South Carolina police/Speed traps (Charleston, Spartanburg: home, live in, beaches)

[Chico020]

South Carolina do have some speed traps, mainly traveling between the larger cities of the state, for instance, Highway 76 between Florence and Sumter has a lot of speed traps since theres a lot of lil towns on that road. But if you are 10 over the speed limit then I believe you should get stopped.

[Buckeye in SC]

Originally Posted by prestonlewis

Try driving from Columbia to Savannah on Hwy 321. Gaston, North, Denmark, Fairfax, Estill, Gifford plus a slew of other tiny little 30mph towns: all of them speedtraps.

I have tried this once, and that was enough! I'll stick to I-26 to I-95 for that route! It's faster too, although US-321 is a good alternative during heavy traffic back-ups. You can also take US-21 at exit 42 on I-95 and take that north to Orangeburg and hop on US-601 to I-26 as another alternate.

[augusto29556]

South Carolina is notorious when it comes to speed traps. I could tell you from my experience from driving that if you were to drive to Florence, you definately have to be wary when you are arriving to towns such as Scranton, Coward, and Effingham because they do not mind going into the ditch to stop somebody (this is what I witnessed happen last week when I had to do an errand in Florence where a car sped pass me on a four lane highway where it was divided by a grassed area in between). If you are planning on going to Charleston, you have to be wary of towns such as St. Stephen and the highway 52 stretch part of Moncks Corner because the police there are notorious on being close to your bumper and also for hiding in places where you can't barely see them.

[prestonlewis]

Originally Posted by Chico020

But if you are 10 over the speed limit then I believe you should get stopped.

A true speed trap does not have a reasonable speed limit. By definition, a speed trap's speed limit is purposefully set extreme low, usually much more than 10 MPH.

Ulmer, SC has a beautiful 5 lane hwy (Hwy 301) that merges with Hwy 321 for a few miles. Hardly anyone lives in Ulmer, it's like a ghost town. Yet the SCHP are nearly always there, running radar trying to catch people.

[Skyliner]

Everyone beware in Spartanburg County this week as a condensed form of 'Operation Rolling Thunder' is underway along the interstates yet again, both during the day and night.

[skydiveintohell]

You think Dodge Chargers, and Ford Mustang LEO cars are hard to spot, Massachusetts uses pick up trucks, and cars taken from drug arrests. CT uses a Peterbuilt tractor trailer minus the trailer to ID speeders, then radios ahead to a marked LEO vehicle. just an amusing observation Like the SGT from Hill St Blues always said "Good luck out there"

[mariuch]

JAMESTOWN, SC...Officer C Moultrie issued a moving violation as we came through this town. I was coming over a bridge and had my cruise set on 55 mph. Officer Moutrie was sitting in his car under a tree at the flashing yellow lights. WE were travelling to Florida and has been lost twice during the day. I was looking ahead at the flashing lights in an attempt to see if there was a sign for ALT 17 south. I losered my speed in order to see if I had to turn at the lights. The supposed speed was 40 mph. I slowed down in order to get around the corner. This was a junction of tow roads. A semi-truch was immediately stopped on 17. I did not have to apply my brakes in order to stop without hitting the semi.

Now after the semi had tunned sucessfully, I prodedded to reset my cruise to the posted speed. I lookd behind me and saw a van behing me. I could see the lights flashing. The officer sped around the van, At this point I pulled over even though I knew I had not been speeding. I motioned to the officer and point to me ans asked if he meant me. Yes, you can believe he did. He told me that I was doing 58 in a 40 mile zone. This I knew could not be possible. I aske Office Moultrie what he needed, He said he had "clocked" me as I cam off the bridge. Hey! the bridge was at least 1/4th mile from the point where the officer was sitting under the trees. When I asked where he recorded the speed. He said as you came off the bridge. I immediately cut the cruise and adhered to the speed limit. Now folks, the $$$ amount was $237 dollars. This is rediculious! I explained our stress and he said." I had to give you the ticket, It would not be fair to ALL of the other people that I had ticketed today, if I did not write you a ticket". He had the audicity to say that he "gave me a break" with the code and the amount of the ticket! If anyone has had a smiliar experience, please let me know. Oh!. by the way, this town has a MILLION + budget for this department. Enough Said!!

[russiangary]

i have lived all over the world. cops are cops. but the drivers in greenville are about the worse. well besides turkey.

[baylovers]

Mariuch, most municipalities have a town ordinance that covers Careless Operation. It can be issued in lieu of a state ordinance, such as speeding. The speeding fine for 18 over the posted limit in your case would be $185 and 4 points on your license. Local ordinances do not incur points, so the officer did give you a break, in a matter of speaking. 4 points would have effected your insurance and cost you continually. It is still a lot of money, though.

FYI, here is the state's speeding ordinance (56-5-1520) and related fines:

10mph or less $81.50 & 2 points
11-15mph $133 & 4 points
16-24mph $185.00 & 4 points
25 or more $355 & 6 points

[scarlet_ohara]

Originally Posted by bernsee

I've been to many states, but I think the South Carolina police are the worst when it comes to handing out speeding and traffic tickets. After not getting stopped for years, I got stopped twice in 1 weekend, once because they said I didn't come to a complete stop at the end of a highway ramp before making a turn and the other for driving 44 in a 30, which I thought was a 35 driving on 78 to Augusta through Branchville and Blackville. Don't the SC police have anything better to do then to intimidate, harass and terrorize local citizens with their pathetic speed traps, stopping people for minor traffic violations? I don't know how people can live in these communities where there are basically 24 hour speed traps and the police are trying to fill a quota by getting unsuspecting out of state visitors. I know I'm never coming back after this weekend. The police obviously don't care about turning the whole state into some sort of sick Communist police state where people are afraid to drive and go 2 mph above the speed limit. It's a sad way to live. The economy in SC needs all the help it can get but the pathetic police are driving people away with their sick tactics.

LMAO

Originally Posted by bernsee

driving 44 in a 30, which I thought was a 35

So you thought the limit was 35 yet still you chose to go 44

You are above the law because......?

Originally Posted by bernsee

Don't the SC police have anything better to do then to intimidate, harass and terrorize local citizens

Originally Posted by bernsee

The police obviously don't care about turning the whole state into some sort of sick Communist police state

Originally Posted by bernsee

pathetic police are driving people away with their sick tactics.

LMAO

Originally Posted by bernsee

I know I'm never coming back after this weekend.

If you can't obey simple laws, it may be a good idea to stay at home.