by admin — published on January 5th, 2010
Only 11 states in the U.S. have laws regarding speed traps. Although these operations are usually set up to provoke safer driving in areas that are prone to speeding, they aren’t always a good thing.
If you’re a driver who’s been caught speeding as a result of a speed trap setup, you may be angered and upset that you were set up like that. The easiest and most obvious way to avoid being the victim of a speed trap would be to simply drive the speed limit. However, there are some areas across the nation where the speed limit is grossly under-posted, and you may not be aware of how fast you are supposed to be going. Additionally, most speed limits are prevailingly ignored, and traffic moves at its desired flow, regardless of posted limits. Thus, if you are in an unknown city or area, you might be caught in a speed trap due to being under-informed or unaware of your surroundings. Still, not an excuse, but it happens.
Every state has laws regarding posted speeds, and what speeds should be in different areas. For example, in most cities and downtown areas, the average speed is 25 mph, as it is in most residential neighborhoods (In Texas, it’s 30 mph). However, when you are in a commercial area, depending on the specific location, speed limits will usually be set at 35-40 mph. Highway speeds generally range between 55-60 mph for state highways, and 65-75 for interstate highways, again depending on your location. Check your local state laws for more information on speed limits in your state.
If you’re traveling to an unfamiliar place, and want to avoid being the wrongful victim of a speed trap, you should research laws in that area and ensure you are informed as to what speeds are acceptable in which areas. Additionally, you can consult the Speed Trap Exchange, sponsored by the National Motorists Association, for a list of known speed traps across the country, categorized by state: Speed Trap Listings by State. This site not only allows you to view various speed traps as reported by other drivers, but you are also able to report any speed traps that you are aware of, if they aren’t already listed. Read the rest of this entry »
If you found this website/post informative or interesting,
won't you consider making a small donation or other contribution?
by admin — published on December 15th, 2009
Ohio Court of Appeals rules that a police officer cannot issue a speeding ticket because A CAR SOUNDS FAST.
The Ohio Court of Appeals on Monday ruled that a motorist cannot be convicted of speeding based solely on how fast his car may have sounded. On October 18, 2007, Patrolman Ken Roth ticketed Daniel Freitag in the village of West Salem as Freitag was driving with his wife Jane on US Route 42. Roth claimed his radar unit clocked Freitag at 42 MPH in a 35 zone. Roth also claimed he could hear Freitag’s 2006 Lincoln Navigator speeding.
“As it approached I could hear the vehicle on the roadway which based on my training and experience it is consistent with a vehicle that was in excess of the posted speed limit,” Roth testified.
A trial court judge on November 16, 2007 accepted this testimony and found Freitag guilty. Freitag challenged this decision before the Ohio Court of Appeals on the grounds that the radar evidence was not admissible. The trial court claimed it had taken judicial notice of the “Genesis Radar” that Roth used, but the state failed to specify which particular radar model was used. Freitag won on the point that the radar evidence was improperly admitted, but he lost as the court sent the case back to the trial judge to rule whether the officer’s estimate of Freitag’s speed based on the Navigator’s sound was credible. The trial court once again supported the officer and ruled that Freitag was guilty.
Freitag, however, did not give up. He appealed a second time, insisting that the officer’s testimony that he could estimate a vehicle’s speed by its sound or by watching a car’s headlights through the patrol car’s rear-view mirror was absurd. This time, the appeals court agreed.
Read the rest of this entry »
by admin — published on October 5th, 2009
Yours FREE with a donation of $20 or more!
With your donation of $20 or more, you will receive a FREE SpeedTrapAhead.org T-shirt, silkscreened front and back as you see in the picture. Just click on the “Donate” button below, enter $20 or more, indicate what size you want in the ‘notes’ section, and enter your shipping address. You shirt will be shipped within five days!
Professionally silkscreen printed on a genuine Hanes Beefy-T ® cotton shirt.
Available in medium, large, and x-large.
See a sizing chart here.
– Thanks for your support! –
by admin — published on September 27th, 2009
What to do after a crash? Most of us try not to think about that sort of thing; but, if you ARE involved in a collision, knowing what to do can prevent a lot of headache and hassle.
First, check to see where you and your car have come to rest. If you are in a safe spot, free from the danger of being hit by other traffic, exit your vehicle and assess the situation. Is anyone injured? If people are hurt, tend to their injuries as best you know how, and call 911.
If no one is hurt, and damage to your car is relatively minor, move your vehicle out of the roadway to a safer location, so you don’t block traffic, and perhaps cause more wrecks. Now, you can exchange names, addresses, phone numbers, car license numbers, VIN numbers, insurance information, and driver’s license info. If, for some reason, you are concerned about the validity of the information you are getting from the other driver, don’t hesitate to call the police. Although a police report is not necessary to file insurance claims in most instances, it won’t hurt to get an official report written if something seems a little sketchy.
In addition, be sure to get the names, addresses, and phone numbers of any witnesses. Also, note the location of the crash, including the numbered address, and nearest cross streets. If the vehicles cannot be moved, protect the scene with flares or other devices, and open the hoods of both cars.
Here’s the law in Texas regarding what to do in the event of a crash:
Read the rest of this entry »
by admin — published on August 11th, 2009
Yep, that’s right! While running an errand during a break from work, I was stopped by one of Austin’s finest. In the end, I ended up getting a ticket. And, I’ll freely admit that I was guilty of what the officer described! The only problem is: What I was ticketed for is NOT against the law!
I work in Austin, TX near Metric and Braker. During one of my breaks from work, I made a quick trip to purchase an air compressor from a Craigslist seller. He lived near Lamar and North Loop. On my way back, I was going north on N. Lamar approaching Hwy 183. At the stop light at Morrow street, I was in the left lane. Intending to turn north on 183, I realized that I needed to be in the right lane (the green arrow on the map). So, when the light turned green, I pulled through the intersection, used my turn signal, and smoothly moved over two lanes. There was only one vehicle, several car lengths to the right-rear of me; and, I was never close enough to him to be in any way reckless.
Anyway, in my move to get to the right lane, I drove over the solid white line that delineates the regular lanes from the “exit” lane (where the little red arrow points). I continued on, through the next couple of lights, turning onto the northbound access road. Then, flashing red & blue lights caught my attention. I was being pulled over by an Austin cop. But, for what?! I thought maybe I had clipped through a yellow light at one of the signals or something.
Read the rest of this entry »
Join the forum discussion 
on this post - (5) Posts
Loading ...