1st ticket

[Fangs]

My definition of a speed trap: A town where almost half my friends have gotten tickets in. Martindale and Selma definitely qualify.

[The Annoyed Man]

There are some towns in Texas that are notorious for the same thing. I don't want to mention any names Calvert Martindale but they're getting reputations.

Aaaahhhh.... The subliminal man trick!

[Rex B]

Honest question: What is a speed trap?

And the third type is the legal definition of entrapment. This is where you are enticed into breaking the law that you would not normally break. For this type of speed trap, think of anyplace where you are cruising along and the limit suddenly drops but there is no sign announcing the drop ahead of time. If the officer writes the ticket as soon as you pass the sign, this is entrapment since you had no possible way to suddenly change speeds with no notice. Some cities (like Windcrest) do this by not posting the streets at all. They post a sign as you enter the city that the limit on all streets is XX mph unless noted otherwise. If you pull off the main street that was posted higher and there is no sign on the side street to remind you, it could be entrapment.

Some years back Watauga passed a law saying all residential streets are 20 mph unless otherwise posted.
The state threw it out, saying the standard was 30 mph and non-locals had no way of knowing Watauga was different.

[Munk]

Sorry to hear that! I went to college at NSU in Natchitoches and was stopped back in the early 90's by (probably the same) cop. His name is Longlois. Back then with an out of state license he took you to the police station/jail/city hall/town picnic place/ library and required you to pay on that date with cash. All I had was a checkbook and it was an out of state check at that!

He ended up taking my license after watching me make a phone call to my parents. I'd probably still be there in jail if he heard what my dad was saying on the phone.

Anyway, that little S curve on the east side of town will get you everytime n Hwy 6.

[glbedd53]

I don't speed much anymore but I try to know what towns are speedtraps. My wife didn't know that Martindale was a speedtrap.

[Rex B]

If you carry an iphone look at the Trapster app.

[TxRVer]

When he said you were doing 67, you should have said no way, I had my cruise set on 55. Then he says no way, my radar said you were doing 60. You got him.

[Cobra Medic]

A lobster trap is used to catch lobsters. A speed trap is used to catch speeders.

[C-dub]

There are some towns in Texas that are notorious for the same thing. I don't want to mention any names Calvert Martindale but they're getting reputations.

Aaaahhhh.... The subliminal man trick!

I missed this earlier. I think Calvert is where I got mine way back around 94-95.

[mctowalot]

Isn't there a state where the driver can pay the ticket directly to the officer? Or is that only in Mexico?

[KFP]

Honest question: What is a speed trap?

There are three types of speed traps....

I can think of a town meeting all three of these definitions near my hometown. They recently had to lay off the whole force (three part-time officers). I'm fairly certain that part-time meant, every other month. Seriously.

[gigag04]

Isn't there a state where the driver can pay the ticket directly to the officer? Or is that only in Mexico?

Montana troops can accept fines. But a speeding ticket is like $20 there.

[LarryH]

Similar, but not quite the same . . .

Many years ago (about 1974 or so), I was stopped for excessive speed on Interstate 80 in Nebraska, enroute from Colorado to North Dakota for Christmas. The trooper advised me the amount of the fine, gave me an addressed envelope and escorted me to the nearest mailbox, so I could send in the fine right then and there. I don't remember whether I put cash or a check in the envelope.

[srothstein]

Back in the late 70's, Pennsylvania State troopers had a vault box bolted to the car floor. When I was stopped, i was given an envelope to put the money in, seal, and drop in the box. Other than watching me count the money before sealing the envelope, the officer never touched the money. He said he also did not have the key to the box. At the time, I already had a Texas license and was told it was for everyone from states that did not have a contract with PA for collection of fines.

[LarryH]

My Pennsylvania (Turnpike) experiences (one Eastbound, one Westbound), in 1968, involved locking the car and riding with the trooper to the local JP (I think), who assessed the fine. Then the trooper took me back to my car and I went on my way.