In Atlanta, at least through town, I-75 and I-85 aren't so much Interstate numbers as informal speed limits. People regularly do 75 through the 55 downtown, but it is, after all, an 8+ lane highway. I remember doing 75 once and having a cop casually pass me, no big deal. I'm pretty sure they just try to keep traffic flowing, what with having the highest average commute distance in the US. As long as you aren't ducking and/or weaving through traffic, they pretty much leave you alone.

Of course, this all comes down to highway driving, which is a bit different than doing 80 mph through a 45 mph neighborhood full of kids.

I've heard that list too, and directly from a cop. Make sure you tell the officer ahead of time where your wallet is, and that you're going for it, go slowly to get it, etc.

However, I have an even MORE effective method, works every time!

Act like a responsible and mature member of society and don't speed.

Some tips that I have found to work in getting out of a speeding ticket with a warning:

1) Don't panic (cops don't like it when you panic, it makes them feel like you're hiding something and/or it gets them agitated)
2) Pull over to the shoulder or in some other safe area (put your hazard lights on if you are on the shoulder of a highway)
3) If it's nighttime, turn on the overhead light in your car so the cop can see clearly inside and make sure you are not posing a threat to him/her
4) Get out your wallet (or whatever else in which you keep your driver's license, registration, etc.) and place it on the dashboard. This way, you don't have to reach somewhere out of the officer's sight for your driver's license, etc. Key thing is to keep your hands in sight at all times so he/she knows you aren't reaching for a gun or something.
5) Place your hands on the steering wheel in plain sight of the officer...again, to clearly show the cop that you are not posing a threat
6) Always look the officer in the eye.
7) Don't make any lame excuses, raise your voice, or show frustration or anger in your voice. Cops really don't like that.
8) Always refer to the trooper/officer/cop/pig as "officer" or "sir." Don't refer to a female officer as "maam" as it might make her feel older than she is; if that happens, the female officer is much more likely to give you a ticket. Just refer to her as "officer" in a polite, respectful tone of voice.

#43, in rural Georgia, how long does it take for the court to write-off the $5 or $10 balance owed and then turn the information over to the insurance co? I can't believe that you can get out of the insurance surcharge by overpaying a speeding ticket.

In NJ, the auto insurance premiums are the highest here. A speeding ticket may cost you upwards of $200. And then the insurance companies use this as an opportunity to seriously jack up your rates for as much as 10 years. (In NJ, they make their money on drivers with points, not on clean drivers.) When insurance surcharges are factored in, it's not uncommon for the overall financial effect of a speeding ticket to be well over $1,000. $1,000 for one lousy speeding ticket!!

Most of the energy going into keeping you at a constant speed on the road has to do with negating the air resistance your car encounters. If you've ever tried swinging a baseball bat underwater you might know how your car feels moving through the air at 65. Also, the faster you go the more likely you are to have to use your brakes when you run into one of those 'assholes that go close to the speed limit' and that's just dissipating the contents your gas tank into heat and brake wear.

I was in a ride along with the highway patrol. The officer saw a minivan run a red light. The van was pulled over. It turns out the people driving, were my grandparents on their way home from a long trip. Funny thing is, they were pulled over more than an hour from their home. Needless to say, they received a warning instead of a ticket, and I received a great story to tell at the next holiday gathering.

Rather than get drawn into a pointless argument (you can't argue with an idiot - they'll always win), I'll simply say - whoever thinks that driving fast is not more dangerous, doesn't understand:

1. physics - get a junior physics book and calculate the difference in forces between a 1 ton object moving at 65mph versus one moving at 75mph, difference in braking distance, etc,
2. that speed leads to road stress which leads to errors in judgement, decreased reaction time, a cumulative effect of "follow the leader," etc,
3. what it's like to be involved or have a loved one be involved in a serious accident.

Hey, go drive like an asshole, but stay away from anyone else when you do so. Because when you hurt yourself, I couldn't give a shit less. But when you hurt someone ELSE due to being wreckless, juvenile, and thoughtless, is when you should be strung up by your balls and left for the vultures.

