The streak has come to an end.

"TheRealBicycleBuck" (therealbicyclebuck) 10/21/2018 at 05:51 • Filed to: None

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Hello, Oppo. My name is BicycleBuck and I’m a habitual speeder. The weekly trips between Baton Rouge and Houston have only made it worse. While I’m not as prone to road rage as I used to be, I’m getting tired of the inconsiderate drivers who clog up the left lane. The construction zones only make it worse.

Over the last 10 months, I’ve become pretty familiar with the speed traps and usually slow down before getting caught in one. Last week, I guess I wasn’t paying enough attention.

I normally find a rabbit to lead the way, following about a 1/4 of a mile behind. On this day, it was a lifted F-150 and he was doing an excellent job of clearing a path. I suppose seeing nothing but a bro-bumper in your rear view mirror is an excellent incentive to move over.

The cop was parked on the far side of an overpass, using a laser speed gun. He said he caught me as I came over the overpass. I, of course, debated the point. I was pretty certain he picked up the truck, but decided to pull me over since I had out-of-state plates (the rental has Texas plates). He wouldn’t let me out of a ticket, but he was a lot friendlier once he realized I live in Louisiana. He claimed that I was doing 84 in a 70  mph zone. After a bit of back and forth about it, he let me take a look at the gun he used and try it out for myself. I climbed out of my car and we spent the next 20 minutes firing laser beams at passing cars.

I’m not sure what model he was using, but it was similar to the Stalker pictured here. It’s operated by viewing the target through the sight and pulling the trigger. As it’s trying to get a reading, it starts beeping. Once successful, it emits a different tone. After he showed me how to use it, I did my best to get speeds for several cars, but I was never successful. He took the gun back and tried several times himself. As he tried, he called out the cars he was sighting. It took him three tries to get a reading.

After that, we talked about how difficult it was to use, overall accuracy, and calibration. He said that the system does have errors, especially if the approaching car is not directly in line with the gun. He also expressed disappointment that these couldn’t be calibrated every day like the older radar systems. When I got home, I did a little digging and came across this:

For those who can’t see the video,   tests have shown that user error can contribute to inconsistencies in readings, even on a stationary car. As an !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , the fellow in the video has convinced a number of judges to dismiss charges. Hmmm.

So, what to do? Well, my biggest concern is keeping this off my record. As you may have noticed, they already provided me a way to do that! Just pay the fine, don’t get caught for another three months, and all is good!

While this doesn’t sit well with me, this is what I’ll probably do. The deputy who caught me is from a little town about mid-way between Baton Rouge and Houston. Although the town is a couple of miles off the interstate, they reached across the road to incorporate a truck stop and a retirement home which also gives them the right to patrol a couple of miles of the interstate. Clearly, they aren’t interested in the health and safety of drivers passing through their town, they are interested in generating revenue.

I’ve already looked at the costs of fighting this ticket. We are talking at least a full day off of work, plus a couple of hours driving just to get to the town. They’ve priced the fine low enough to make it not worth the effort.

So, I guess my wallet is going to be a little lighter and I’ll be watching my speed a little more carefully around that area.

pip bip - choose Corrour > TheRealBicycleBuck 10/21/2018 at 05:58

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cruise control is a great feature in cars

:)

TheRealBicycleBuck > pip bip - choose Corrour 10/21/2018 at 06:27

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All snarkiness aside, cruise control doesn’t work worth a damn on I-10. Adaptive cruise might help, but standard cruise is a gamble. Even in the right lane, the speeds are constantly changing due to slow trucks, Mexican road trains (not being snarky, these folks are really going to Mexico), and merging traffic. In the left lane (most of I-10 is a four-lane divided highway), the speed is constantly changing due to slightly faster trucks trying to pass slow trucks, dumbasses who want to do the speed limit in the left lane while passing slower traffic, and traffic nannies who want to keep speeds at or below the speed limit.

I’ve tried, but it’s more work than it’s worth, even in the slow lane.

pip bip - choose Corrour > TheRealBicycleBuck 10/21/2018 at 06:31

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oh

Wobbles the Mind > TheRealBicycleBuck 10/21/2018 at 07:03

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Your experience with t he p olice is waaay different from mine. As a young black male, I heard Puffy’s “I’ll Be Missing You,” long before I ever experienced, “Every Breath You Take.”

Under_Score > TheRealBicycleBuck 10/21/2018 at 07:07

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When will someone like David Tracy or another Oppo tow  their vehicles like a Mexican road train for the purposes of content?

TheRealBicycleBuck > Wobbles the Mind 10/21/2018 at 07:35

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I’ll admit there are some advantages to being an older white guy. There’s also a big difference between getting pulled over on a Sunday afternoon and getting pulled over as a teenager  at 1:00am. That one ended up with me slammed across the hood of my truck as I was being groped. I’m sure you’ve experienced worse. 

Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! > pip bip - choose Corrour 10/21/2018 at 07:37

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Subaru CC sucks. It maxes out at 90. Das Germans have no limit I’ve been able to find. 

ihm96 > TheRealBicycleBuck 10/21/2018 at 08:23

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I got a speeding ticket Sunday morning for 107 on the jersey turnpike lol. Had taken a friend to the airport and was headed back to philly and wasn’t paying enough attention and kinda mindlessly just started moving past traffic in the Z3 and not staying alert for cops and then all of a sudden I see a cop in my rear view, glance done and see I’m doing over 100 and yup that’s all she wrote

TheRealBicycleBuck > ihm96 10/21/2018 at 08:27

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Ouch. Much worse than mine!

KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time > TheRealBicycleBuck 10/21/2018 at 08:42

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I was reaading the first few paragraphs and thinking you should have invested in a radar detector, but then you mentioned laser so that won’t probably help unless you have a jammer which is illlegal in all places.

Plus your interaction with the cop would have been way less friendlier if he saw the detector in the car. I guess the best bet is to now take it easy and then be even more alert next time. Interesting that the ticket has fines only for 10 and above, I usually set the cruise at 9 above so I guess I am safe in Louisiana at least lol

Would waze help? It usually is good at showing speed traps like this.

vondon302 > TheRealBicycleBuck 10/21/2018 at 08:58

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Ive gotten several 10 over tickets in last couple of years. Cops write it up as impededing traffic 180 fine and no points. Looks like it's a little cheaper up here in Michigan but I'll spend a lot of money to keep points off my license.

I call it the alternative high way tax.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > TheRealBicycleBuck 10/21/2018 at 10:54

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I’ve heard Louisiana’s system of legalized bribery pre- trial diversion can come in handy, which is what the “pay the fine and it stays off your driving record” is.

RacinBob > TheRealBicycleBuck 10/21/2018 at 11:03

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Funny, I was reading this subject from another forum yesterday ; The gist is find a lawyer and get it reduced down to a non-moving violation (no seat-belt). Which for him was a $161 fine with court costs added. Which beat wasting time to come back and better outcome that he would have achieved on his own anyway. They suggested this site https://www.motorists.org/  to search for a lawyer. 

diplodicus forgot his password > TheRealBicycleBuck 10/21/2018 at 11:05

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I got caught couple weeks ago. Was stuck behind a guy going slow, possibly the speed limit, but imo a state highway where I don’t need to shift out of 4th has too low of a speed limit. Finally after miles of no passing zones we hit one. I actually knew it was coming up and was prepared to go as soon as I came around the curve. There was a gap so I took it. Turns out there’s a fucking state trooper behind the first oncoming car. He claims I was doing 62 in 50. He only gave me 5 over but it still pisses me off, cause if I did hit that speed it was briefly just to pass slowpoke. I hate their holier than though bullshit too. I have to pay an extra 100$ and take some dumb class to get mine from appearing on my record. 

whatisthatsound > TheRealBicycleBuck 10/21/2018 at 11:36

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Whey aren't you using a radar detector?

fintail > TheRealBicycleBuck 10/21/2018 at 12:51

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Come to Seattle metro . Traffic is usually so slow and timid here that 9 over (my usual cruise setting) will easily put you in the fastest 10% of traffic on most roads at most times.

TheRealBicycleBuck > KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time 10/21/2018 at 13:19

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I use Waze regularly. It’s how I found the traps in the first place. I just have to be more diligent in those areas. 

TheRealBicycleBuck > RacinBob 10/21/2018 at 13:21

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A lawyer is more expensive than paying the fine in this case. They already agree to keep it off your record as long as you send in a money order and don’t fight it. 

TheRealBicycleBuck > whatisthatsound 10/21/2018 at 13:23

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Because when you get caught, it makes things worse. Plus, the traps are usually found right on the other side of an overpass or in a gap in the tree line. I just missed it this time. 

whatisthatsound > TheRealBicycleBuck 10/21/2018 at 13:26

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I know this is purely anecdotal but I bought a 9500ix for 500$ in 2009. I’ve been pulled over a total one time since, and it was from a stop watch. If they are using guns, it is worth it.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > TheRealBicycleBuck 10/22/2018 at 12:18

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Just drove back from Austin yesterday (35 to Dallas was first leg) . Holy crap, Texas drivers... You’ll get run off the road going the speed limit, and even doing 10 over some are flying past on the right trying to edge their way past the long line in the left lane...

TheRealBicycleBuck > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 10/22/2018 at 12:45

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It’s not all Texas drivers. I-35 and I-10 are the major thoroughfares for going anywhere north, south, east or west. I see a lot of Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas plates on I-10. The slowest are the cars being towed to Mexico.

If the drivers would move right and only use the passing lane for passing, there wouldn’t be anyone passing traffic on the right. They just get lazy and don’t move over. I come across at least one on every trip - they just sit in the left lane no matter how fast they are going. I end up passing them on the right, then moving left to get around traffic, then moving back to the right lane (as I should). They just keep on cruising in the left lane no matter what.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > TheRealBicycleBuck 10/22/2018 at 13:06

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Yes, that’s definitely part of the problem. There were plenty of stretches where there was a heavy line of cars trying to get past on the left (with a car going like 5-10 over in the front, but not moving over as they should ), then sparse, slow traffic in the middle lane (also should be all the way to the right), and then a handful of slow cars all the way on the right. I can’t blame people for passing on the right, and I do the same sometimes, but often they’re doing it very unsafely (going too fast, cutting people off, etc.).

npc58501 > TheRealBicycleBuck 10/28/2018 at 12:44

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Come to North Dakota, you can see for sometimes up to 10 miles ahead...no trees. Some tickets are like $20...but there’ s little incentive to speed since you can go around 80+ all day long. I don’t advise going fast in the winter though...but no one visits in the winter anyway hehe.