Who Will Be the Next To Get a Ticket?

[dazzleman]

Sorry I didn’t see this post earlier.  Towards the end of the drive in northeastern ohio, the waze app directs me off the main highway through more local roads through a small town called Warren.  At least 3 times while going through Warren I’ve been pulled over for no good reason.  I think I know why too.  It’s usually around 2 am and I’m in a large SUV with out of state plates.  Police is thinking I might be a drug runner or the car is stolen.  So then they see I’m a middle aged guy with his family in tow, make up some excuse of why they stopped me (you were following the speed limit but I notice you were weaving, or your rear license plate is illegible, or something like that) run my license through their computer, and let me go.  That’s happened to me at least 3 times.  So for the last several years I don’t veer from the main highway.  Outside of this last trip where non-truck traffic was going unusually fast, I don’t usually go more than 10 mph above the speed limit.  Too many cops in Pennsylvania and Northeastern Ohio.

Is Ohio one of those states that lets municipalities keep the fines from the tickets issued in their towns?  There are supposedly some times there that get most of their revenue from traffic fines.

I'm surprised to hear that you're able to keep it to 10 mph above the speed limit?  I think that would be impossible for me on a long drive, even if I knew there were a lot of cops.

Do you ever drive in Virginia?  One time, I came really close to getting a pretty heavy ticket there, but the trooper ending up pulling over the car directly behind me.  I guess I got lucky.  I was leading a pack of cars going 83-85 mph in the left lane (65 mph zone) when suddenly a statie came rushing up out of an embankment on the left.  He pulled onto the road 4 or 5 cars behind me and put his lights on.  One by one, the cars behind me starting moving over, and he stayed in the left lane getting closer to me each time.  Finally, he got to the car behind me.  I thought that once that car moved over, my number was up.  I was resigned to getting a ticket.  But when that car moved over, the statie went behind it and pulled that driver over, sparing me.  I don't know why he chose that particular car.

The funny thing is that I have never gotten a speeding ticket on a long trip.  I've driven to Florida and Myrtle Beach several times, and to Boston numerous times (though that's more an intermediate length trip).  I have received all my tickets either in local driving or short day trips.

[veeman]

Is Ohio one of those states that lets municipalities keep the fines from the tickets issued in their towns?  There are supposedly some times there that get most of their revenue from traffic fines.

I'm surprised to hear that you're able to keep it to 10 mph above the speed limit?  I think that would be impossible for me on a long drive, even if I knew there were a lot of cops.

Do you ever drive in Virginia?  One time, I came really close to getting a pretty heavy ticket there, but the trooper ending up pulling over the car directly behind me.  I guess I got lucky.  I was leading a pack of cars going 83-85 mph in the left lane (65 mph zone) when suddenly a statie came rushing up out of an embankment on the left.  He pulled onto the road 4 or 5 cars behind me and put his lights on.  One by one, the cars behind me starting moving over, and he stayed in the left lane getting closer to me each time.  Finally, he got to the car behind me.  I thought that once that car moved over, my number was up.  I was resigned to getting a ticket.  But when that car moved over, the statie went behind it and pulled that driver over, sparing me.  I don't know why he chose that particular car.

The funny thing is that I have never gotten a speeding ticket on a long trip.  I've driven to Florida and Myrtle Beach several times, and to Boston numerous times (though that's more an intermediate length trip).  I have received all my tickets either in local driving or short day trips.

I'm not sure what the rules are in Ohio regarding who keeps the traffic fine ticket cash.  I'm pretty sure at least in some areas, the local town gets it.  There's an area near Cleveland on I71 which is/was notorious for tickets.  1/4 mile of a highway passed through the town and there was always a cop car hanging out in the dark under a bridge in that 1/4 mile. 

If traffic is light and i'm on a long distance trip, I'll generally hang out in the center or right lane (if it's a two lane highway) with the cruise control on set 9 mph above the posted speed limit.  Traffic is rarely light on the east coast around NYC/Philadelphia/New Jersey/Boston but once in Pennsylvania heading west it's usually pretty light.  Sometimes I get bored and start speeding.  Time wise even for long distance trips, 69 mph vs 75 mph makes little difference.  It's much more about how many and how long each food/restroom/gas stop was and road construction slow downs. 

I haven't driven in Virginia for a long while. Not for last 15 years.  Once this Covid thing is finally over, I'm going to take my kids to Washington DC to see museums, monuments, etc and Arlington National Cemetery so I'll report back   I've heard speed enforcement in Virginia is draconian.   

