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Beware! SpeedTrap Town

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Beware! SpeedTrap Town

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Old Apr 6th, 2005 | 12:25 PM
  #21  
 
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Txtravelpro, you summed it up exactly!, be on alert in LA, I'm from Bastrop, north LA.
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Old Apr 6th, 2005 | 12:38 PM
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OO and those interested in Florida, there was a big to-do about Waldo a few years ago. Apparently AAA started marking their triptiks with "speed trap" for Waldo and Lawtey, 20 miles apart on the same road, US 301. They even put up anonymous billboards advertising the fact! The towns were furious with this designation, and denied the charge. But AAA (I read it in their magazine) proved it by pointing out that these small towns get over a third of their general budget, and ALL of their police budget, from traffic citations. OO, I would not want your friend's job, that's for sure - he has his PR work cut out for him!

The story: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald...ws/6528905.htm
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Old Apr 6th, 2005 | 02:40 PM
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Sewall's Point, Fl - between Stuart and Hutchinson Island. They hide and wait !
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Old Apr 6th, 2005 | 02:40 PM
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How about a couple of places in Florida where there aren't any cops?

The Florida Turnpike between Ft. Pierce and Yeehaw Junction doesn't seem to have a speed limit. I've driven it 4 or 5 times a year for the last 10 years and each time, people are driving faster and faster. A few months ago, I put the cruise control on 85 and the only people not passing me were the trucks and RV's. Average speed was 90 to 95 and I'm not exaggerating!

I-75 in the western suburbs of Miami/Ft. Laud averages 80 mph during non rush hour times. I drive it every day and haven't seen anyone getting a ticket in years.

A few more speed traps...
- Tulia, Texas (DPS on the I-27)
- Sheridan, Wyoming (I-90 southbound when you start climbing up the hill)
- Anywhere in Eagle County, Colorado (especially around the Minturn area)
- Post, Texas (north side of town where you come off the caprock and start to come into town)
- Schertz, Texas (northeast side of San Antonio)
- Anywhere between Denver & Colorado Springs.
- Walsenburg, Colorado (south of town on I-25)
- Clayton, New Mexico (east & west of town on 87/64)
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Old Apr 6th, 2005 | 02:52 PM
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I sort of have a fondness for J Turner Butler Blvd in Jax going out to the beaches. The speed limit on this "Boulevard" is 70. And everyone passes you if you are going 70

Our last speed trap ticket was coming from Sanibel Island, we were somewhere on I-95 when waaay ahead we saw a trooper walk out onto the (empty but for us) highway and out up his hand!!
An airplane had clocked us at 92 so we got our ticket. Hard to argue with an airplane..
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Old Apr 6th, 2005 | 05:19 PM
  #26  
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I clicked on this link thinking about Waldo. I grew up about 10 min from Starke. Lawtey/Starke/Waldo are death traps! They'll pull the whole pack of speeding cars over, not just the front car!
 
Old Apr 6th, 2005 | 09:02 PM
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I'm frequently fleeing Oklahoma, and one of the worst speed traps I've ever encountered is the stretch between Atoka and Durant on HWY 75. This is one of the main north/south routes between TX/OK, and the speed limit dips down to 45 mph in an eyeblink. I've been ticketed three times in the last three years, most recently as I was on my way to Dallas and my mother's deathbed early one morning last fall. The officer had zero sympathy, and I still haven't forgiven him.

TxTravelPro - I grew up around Nolanville. OO -- I used to live in Amarillo. And, as you might expect -- my driving record is rather checkered!
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Old Apr 7th, 2005 | 09:39 AM
  #28  
 
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In deference to Patrick's point, I can identify two longstanding ZAPs (Zones Aggressively Partolled) on some folks' routes to Myrtle Beach, SC.

First, if you take Highway 9 off Interstate 95, don't speed through the little town called Nichols (in SC). The speed limit drops to 20 or 25 (can't recall), and they mean it.

