really stung. Evidently, I'm losing my touch so, please, give me some new ways to evade the Man and get out of those pesky tickets!
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Post by Lissa on Nov 15, 2004 10:44:47 GMT -5
My sis got out of it once by telling the cop she was so excited to visit her sister. The cop had kids deep in the throes of sibling rivalry and let her off because she gave him hope.
My ex cried and said he was rushing home because his mother had cancer and he wanted to spend this one last mother's day with her. (Total lie. And reasons he's my ex.)
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Post by Head Mutant on Nov 15, 2004 11:19:49 GMT -5
He CRIED?
Wimp.
Pooly likes to flash them a bit of the ol' "kilt treasure chest", but I advocate quickly switching driving positions with a large stuffed animal, put a bottle of whisky into one of its paws, and then roll your eyes at the trooper and say, "Oh yeah, he's such a horrible designated driver." You might get fined, but points for creativity!
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Post by pfrsue on Nov 15, 2004 12:10:03 GMT -5
I just know this is going to seem really radical and over the top but... you could always try driving... uhm... slower? I know, I know. I don't know what came over me just then. Sorry! Sue Years with license - 17.  Traffic Stops - 1  Tickets - 0 ;D |
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Post by TheLuckyOne on Nov 15, 2004 13:09:28 GMT -5
Ah, but- are you one of those people who drive exactly the speed limit in the left lane no matter what and aggravate the hell out of all the rest of us? (And, uh, ignore that baseball bat behind my back. It's for... softball. Later. Yeah.)  -D |
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Post by Head Mutant on Nov 15, 2004 13:14:32 GMT -5
I'm notorious for driving the speed limit when I'm carting my youth group teens around. I take keeping them safe very seriously, but it's hard when they taunt me for not driving as suicidal as they do.
Actual quote from a mission trip:
Girl: [serious] Drive faster! We have health insurance!
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Post by TheLuckyOne on Nov 15, 2004 13:30:13 GMT -5
Heh. I once had a driver, the guy who took us from elementary school to our after-school program every day, who I'm convinced was the model for Otto on The Simpsons. I swear, he once took a turn -- in a van, mind you -- on two wheels. We loved it, of course.
(Well, that and he played the A-Team theme music every day. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them...)
-D
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Post by DocD83 on Nov 15, 2004 13:39:13 GMT -5
My trigonometry teacher in high school got out of a ticket once by doing some horribly complicated math very fast supposedly to prove it was physically impossible for her to have gone slower down that hill, and confusing the hell out of the cop, who didn't want to risk looking stupid by pointing out that the math was total bunk. Despite me being a 21 year old male, I have to agree with Sue. I've been driving since 15 and some fraction (whenever you can get your learners in MD, I forget), in a RED SPORTS CAR and I've never been in an accident or pulled over. Oh and Drew? You might have a baseball bat, but I have this. |
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Post by CrankyMonkey on Nov 15, 2004 13:44:23 GMT -5
I've actually tried driving slower... from time to time... but I swear, my foot is just drawn to the accelerator! Plus, my simmering "Road Bitterness" (not to be confused with Road Rage - my anger is more like a long standing grudge than a wild burst of frustration) doesn't help. Half of the time I speed up just to get away from the other drivers and have the road to myself for a few minutes!
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Post by pfrsue on Nov 15, 2004 13:46:02 GMT -5
To borrow a phrase: Some people just don't know how to drive. I call these people, "everyone but me". You can put the bat down, Drew. I'll admit to having one car totaled from an station wagon injection, two Bambi-esque episodes and even a few trips into snowy ditches. Does that make you feel any better? As far as tickets though, my best story is my sister. She was driving along with some friends and laughing hysterically at a joke someone had just told. Next thing she knows, she's being pulled over for driving erratically. The cop (Big PA trooper in a Smokey Bear hat) is standing there, waiting for her to dig out her license and she's STILL laughing. Finally she blurts out the joke, he shakes his head, mutters "women", and leaves. I figure all the good cop karma in our family was used up in that one episode, so I'm extra careful. Sue |
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MarsNeedsTowels
Boomstick Coordinator
But don't believe me, observe this commercial
Posts: 114
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Post by MarsNeedsTowels on Nov 15, 2004 13:48:11 GMT -5
That's the wrong attitude, you want to STAY with other cars. As long as you're in a pack, your chances of a ticket are greatly reduced. If i'm alone and I see a car coming up quickly behind me i'll let him pass then get in right behind him. Of course this doesn't always work and a pack of cars can get pulled over en masse but generally it's a sound tactic.