[dazzleman]

I'm not sure what the rules are in Ohio regarding who keeps the traffic fine ticket cash.  I'm pretty sure at least in some areas, the local town gets it.  There's an area near Cleveland on I71 which is/was notorious for tickets.  1/4 mile of a highway passed through the town and there was always a cop car hanging out in the dark under a bridge in that 1/4 mile. 

If traffic is light and i'm on a long distance trip, I'll generally hang out in the center or right lane (if it's a two lane highway) with the cruise control on set 9 mph above the posted speed limit.  Traffic is rarely light on the east coast around NYC/Philadelphia/New Jersey/Boston but once in Pennsylvania heading west it's usually pretty light.  Sometimes I get bored and start speeding.  Time wise even for long distance trips, 69 mph vs 75 mph makes little difference.  It's much more about how many and how long each food/restroom/gas stop was and road construction slow downs. 

I haven't driven in Virginia for a long while. Not for last 15 years.  Once this Covid thing is finally over, I'm going to take my kids to Washington DC to see museums, monuments, etc and Arlington National Cemetery so I'll report back   I've heard speed enforcement in Virginia is draconian.   

You're more cautious than I thought.  I almost never let a general fear of enforcement slow me down, though I will slow down if I have definite indications of enforcement in the immediate vicinity.

I don't really speed to save time, though it helps a bit on a long trip.  I just like the feel of higher speeds and knowing I'm outside the law.  My buddy recently told me I've never gotten past a high school mentality when it comes to stuff like that and he's right.

[Morris Minor]

Virginia is infamous for speeding ticket zealotry. When my son was at school in Maryland, it was common knowledge among the students; they were always getting nailed.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

I'm not sure what the rules are in Ohio regarding who keeps the traffic fine ticket cash.  I'm pretty sure at least in some areas, the local town gets it.  There's an area near Cleveland on I71 which is/was notorious for tickets.  1/4 mile of a highway passed through the town and there was always a cop car hanging out in the dark under a bridge in that 1/4 mile. 
   

That lil Village is called Linndale! They're horrid and by state law they're NOT suppose to be on I71 at all! The law is if you have to leave your city to get onto the freeway you cannot write tickets on the freeway! There are no on or off ramps in Linndale. They have to go into Cleveland to enter or exit the freeway! They battled this in court for years. IIRC they had some kind of loophole in the law that Linndale used to continue writing tickets on I71. I think they played the "We're a village not an actually city" card! Now they're doing the same crap with traffic cameras! It was just on the news that they were sending Camera tickets to people that hadn't been through the city at all!

[Morris Minor]

That lil Village is called Linndale! They're horrid and by state law they're NOT suppose to be on I71 at all! The law is if you have to leave your city to get onto the freeway you cannot write tickets on the freeway! There are no on or off ramps in Linndale. They have to go into Cleveland to enter or exit the freeway! They battled this in court for years. IIRC they had some kind of loophole in the law that Linndale used to continue writing tickets on I71. I think they played the "We're a village not an actually city" card! Now they're doing the same crap with traffic cameras! It was just on the news that they were sending Camera tickets to people that hadn't been through the city at all!

There was  phase in England when people use to "necklace" speed cameras: sneak up at night & hang up gasoline-filled tires.

[Soup DeVille]

There was  phase in England when people use to "necklace" speed cameras: sneak up at night & hang up gasoline-filled tires.

Traffic camera vandalism is actually pretty common in the US too, but its rarely reported on because when people hear about it being done, most of them think its an excellent idea and some join in.

[CaminoRacer]

Traffic camera vandalism is actually pretty common in the US too, but its rarely reported on because when people hear about it being done, most of them think its an excellent idea and some join in.

Lol yup

[dazzleman]

Traffic camera vandalism is actually pretty common in the US too, but its rarely reported on because when people hear about it being done, most of them think its an excellent idea and some join in.

That's pretty funny.  Luckily my state doesn't have traffic cameras.  If it did, I'd have gotten 100 tickets by now.  I last got a camera ticket in Massachusetts a few years ago for illegally using a turnaround lane before hitting a toll booth.  I burst out laughing when I opened the envelope and saw what it was.

[dazzleman]

Lol yup

A camera ticket is nowhere near as much fun as a traditional side of the road ticket from a real live officer of the law...   Opening an envelope later rather than getting nailed on the spot just isn't the same.