Speeders: How much do you give them?

RL1

Member
May 20, 2010
1,649
Ga
When you are doing traffic, how many MPH's over the limit do you give you targets?


I ask because my shift was recently told by our new supervisor that we 'need to stop writing chicken---t tickets' (meaning don't write a lot of tickets that the LT is going to tell the chief to throw out. Yes, tell, and, yes, they will do it without officer approval, but that's another story). Well, since I'm the only one who really works traffic, he was referring to me. State law says we give drivers 10 MPH over before we can stop them and I will usually give 15 depending on the time of day, and usually won't write one out till 17. If they don't have a bad attitude or try to give me the run around, I will help them out by knocking it down to 14 over (same fine as up to 19 over, but without points). Apparently the LT either doesn't look at the comment section where I write 'clocked at xx in a xx' and just sees the 'charged with xx in a xx', or he doesn't think speeders should be stopped till 20 over.


What do you guys feel is a 'non chicken---t' speed for a stop/ ticket?
 

Fast LT1

Member
May 24, 2010
2,018
Sedgwick County, KS
Here the law says 5 mph, which is an $86 ticket, but for the most part you won't get pulled over until you reach 10-15 mph over range.
 
May 20, 2010
215
Hamilton, Ohio
It depends, there are a lot of factors that determine whether I stop a car or not for speeding such as traffic conditions, weather conditions, or the location. I normally will not give anymore than 10mph over in a school or residential zone. On county roads I normally will allow 20mph over before I write a citation.
 

Rofocowboy84

Member
May 20, 2010
1,161
Centre County, PA
I've noticed PSP usually won't give you a second glance if you're doing less than 15 over on the highway, of course as others have mentioned, that's according to conditions and such.
 

mcpd2025

Member
May 20, 2010
1,557
Maryland, USA
Wait a minute.... you guys have state law that says that you cannot charge someone with speeding unless it is a minimum of 5 or 10 mph OVER the limit? In Maryland, we can charge someone at 1 mph over the limit.... because the posted speed limit is the maximum allowable speed. That being said, we have speed cameras in my jurisdiction that don't get triggered until 13 mph over the limit, so I usually aim for about 15 mph over. If traffic is light and its a clear day, I'll give you 19 mph over the limit... but when you hit 75 in a 55, I'll pull you over. If a LT pulled one of my tickets without talking to me, I would be having a candid conversation with the local news...
 

FireEMSPolice

Member
May 21, 2010
3,429
Ohio
mcpd2025 said:
If a LT pulled one of my tickets without talking to me, I would be having a candid conversation with the local news...

That would likely be the end of your career.


I wonder if your union can help if you file a complaint?
 

Squad-6

Member
May 21, 2010
1,322
N. GA
I have noticed here in GA nice cops like RL1 lets me get away with speeding because of my firefighter license plate :twisted:
 

03crownvic

Member
May 8, 2010
1,033
Louisiana
I often worked traffic as a municipal police officer back in the 1980s, and I was fortunate to have complete discretion as to a "hard copy" policy. I wouldn't even stop a violator for less than 15 over unless it was a school zone, then it was 5 over, or if I needed to use it as PC to check further for a DUI, BOLO subject, etc., and I didn't write hard copies for less than 20 over the limit. I figured if somone wanted to try their luck to beat it in court, would be hard for the judge to let that much of a difference slide.


However, I cut a break on a 93 in a 70 zone shortly after I won election as a local Constable a couple of years ago. It was around 3 AM on a stretch of rural interstate with little to no traffic when the vehicle blew through and I wanted to see if my newly acquired CVPI would catch up from a dead standstill underneath the overpass. I decided I wasn't going to light him up unless I caught him before I reached the end of my jurisdiction, which was about 7 miles away. It took most of that, but I did roll up behind him with room to spare. Since he was in a new Charger, the satisfaction was better than the look on the driver's face after he learned I wasn't going to write him for it.....
 

UndercoverVLS

Member
Jun 1, 2010
337
NY
I don't write many if any speeders at all where I work but here in NY (Long Island) the average highway limit is 55. Driving into work I've passed plenty of NYS Troopers and County Police Highway Patrol at 75 and not been stopped. Second glance maybe but not stopped. Now I know for a FACT if you're on radar and your at 80 your getting stopped. I think the "generous" leway is mainly because if a trooper sits for 15 minutes, with the volume of traffic here, he/she is going to not only get someone driving 80+ but also doing 80 and weaving in and out of lanes recklessly.


just my .02
 

EVModules

Member
May 16, 2010
864
Deer Park, WA
In Calif, the only concrete speed limit is School Zones at 25mph and posted "Maximum Speed" on the interstates. All the rest is just basic speed laws regardless of posted signs which is just a general guideline!
 

Mike L.

