• Got the Contributing Memberships stuff finally worked out and made up a thread as a sort of "How-To" to help people figure out how to participate. So if you need help figuring it out, here's the thread you need to take a look at -> http://www.corvetteflorida.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3581 Thank you, everyone! Rich Z.

My Last Ticket

Bob K

Deceased
About two years ago I was cruising along I87 in Connecticut. All of the traffic was in the left two lanes but the right lane of the 3 lane Interstate was wide open. So you can guess where I’m at. BTW, I’m cruising at 100 MPH and the radar detector is on. I know how to use this thing and you always want someone down the road in front of you because if you’re hit with the radar you’re a dead duck. You need to pick up the radar before it picks you up.

So anyway I’m cruising and I can spot an unmarked car a mile away. So I thought. All of a sudden I have these flashing lights in my rear view mirror. Damn, I’ve had it and I know it. I pulled over, put the four ways on and rolled down the window. I also have the utmost respect for these guys. It’s a very dangerous job. I think 99.9% are good guys and I have several friends retired from various police agencies.

The officer walks up and asks me if I knew my speed. I said yes I knew it was excessive. He then tells me he’s been watching me for awhile and he knew I could handle the speed and the car but he said he couldn’t allow me to drive that fast because other drivers would think they could also. After that compliment he could do no wrong in my book. :D

He takes my license and insurance back to his red SUV. Now you know why I didn’t see him. In a few minutes he returns, hands me my license, cwp and insurance card. He said he wrote me up for 80 MPH because anything over that he would have to put me in cuffs and take me to jail. He advised that if I paid the ticket on time it would be $360.00 but it would never be reported to Florida. I thanked him and told him to be safe.

I have a friend who is retired from the force up there and I’m telling him the story at the track the following Sat. John tells me not to pay it. He says to call the prosecutor and tell him John is my uncle and also works for me since he retired. Well, as nice as that officer was to me I didn’t do it and I mailed in the $360.00. John thought I was nuts. Do you?
 
Bob, I don't think you were nuts for paying the ticket but a bit crazy for doing 100mph with traffic on your two left lanes.
 
IMO, yes you did do the right thing. The cop gave you a HUGE break and I would hope that he will continue to use his judgement in similar situations. He may not be so nice to others if he found out you went around it.

Also, we choose to play, sometimes we gots to pay. I think your payment this time around was pretty cheap.

I feel you did the honorable thing. Good job.

Cheers
 
Bob, I don't think you were nuts for paying the ticket but a bit crazy for doing 100mph with traffic on your two left lanes.

I disagree Lou. The traffic in the left 2 lanes didn't have anything to do with it in my opinion. That's the way people drive today. They don't seem to grasp that the left lane is for passing. If they all had been in the right two lanes would it have mattered?

Also understand that I was not cutting in and out. I had a straight shot with no traffic in that right lane. I'm also driving a Corvette that was built and designed for those speeds and I am very comfortable driving at those speeds. Had I been 'pushing it' or driving a lessor car that would be a different story.
 
IMO, yes you did do the right thing. The cop gave you a HUGE break and I would hope that he will continue to use his judgement in similar situations. He may not be so nice to others if he found out you went around it.

Also, we choose to play, sometimes we gots to pay. I think your payment this time around was pretty cheap.

I feel you did the honorable thing. Good job.

Cheers

Thanks Brad. He was a very nice guy as most of them are and I didn't want to cause him any problems and I also felt I had to do right by him. Like you said, he gave me a huge break. As for paying to play, I have only been issued one ticket that wasn't justified and I won that case in court. Any other time I had it coming.
 
He takes my license and insurance back to his red SUV. Now you know why I didn’t see him. In a few minutes he returns, hands me my license, cwp and insurance card. He said he wrote me up for 80 MPH because anything over that he would have to put me in cuffs and take me to jail. He advised that if I paid the ticket on time it would be $360.00 but it would never be reported to Florida. I thanked him and told him to be safe.

What speed zone were you in? Pretty expensive fine for an interstate speed zone.
 
I'm just guessing 65 MPH. I don't remember but he did say anything over 80 or 85 was cuffs and jail. I can't remember. This was in '05. My last ticket. I usually get one maybe every 5 yrs o so.
 
Seems to me the ticket was well deserved and the officer was doing his job...We do not need anymore senseless deaths amongst our distinguished group due to reckless driving habits...
 
Seems to me the ticket was well deserved and the officer was doing his job...We do not need anymore senseless deaths amongst our distinguished group due to reckless driving habits...

I never said the ticket was not deserved or that the officer wasn't doing his job. I posted exactly the opposite. I also agree that reckless driving is dangerous. That's why they call it reckless. What has this got to do with my post?
 
Yeah it was probably 65. 20 mph over the posted limit they can deem reckless driving and can impound your car. He certainly hooked you up. Thanks for paying the fine. You do the time (speed), you pay the fine. :thumbsup:
 
Yeah it was probably 65. 20 mph over the posted limit they can deem reckless driving and can impound your car. He certainly hooked you up. Thanks for paying the fine. You do the time (speed), you pay the fine. :thumbsup:

Hmmm, looks like maybe you worked up there?
 
I'm pretty sure it has to be 30 over to be reckless in Florida, but who knows up there. I got 92 in a 65 on wet (-ish) roads and it wasn't reckless, and my friendly neighborhood officer wasn't so friendly or neighborly towards me.

Now as for "deserving" a ticket, I could argue that all day. As I've proven in more than one thread.:hehehe: But that is a pretty damned expensive ticket for 15 over. I got hit $270 for mine, remind me not to speed in (or maybe even travel to) Connecticut.:ack2:
 
I'm pretty sure it has to be 30 over to be reckless in Florida, but who knows up there. I got 92 in a 65 on wet (-ish) roads and it wasn't reckless, and my friendly neighborhood officer wasn't so friendly or neighborly towards me.

Now as for "deserving" a ticket, I could argue that all day. As I've proven in more than one thread.:hehehe: But that is a pretty damned expensive ticket for 15 over. I got hit $270 for mine, remind me not to speed in (or maybe even travel to) Connecticut.:ack2:

He never explained why anything over 80 was cuffs to jail. He just said the law up there.................... and I really don't remember a dis-courteous cop except that one in 1970. I remember the date because I just bought a new Mustang. Some are very brief and business like so I just respond in a like manor and I don't give them any BS excuses.

That ticket may have been the standard rate for an out of state driver.
 
I'm pretty sure it has to be 30 over to be reckless in Florida, but who knows up there. I got 92 in a 65 on wet (-ish) roads and it wasn't reckless, and my friendly neighborhood officer wasn't so friendly or neighborly towards me.

Yeah, I meant to post most states. I know louisiana used to be 20 over. It's also up to the officer. 21 over doesn't automatically say straight to jail, but give the cop some grief, and it just gives him the authority. I thought FL was 20 over too, but I never looked into it as it really doesn't concern me. :thumbsup:
 
Didn't imply that this (your) cop was anything but nice. But mine seemed pretty pissed and I paid less, kinda confused me. Guess it's expensive to go fast up there...
 
Didn't imply that this (your) cop was anything but nice. But mine seemed pretty pissed and I paid less, kinda confused me. Guess it's expensive to go fast up there...

I didn't mean to imply that you implied. :D It's all good. :thumbsup:
 
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