85fortheDrive

This is my story, and I'm sticking to it...

The shark has a new front spoiler, new sound system, new coat of wax. I'm out on the backroads of northwest Chicagoland and have some Skynyrd on. All by myself. 35,45,55,6....

Blue lights, red lights.

The first thing the officer says to me is, "That's a very fast car you have there sir." I'm not a veteran of speeding tickets and so I'm not exactly sure what my best line is at this point. So I'm offering this story as a piece of advice to all you Rennlist pals.

If you are doing 65 in a 40 and are pulled over, the following response to the officer will merit you a $95 ticket:

"Um, I was only in third gear."

ODSharkBytes

I got pulled over on the way to work last year, and I the cop asked me if i had a Concealed Handgun License, and I responded by handing him the license. He said he meant was I carrying a handgun, and I said i was on the way to work, and did my uniform resemble a Postal Service uniform in any way..... he did not laugh..... i got 4 tickets.

Bill Ball

All I can say is it good thing you really weren't pushing it too fast.

John Struthers

sHARK wranglers rush in where angels fear to tread.
No one said we were very bright but we do have good tastes

SharkSkin

Next time, try: "Is it really? I felt like I was standing still."

goodspeed928

65 in a 40 here would be $250

928drvr86.5

Hey Chicagoland,

I was nailed coming into Galena, Illinois last fall for 70 in a 55 on the way back from Joliet where i was looking at a '91 S4. You know in Illinois you can plead "guilty with supervision" , you basically take a 4 hour class where they make you watch horror flicks about car crashes and such and then the points do not go on your record and no insurance increase. It costs about $30.

928drvr86.5

So anyway, if you're familiar with that area, i was going through Tapley woods/Galena territories where it is a nice smooth road with moderately tight curves. I was following this old chap whom was of course doing only 45-50 in a 55, and when i finally got to the passing lane about two miles before Galena I hammered around him as the copper was sitting at the top of the hill. I honestly only got up to 70 which he radared me at just for that short amount of time it took to pass the guy and then i reeled it back in to 55. So he pulls me over down the road and i ask him if he radared me in the passing lane going up the hill back there. "Yes where you passed the guy that was actually doing the speed limit," he says. So I retorted, "How would you know? I thought you were radaring me?" 85 bucks for that little statement wasn't too bad. I didn't take the 4 hour course either, and still nothing from the insurance company.

AO

Never admit to anything. If you admit, he won't acquit! That said, get yourself a really good radar detector - either the Valentine 1 (my choice) or the Escort 8500 X50. Some will say they give you a false sense of security; and they are right, but it also gives you a heads up if there is a lazy cop in the area. I got pulled over last year when doing 80 in a 40, but the cop didn't have his radar on, and I knew it, so I didn't admit to anything, and he couldn't prove it either. No ticket. (I got lucky.)

Then there was this one time when I got pulled over for doing 108 in a 65 in PA. He got me with instant on. I got a ticket.

928drvr86.5

And this one time.... at band camp..

Moe Szyslak

When I had my '87 black on black, I was driving along here in SC at about 50 mph. The speed limit is 45, but I'm cruising with traffic into Anderson, so I'm good. I proceed onto the overpass that takes you over I-85, and I decide to gun it by this older gentleman who is in my way. As I step on the gas and hit 60 (and maybe even 70), I get by the old man pretty quick. However, the glee left my face as I notice a state trooper watching me from his stance beside a car he has obviously pulled off of the highway I had just passed over. I look right into his eyes as I ease off the gas and fly by him. I'm talking milliseconds, but we had a moment.

So I let her settle down back to 45 (with the use of the brake which I know is a bad idea since he's watching me disappear around the corner), and I'm thinking "he's too busy to jump into his car and come after me". About 15 seconds later he's on my *** with lights flashing. So I pull over into a parking lot and roll my window down waiting for him to appear by my side asking for license and registration. So he comes up to my window and says, "you know, that car sticks out like a sore thumb". I say, "I just got it". He takes my license and registration and goes back to his car. I'm know he didn't get me on radar since he was outside giving another poor sap a ticket, but I'm thinking I'll get one anyways. So he comes back and says, "Keep it at the speed limit", and walks away. No ticket. No explanation. I say, "Thank you officer", and I go on my merry way.

I didn't speed for like, two days after that...

fbarnhill

Mo,
I can't believe he let you go. I have never "over 30 years" had one let me go. I try to be polite and remember to say 'sir' even if they are young enough to be my son, but it just never works. I got a 95 in a 55 once and I thought the HP guy was going to pull the door off the hinges. He wrote ticket, i paid $90.00 for ticket hoping it was the end of it. Two weeks later, the NC DMV sent a letter requesting my drivers licence. The next day I got a letter from my insurance company canceling my insurance. Then a letter from the bank canceling the note on my loan and requesting that I pay the balance within 7 days. I drove a suburu wagon ($300.00) for 3 years after that. Haven't had a bad ticket since. (I am more careful where i air it out)
Good luck
Frank Barnhill
79 Euro

85fortheDrive

Ben:

Galena is really beautiful - we've been out there to ski a coupla times.

Here's another little contour to my incident. I hear the cop get out of the squad car behind me and walk up to my car. I roll down the window and look straight into a flashlight. Then I hear a very nice female voice say, "That's a very fast car you have there, sir."

The flashlight moves away from my eyes and now I can see a very attractive female police officer. Beautiful black hair, large brown eyes. Too many things went through my mind at that point:

< SELECT CASE

:: "Hey! D'ya like Lynyrd Skynyrd?"
:: "Gosh, there doesn't seem to be anyone out here except you and me..."
:: "Have you ever played a game called Warden's Wife with the Escaped Convict?"
:: "Um, I was only in third gear."

>

I blame all of this on the little-known Revert to Adolescence trigger that's located in the driver's seat cushion of my shark. You probably have one too. I'll search the board for removal tips.

Nah, maybe not...

Moe Szyslak

Frank,
Wow, that is a depressing story. I feel for you, honestly. I think in my case the State Trooper may have let me off because he didn't get me on radar, and assuming he checked my record when he went back to his car, he found I had not had a ticket in over 10 years. A that point, the last ticket I had had was when I was 16, so it probalby didn't even show up. And although this probably would have nothing to do with it, I think he admired my 928 since his only words to me were, "that car sticks out like a sore thumb". But who knows. I counted my lucky stars and kept myself in check for a while after that.

By the way, I had to sell that 928 when I went back to graduate school. I have recently finished that confounded degree and am working again. I will be purchasing another 928 within the next 6-8 months, and I can't wait!!!!!!

heinrich

Wow. Here is the EXACT reason why you MUST MUST MUST have:

1) world's best radar/laser protection;
2) speed dial to an excellent, proven attorney;
3) presence of mind to not admit to anything.

I really like the original poster's response that he had only been in third gear. That response is courteous, factual and does not admit to any wrongdoing. If the cop is a mensch, he'll let you go. But if he's filling his quota, that response does not admit to anything and your lawyer can still help you.