Friendly Reminder: I-91 Speed Traps

Glenn · Nov 23, 2010

I almosted got bagged Friday night heading up to VT. I had been leap frogging with another car from just North of Northampton. He happened to be in front of me and took the fall. I find the area from Northampton to just South of the VT line is littered with traps.

One thing that makes me a bit nervous; the troopers in Mass sit with all of their lights off. I understand part of this entire process is "surprise", but I think sitting in the dark, with all the lights off is really inviting a bad accident.

I've got a 10+ year old radar detector in the Jeep and it usually provides enough of a "beep" to get me to slow down. I'm going to pick up an el cheapo for my wife's car. We were driving that at the time and there's no "warning system" currently installed.

drjeff · Nov 23, 2010

Glenn said:
I almosted got bagged Friday night heading up to VT. I had been leap frogging with another car from just North of Northampton. He happened to be in front of me and took the fall. I find the area from Northampton to just South of the VT line is littered with traps.

One thing that makes me a bit nervous; the troopers in Mass sit with all of their lights off. I understand part of this entire process is "surprise", but I think sitting in the dark, with all the lights off is really inviting a bad accident.

I've got a 10+ year old radar detector in the Jeep and it usually provides enough of a "beep" to get me to slow down. I'm going to pick up an el cheapo for my wife's car. We were driving that at the time and there's no "warning system" currently installed.

Cruise set at 75 on that portion of the highway. I've never been pulled over that way, and I've passed literally hundreds of state cops doing radar work on that section of road over the years.

gmcunni · Nov 23, 2010

i did a day trip to K back on Nov 11 and i was shocked at the number of cops with radar guns in MA. bet i went through 5 traps each way.

mondeo · Nov 23, 2010

Glenn said:
One thing that makes me a bit nervous; the troopers in Mass sit with all of their lights off. I understand part of this entire process is "surprise", but I think sitting in the dark, with all the lights off is really inviting a bad accident.

drjeff said:
Cruise set at 75 on that portion of the highway. I've never been pulled over that way, and I've passed literally hundreds of state cops doing radar work on that section of road over the years.

+1

Ticket sales...er, fines...get more pricey at 11 over. They aren't going to get someone going 10 over on the side of the road for 5 minutes while 15 people going 15+ over whistle by. The only time I touch 11 over anywhere is either passing someone going slow when I'd be holding other people up, or on a two lane road making a pass.

mondeo · Nov 23, 2010

gmcunni said:
i did a day trip to K back on Nov 11 and i was shocked at the number of cops with radar guns in MA. bet i went through 5 traps each way.

That sounds about right.

drjeff · Nov 23, 2010

gmcunni said:
i did a day trip to K back on Nov 11 and i was shocked at the number of cops with radar guns in MA. bet i went through 5 traps each way.

Rightly so IMHO, given that the section of I-91 from just North of the "Northhampton Curves" up past Yankee Candle in Deerfield is about as straight and flat a 15ish mile segment of highway as you get in New England. It just begs for one to step on the gas pedal just a bit more that usual

gmcunni · Nov 23, 2010

i'm with you drjeff.. cruise control and the 10mph rule.

4aprice · Nov 23, 2010

The traps were pretty active on I-87 (NY Thruway and Northway) this past weekend as well. Agree with Dr Jeff, 75 a good speed to cruise at.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

drjeff · Nov 23, 2010

gmcunni said:
i'm with you drjeff.. cruise control and the 10mph rule.

I've been assured countless numbers times by multiple state police officers that I have as patients that on the highway, in good road conditions, that the +10 rule will be fine as long as you're not driving like an a-hole.

Small towns, local cops, well the same state troopers have told me that all bets are off then

dmc · Nov 23, 2010

4aprice said:
The traps were pretty active on I-87 (NY Thruway and Northway) this past weekend as well. Agree with Dr Jeff, 75 a good speed to cruise at.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

Im facing an 80mph speeding ticket from 87 myself.. i don't know what i was thinking.. Radar detector went off - I didn't slow down... wierd...

But the cop says he's going to let me off because I was courteous.. We'll see how that goes.. He told me to keep it at 75mph and I'll be fine..

Glenn · Nov 23, 2010

I'm going to set the CC religiously from now on once we get out of Northampton. I usually set it for a tick or two under 75. I just worry because I have those "out of state" plates. Which in this economy, I'm sure is viewed as a "well, they'll just pay this to avoid the insurance hike".

The no lights thing does make me nervous. I see it in those turn around areas, which I guess is sort of OK. But if someone looses control, they may have no idea what they're heading for.

