Narrowly Avoided Ticket

[dazzleman]

The other night, I thought for sure I was going to be on the receiving end of some "enforcement."

I was on I-84 in New York State, doing about 80 mph in a 55 mph zone.  The road was pitch black, something that I am not really accustomed to, since I live in a more developed area and most of the roads are lit at night.

I blew by a NYS Trooper who was sitting in a blackened car on the center median.  As I passed him (I saw him too late to slow down), he flashed his spotlight on me.  I've heard that that's a sure sign that a cop is going to pull you over.

I've seen those guys work in teams on that road, so I thought that he'd either come out after me, or radio my plate number and description to one of his buddies a little of the road.

I slowed down and kept going, but nothing happened.  I never got pulled over.  My lucky streak continues.    

[footoflead]

The other night, I thought for sure I was going to be on the receiving end of some "enforcement."

I was on I-84 in New York State, doing about 80 mph in a 55 mph zone.  The road was pitch black, something that I am not really accustomed to, since I live in a more developed area and most of the roads are lit at night.

I blew by a NYS Trooper who was sitting in a blackened car on the center median.  As I passed him (I saw him too late to slow down), he flashed his spotlight on me.  I've heard that that's a sure sign that a cop is going to pull you over.

I've seen those guys work in teams on that road, so I thought that he'd either come out after me, or radio my plate number and description to one of his buddies a little of the road.

I slowed down and kept going, but nothing happened.  I never got pulled over.  My lucky streak continues.  

He was probably just trying to scare you...or was to lazy to go after you...

either way..your a lucky man  

[dazzleman]

He was probably just trying to scare you...or was to lazy to go after you...

either way..your a lucky man

I've been lucky many times.  One of these days, my luck is going to run out...  

[L. ed foote]

Congratulations  

Normally, I'd punch it and get off at the first exit.  Then again, up there probably puts you in the middle of nowhere (don't know how far from CT you were)

[Catman]

Consider that a warning.  

[dazzleman]

Congratulations  

Normally, I'd punch it and get off at the first exit.  Then again, up there probably puts you in the middle of nowhere (don't know how far from CT you were)

I was probably about 10-20 miles from the Connecticut border.  It was near the Taconic Parkway.  I had no idea where I was.  Plus, I had my dad in the car, and I didn't want to be pulling a lot of strange maneuvers.

Foote, is it true that when a cop flashes his spotlight on you at night, it usually means your goose is cooked?  I always heard that, and I was fully expecting to have a nice roadside introduction to one of the staties on duty that night.  I was surprised when nothing happened.

Thanks for the congrats, man.  I know you've been in the same situation many times.    

[dazzleman]

Consider that a warning.

Hah, I know.  I've received many warnings of that type through the years, and a few tickets.  It hasn't slowed me down yet.    

[dazzleman]

Congratulations  

Normally, I'd punch it and get off at the first exit.  Then again, up there probably puts you in the middle of nowhere (don't know how far from CT you were)

I was actually in a similar situation a couple of times in the past.

Once, on the Bronx River Parkway just north of the County Center in White Plains, I was doing about 55 in a 40 mph zone.  After going around a curve, I saw a cop on the service road.  I saw him too late to slow down, and as I passed him, he started to come out after me.  Before he got too close, I went around another curve, and we lost sight of each other momentarily.  At that exact point, there was a traffic light, and I made a split second decision to make a quick left (I was in the left lane), and I got off the parkway and drove randomly around the residential streets for a little while.  After a decent interval, I got back on the parkway further up, having successfully evaded what would have been my first speeding ticket.

More recently, I had a similar situation without such a happy ending.     I was going a little over 50 mph down Route 1 in my town (speed limit 35 mph).  It was a stretch of road that opened up like a highway, and the few businesses located there were closed.  It was at night and there was almost no traffic.  I blew past a hidden cop and never saw him.  I continued down Route 1 at 50+ mph, thinking what a great drive I was having.  Oblivious to the fact that there was already a cop after me, I went right by an entrance to I-95 and continued down Route 1, hitting all the green lights.  A minute or two later, I saw the flashing lights in my rear view mirror.  I was so sure I hadn't passed a cop that I assumed he was going to some other emergency, and I moved over so he could pass.  As I moved over, I learned that I was his emergency.  

