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I only read the first page of this thread so idk what everyone else is saying but...
Virginia is by far most notorious in my book. Straight up, I don't speed when driving in Virginia. Interstate, state highways, city streets, don't care. Pass me, locals. I'll go 5mph over on the interstate, tops. Just today as I was driving from DC back to Durham NC on 95/85 I mentioned to my girlfriend how bad VA is, and on the way back we counted 6 people pulled over. Multiple unmarked cruisers chillin' in PAVED "driveways" that connect either side of the interstate - "authorized vehicled only", probably one of those paved driveways every mile if not more (through the rural sections - Richmond and NoVa not so much). Several signs for crap like "speed enforced by radar" and "speed enforced by aircraft" like WTF Virginia aircraft really?
So yeah, Virginia worst for me sort of by a long shot. Tennessee along I-40 is pretty bad too - I've driven the length of 40 through TN too many times and frequently see TN state troopers just prowlin'.
Yep, a whole bunch of us agree that Virginia is the worst. I concur, Virginia is so bad that I actually would not want to live there! It's the only state from coast to coast that feels like a giant speed trap; so much for "Land of the Free" in that state evidently. And, what's more: Criticize the overbearing presence of cops on the Virginia City-Data Forum and the Virginians come to their defense and criticize you for critiquing this problem. So, at least on C-D, Virginians don't seem to mind the presence of a speed hawk every 1/10-mile.
Honorable mentions include Ohio and Tennessee. I've also heard horror stories about South Carolina and Louisiana. I've also seen individual towns in Kentucky that were speed traps, but the state as a whole has never been that bad honestly.
Out here on the West Coast, California is the "worst." And, that's only because there's such sheer numbers of cops, but, in most jurisdictions, they're too busy dealing with real crime issues or truly excessive speeders. I've blown past cops going 10-12 mph over the speed limit on freeways all over this state and never had an issue, not even a pull over. With that said, the California exceptions are the wheels-along-the-curb Nazi cops in San Francisco and Oakland, and the jaywalking-even-though-you-really-aren't jerkwad cops in Los Angeles (but these are local cops, not CHP).
Numerous people have said that Oregon has seemingly no cops on the roads. I was up there this weekend and saw one. One. Within an hour of crossing the state line back into California, I saw five cop vehicles.
Yep, I was one of those who said "no cops" in Oregon. I'm not sure what is going on there, but they are extremely rare. The increase in speed limits in Oregon would lead one to expect more enforcement, but I have not noticed it. WA and CA are still busy along the freeways.
Driving up 15N from San Diego to Riverside County is like a friggin autobahn, drive 75-80 and be passed constantly by most other drivers, CHP present or not.
I'd add the 5 from LA to Sacramento, I usually average even higher speeds and even the big rigs pass me. Have made the entire trip and never saw a cop. Signs say "patrolled by aircraft" and have never seen a single one.
Agree with the general sentiment here that California seems the most lax in enforcement while Virginia is strict, particularly in the southern half of the state. I once drove back from Washington, D.C., and I swear that off almost every onramp exit of I-85 south for the 69-mile stretch, a highway patrolman sat in a car ready to bust me or anyone else going over the 70 mph limit. Talk about a scary time using your rear window mirror. On the other hand, yeah, I've driven the 495, the 5, the 101 and whatever number you name in California for several times over the years and have yet to spot a trooper car there.
Agree with the general sentiment here that California seems the most lax in enforcement while Virginia is strict, particularly in the southern half of the state. I once drove back from Washington, D.C., and I swear that off almost every onramp exit of I-85 south for the 69-mile stretch, a highway patrolman sat in a car ready to bust me or anyone else going over the 70 mph limit. Talk about a scary time using your rear window mirror. On the other hand, yeah, I've driven the 495, the 5, the 101 and whatever number you name in California for several times over the years and have yet to spot a trooper car there.
Is that all the VSP do? Just sit on the side of the road and wait all day? It seems they're literally everywhere in Virginia.
This is why I avoid Virginia at all costs. This isn't my video but this is excessive. Pulled over for going 5 mph over?
Yep. I don't play in VA. Once you get south of Fredericksburg, really south of Dumfries, the speed limit will be obeyed at the highest order for me. Then it's on when I get into North Carolina lol. I remember I drove from South Florida to DC in 2014 and counted about three police cars in Florida, Georgia, and the Carolina's combined. Got into Virginia and I counted nearly 7 before I go close to Petersburg. And those little medians scare the heck out of me and they are numerous in Virginia.
Try driving down in any direction on the I-15 and you can count the number of vehicles pulled over to the shoulder by highway patrol. Last road trip heading back to CA, I counted 12.
They also pull people over outside of highways/freeways as well. I used to average about a ticket per year when I used to live in UT (for reference: in the last 10 years living in CA, I've been pulled over once). Don't go over 5/10 mph in Utah or you will get a ticket!!
Yep. I don't play in VA. Once you get south of Fredericksburg, really south of Dumfries, the speed limit will be obeyed at the highest order for me. Then it's on when I get into North Carolina lol. I remember I drove from South Florida to DC in 2014 and counted about three police cars in Florida, Georgia, and the Carolina's combined. Got into Virginia and I counted nearly 7 before I go close to Petersburg. And those little medians scare the heck out of me and they are numerous in Virginia.
I wouldn't be surprised if Virginia built those little hills in the median for a reason. You can cut out a small piece of the hill, build a dirt road, and bam...you have built yourself a speed trap. I slow down when I'm going up inclines and when I'm about to pass a overpass. Where I live it's not uncommon for cops to hide behind underpasses like this ---->
This is an amazing spot. Perfect way to catch a speeder and this guy would have been pulled over if he didn't bring a radar detector with him. If you don't have a radar detector then I suggest to always watch traffic. If you see multiple brake lights come on then slow down! Why would people all of a sudden hit their brakes when nothing is ahead of them? Look at what this trucker did in the video. Radar detectors (like what this guy used) is a great way to get yourself out of a speeding ticket. The only problem is that you need to know how it works. This device is good when the cop is using radar but once he's using laser then it's too late if you hear the beeper. Once you hear the beeper and he's using laser then you're already getting yourself a ticket. Just a head up though as radar detectors are illegal in Virginia and ONLY Virginia. They're legal in the other 49 states. Oh Virginia .
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