A speed-trap town finds itself caught up in inquiry (McBee SC)

Charlotte Observer ^ | Jun. 22, 2006 | Sammy Fretwell

[AppyPappy]

In the old days, NC salesmen who drove through SC a lot carried their license in a separate little wallet that displayed the license in a little window. Tucked behind the license was a $100 bill. The cop would take the license (in the wallet) back to the car and then come back, issuing a warning for speeding. The $100 bill would be gone.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

U.S. Route 15 between Frederick and Thurmont in Maryland ALWAYS has at least two state troopers and two Frederick county mounties lying in wait within a five mile span every evening during the rush hour. Needless to say, I see several happless commuters pulled over every night on the way home.

My brother-in-law got a ticket there a couple of years ago for doing 57 in a 55 MPH zone, and last summer I had an encounter near the Rt. 550 exit north of Thurmont with a Frederick deputy who pulled out into morning traffic from a just-completed traffic-stop, played the old game of speed-up/slow down (between 45 and 55) to jam up traffic behind him, and pulled me over after I changed lanes and gently passing him at 55 MPH. After holding me for some 20 minutes and doing the usual license, plate, registration, and sticker check, he gave me a written warning for not using my signal light when I changed lanes.

Pretty petty since it was obvious that he was trying to provoke someone into either tailgating him or speeding if they got frustrated and passed him on the road.

[Fester Chugabrew]

Google Earth has it listed as "McColl." The picture is fairly hi-res. Which of those fine establishments has the "Autodark Bashlight" system?

[Leroy S. Mort]

Sign erected by then governor Lester "Pickrick" Maddox on US 301 in GA...

[Moose4]

I know the feeling. A couple of months ago my wife and infant daughter and I were coming back into Richmond on US 360 through Amelia County. I was running along with a clump of traffic doing about 62 mph when we all spotted an Amelia County deputy parked well off the road (as in, out in a field at least 30 yards from the highway) facing perpendicular to traffic.

Well, as soon as we went by, he came flying out in the road, cut my little Ford Focus out of the herd, and pulled me over. Somehow, from 30 yards away, at 60+ mph, in the middle of a pack of pickup trucks and minivans, he spotted the fact that I had my front license plate jammed up on the dashboard instead of bolted to the bumper...because we just moved back up here from South Carolina, where you don't HAVE to have a front plate, and the stupid car has noplace to attach the plate in the front! No bracket, no holes, no nothing. It's never had one. He looked very disappointed that that was all he could nail us on.

Personally I think he thought we were out-of-staters and figured he could pin something on us. Because, y'know, a white thirtyish couple with a three-month-old in a four-door Ford Focus is just SO DAMN SUSPICIOUS.

The annoying thing is, yeah, I was in the wrong. I admit that. But I've driven that car around for nine months with the front plate stuck on the dashboard, passing about a squillion police officers, and not one's even blinked. Heck, there's a cop that lives in my apartment building and he's never said a word to me about it. *shrug*

}:-)4

[El Gran Salseron]

The Meadows, TX just Southwest of Houston is a real speed trap.

[Dumpster Baby]

I spent my early working life, 1960's-1970's, focussed primarily on traffic radar equipment, working in manufacturing, sales, and repair operations. The overwhelming majority of traffic radar gear is sold to governmental entities as just another line item of equipment they have to buy for their LEO's. But, I encountered many cases where the radar guns were sold directly to Billy Bob Redneckerson who worked as a Depitty, a Marshal, etc, on a sort of contractural basis for whatever government entity. Billy Bob would spend thousands of dollars out of his own pocket to buy his own patrol car, lights, siren, radios, uniforms, leather, guns, radar gun, etc, etc, and would work for the county or the village for *free* - no salary or wages. Billy Bob would get a percentage of the revenoo he done wrangled up, so the more revenoo the more take home. We're talking hotshots with no legal or law enforcement education of any kind, just a burning desire to play Smokey.

[Sentis]

Thats the main problem with law enforcement right now. The desire to use law enforcement officers as tax collectors for communities and so you give officers incentives for stopping people or you punish officers that don't stop enough.

