Oh Lordy, you got a break on that one Jerry.

 

I've told this one here before. Going to a wedding in Gettysburg, driving a rental Fusion at past midnight, still in Virginia. Doing 85 in a 55 and over the rise my lights reflect off SHERIFF on the side of the car. I just pulled over, turned on inside lights, hands on the wheel and listened to the wife tell me what a fool I've been. He let me go with a warning to a) slow down, and b) watch for cops in Pennsylvania who weren't as nice. (Yes I said nah nah nah nah nah to wife)

 

Here's a time my wife was lucky.

We were driving home from visiting her family in Orlando. Crossing the long stretch of nothing on I-10 across the Florida panhandle, I got a little sleepy. So Sandy took over driving the rental Mazda 6. I dozed off in the passenger seat for a bit. When I woke up and sat up I thought we were moving along pretty quickly. I looked at the speedometer and it read somewhere north of 100 MPH! I protested that this was a little fast, even on this desolate stretch so she backed it down to around 90. Somewhere between Tallahassee and Pensacola, you almost always pass a speed trap. But not that day, lucky for her. We did make good time that trip, I must admit.

 

The company car comment reminded me of one. We were at a company outing in northern Michigan where my company had a resort. It was an excuse for management to party hardy. Some played poker, etc. while others went to town. We took two company cars packed with people. When the night ended the first group left and I was in the second. No one wanted to drive, so of course I did. Then we got the idea to catch the first car. So I was pushing the pedal as hard as I could into the floor, while everyone with me kept screaming for faster while watching the speedo. Thank goodness we never caught up with the first car. That driver spent the night in jail for DWI and speeding. The next day the region manager said if he heard one word of this when we got back at work that person would be history. But for the grace of god it could have been me. As I recall it cost the other driver almost $2,000 in fines and court costs. Small towns are not very forgiving. And, yah, we were over the 100 mark.

 

I've had a couple of close calls myself, now that you mention it.

1. Way back in mid-70's (55 MPH, gas shortages, etc.), my Air Force duties made it necessary to attend training for six weeks in Wichita Falls, Texas. My wife and I decided she and the kids would stay put in Cabot, Arkansas, while I "commuted" and drove home on weekends. No worries, as I had a pretty nice (at least for me) 1969 Pontiac GTO, beautiful crystal turquoise, Cordova top (remember those?), concealed headlamps, power seat, power disc brakes (front), cruise control, and a number of other niceties (at least for that time). Oh, it had an engine, too.

Anyway, I'm flying down the 4-lane heading towards Texarkana, about where I'd turn to head West across Texas to Wichita Falls. Now, back then, it was not uncommon for the Arkansas State Troopers to go to just the other side of an underpass, and back their vehicle in up the hill to conceal themselves from unsuspecting speeders (like me, as it turns out). So, I unassumingly go flying by the trooper at about 75-80 MPH, I glance to my right and know I'm sunk. Sure enough, I see the trooper start to pull out, and Glory-B, at that very moment some fast dude goes flying by me -- had to be doing at least 90, maybe 100 MPH. I duck off at the upcoming exit as the trooper goes into full chase mode pursuing the other guy. I pause for awhile for a bite to eat, even though not particularly hungry at the time, thankful I'd dodged a pretty harsh ticket.

2. Around 1998 I was transitioning, moving from South Dakota to Maryland. I was not entirely prompt taking care of minor things like vehicle registrations, driver's license updates, etc. So, one day I find myself in some lovely borough in Pennsylvania, that had some rather unique traffic patterns with which I was not familiar. I got stopped by the local constable, who carefully explained the requirements thereof. He also asked for my, um, credentials. Upon reviewing them, for some reason he decided to inquire why (1) I held a drivers license from Oklahoma (stating on the license that no photo or signature was required, and numbered 001 -- it was from my recently-passed military career, where holding one's original state driver's license was permitted while in service), (2) resided in Maryland (insurance papers), and (3) was a driving a vehicle registered in South Dakota. I was beginning to "sweat bullets" when he got a call that required his immediate presence elsewhere, and he let me go, telling me to "clean up my act." Had to laugh about my fortunate timing on that one.

