Skier speed trap hell

[skifree]

Days of being a dipshit in ski country is over

 

[BenedictGomez]

i cant wait to get in my car at 2 AM in NYC, program jay peak stateside lodge, recline all the way, and wake up 6 hours later at jay peak stateside lodge.

Pretty sure that will be illegal. Well....at least for probably the first decade or so of self-driving cars.

I finally invested in an Escort (totally concealed) Radar/Laser detector and Jammer. Has 2 front and 1 rear pod.
Thing is awesome !!!!! My buddy a MA Trooper says he's getting one ($1,100 w/ installation) for the wife

Escort makes a great product. What model is yours? I'm probably due for an upgrade as mine is about 8 or 9 years old. Only the Lord knows how many times its' paid for itself over those years.

 

[mister moose]

"And folks, if you insist on doing the exact speed limit with a line of cars behind you, check your speedometer. Many read high, and you're driving slow. (Drive exactly 60 for exactly 5 miles on 91 using the mile-markers. Use a stopwatch. It's on your cell phone if you don't own one. Anything over 5:00 minutes and you're slow.)"

The speed that is posted on the sign is called the SPEED LIMIT. If you don't like getting there a minute or 2 later leave the house a few mins early.

Sent from my SM-G930F using AlpineZone mobile app

You must get passed a lot.

 

[Scruffy]

What I don't understand is how the state lets local cops nab you for doing 40mph in a 35mp, but lets people do 70mph on all the rural areas of the state roads. I'm not complaining...60-70mph is my cruising speed on the VT roads I know well (100, 9, 11, 30). But I NEVER see state cops or local cops posted wherever the speed limit is 50mph. Only in the towns.

.

This has nothing to do with what the State authorizes; any cop can give a ticket for any speed over the speed limit. It has to do with how much work the cop wants to do to prove your were speeding for the level of fine that the judge can levy. State troopers on highways "usually" don't bother with anything less than 15mph over, or a 3 point infraction: so in a 65 mph zone, a speed of 80 gets you a ticket while 75 usually doesn't. Depending on the jurisdiction, the cop usually needs to show up in court and plead the state's/town's/county's case. State cops don't want to show up to court for a 5mph over infraction and a 1 point fine; it's just not worth their time, but there's no rule on that and one day they could be ordered by their superiors to go after, let's say 10mph over in a 65mph zone. For town cops in small towns with not a lot to do, a 5 mph over infraction is just ripe pickings for them. The town brings in extra revenue and the cop gets overtime pay for going to court, not to mention the judge is probably local and tough and won't play ball either.

 

[2Planker]

Out of town right now. Will let you know Fri. when I get home.
Installer also put an additional tiny red LED on top of the steering column for night time operation, w/ minimal volume setting....

Pretty sure that will be illegal. Well....at least for probably the first decade or so of self-driving cars.



Escort makes a great product. What model is yours? I'm probably due for an upgrade as mine is about 8 or 9 years old. Only the Lord knows how many times its' paid for itself over those years.

 

[chuckstah]

On a late Friday night heading toward Killington not long after I exited 91 onto VT 103, driving maybe plus 2 at 52, some asshat statie did an abrubt u-turn and started following me. For Miles. I set the cruise at -2 or so and just went slow, and was followed all the way into the Chester 25 zone, where I was now going not much over 20. The asshat finally u-turned, when another car finally came by, and started following that car. Before long while still on 103, another official looking car was following me. Drove real, real slow, and miles later when a truck lane came along another statie finally passed me. Being followed by polce for 20 or so miles while doing nothing wrong? Not needed for safety IMO.
Side note, One expensive speeding ticket in Brattleboro several years ago in a useless 25 zone on Rt 30. Challenged it and it was dropped down to $50 or so, and not reported to NH. Proceeded to Killington for some late spring skiing after the brief hearing.

 

[Hawkshot99]

You must get passed a lot.

For starters I dont give a shit if someone wants to pass me, have fun. I used to be the asshole driver flying along trying to shave 2 mins off my drive. I spent way to much $ in tickets, lawyer fees, and increased insurance. I now drive 10% over the posted speed. I get places nearly as fast, better mpg, way less stress when i am driving and when I arrive, and haven't had a ticket in 5+ yrs. I can live with it happily...

