Quote:
Originally Posted by taredog
I've heard of New Rome. Sounds like Jobstown NJ where if you get stopped for speeding a "backup cop" will show up to high five the officer writing the ticket and declare "you da man".
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This is a bit off-topic, but maybe entertaining...
On Easter Sunday this year, I got my first ticket since I started Eco-Driving 4-years ago (before that, I built speeding into my "Hobby Budget"). Yes, shame on me -- but keep reading...
I had been visiting my family in Canton,
Ohio before heading to a hotel in Columbus for work the next day (time: approximately 10 pm). This is about a 2.5 to 3 hour trip, mostly on I-71 (which became a 3-lane parking lot for some unknown reason). The GPS estimated a 30-minute earlier arrival using back-roads, so I exited the highway into the rolling hills of rural Ohio...
I entered and exited small towns, carefully gliding down to 25 mph from 50-55 and back up to speed. I entered the Village of Sunbury, with a nice little square and historic courthouse sandwiched between the Interstate and wilderness. That quaint feeling would soon turn to TERROR!
I zoom-zoomed the Mazda 6 up to 25 mph. Exiting town, there was a hill before the posted 40. With a grave error on my part not to brake harder, I hit 40 mph slightly before the sign and "Leaving Village Limits". Busted! 40 in a 25, in a lower gear and braking (so I was actually in DFCO -- so, speeding efficiently, if you will)
I was respectful as always (pulled over before the lights came on, hands on the wheel where he could see them, windows down, keys on the door sill, parking lights on, polite) but I still got the 3rd degree. Where are you coming from... where are you going... whose car is this... your eyes are bloodshot - have you been drinking... you know it's 25 here, I just can't let you go on 40 -- that's too much; to which I replied, "Canton, a hotel in Columbus for work tomorrow, it's a rental, no I'm just tired, I coasted down the hill to be ready for the 40-zone..." No dice.
He takes my Missouri license and proceeds to his cruiser. Then his supervisor shows up. I'm in this town with 2 cop cars, people driving by looking at me like a felon. 20-30 MINUTES later, he comes back, "I didn't know how to run the out-of-state license, so my boss helped". Sigh. Since it was my first ticket (in Ohio ever) and for over 3 years, I didn't have to return to court, but then I got the a stern lecture about how MO and OH have a reciprocal agreement and if I don't pay (the $145!) I would have a warrant for my arrest, blah-blah. The transaction concluded, so 3 seconds later, I entered the 40 zone and got the heck out of there.
I got to the Hotel and was really upset with myself that I had broken the
Hypermilers' Code -- it was the principle that got me the most. I was indeed speeding, but it reminded me of something...
When I was 16 in Ohio, I very rarely sped or even rolled through a stop sign. They kept you scared. After a move to Kansas, a ticket wasn't a moving violation until 10-over (with no points) and people still flew past, so that mindset prevailed until the Eco-Driving days began.
So then 4+ years and about 150,000 miles later, I drove ticket-free (pull-over free). Moral of the story:
Don't speed in the Village of Sunbury, Ohio.
But related to the thread: increased actual enforcement forces compliance.
RH77