Member
May 21, 2010
261
Everett, WA
It depends. When I was a LEO we routinely gave them 11mph over the posted limit and 5 over if it was a school zone during hours or a construction zone with workers on the road surface.


At my company now I am a little more strict due to the nature of what we make. Inside the fence line where it is posted 15mph I will give 8-10mph over depending on pedestrian / equipment in the area


Outside fenceline where it is 25mph I will give 11mph over the speed limit. I will only right a ticket if I obtained you speed on Lidar or Radar which we use both.
 

chfdbigbad

Member
May 22, 2010
265
Cincinnati, OH
The police department in my hometown gave 13 over before they would make a stop. Ohio Highway Patrol stopped me one day for going 7 over in a 55 and told me i blew his doors off, right after i passed another OHP unit going the exact same speed. :roll:
 
May 22, 2010
1,163
Central WV
03crownvic said:
Since he was in a new Charger, the satisfaction was better than the look on the driver's face after he learned I wasn't going to write him for it.....

That is Visa priceless commercial worthy. I would've loved to see his face.

chfdbigbad said:
The police department in my hometown gave 13 over before they would make a stop. Ohio Highway Patrol stopped me one day for going 7 over in a 55 and told me i blew his doors off, right after i passed another OHP unit going the exact same speed. :roll:

OHP is pretty hardcore on their speed enforcement. Some days though they will give you some leeway, but others if you are at 5 over on the highway, then you might be dust.
 

FreshDave04

Member
Jun 30, 2010
3,000
Elkhart, IN
Squad-6 said:
I have noticed here in GA nice cops like RL1 lets me get away with speeding because of my firefighter license plate :twisted:

That's not just Georgia. Since I spent time as a volunteer firefighter/EMT-B, I believe there's such a thing as professional courtesy... that is, if you aren't a dick. Get an attitude with me and you're getting a ticket just as fast as if you were some cocky 18yr old kid buzzing through my town.


I try not to play the role of "SuperCop." More often than not, I let people slide as long as they're going less than 15 in the posted area.
 

rwo978

Member
May 21, 2010
5,196
ND, USA
10-15 over depending on the road type, unless working some sort of raid shift (dui, seatbelt) or I really want into the car, then it's at least 6 over. I don't cite for the later, but rarely, if ever, give warnings on the 10-15 over, considering 10 over is $10. Yeah, pathetic, I know.
 
May 21, 2010
1,176
NJ & IA
Well, not everyone has rules as lax as it is in ND. I believe that 1-9 MPH over is $80. Up to 14MPH is $160...plus a few points for any speeding violations. That being said. I am comfortable driving at 5MPH over the limit. In the small town that I live in, I tend to keep myself at the posted limits - not much leeway is given, "professional courtesy" does not always get taken into account, even for other LEOs...long story.
 

Rofocowboy84

Member
May 20, 2010
1,161
Centre County, PA
kinnelonfire75 said:
Well, not everyone has rules as lax as it is in ND. I believe that 1-9 MPH over is $80. Up to 14MPH is $160...plus a few points for any speeding violations. That being said. I am comfortable driving at 5MPH over the limit. In the small town that I live in, I tend to keep myself at the posted limits - not much leeway is given, "professional courtesy" does not always get taken into account, even for other LEOs...long story.


Wow, you'd think with such a low population-area ratio they'd be one of the more lax ones with speed....
 
D

Donslockkey

I think I have every one beat on this. Back in the summer of '85 I had just bought a '74 dodge charger, it had a 440 police interceptor and a 4 speed manual transmission. I had left a friends place for guard drill Before I new it I was doing over 95mph in a 35 zone. Bad thing was I was still in second gear. I pulled up to the front of the armory and got out and there sat an unmarked police vehicle with it's lights flashing. The officer asked me if I knew how fast I was going and I said no I had just bought the car and was not used to the power and the feel of the ride yet. He had told me that my speed was at least 80 when I pasted him two blocks back but he still gave me a warning ticket for excessive speed. Don Myhre
 

patrol530

Member
May 23, 2010
1,016
Central Florida
The speeding fines here start at 6-9 over. I'll stop for any thing over, as I'm looking for other more substantial violations. If the stop doesn't produce some real crime, then I have the discretion to issue a warning, either verbal or written. The desire to generate contacts is the real motivation.
 

ParkPiggy

Member
May 21, 2010
667
Northeast Ohio
School Zones-5mph


Most all surface roads-15mph


Hills, with no major view obstructions-20mph


Interstate-20mph


But, I don't sit on the interstate much. I don't care for being 10ft away from 65mph vehicles.
 

rick h.

Member
May 21, 2010
1,377
Green Bank WV.
Back in 78-84 I gave a warnings by flashing my lights and at 10 over depending on their attitude toward me they usually got a citation. WV. does not have any leeway on how many mph over ,you can cite for 1 mile over if so desired :)
 

Boss429

Member
May 21, 2010
261
Pennsylvania
I drive 5 over all the time and am never pulled over. I pass PSP on the interstate multiple times a week running radar, other times they are just sitting there doing paperwork.