 

[Not Sure]

This has nothing to do with what the State authorizes; any cop can give a ticket for any speed over the speed limit. .

Very True ....My Aunt actually got a ticket for "1" MPH over the limit . No shitting true story !!!!
It later came to light the cops were given quotas . Lazy asshole gave her a ticket right in front of the station . She fought it and got it dismissed but crap like that gives cops a bad rep.

It was township not State though .

 

[cdskier]

Good news, CDOT is raising the speed limit on that stretch soon,so now you can do 80. Whoever designed 84 should be in jail for incompetence, worst highway anywhere.

I chose to drive an extra 60 miles and take the Mass Pike all the way to the NY Thruway today to get back to NJ from MA just to avoid going through CT during rush hour. I have to say, it was incredibly relaxing. I hit virtually no traffic once I got past the exit for 84 from the Mass Pike.

 

[VTKilarney]

There is another major reason why the speed traps are in local villages and not in between. In Vermont, if the ticket is written in a village (local speed zone), the town gets to keep the revenue from the ticket. Otherwise the revenue goes to the State. Taxpayers in these small villages don’t want to pay for an unnecessary police officer, so the officer generates enough revenue from unsuspecting tourists to pay for their salary.

 

[Smellytele]

You may not like getting what you wish for. When self driving cars become the norm they will go the speed limit everywhere. no making up time going over the speed limit. Also not thinking you can just recline the seat and not care. If it gets in an accident you are still responsible.

 

[Glenn]

I learned very quickly 25 years ago to ALWAYS do the speed limit in the towns. ALWAYS. That is advice I give all friends that come for weekend visits. Also get any headlight, tail light, blinker, etc fixed ASAP because as stated before they use that to pull you over and check for DUI. Read the local police blotter and how many DUI's were nabbed for faulty equipment. 2 beers at apres is all it takes.

This right here. 9 times out of 10 the local papers in SoVT list "A vehicle was stopped for faulty equipment...and the operator was arrested for driving under the influence". You'll also get the random ones who drive off the road...or get stuck in a snowbank. But most of the time, it's light out...or someone not signaling.

 

[ThinkSnow]

..or someone not signaling.

State law in VT to use a turn signal.

 

[cdskier]

State law in VT to use a turn signal.

Isn't this a state law in most states in the north east at least? A couple years ago two of my cousins were pulled over on the Sugarbush Access Road for failing to signal at the end of German Flats Road (they were coming back from dinner at Common Man). The state trooper let both of them go with just a warning and admitted he was pretty much just looking for anyone drunk.

 

[ThinkSnow]

Isn't this a state law in most states in the north east at least? A couple years ago two of my cousins were pulled over on the Sugarbush Access Road for failing to signal at the end of German Flats Road (they were coming back from dinner at Common Man). The state trooper let both of them go with just a warning and admitted he was pretty much just looking for anyone drunk.

Must have been the same night I got pulled over in the same spot for the same thing.

 

[cdskier]

Must have been the same night I got pulled over in the same spot for the same thing.

Pretty sure it was a holiday weekend if my cousins were up there and I wasn't. I also remember my cousin telling me it was super-cold that night/weekend.

 

[VTKilarney]

You may not like getting what you wish for. When self driving cars become the norm they will go the speed limit everywhere. no making up time going over the speed limit. Also not thinking you can just recline the seat and not care. If it gets in an accident you are still responsible.

I've been wondering about this. My hope is that when autonomous cars take over the speed limits will be adjusted to be reasonable. There will certainly be a lot of public pressure for that to happen.

I actually just got back from a conference that had some sessions on autonomous vehicles. A couple of interesting points:
1) This will be an evolution rather than a revolution. Cars will get more and more autonomous over time (with features here and there being added) before fully autonomous vehicles are the norm.
2) It is going to be difficult integrating fully autonomous vehicles with human operated vehicles - at least if you want the efficiencies that autonomous vehicles bring (no traffic jams, etc.)
3) People still want their car in their driveway. The idea that nobody will own a car is just not true - at least outside of urban centers. People don't want to have to wait for their ride-share. Americans love their cars and that's not going away.
4) Cars owned by individuals may drive more and, therefore, pollute more. This is because they may be making a lot of dead-head trips that they wouldn't otherwise make. Public transportation will also become much less appealing.
5) Fully autonomous vehicles will be VERY expensive for a while.