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Post by CrankyMonkey on Nov 15, 2004 13:53:56 GMT -5
I know, I know... I'm an easy target when I'm the only car around. Thankfully, I drive a fairly nondescript car and I have an eagle eye for spotting cops... except last night...  |
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Post by TheLuckyOne on Nov 15, 2004 14:00:11 GMT -5
To be honest, what I really think is that speed limit should be variable and entirely dependent on driving ability. Like, people who are terrible drivers (that would be about 95% of the people around here) should be limited to a slow speed, absolutely, for their own safety and for mine. They should also be confined to one or two lanes- to the right. Then, people who have proven they can pay attention and handle quicker speeds will be free to make use of the left lane(s). If you've been classed as a moderate driver and you venture into that left lane, hoo boy, we're talking some penalties, spanky. And it'll sure give you incentive to improve your driving ability.
Seriously, it's really the only fair way. I'll file it away with my "make the test to get your license about 5 times more difficult" and "failure to use turn signal = 6 months incarceration" ideas, shall I?
-D
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Post by Head Mutant on Nov 15, 2004 14:11:33 GMT -5
Now, my fiancee is a horrible driver, and she'd admit to that. When we were driving her car cross-country, we had all sorts of hair-raising adventures.
On day two, I did the first shift, driving 6 hours across the tundra of Wyoming. Exhausted from icy roads and high winds, I turned the car over to her when we got to Nebraska.
I was tired, and the only pillow substitute available was her gigantic stuffed moose, which I shifted to the front seat and fell asleep against.
The next thing I know, I'm being woken up to a cop knocking on my car door. We were pulled over for speeding, and here I was, drooling onto a moose. Happy days, truly, happy days.
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Post by Magill on Nov 15, 2004 14:49:28 GMT -5
To be honest, what I really think is that speed limit should be variable and entirely dependent on driving ability. Like, people who are terrible drivers (that would be about 95% of the people around here) should be limited to a slow speed, absolutely, for their own safety and for mine. They should also be confined to one or two lanes- to the right. Then, people who have proven they can pay attention and handle quicker speeds will be free to make use of the left lane(s). If you've been classed as a moderate driver and you venture into that left lane, hoo boy, we're talking some penalties, spanky. And it'll sure give you incentive to improve your driving ability. Seriously, it's really the only fair way. I'll file it away with my "make the test to get your license about 5 times more difficult" and "failure to use turn signal = 6 months incarceration" ideas, shall I? -D Um, how would you plan on implementing that? You can't do it by license plates, because those go with the car, not the driver (Mr. Speedy could have the special fast license, but his wife Ms. Notso-Speedy could have the limited license. What if she's driving his car, or vice versa?). Speed limits also take into account the type of road (limited access vs. unlimited access, gravel vs. paved) and can be negated by weather conditions (you can get ticketed for going the posted speed in a snowstorm, since it's too high for road conditions). How would your plan take that into account? I do like the 6 months in jail for no turn signal. But then, I'm a rather zealous signaler. I'm a bit skeptical of the so-called great driving ability of people who like to speed. Like it or not, even with your possibly fractionally higher reaction time, it's not going to help you if a deer suddenly jumps in front of your car and you have no place to go. This coming from someone with 2 speeding tickets. One was speeding on the Interstate at about midnight, which I knew was wrong. The second was when I thought I was on an entrance ramp, but was on a road witha 40 mph limit (I had just exited a ramp to go to a gas station, so when I left the station I thought I was getting back on the highway). It was a new area for me, but the fact that it was the night of March 17 was probably the reason there was an officer there. |
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