Of course, if I'd known he was after me, I could have gotten onto I-95 and lost myself in the traffic on that road, and he probably would never have found me.  This stop was actually pretty comical, because I crossed the town line as he pulled me over.  Apparently, the cop who was after me had radioed ahead for backup from the next town.  So right after I pulled over and gave my paperwork to the one cop, another police car from the next town showed up.  He left after a minute, after talking to the cop who pulled me over.  Then, a backup from the first town showed up, and stayed for a minute.  I was pretty flattered to be getting all that attention.     Fifteen minutes and one ticket later, I resumed my trip.

[Tom]

And we complain about cops being lazy...worked out for the best this time.

[dazzleman]

And we complain about cops being lazy...worked out for the best this time.

That's for sure.  

I'm not sure he was being lazy.  There were other cars, and maybe he decided to go after somebody else who was going faster.  Also, I was in the right lane, which sometimes makes a difference.  I think they're more inclined to go after people in the left lane.

But I was surprised and relieved that I didn't get pulled over and ticketed.  In any case, I probably wouldn't have gotten points out of it, so I don't think it would have bothered me too much to get nailed.  I drive pretty fast, and I accept the fact that I'm going to get tagged occasionally.  As long as I don't get a few tickets back-to-back, I don't worry about them.

[L. ed foote]

Foote, is it true that when a cop flashes his spotlight on you at night, it usually means your goose is cooked?  I always heard that, and I was fully expecting to have a nice roadside introduction to one of the staties on duty that night.  I was surprised when nothing happened.

It happened to me, and I was pulled over.  I was in the right lane, and I was bringing up the rear in a line of cars.

[TurboDan]

Had a similar event happen to me about a month ago on the Garden State Parkway, near exit 117.  Was doing about 82 or so, and passed a trooper hiding out behind a sign.  I couldn't believe that he didn't go after me.

I would be surprised if the car *did* go after me had it been near exit 125.  The NJSP usually parks an empty car in the median, in an attempt to get people to slam on their brakes before the Driscoll Bridge.    

[dazzleman]

Foote, is it true that when a cop flashes his spotlight on you at night, it usually means your goose is cooked?  I always heard that, and I was fully expecting to have a nice roadside introduction to one of the staties on duty that night.  I was surprised when nothing happened.

It happened to me, and I was pulled over.  I was in the right lane, and I was bringing up the rear in a line of cars.

Did you get a ticket that time?

[dazzleman]

Had a similar event happen to me about a month ago on the Garden State Parkway, near exit 117.  Was doing about 82 or so, and passed a trooper hiding out behind a sign.  I couldn't believe that he didn't go after me.

I would be surprised if the car *did* go after me had it been near exit 125.  The NJSP usually parks an empty car in the median, in an attempt to get people to slam on their brakes before the Driscoll Bridge.  

Dan, it's also occurred to me that we speeders can sometimes be a little egocentric and even a little paranoid, in the sense that we think that cops sitting on the road are always looking for us, but sometimes they may have a description of a person or a vehicle involved in a more serious crime that they are looking for.

That could explain why they would ignore our speeding even when it is blatantly obvious.

Incidents like the one I described are a big part of the reason that I am not one of these people who's always complaining about the police and their enforcement practices.

[the nameless one]

Dan, it's also occurred to me that we speeders can sometimes be a little egocentric and even a little paranoid, in the sense that we think that cops sitting on the road are always looking for us, but sometimes they may have a description of a person or a vehicle involved in a more serious crime that they are looking for.

That could explain why they would ignore our speeding even when it is blatantly obvious.

Bigger Fish Syndrome.

[L. ed foote]

Welcome, t.n.o.  

How are things up there?

[L. ed foote]

Did you get a ticket that time?

Of course.  Not that it mattered, as soon as he was out of sight, I resumed normal cruising speed.

But yeah, I saw the spotlight, then saw him hit the lights and rapidly back out the cutout.  Dead to rights.  Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.  This was on I-90.

[MaxPower]

The other night, I thought for sure I was going to be on the receiving end of some "enforcement."

I was on I-84 in New York State, doing about 80 mph in a 55 mph zone.  The road was pitch black, something that I am not really accustomed to, since I live in a more developed area and most of the roads are lit at night.

I blew by a NYS Trooper who was sitting in a blackened car on the center median.  As I passed him (I saw him too late to slow down), he flashed his spotlight on me.  I've heard that that's a sure sign that a cop is going to pull you over.

I've seen those guys work in teams on that road, so I thought that he'd either come out after me, or radio my plate number and description to one of his buddies a little of the road.

I slowed down and kept going, but nothing happened.  I never got pulled over.  My lucky streak continues.  

My dad got nailed like that on I-84 in NY a couple years ago.  He was taking me home from school, trying to make time.  Neither of us even saw the first cop, but the second was waiting for us and nailed us.