IMHO, you are looking at 20 years or so until the true autonomous vehicle era. We still need to develop the technology and, when we finally do, it will take some time for the price to come down so the masses can purchase an autonomous vehicle.

 

[BenedictGomez]

You may not like getting what you wish for. When self driving cars become the norm they will go the speed limit everywhere. no making up time going over the speed limit. Also not thinking you can just recline the seat and not care. If it gets in an accident you are still responsible.

Once the kinks get worked out, presumably it would allow for an increase in speed limits, at least on the highway. That said, I think by the time this all gets sorted out will take WAY longer than people are currently thinking, like 25 years at least. So many moving parts (no pun intended).

 

[mikec142]

On a late Friday night heading toward Killington not long after I exited 91 onto VT 103, driving maybe plus 2 at 52, some asshat statie did an abrubt u-turn and started following me. For Miles. I set the cruise at -2 or so and just went slow, and was followed all the way into the Chester 25 zone, where I was now going not much over 20. The asshat finally u-turned, when another car finally came by, and started following that car. Before long while still on 103, another official looking car was following me. Drove real, real slow, and miles later when a truck lane came along another statie finally passed me. Being followed by polce for 20 or so miles while doing nothing wrong? Not needed for safety IMO.

It's things like the above that I find disturbing.

Two years ago my family and I had a terrible experience in Coxsackie, NY. We were skiing at Windham over MLK weekend and staying about 25 miles from the mountain at a hotel with another family (looking to keep costs down). We went to dinner in town one of those nights and on the way back from dinner (I didn't drink) I came upon a police officer who had pulled a car over in town. So it's a two lane street, and cars are parked on the sides of the street. The speed limit was 25mph. I slowed down to about 10-12 mph and pulled as far into the oncoming lane as possible. I made sure I was no danger to the officer and proceeded around him. If I had pulled over any further into the oncoming lane I would have scraped a parked car.

About two minutes later I see flashing lights in my rearview mirror and this same cop is pulling me over. He came running up to my car and with a red face and spit flying proceeded to scream at me in front of my wife and two pre-teen kids. He was saying that in NY you have to pull over and slow down to go around a stopped police officer. I calmly explained that's exactly what I did and he continued to scream at me. At one point I thought he was going to open my door and pull me out of the car. He kept on saying that I drove by him so fast and close that his pant leg ruffled in the breeze. I decided that it wouldn't be a good idea to point out that it's a windy, winter night and that could explain his pants. I asked him what the proper thing was to do? I couldn't pull over any further and I was going half (or less) the speed limit. He seemed stumped and couldn't come up with a coherent reply.

Bottom line, he realized he was wrong and didn't write me a ticket and let me go. I was tempted to write a letter to the mayor detailing my experience with the officer who had an anger management issue but decided it wasn't worth my time. Instead, despite skiing at Windham a lot, I will never spend another dime in the town of Coxsackie again. No gas, food, hotel, etc.

If I do something wrong (and get caught) I deserve the penalty. But an officer abusing their position of power is unacceptable. This couldn't have been the first time the guy acted like this and thus, IMHO it's the town's responsibility to recognize this and handle it.

 

[bdfreetuna]

Well he didn't write you up. Perhaps you should write that up to a rare/random example of a cop being stressed on the job, probably dealing with assholes half the day and trying to maintain professionalism and inpartiality, which is impossible for anyone to do 100% of the time. I still think we're lucky not to have RoboCops though.

I'm glad you were able to work it out by trying to soften the conversation and help him realize you're basically on his side.

Not returning to the Catskills to ski seems a little drastic, especially since the cop cooled down and did let you go (as he should have, and as would be your Constitutional / natural / God-given right, having committed no crime and no intent to do so).