 

Great thread Dave brings back a lot of memories don't know if that's good or not lol! I actually got pulled over by a cop on a horse. I was 16 had a hot rodded grand prix had the speed stickers on the rear windows, primered paint the whole nine yards. I was going through roger williams park in providence and the cop comes right in front of the car with the horse. Pretty much back then you keep your mouth shut and let them berate you. I wasn't really going fast but had no inspection sticker, bare feet and had my walkman on. I can't repeat most of what he said because this is a pg forum but his last sentence was get this f#*king pile of s#*t out of my face and didn't get a ticket or a written warning anyways.

 

I've got 2 ....

Similar to Jerry's in a way.. My sister and BIL lived in Delaware. They just had my niece and my sister was going to my Mother's for a few days. I was headed down to DE to help her out and bring some extra stuff up so she didn't have to worry about it. I had an early 80s RX7. So, I load the hatch up with stuff and I'm headed home- it's dark out. I'm on the NJ Turnpike, which the Southern 50 miles at that point were 2 lanes each direction. I'm doing the right thing and riding the right lane, there's minimal traffic. I come up onto the back of a slower car. I look to my left and there's headlights off my driver's side rear. I can't move over. I slow down, he stays there, I speed up a little, he stays there. I finally slow down enough for a little run, drop a gear or two and take off. I go around the car and immediately move back to the right and get back to 70 mph or so. 5 seconds later the lights go on. I explained that I saw him on my bumper the entire time and that I just wanted to get around the slower car but he (the officer) wouldn't give me a chance to get around. Written warning, have a good day...

Then, a few months after I got my S, my sister and family are now living outside of Pittsburgh. I head out for a weekend to visit. It's PA Turnpike all the way except literally 10 miles on each end of the trip. So, on the way home, I decide to test the car a little. There's a brown Crown Vic with none of the tell-tale signs. Guy and woman up front, no antennas, no extra lights or wires hanging off. NOTHING. So, he's ahead of me, maybe doing 85 I catch up and follow for a bit. Being the courteous speeder I am, I get in front for a bit. He's right on me. 95... 105... 115... I look in the mirror and there he is, right behind me still.. this time, holding up his badge in the mirror! I back it down a bit, he gets next to me, signals that he'll get in front. I follow him at his speed of around 85 for 20 more miles then he gets off in the middle of PA somewhere. Whew!

 

I can't imagine any officer wanting to try to pull someone over on the PA turnpike; certinally not the last couple times I drove it - - a number of years ago. Narrow, constant construction, no shoulders, etc. I wonder Gary, was that a factor or do just live right?

 

No idea. It was out west somewhere, but there are some areas to pull over. I think the fact that I just didn't blow by him at 115, vs gradually speeding up to his breaking point.

Also, from 15 feet back a 4" badge could have been a fire marshal badge, he was off duty, anything.

My father had a badge for his job as a personnel director for NYC Dept of Juvenile justice. I keep it in the car sometimes and often am tempted just to flash it to idiots on the road sometimes.

 

The highway patrol officers in our region won't get their arse out of their vehicle for anything under 20 km/hr over the speed limit. For years I've pegged the cruise control at 18 kms/hr over the speed limit and I don't even have to touch the brake pedal driving by them as they sit in the center median. I've never had an issue driving 118 kms/hr when our posted speed limit is 100 kms/hr.

I think that is quite fair, if you get caught going over by more than 20 km/hr it's your own fault so we just suck it up. That seems to be the unwritten buffer zone in our region for highway driving, 20 kms/hr = 12.5 mph.as a comparison, our listed speed limit is 100 kms/hr (63mph). Our insurance companies are just looking for reasons to increase your rates for speeding, so I haven't intentionally speeded for years as it isn't worth the cost. I will take the 18 kms and