I was pulled over by regional police officer on my way home from work one night for running a stop sign, which I did but it was a very open intersection, i slowed down almost to a stop saw a car coming and went for it. The car was the officer, that's why I hate low profile lightbars. The young officer pulled me over realizing I was a volunteer firefighter (lightbar), and gave me a written warning. My lightbar is a ticket saver :D
 

PJD642

New Member
May 20, 2010
1,543
east of Cleveland
Generally I don't stop until 15 over, unless I want to see what or who's in the car. School zones are 5 over with a much higher chance of receiving a ticket.
 

Bonanno

Member
May 21, 2010
535
Neptune, NJ
We can stop you for going 1mph over the posted limit. We can also stop you for going under the limit for delaying traffic.


Typically I stop for 15mph over. In the summer at night though I'll stop for 10mph due to increased foot traffic, parking on both sides of street where cars have to actually wait for one car to pass before then can go(head on traffic). If the person is respectful, courteous, doesn't give me an excuse and know exactly why I'll knock it down speed wise a level or right them for something else. Any speed that is 15+ over the speed limit is Court Mandatory and is major fines and points.


We have several level of speeding categories, all are listed by amount over the posted speed limit: 25+, 24-20, 19-15, 14-10, 9-5, 4-0.


Another big thing for me reducing my limit is traffic conditions, road conditions, amount of foot traffic, or how much driver inattention/negligence i noticed there is. If it just precipitated and the roads are slick, I will stop you for going more then 10 over the speed limit. I may not right you, but I will stop you. A lot of times I've found simply stopping the driver and letting them know we are there and you screwed up is good enough. I do that with probably 60% of the drivers I stop, but yet I still am one of the highest producers when I work. Reason why is that we aren't that busy call volume wise and I like staying active so I'll do a lot of traffic stops to keep busy and actually work for the money I'm earning.
 

Ben E.

Member
May 21, 2010
2,417
Iowa, USA
Depends. 10 over in a residential is an automatic stop, and I NORMALLY write a citation for 13 over. On the highway where the limit is 40/45, they get stopped for 11 over and citation whenever my pen hand is rested. On the divided highway the speed limit is 55, they get stopped at 67 and citation usually around 15 over or so.


Theres exemptions and stipulations to everything, though.
 

Retired1

Member
Jun 1, 2010
1,912
Woodward County, OK
ParkPiggy said:
School Zones-5mph
Most all surface roads-15mph


Hills, with no major view obstructions-20mph


Interstate-20mph


But, I don't sit on the interstate much. I don't care for being 10ft away from 65mph vehicles.


This is very much like how I work (except for his not liking the Interstate - I LOVE the Interstates!). I have written over 40,000 hard copies and over 200,000 written warnings. I generally specifically target high speeds: 30+ over. I hate to be warning someone for 10 over when someone 30+ over better needs my attention.
 

chono

Member
Jun 5, 2010
496
Midwest
Where I live in Iowa the state patrol and the county sheriffs wont bug you unless your going 15 over. Commercial Vehicle Enforcement won't even attempt to get you unless you are going at least 20 over. Yet the town I live in the PD gets everyone for 5 over and tickets heavily for it.
 

Station 3

Member
May 21, 2010
3,395
Edinburg Texas
RL1 said:
When you are doing traffic, how many MPH's over the limit do you give you targets?

I ask because my shift was recently told by our new supervisor that we 'need to stop writing chicken---t tickets' (meaning don't write a lot of tickets that the LT is going to tell the chief to throw out. Yes, tell, and, yes, they will do it without officer approval, but that's another story). Well, since I'm the only one who really works traffic, he was referring to me. State law says we give drivers 10 MPH over before we can stop them and I will usually give 15 depending on the time of day, and usually won't write one out till 17. If they don't have a bad attitude or try to give me the run around, I will help them out by knocking it down to 14 over (same fine as up to 19 over, but without points). Apparently the LT either doesn't look at the comment section where I write 'clocked at xx in a xx' and just sees the 'charged with xx in a xx', or he doesn't think speeders should be stopped till 20 over.


What do you guys feel is a 'non chicken---t' speed for a stop/ ticket?


Wait wait what :?: you actually have a law that says you can go certain miles over the speed limit HAHAHAHAHA well in Texas i can pull you over for going 1 mile over the speed limit :cool: Not that i do but i am tempted sometimes since every citizen in my town is a dick :!: usually i wont stop you unless your going 10 over but thats just because i dont want to go to some traffic court for some Bull Sh*t ticket that you could probly fight the judge over. just my .02
 

RL1

Member
May 20, 2010
1,649
Ga
There was a town in the 70's that was a very, very bad speed trap and since cities make their own fine sheets, they were collecting a lot of revenue and making a lot of people mad (see this story from the 70's http://www.time.com/time/magazine/artic ... 23,00.html). Eventually, the state decided that only troopers can give tickets for less than 10 over unless it is a school, construction, or residential area. However, there is a debate on if the 10 MPH applies to all speed enforcement or just RADAR.