The breakdown lane scares me. I've seen it a few times...the car is just parked there, usually just out of site, after a slight hill. Godforbid someone looks down and drifts over just a bit. There are a lot of large 18 wheelers out of Canada that travel that rode and they're usually loaded up with good amount of cargo. I'm sure they don't stop on a dime. It's scary to think what could happen. I wouldn't have the brass to sit in the breakdown lane, with my lights off on a busy highway at night.

mondeo · Nov 23, 2010

Glenn said:
I'm going to set the CC religiously from now on once we get out of Northampton. I usually set it for a tick or two under 75. I just worry because I have those "out of state" plates. Which in this economy, I'm sure is viewed as a "well, they'll just pay this to avoid the insurance hike".

The no lights thing does make me nervous. I see it in those turn around areas, which I guess is sort of OK. But if someone looses control, they may have no idea what they're heading for.

The breakdown lane scares me. I've seen it a few times...the car is just parked there, usually just out of site, after a slight hill. Godforbid someone looks down and drifts over just a bit. There are a lot of large 18 wheelers out of Canada that travel that rode and they're usually loaded up with good amount of cargo. I'm sure they don't stop on a dime. It's scary to think what could happen. I wouldn't have the brass to sit in the breakdown lane, with my lights off on a busy highway at night.

It takes what, 5 minutes at least for a traffic stop? Guaranteed if they pull you over for 75 on a Friday night they'll miss at least 15 people going 80, typically with NY or NJ plates. That's a decent chunk of change they're missing out on.

Yeah, the side of the road thing has always bugged me, particularly at exit 14 or 15 where the on ramp is coming around a curve. Pretty easy for someone to be a little spaced out there and slam into the back of a car on the side of the road.

deadheadskier · Nov 23, 2010

drjeff said:
Rightly so IMHO, given that the section of I-91 from just North of the "Northhampton Curves" up past Yankee Candle in Deerfield is about as straight and flat a 15ish mile segment of highway as you get in New England. It just begs for one to step on the gas pedal just a bit more that usual

In high school, I routinely tested how fast my mom's Acura would go on that stretch. There's one section that has a long straight downhill. 125mph was my best effort. :lol:

man, I was a stupid kid at times

drjeff · Nov 23, 2010

mondeo said:
It takes what, 5 minutes at least for a traffic stop? Guaranteed if they pull you over for 75 on a Friday night they'll miss at least 15 people going 80, typically with NY or NJ plates. That's a decent chunk of change they're missing out on.

Yeah, the side of the road thing has always bugged me, particularly at exit 14 or 15 where the on ramp is coming around a curve. Pretty easy for someone to be a little spaced out there and slam into the back of a car on the side of the road.

I've even seen them doing lights off radar work parked on that on ramp. You go cruising by, not thinking to look up and back at the ramp, and bam the Mass State Police has you pulled over shortly up the road.

mondeo · Nov 23, 2010

deadheadskier said:
In high school, I routinely tested how fast my mom's Acura would go on that stretch. There's one section that has a long straight downhill. 125mph was my best effort. :lol:

man, I was a stupid kid at times

If the only considerations were what was safe, I'd routinely hit 147 on that stretch when lightly travelled. That's the limiter. Gas prices would keep me down to 90 if I was in a rush, speed limits keep me at 75 when in a rush, other traffic going faster than me keeps me to at least 70 on Friday nights and Sunday afternoons.

Glenn · Nov 23, 2010

We drive that stretch of road a lot. A funny thing is to watch the traffic patterns. In the summer, once you get of of West Springfield, it's usually smooth sailing. In the winter, once you get out of West Springfield, everything bunches up again.....

drjeff · Nov 23, 2010

Glenn said:
We drive that stretch of road a lot. A funny thing is to watch the traffic patterns. In the summer, once you get of of West Springfield, it's usually smooth sailing. In the winter, once you get out of West Springfield, everything bunches up again.....

And for some unknown, STUPID reason traffic always seem to want to bunch up coming around the last of the Northhampton curves when your Southbound on Sunday PM up until the rest area just before the bridge to the old Mount Tom ski area :smash: :smash:

mondeo · Nov 23, 2010

drjeff said:
And for some unknown, STUPID reason traffic always seem to want to bunch up coming around the last of the Northhampton curves when your Southbound on Sunday PM up until the rest area just before the bridge to the old Mount Tom ski area :smash: :smash:

I know the reason: idiots. Idiots that don't want to use their gas pedal at all in corners or depress it further when going up hills.

Glenn · Nov 23, 2010

We sat in traffic one Sunday night there for no reason at all. Traffic just stopped...for about 5 minutes. Then cleared.

And can someone tell me why there's always a load of cars on the Mountain Park Access Road bridge? I thought they tore Mt Park down? And there's not much going on at Mt Tom. But I always see cars parked up there.

neil · Nov 23, 2010

+1 on the cruise control set to 70

Also allows me to get a quick nap in on those straight sections of road

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