The mayor of Cottageville, South Carolina, a notorious speed trap, himself received a $375 ticket for speeding.

CottagevilleThe mayor of a notorious South Carolina speed trap landed himself a $375 speeding ticket on Wednesday. Colleton County Sheriff’s Deputy Robert Cook caught Cottageville Mayor Bert Reeves driving his 2005 Ford F-250 pickup truck at 103 MPH in a 55 MPH zone on Highway 303. The offense constitutes reckless driving under state law.

Cottageville makes a significant amount of its budget from speeding tickets. The town’s police often hide in a church parking lot or around a bend to ticket motorists immediately after the speed limit drops from 55 or 45 MPH to a 35 zone. Reeves is not seeking re-election.

Today, I turned on my scanner just to see how much, if any, traffic enforcement was going on in Lakeway.

As soon as I turned it on, I heard, “737 Traffic.” That means that a cop is pulling someone over for a traffic infraction. I continued to listen. “737 in the 600 block of RR 620, Texas (car license number).”

The dispatcher soon came back with the results. “737, Tag returns a 2000 Oldsmobile, expires October 2008, to (my Sister-in-Law’s name), clear, no 29.” I couldn’t believe it! She’s always had a heavy foot; but, I’ve always told her that this area is a real stickler for speeding infractions. The “clear, no 29″ part just means that she didn’t have any outstanding tickets, warrants, etc.

Anyway, she actually got away with only a warning this time. She was lucky. Most often, they’ll cite you for at least one infraction. When I talked to her later on the phone, she said, “Where’s that Speed Trap guy when you need him!”  :-)

Just another example of how much traffic enforcement goes on in Lakeway, TX. Be careful out there; and, be looking for me holding my sign. I’m really surprised how many folks see me and email me a short message of thanks, or post a comment in the forum. Thanks for the support!

Here’s a map of various Speed Traps around the Austin area:

View Larger Map with MORE Austin Speed Traps!

Lead-footed drivers on Highway 240 better be prepared to back off the gas pedal or open their wallets.

Washington State Patrol troopers will be out in force looking for speeders on the highway between Kennewick and Richland, the state patrol said Thursday.

The two miles of highway, essentially between Columbia Center Boulevard and Interstate 182, is the top spot statewide for speeders for the second quarter in a row.

A recent survey showed 81 percent of vehicles drove at or above the 60 mph speed limit on the newly built stretch of highway, the state patrol said. And, more than 1,500 vehicles were clocked driving 90 mph or faster in the last three months of last year, according to the data.

The survey by the state Department of Transportation also showed the average vehicle speed was 63.2 mph on the highway, which leads other state roads with 60 mph limits. Nearly 6 percent were recorded driving more than 10 mph over the limit.

Two motorcycles and two unmarked Aggressive Driving Apprehension Team vehicles from the state patrol’s Kennewick detachment will “aggressively” enforce the speed limit, hoping to put the brakes on speeders, said Lt. Jay Cabezuela.

“They’re going to be out there every day … until we can hopefully have a positive impact with people’s driving behavior changing on that stretch of roadway,” Cabezuela said.

A speeding ticket for going 10 mph over the limit costs $113.

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North Dakota’s speeding and traffic fines are so low they make drivers laugh, and are out of step with penalties in several cities that set their own fines, law enforcement officers say.

“I don’t doubt that there’s somewhat of a reputation out there,” said Fargo Police Chief Keith Ternes. “As soon as you hit the border in North Dakota, press on the accelerator, because even if you get caught, the fine is little to nothing.”

Ternes spoke Friday at a House Transportation Committee hearing on legislation, introduced by Rep. Ed Gruchalla, D-Fargo, to greatly increase fines for speeding and other traffic violations. Gruchalla is a retired Highway Patrol sergeant.

The fines in North Dakota law prevail in regions where the local government has not established its own. State fines go into a trust fund that benefits schools, and they often are much lower than those in Fargo, Bismarck, Minot and other cities, which may set their own fines and keep the money.

For example, running a stop sign in most of rural North Dakota now carries a $20 fine. Gruchalla’s bill would raise the fine to $50. Bryan Klipfel, the commander of the North Dakota Highway Patrol, said the fine has not been changed since he joined the patrol in 1977.

In Fargo, a stop sign violation is now $100. In Jamestown and West Fargo, the current fine for running a stop sign is $30; in Dickinson and Minot, $40; in Bismarck, $50; and in Grand Forks, $71.

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Speeding motorists could be making an expensive mistake if they contest their fines.

• Admin note: I am posting this article simply because I was appalled by the insinuation that those who get tickets and contest them are wasting their time and causing problems with the system — bogging down courts, taking officers off-duty to testify, etc. Don’t let this attitude keep YOU from contesting your ticket. Then again, don’t get duped by those who offer a ‘guarantee’. Do your OWN research. Defend YOURSELF! Don’t roll over and just TAKE IT! Anyway, read the following and interpret it as you wish. Just wanted to let you know that I disagree.

Durham Constabulary Officers from Durham Police’s road unit say they have seen a huge increase in the number of drivers who are taking their appeals to court.Between March 2006 and March 2007, only five cases were heard at magistrates’ courts in the county, but since then there have been 20.

Each time the appeal has been unsuccessful, with hundreds of hours taken up in court time.

Police say that although they are exercising a legal right, they suspect the drivers have an unrealistic belief their effort to overturn the fine will succeed, a hope fostered by numerous websites which offer letters or forms which promise to get fines quashed.

They also believe a programme broadcast on ITV last year, which questioned the validity of certain speed detection devices, including the LTI 20/20 used by forces including Durham, may have also encouraged them.

In a case heard recently by magistrates in Consett, a man from West Auckland contested a police reading of his car travelling at 71mph in a 50mph stretch of the A690 at West Rainton.

Police said the lengthy appeal process meant the case took 16 months to be heard.

He claimed the equipment used in the police safety camera van was faulty, but the magistrates threw out his appeal.

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