Similarly, but not quite as much of a ZAP, is McBee, SC. This is a route many Charlotteans take to get to the beach, Highway 151.

Happy Motoring!
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Old Apr 7th, 2005 | 11:13 AM
  #29  
 
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While this is not a speed trap it is a little piece of information to save you from a $50.00 ticket. In the small town of Ridgeway, Colorado (Northeast of Telluride) beware of the fact that the town does not have adequate lighting in their downtown area (which are dirt roads)as soon as you pull down thier "main" street you will be pulled over and informed with a nice ticket that you were going the wrong direction on a one-way street.(a very wide DIRT ROAD!!!) A nice street light illuminating the sign would have helped my husband and I out a lot.
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Old Apr 8th, 2005 | 07:26 AM
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Just what I get for trying to be clever. I meant to say *Patrolled* above.
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Old Apr 8th, 2005 | 09:30 AM
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No need to write them all out. Click here: http://www.speedtrap.org/speedtraps/stetlist.asp
Ok. I mean copy and paste.
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Old Aug 5th, 2013 | 10:02 AM
  #32  
 
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Nichols SC, Avoid at all costs, unscrupulous, unsafe and a RACKET. If I sound a little upset I am. For three decades I have been very cautious about my speed on the road and thus avoided any such tickets. Upon traveling to MB I took the wrong turn off 95 and that put me on 9 which went through Nichols SC. With a sleeping family there was no rush as getting in at 3:30 or 4am does not really matter. I played the small town game with their speed limits going from 55 - 25mph. With blue lights blazing I pulled over and received my first ticket for 38in a 25 zone. Surprised, startled and upset I headed down the road. Now with a fully awoken family they hit their smartphones and disappointment turned to utter disgust. Nichols SC, where 13 over is the norm. Where out of state plates cost you dearly and vanity even more. Stay clear, avoid their gas stations and their restaurants. Avoid Nichols SC like the plague. Never again.
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Old Aug 5th, 2013 | 10:13 AM
  #33  
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38 IS over the speed limit when that speed limit is 25...and you said there wasn't any hurry. How do you ALLOW people to take advantage of you like this anyway?
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Old Aug 5th, 2013 | 10:16 AM
  #34  
 
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How interesting to revive an 8 year old thread. But bsracket, I'm missing something in your post. You were going 38 in a 25, got a ticket for doing so, and therefore everyone should avoid this place that doesn't allow you to drive more than 50% above the speed limit? What am I missing here?
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Old Aug 5th, 2013 | 10:30 AM
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Oh, but you were right about one thing -- you called Nichols SC "unsafe". Indeed it is if people like you drive through the 25 mph zones at half again that speed!
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Old Aug 5th, 2013 | 01:52 PM
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Oh, we go through McBee, SC 4 times a year at exactly their speed limits--and they warn you with a big sign outside of town.
I think towns (and particularly if they are on the beach route, have the RIGHT to tell people not to speed through their towns. 13 over the speed limit in town IS dangerous--or can be.
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Old Aug 5th, 2013 | 06:59 PM
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Disappointment and disgust in the driver who had their lives in his hands, no doubt.
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Old Aug 6th, 2013 | 03:48 AM
  #38  
 
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To repeat something I said on this thread 8 years ago . . .to me a speed trap is a place where they try to catch people by posting a low speed sign where it is likely not to be seen -- like within a bunch of other signs, around a blind corner, or behind some trees blocking it from approaching cars. But when someone admits he saw the 25 mph signs and drove 38 and got caught -- he did NOT encounter a speed trap -- he just decided he was above the law and got caught. Boo hoo to him!

Incidentally, the above mentioned Waldo, Florida used to indeed be a major speed trap. My last trip through there, it was almost funny how many flashing lights there were on all the signs, how many signs said "low speed limit ahead" and various other things. There is no longer ANY way, ANY driver could not know what the speed limit is, so I'd no longer call it a speed trap, even if the limits do seem a little low for the no more congestion there is in the area.
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