Police Stops

[Xxtayce]

Originally Posted by pjs2004

I moved here from the northeast, where you could, on average, go 10-20 mph over the speed limit for a certain extent of time and not have to worry about getting caught.

You have to realize where you're moving to, though.

Raleigh and the surrounding areas, especially those farther from city limits, are still very much "old school country". When I moved to Wake Forest about ten years ago, there were still people driving their 1950's Chevy Truck to the grocery store, going well below the speed limit.

We've had a huge amount of growth since then, but the locals are still struggling to keep up. You can't change the mindset of an entire geographical area simply because you moved from somewhere that was more fast-paced. Everyone moves here because it's a laid-back, relaxed, polite southern area where life is still relatively inexpensive and people chat with their gas station attendants and hold doors open for each other.

However, you can't pick and choose the parts you like. With a slower lifestyle comes slower drivers and police enforcement that expects you to drive safe enough for their grandmother still driving her Oldsmobile to the Wal-Mart every week.

What isn't considered reckless to you may not necessarily be seen in the same light from the local police. Just something to keep in mind.

[miamiblue]

Originally Posted by pjs2004

I moved here from the northeast, where you could, on average, go 10-20 mph over the speed limit for a certain extent of time and not have to worry about getting caught. Sometimes, when there's not many people on the road, it's nice to be able to speed a little, and during some other times too. It can be convenient.

While I love this area and there are a ton of positives, I definitely think the severe enforcement of the speed limit is a major annoyance. The police are like sharks around here for speeders. I think you can have a police presence and keep crime down without harassing people going 5 miles over the speed limit. It's completely for revenue purposes and not for safety. You know there's something wrong with the system when you get a ticket and the next day you get letters from 15 different lawyers.

In the year and a half I've lived here I have rarely seen anyone pulled over for speeding. I also have noticed that people generally drive at least 5 mph over the speed limit as a rule. It seems like the standard speed people drive around town is about 50 on roads marked at 35-45. This even happens when police are around and I have yet to see someone get stopped. Additionally, it seems that 75+ is the average speed for I-40, even in places where the posted speed limit is 55, and I have not seen nearly enough people get stopped for that. Many of those people traveling at that speed are also the ones who lane surf without directions and like to cut off tractor trailers. They are in such a hurry that they aren't driving with respect to other people on the road.

Also, did you consider the fact that perhaps the way some roads have been engineered dictates that the posted speed limit is the fastest speed safe enough for that road? I'm sure that most speed limits are not chosen arbitrarily. I don't think the majority of drivers have the education and experience to make that determination on their own.

I'm right there with you on thinking that it would be much more convenient to travel above the speed limit if conditions permit. However, I think the fact that this country will give a driver's license to just about anyone with a pulse warrants speed limits and other such road rules to protect the rest of us from those who really have no business piloting anything that weighs a ton and can travel at high speed.

The rules are available for anyone to find out about. If someone chooses to break them, then he/she must accept responsibility for whatever consequences occur. I do not think that the police here are any more stringent than they should be anywhere else.