StanNH

I'm not an habitual speeder and typically stay within 10mph of the posted limit. The exception to that is when I have to pass slow moving cars. The roads here are twisty with few opportunities to pass.

This morning I was behind two cars doing 42 in a 50. I came to a short passing zone and opened it up. I passed quickly and got right back into the lane; braking hard to get back down to the limit quickly. Right up ahead, off to the side of the road with his lights on, was a cruiser. I had a pretty good idea why he had his lights on so I pulled over immediately.

He had me clocked at 90mph when I was passing. I didn't deny it, I didn't argue. I just said he was right and I did go too fast when I passed the other cars. The officer took my license and registration, ran me, then came back to the car and returned my documents with no ticket in sight. He explained that there is no fine for 90mph as it's automatically classified as reckless driving and requires a court appearance. He acknowledged that I made a perfectly safe pass, but he couldn't ignore the excess speed. He wound up giving me a warning for speeding which, he said, will stay active for 30 days. If I'm not stopped again in 30 days, the warning disappears. I thanked him and he said he knows how tempting it is to drive the Corvette fast, but I had to be more careful about my speed.

I was lucky. Still, it's pretty hard for me to pass slow traffic in short passing zones and stay in the limit. To me, it's safer to get around traffic and out of the passing zone as quickly as possible. These zones end quickly and invariably end as the road goes into a blind turn. I am never comfortable just hanging out in the oncoming lane when, with some speed, I could be back in the travel lane. Anyway, I am very grateful that I drove away without a ticket or court date on this one.

ub2slow2

Wow that is very lucky but it's nice to see the LEO used some common sense and let you go. He should have pulled the other two cars over and wrote them tickets for impeding traffic. Slow a&&es are the one's that always cause problems out on the road.

phileaglesfan

He probably knows there is not many passing opportunities. Regardless you were very lucky.

STEVE MC

Stan were you on Rte 16? If so I know what your talking about.

Good that you fessed up and didn't try and feed him BS, sometimes they appreciate your honesty and cut you some slack..............sometimes

01VETTECOP

Where are all the LEO Haters now ?

StanNH

No, I was on 116 heading south from Whitefield to Littleton.

I have a ton of friends with the local departments, so I know what not to say. I do a lot of police work in my business, but I didn't know the guy who stopped me.

johnodrake

Good that he cut you a break - but it sucks that he was lighting up a passing zone!

peter pan

If that was me no matter how nice I was, I would be hosed

Dave1998

Lucky for you !
Court appearances are never pleasant
Once there, you are guilty until proven otherwise.
Been there
Done that

boraxman

I hear that!

dvilin

You got a good break on that one.

lh4x4

Huh! Driving at about 10 over all the time is habitually speeding. Period. It is like parking in a no parking zone and saying I was only going to be there a minute.

Isn't it nice how we all can make our own rules?

dvilin

You got a good break on that one. 90 MPH in most every situation will get you a ticket for sure. I agree with you on making the pass as quickly as possible and not hanging out in the passing zone.

Snakes & Arrows

Hopefully they do not show up & hopefully your post does not egg them on.

Le Mans Z06

Glad to hear he cut you some slack, so warnings only last 30 days? After the 30 days are they not visible on your record when they look at it? I was pulled over for tints and was issued a written warning, so i'm curious. This is MD though, so probably different.

AORoads

it isn't that. the officer used his judgment. but his judgment even this time could have been wrong. any car can lose traction and go out of control. at 90 mph,it becomes geometrically more likely considering the road has a lower (much) speed limit. that's as much of a fact as the officer using his/her judgment.

vett4evr

I hope this is a joke. Your from Il? Ever drive the highways? 94, 294, 53, 355 etc? I was driving my wife to Ohare airport Saturday morning at about 8:00am. I was doing 70 where it's posted 55. I was being passed like I was standing still. There was a highway patrol car parked on the side facing the opposite way with the radar gun out. This was not a "dummy" car. Two cars went passed us at what had to be 80 something. The guy never moved. My wife asked why he wasn't going after them. I told her he was after the real speeders, 90 and up. 10 to 15 over the limit, in decent weather is a given. The cops would rather the flow go smoothly instead of some moron doing 55 and making everyone go around them.

johnodrake

He didn't say at or about; he said "typically stay within 10mph " Could be Stan is normally within one. Are you ALWAYS dead on the limit?

Snakes & Arrows

I'm sure it has to be a joke. Can you imagine dealing with a person or associate that thought that way? The guy was joking. Reminds me of Barney Fife writing tickets for j-walking. 10 MPH over.

SRQStingray

Let's just be happy for the OP. He got a little exuberant while passing legally. Who doesn't. The LEO exercised good judgement.