Oh, and the red light trick they were taking about the in the article? Turns out the chief of police (who's office is next to the light) had a button rigged up that would change the light whenever he felt like it.
 

EVLS

New Member
Jun 19, 2010
9
VA
I am in a traffic enforcement unit. When it comes to speeding I write 13 and over. We have a 6 mile long 4 lane wide bridge in my jurisdiction and I give people 15 MPH over on it. It’s like shooting fish in a barrel when you’re in an unmarked explore. I set the cruse on 55 and almost every pass on the bridge someone blows pass me at 80+. :twisted: Best I have gotten on the bridge is 121 MPH in the 55 zone. :D
 

Fast LT1

Member
May 24, 2010
2,018
Sedgwick County, KS
We have a town about 1 mile from mine and they write tickets to EVERYONE, one officer gives so many tickets literally everyone in the entire county hates him, he has been busted for writing false tickets twice, and even shoots radar in my city, where he doesn't even have jurisdiction and he still has a job! :roll: I heard a rumor that he wrote his own mom a ticket but i can't confirm nor deny the rumor.


You know that video of the governor's car getting pulled over? Well this is the kinda cop that would write the governor a ticket for every possible violation!
 
May 25, 2010
275
Quincy, Illinois
I'm a ticket writing Nazi so I start writing at 10. I only make good stops, I have written my family because I believe in fairness across the board, and I'm not here to make friends. Whether they like me or not I'll be there to help them when they did me.
 

JohnMarcson

Administrator
May 7, 2010
10,971
Northwest Ohio
I always find it funny that people don't adjust their speed at all when the speed limit changes from 65 to 55 on a controlled highway. The "unlikely to be stopped" 72 mph they were doing is now 17 over. I always see people get nailed for that. People never learn....
 
Jul 14, 2010
1,639
S.W. Ohio USA
Two neighboring suburbs in my area had a pissing contest a couple of years ago. The smaller town is a notorious speed trap. They stopped an officer who was in her POV for 5 MPH over and wrote her a ticket. She was in uniform and headed to work. Because they sometimes rely on each other for backup, that went to hell in a high-speed handbasket.


Thankfully, the judges in the jurisdictions where I worked didn't take kindly to chicken s#%t tickets, and let it be known they wouldn't be tolerated. Yes, technically 1 over is a violation, but it doesn't mean it makes sense to write for it. It creates a lot of ill will in the community.


The community mentioned was a rich suburb with a high and mighty attitude. Of course, everyone hates them!
 

Lightguy

New Member
Nov 17, 2010
5
Maryland, USA
My formula is usually pretty simple. Dont pass me when im speeding. Or....for fu** sake, if your going to clog up the left lane on the interstate and refuse to get out of my way because you think your entitled to that lane, make sure u clog it up at the posted 55. Not 60!!! It defeats your hardheaded logic. And it gets you a 5 over ticket.
 

MEVS06

New Member
May 23, 2010
3,485
San Antonio, TX
well if your in a school zone and your doing 5 over your getting a ticket, i dont have kids but im an "ass" so ive been told for 5 over tickets. normally if im bored ill go 5 over if not then ill wait for 10 over to stop but it doesnt always mean your getting a ticket unless they talk themselves into one even if i wasnt going to cite in the first place.
 

Station 3

Member
May 21, 2010
3,395
Edinburg Texas
MEVS06 said:
well if your in a school zone and your doing 5 over your getting a ticket, i dont have kids but im an "ass" so ive been told for 5 over tickets. normally if im bored ill go 5 over if not then ill wait for 10 over to stop but it doesnt always mean your getting a ticket unless they talk themselves into one even if i wasnt going to cite in the first place.


I dont give tickets my city alderman do not need anymore money in there pockets. Anyways its not like that money is going to the PD we get all our stuff thrue grants.
 

Forum Statistics

Threads
53,964
Messages
449,809
Members
19,103
Latest member
Safetylight5

About Us

  • Since 1997, eLightbars has been the premier venue for all things emergency warning equipment. Discussions, classified listings, pictures, videos, chat, & more! Our staff members strive to keep the forums organized and clutter-free. All of our offerings are free-of-charge with all costs offset by banner advertising. Premium offerings are available to improve your experience.

User Menu

Secure Browsing & Transactions

eLightbars.org uses SSL to secure all traffic between our server and your browsing device. All browsing and transactions within are secured by an SSL Certificate with high-strength encryption.