Modern Vespa

Who would have thunk it? I go out for an all morning Labor Day ride. Acting like a hooligan on the back roads of southern Arizona. I even got invited to go to a professional Go Kart track in town and had a great time on 4 wheels. I get back into the city and get a ticket for allegedly going 43 in a 30 MPH zone. I passed the speed trap on Broadway Blvd. They were waiting by the side of the road. Ready to pounce on stupid people like me.

Two motorcycle policemen pulled me over. Very cordial. Very professional. Two of Tucson's finest. I thought they would give me a break. No ****ing way. Not today. It took two of them for OF COURSE they wanted to know about my scooter. It took longer to explain what the MP3 was all about then for one of them to write the ticket.

$221.25 later, traffic school here I come. I am venting. Oh Well. If the Good Lord wanted us to hold onto money, he would have put handles on it.

We rode about 200 mi today and went through 4 speed traps. Fortunately they were all in the usual places and we knew to avoid them. Enjoy traffic school What is it - there but for the grace of God go I? If the officers had been in an UNUSUAL place . . .

It is indeed a sad commentary when a holiday for the average working man becomes an excuse to fill the coffers by setting up traps like the highwaymen of yore. And to think most cops belong to a union and would do this on Labor Day. My wife and I both scootered past a couple speed traps as well today ... we made a point of staying 5 MPH below the limit and still weren't sure they wouldn't snare us anyway.

I have to say - if you get caught by a speed trap in the UK then you deserve it for lack of observation, every time.

Do they have "unmarked" cars in the UK, Jim? I can't remember seeing any(no pun intended). Over here in the States, not only do they hide, but many have taken to driving low visibility or stealth type cars that appear normal up until close range....sorta between full police car and out and out no markings for undercover work.

An unmarked car or bike (we have plenty) won't do you for speeding unless you're really taking the piss - they have better things to do, frankly. If they have time they might have a 'friendly word' - but that's about it.

Don't forget - we have very few traffic Police, we tend to have static cameras and the occasional well-marked (if you notice the waiting catch-up bikes and cars) mobile speed trap.

As far as the Met (London) is concerned - all traffic officers have to pass the Police motorbike bit as well, so they tend to be sympathetic to biker's concerns - but not with some sports-bike numpties, to be sure.


Plus we have a 'presumption' that 10% + 2mph over is not to be prosecuted.

UK sounds more civilized than here in the colonies. A biker friend was recently clocked at 15 over but charged at 2, yes TWO clicks over here in Toronto.

Be happy. In Houston I have seen 2-4 officers walk out into a side access road with speed guns. Pop cars and wave em into a parking lot with 10 more cops waiting to write up the tickets. They also send in registration and inspection sticker violations. I have seen up to 50 cars at a time in a lot and it is a computer generated guess as to where the traps are on any day and last 2-5 hours and gone.. I HATE Houston and would not move my dog there. Sorry you got bagged, dont forget to bring the shiny apple to class.

Next time vote for less Police doing traffic, and more doing crime. We don't have enough for the crime, let alone traffic. Sad but true.

I have just downloaded trapster for my iPhone.

Luckily in Arizona, Traffic School has went from 8 hours of class time to only 4 hours. Heck you can even take the school online. Amazing. It is such a money making racket for every municipality involved.

I have calmed down now. BUTT I am still PO'd. More at myself than anything else. Arizona has mobile photo speed traps that are announced 1 mile before you get there.

I agree with Jimc. These two officers however were tightly hidden behind a building with just enough room to point the Lazergun at me as I was driving on by. I briefly thought they might not bother me. NOT!!!!

Drive Smart.

Valentine 1 radar detector.

Gotta disagree with you there. Back in 2001 I got caught by cameras hidden underneath 2 bridges that crossed over a motorway. Cameras are 1/4 mile apart, snap a picture of you with your average speed and send it to an unmarked traffic car. Got done for 86 in a 70 on an empty motorway on a sunny afternoon. Couldn't quite believe when I got the ticket.

Course, this was in Scotland which is quite a bit different from London. Remember the first time down there I was going with flow in my little rental car. Wondered why the steering felt light and glanced down to see I was doing 105mph And that's what everybody was doing

#1 - Every municipality is hurting for capital, or at least wanting to increase coffers. Ticket revenue is cheap for them, easy to get, plentiful and constant.

#2 - ALWAYS assume you are under surveilance unless you can PROVE you are not. Welcome to the 21st century.

#3 - Sorry, but 43 in a 30, if that's a fact, is not OK - and you got caught. Sucks to be you in this case. I wonder how many of us have not been there, especially recently?

That's my $0.02...

We have a long stretch of rural four lane road with 35 MPH speed limits. There is one new road in my county that runs straight for 5 miles through corn fields at 45 MPH. These roads are constantly collecting fees from folks who don't know they were built for speed traps. Going 60 MPH on these roads would be definitely "OK". I never assume the posted speed limit has anything to do with safety. They have everything to do with highway robbery. Especially on weekends and holidays when the out-of-towners pass through ... most especially in the Autumn when the fall colors draw them to these rural areas.

Alba - we are getting more and more of the average speed cameras (called safety cameras -huh).

My GPS tells me where static and mobile speed cameras are which is handy when you are in a place you do not know.

The biggest problem is when drivers are not 100% sure of what speed you should be in in that particular area, so they slow down to the lowest speed ie 30 mph when they see a camera, - a bit frustrating if you are behind them and you know it is 50 etc.

The undercover cars up here definitely do take an interest in speeding, at least on the motorways. Although I must concede my idea of taking the piss on the motorway may differ from Jim's.

The Average Speed Cameras ("Vultures" - ) are pretty effective when it comes to curbing craziness. The area I'm from has (what at least was at one point) the longest speed trap in the world at 32miles.

I've always seen the speed limit as being the law and kind of part of the agreement when you hit the road. The problem I find is that traffic pressures often push me to go faster on the scoot than I ever do in the car. 30mph limits should be sacrosanct though.