[RipSawyer]

Google Earth has it listed as "McColl." The picture is fairly hi-res. Which of those fine establishments has the "Autodark Bashlight" system?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I certainly don't know, I never went there even when I was young and stupid, you couldn't pay me to stop for a beer in McCall, McColl, whatever the correct spelling is, now that I am old and senile. There are people over there with Scottish surnames and evil tempers.

[Fester Chugabrew]

Hehe. The demographic details attest to sizeable Scottish representation.

[Xenalyte]

As does the mighty metropolis that is Shepherd, Texas.

[I got the rope]

They do not even run your license to see if there are warrants out on you. If they ran your license and you had a warrant then the officer would have to bring you in, process you and that would remove him from his tax (fine) collecting duties on the Highway. They won't risk it. The officer hands you your ticket right and off he goes in search of his next victim.

You know what. I'm from Eldorado. I know the Sheriff and all the deputies. I know the city cops as well. You're full of crap.

[speed_addiction]

You know what. I'm from Eldorado. I know the Sheriff and all the deputies. I know the city cops as well. You're full of crap.

I have gotten nailed twice there in the last year, guy. Once on the Sonora side, once on the Christoval side. A few more times in the last 5 years. My daughter was driving another time and she got stopped and ticketed for 73 in a 70 right past Pave Paws. Not one single time did the Sheriff's deputy or State trooper even run our license. He had us stopped, wrote up and back on the road in five minutes.

I drive through Eldorado several times a week going to San Angelo and I never fail to see at the very least one car pulled over on each trip there and back. I go months without seeing anyone pulled over when I drive through Sutton and Tom Green County.


What We Are About To Do Here Is What The Good Lord Would Call A Cleansing of the Wicked. I Call It A Good Old Fashioned Texas Ass Kicking.

[Gigantor]

The Police were just doing their jobs, following standard procedure. There is no evidence of any policeman violating a citizen.









/s

[I got the rope]

My daughter was driving another time and she got stopped and ticketed for 73 in a 70 right past Pave Paws.

Come'on man! What's your problem? Your nickname implies that you are probably breaking the law everytime you get on the road. Speed limits are there for a reason.

BTW...do you remember the picture of class 13-87? I know that wasn't you. I don't want to hijack this thread, but you are a poser. Quit calling yourself a Ranger and delete your profile. You're embarassing yourself.

[speed_addiction]

BTW...do you remember the picture of class 13-87? I know that wasn't you. I don't want to hijack this thread, but you are a poser. Quit calling yourself a Ranger and delete your profile. You're embarassing yourself.

Like I said on the other thread. What is it you are trying to accomplish here? I served, I am proud of it. Besmirch my service if you want. Not that I can stop you, but I CAN pay you no mind.

As far as my username, it is because I like to ride bikes. I have not had a ticket on my bike in three years. Of course, I have not been speeding around Eldorado either.


What We Are About To Do Here Is What The Good Lord Would Call A Cleansing of the Wicked. I Call It A Good Old Fashioned Texas Ass Kicking.

[SC Swamp Fox]

South Carolina Ping

Add me to the list. | Remove me from the list.

[Palmetto]

Sorry, had to be done - or else.

Town Councilman Dusty Rhoad said

"I'm the American dream!"

[MissEdie]

Which of those fine establishments has the "Autodark Bashlight" system?

I'm not sure- it's been a while since I've had to go anywhere near McColl (thanks for the corrected spelling).

[CORedneck]

For now, Colorado does not put out of state violations on your record - that is, no points, no record. I don't know how much longer that will be. As I mentioned in many other postings, there is the coming Driver License Agreement (DLA) as being pushed by the AAMVA. When this DLA was written, too bad, nothing was mentioned about abusive hick/small town speed traps.

Many gov't entities use traffic violations as revenue enhancement. If I was in the State Legislature, I would sponsor a bill to get rid of the point system for minor violations and mention that traffic tickets are not for safety but for revenue collection.

I got a speeding ticket in Missouri just for 10 mph over the limit. Bye, bye to $83 and 3 points against my Missouri operating privilege but no points in Colorado. It is revenue, not safety. I happen to go through a saturation enforcement area - I-35 around 51 mile marker North of KC.

This DLA will even add violations from foreign countries against your record (Canada and Mexico). It does not take into consideration the corruption and lack of due process especially in the South (Louisiana for example) and Mexico who think of us as bunch of dumb gringos.