[dazzleman]

My dad got nailed like that on I-84 in NY a couple years ago.  He was taking me home from school, trying to make time.  Neither of us even saw the first cop, but the second was waiting for us and nailed us.

That's just what I expected to happen.  I guess I was pretty lucky it didn't.

Still, I basically have Foote's attitude toward tickets.  I would have resumed my speed once I got away from the cop.

[TurboDan]

Neither of us even saw the first cop, but the second was waiting for us and nailed us.

That's what happened to me on the NJ Turnpike (I-95) in 2004.  I narrowly escaped the fuzz the first time around, and got nailed when his buddy had set up shop a mile or two down the road.  

Eh, whatever.  It never went on my record anyway.  (87 in a 65, I believe).

[sparkplug]

My dad recently got a ticket for going 88 in a 70. He deserved it. Driving 88 in a minivan. He broke the law. Funny thing is that he was in Florida and airplanes were checking people's speed. The ticket was printed out from a computer printer. I think they used some kind of thermal ink. But I'll be honest with you, as much as my dad speeds I surprised that he doesn't have more tickets.  

[the nameless one]

Welcome, t.n.o.  

How are things up there?

Less snow than you, apparently.

[L. ed foote]

Welcome, t.n.o. 

How are things up there?

Less snow than you, apparently.

An once in a lifetime event...  I'm sure you guys get much more overall in the Cortland valley.

As always, there are stupid people behind the wheel that don't understand basic physics.

[dazzleman]

As always, there are stupid people behind the wheel that don't understand basic physics.

You've got that right, Foote.

My favorites are the people who think that having 4-wheel drive means you can drive on snow and ice just as you would on dry pavement.  I hear it all the time -- how 4-wheel drive keeps them safe in the snow.

Do they not know that while 4-wheel drive helps you get moving in the snow, it does nothing to help you stop.  It's unbelievable how stupid some people can be.

Back to the topic, I can see from responses from guys like Foote and TurboDan that I wasn't paranoid to expect to get picked up for speeding a little further down the road from where I got flashed with the light.  Apparently, this exact thing has happened to a lot of people.

[IrishGuy]

I got the spotlight treatment before when I was doing 55 in a 45

[dazzleman]

I got the spotlight treatment before when I was doing 55 in a 45

Did you get pulled over?

[sparkplug]

I think you need to go up to the police and tell them to write you a ticket. I believe it would ease you conscious. Yeah right. We don't need no stinking tickets.

I consider the stress on people who get a ticket and weren't trying to speed. They suffer a little more stress because a speeder gets tickets all the time, but someone whose has driven 30 years and never got a ticket, they are the ones who worry a lot, like me.

[dazzleman]

I think you need to go up to the police and tell them to write you a ticket. I believe it would ease you conscious. Yeah right. We don't need no stinking tickets.

I consider the stress on people who get a ticket and weren't trying to speed. They suffer a little more stress because a speeder gets tickets all the time, but someone whose has driven 30 years and never got a ticket, they are the ones who worry a lot, like me.

You're right sparkplug.  I worried more about getting tagged before I it ever happened than after.  Once I had broken the ice and actually gotten my first ticket, I saw that the fear of it was far worse than the reality, and I was never worried about or bothered by getting a ticket again.

What all this means is that you need to just go out there and get yourself a ticket.  :P   Clearly, it's a threshold that you have to cross, for your own peace of mind.  Once you get one and see it's not a big deal, you'll never worry about it again.

BTW, this is NOT how the system is supposed to work.  The punishment that accompanies a ticket is supposed to make a person avoid infractions in the future, at least for a period of time.  But among most people I know, the effect is just the opposite.

[IrishGuy]

I got the spotlight treatment before when I was doing 55 in a 45

Did you get pulled over?

Nope. It was an unmarked Impala. I got hit with 'Instant on radar.'

I was getting ready to pull over but he just continued driving the opposite direction. I stayed exactly the speed limit on the way home figuring that I got my gift for the day.

[dazzleman]

I got the spotlight treatment before when I was doing 55 in a 45

Did you get pulled over?

Nope. It was an unmarked Impala. I got hit with 'Instant on radar.'

I was getting ready to pull over but he just continued driving the opposite direction. I stayed exactly the speed limit on the way home figuring that I got my gift for the day.

Yes, that was a nice gift.  I've gotten many of those.  Though it could just be that you weren't speeding by enough to be worth the officer's trouble.  I think sometimes, they flash the light to scare you, and make you think they're coming after you, when they may not really intend to do so.