[BigOkie]

Originally Posted by EarthBound?

Ok, I have to say this, only because I use to work with local PD as a Bike Patrol Officer.

If you would do the SPEED LIMIT then you wouldn't need to worry about a speed trap, would you?

But speed traps by definition in towns that use them to make more than half of their revenue are illegal. If you've seen any of these towns, you know that's what they're used for. Tushka for sure, and I would bet Stringtown as well. I've seen people (and myself as well) get pulled over and have the police officer use 2 mph over the limit (of which most urban police officers will tell you a judge would throw out of court every time) to try and either look for something else wrong, or argue with you that if you would just pay the fine everything would be ok. We have two or three communities in OK that got nailed doing stuff just like this.

[briansgi]

Add Bernice Ok. to the list of speed traps. The local sheriff sits on that little stretch of highway and will ticket for going only 5 over. I drive through there all the time and he's always sitting/lurking/hiding and always has someone pulled over. Bernice is a bump in the road too, a whopping 500 people.

[_redbird_]

Maybe Bernice needs a sign like this. I think Verden used to qualify. But they don't seem to lurk as much anymore.

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff275/redbird4848/police_speed_trap.jpg (broken link)

[ionstott06]

Originally Posted by EarthBound?

Ok, I have to say this, only because I use to work with local PD as a Bike Patrol Officer.

If you would do the SPEED LIMIT then you wouldn't need to worry about a speed trap, would you?

Only problem is that Kiowa, OK has got some kind of scam going. Either they have their radar calibrated wrong for the purpose of collecting revenue or they are clocking people in the 60 and 70 MPH zone and then stopping people coming out of the 50 MPH zone and giving them a ticket.

I know my speedometer to be correct as I have checked it several times. I was showing 54 MPH and the officer said he clocked me at 62 MPH.

I intend to notify the Attorney General about this matter and hope more people will do so to put a halt to this misjustice.

[EarthBound?]

[quote=ionstott06;11769475]Only problem is that Kiowa, OK has got some kind of scam going. Either they have their radar calibrated wrong for the purpose of collecting revenue or they are clocking people in the 60 and 70 MPH zone and then stopping people coming out of the 50 MPH zone and giving them a ticket.

I know my speedometer to be correct as I have checked it several times. I was showing 54 MPH and the officer said he clocked me at 62 MPH.

I intend to notify the Attorney General about this matter and hope more people will do so to put a halt to this misjustice.

Does Oklahoma require the departments to register the callbration on the L.E.A.D.S, Law Enforcement Automated Data Systems. If so, then a good lawyer can request those calibration registrations to prestent in court. And here in Ohio the Officers Must be state certified to do those calibrations. These numbers and test once put into the LEADS, can not be removed or changed. Plus, how old is the system they are using and when was the last time it was sent in for state calibration? Again, a good lawyer would know how to find this information and use that against the department.

I once heard a Judge tell an officer in his court, "Its my job to interpret the law, its your job to infoced the law and its a lawyers jobs to sway the law". [/i][/font][/color]

[mkfarnam]

Living in So Cal 35years I never even got a parking ticket. I move to Oklahoma and 1 week later I get a speeding ticket claiming that I was going 39 in a 35............1st ticket I've ever had

[stillkit]

Just FYI:

It is now illegal in Oklahoma to drive in the left lane of a four-lane road for any reason besides construction zones, while passing etc.

It is also illegal to pass at any speed below the posted limit.

In other words, unless you're passing someone, don't be a "bumper lane blocker."

[mkfarnam]

Originally Posted by stillkit

Just FYI:

It is now illegal in Oklahoma to drive in the left lane of a four-lane road for any reason besides construction zones, while passing etc.

It is also illegal to pass at any speed below the posted limit.

In other words, unless you're passing someone, don't be a "bumper lane blocker."

I'm use to the 5-6 lane freeways in California. The far left lane was the "carpool lane". You had to have at least 1 passenger in order to use that lane.
Out there if you were tuggin" along at under 80-90 mph you best stay in the far right lane.

[Bobby H]

Originally Posted by EarthBound?

If you would do the SPEED LIMIT then you wouldn't need to worry about a speed trap, would you?

That's all fine and good if you even see the speed limit signs.

The Oklahoma Dept. of Transportation, the OK Turnpike Authority and many of the cities and towns in this state are pretty notorious for taking cost cutting short cuts when it comes to installing effective traffic control signs. That includes the installation of speed limit signs that comply with the latest MUTCD manual.

The most common problem is old, out of date traffic signs. The next most common problem is tiny traffic signs. Many communities will save a few bucks installing small speed limit signs meant for a residential street. A wide, four lane highway demands a much larger (and more expensive) sign to be installed. Not only that, but a MUTCD compliant speed limit sign system features numerous signs that clearly warn the driver of the speed zone ahead.

Additionally, I've seen certain cities and town install signs designed by amateur sign designers that don't comply with MUTCD standards. They're using the wrong fonts, at wrong sizes and not even using the reflective materials MUTCD demands.

Let's not leave out the "good old boy network" penchant of small town types to let residents plant trees and build other visual obstructions into the highway right of way. Property line? Utility easement? Forget all that stuff! Plant that big oak tree in a sight triangle and don't worry about blocking the speed limit sign 30 feet to the right!

Originally Posted by EarthBound?

Does Oklahoma require the departments to register the calibration on the L.E.A.D.S, Law Enforcement Automated Data Systems. If so, then a good lawyer can request those calibration registrations to present in court.

All of this is academic when the ticketed driver weighs the cost of hiring a lawyer versus merely pleading "nolo" and just paying off the ticket. Unless you're looking at a really serious fine fighting the ticket in court is going to be a waste of money.

Also, these speed trap towns know full well that a defendant isn't going to drive hundreds of miles back to that town to fight a ticket, much less pay the additional cost of hiring a lawyer to fight it. Worse yet, that speed trap town is filled with the cop's peers, not anyone who is going to be sympathetic to the views of some out of town, long distance driver.

In the end, the only way to really fight the speed trap towns to spread the word about them grass roots style. Those towns get a lot of benefit from travelers stopping to eat, shop and sleep there. Travelers aren't going to be so keen on spending their money in a known speed trap town.

[Blue Skies]

My only speeding I have ever received was a year ago, in a town called Shamrock, Texas. I was moving out from California. I was on Rte 66/I 40. On Sunday morning, the week before Thanksgiving, I was pulled over for driving 77 in a 65 zone. I had on an OU sweatshirt. I was not aware that the night before, OU beat the hell out of Texas Tech in a football game. There was no way I was getting a warning....he wrote the ticket out in about 30 seconds.