It's going to catch up to you, as it always does in one way or another, and it's your funeral. We can just hope it doesn't involve anyone else besides you and a tree.

...Or perhaps just a ton of heavy fines from our friendly boys in blue. =)

To all the idiots who claim driving too fast isn't dangerous, but driving wrecklessly is, guess what... driving too fast IS driving wrecklessly! If I'm driving 55 mph where that is the posted speed limit, I shouldn't have to concern myself with the possibility that I might pull in front of someone coming up behind me at 80 mph. And you're right, driving fast won't kill you. It's the sudden stop when you hit something/someone that kills.

Right, going to speedlimit will get you killed, too. Driving fast and wreckless will get you killed, not driving fast.

Oh, and idiots on the road who go 10 under.

Speeding is irresponsible and kills. You should get heavy fines every single time you do it. A car is not a toy; grow up and drive responsibly.

It's a shame it takes a 'close to home trajedy' before most people realize this.

48 in a 15. Fucking Fastlane, it was the first day they switcehd the speed limit signs from yellow to white, and nailed my ass bringing 2 execs from IBM to our company, which they were looking to buy.

Put me out $380, but at least they didn't get me when I zoomed through at 65... Someone got plastered by a Fastlane (Easypass) driver so I quit that shit.

#17, oh most places don't even have "school zones" for traffic speeds, around high schools. That sucks. But still school zone lights were flashing :).

I remember one time I was in a town in south georgia (live in north florida) and not knowning the town didn't know to look for the school zone and just didn't see it. Cop got behind me turned his lights on I pulled to the side, and he procided to wave me on and stop the car in front of me. Whew

dont bother "looking on the bright side" because the situation is a friggin joke... the speeding laws should be revoked for the simple reason that your situation shows - their enforcement is completely arbitrary.

to hell with all of them...

What about at 115 mph?

/ducks


Cyberman0

You know it really pisses me off when im doing the limit and idiots come charging behind you at 90 mph......

I just caught an episode of Initial D.
Anime == kewwwwwwwl...

-Hyatus
"da da da"

This is getting off on a tangent, but you obviously don't understand the workings of the spoilers on those cars (yes, if they have the huge F1-style spoilers, it's not going to do anything). The spoilers you normally see on those cars serve one purpose -- to "spoil" the airflow around the car. Look at the cars. Flat bottom, rounded top. Now, as you drive, air flows underneath and over the car. The problem is that the car will eventually begin acting as an aerofoil, and try to lift off the pavement (it won't go anywhere -- it's not nearly efficient enough to actually fly, but it's enough to lessen traction and making handling more difficult). Spoiling that airflow keeps the car on the ground, not by providing downward force on the rear of the car but by spoiling the aerofoil effect. And thus, it works well on FWD cars as well as RWD and AWD.

As I said before, though, if the ricers have a big spoiler designed to provide downward force (and many of them do), then they obviously don't "get it" either.

Here's a tip for those worried about the insurance charge. I did this with my last speeding ticket and I still haven't seen mention on the ticket on my insurance.

When you pay your ticket over pay by about $5 or $10. The court should send you back a check for the amount you over paid. Don't cash the check, just throw it away and forget about. The court won't consider the case closed until that check is cashed, hence it won't get filed with your insurance.

This worked in rural Georgia, may or may not work for you, but for $5 might be worth the effort even if it keeps your premiums down for a month or two.

damn this is funny sh!t to read.

Sorry, I should have been more complete. In the presence of other traffic, I'd never think to go that fast.

Whoever said it was right, it's not the speeders that cause problems it's the morons who got their driver's license in a cracker jack box, going 45 in a 65, not watching their shoulder when they lane-change, not using their blinker when they lane-change, speeding in the rain, driving SUVs ;P, and doing things they shouldn't do while driving (talking on the cell without a hands-free set, putting on makeup "pulling the gum out of Timmy's hair," (love that one :D), etc.

I have no respect for the ones weaving in and out of 50 mph after work rush at 80.

-Ronin{TUS}
"I work for Keyser Soze."