Everybody likes a good speeding ticket! NOT!
I confess to being a life long speeder. It's a record that I'm not proud of. I realize that it is very dangerous. I realize that it's against the law. I realize that it puts others in danger.
I started driving illegally when I was 11. We lived in the country. There weren't very many people living in the area and very little traffic on any road. I drove my Dad' new 1951 chevy truck. He would need somebody to pick him up out of the field or bring something out to the field so I was given the job. He also had a 1929 chev car which I also drive for him. I didn't have any accidents but it was very risky.
As I got a little older speeding became a very interesting objective. All the little farm boys had stories and we seemed to have to out do one another. I was also sent to town to deliver grain to the elevator. All these things were considered normal. I thought I was a good driver and I probably was.
As farm kids we took Dad's car to the neighbors. Sometimes we went a lot further than the neighbors. Sometimes we got home at 4:00 AM. To be honest , we were up to no good.
When I got my own car the pattern of speeding had been set. As I got older I slowed down a bit. Did I get speeding tickets? Well, no. Not until I was 75!
I got my first speeding ticket from photo radar. Most people dislike this type of enforcement as you don't know that you've got a ticket for about 8 to 10 weeks when you get a letter in the mail. Well, okay pay the ticket. It also doesn't go on your record.
A couple of years later I got another photo radar ticket but got off. They have a limited time to give you the ticket. They were late so my ticket was cancelled.
Well, I didn't learn. I got my third photo radar ticket when I was 82 years old! Worse than that it was in the local school zone.
I know I'm going to get some lectures here and so I should. I don't have any excuse whatsoever to speed. I certainly hope that I do not get any more speeding tickets.
haha i love this post!
ReplyDeleteyou wont get a telling off from me. I've had a few speeding tickets.
I hope it's not too expensive and it doesn't have too much impact on your insurance premium :)
photo radar does not go on your record so no worries about insurance.
DeleteI am a bit of a speeder too but I save it for the open road! :)
ReplyDeleteThat's what I was doing wrong. I was speeding in town!
DeleteWhat a naughty guy. I thought most farm driving was pretty slow. I'm surprised that turned you into a speeder.
ReplyDeleteAfter picking up my year-younger boyfriend and driving us to the prom, I got a ticket for running a stop sign, that was hidden by a tree branch. Thinking about how to tell my Dad ruined my whole prom night. I called my brother in NY, not worrying about the phone charges showing up on the OKC bill. He had many speeding tickets. He said not to worry about it, to give it to Dad, he pays for all tickets received with his car! Blew my mind. An otherwise very conservative Dad paid my ticket. Not sure I learned anything though: got 3 during nursing school hurrying from one clinical to another. None since! Linda in Kansas
That ticket would definitely ruin a prom night.
DeleteYou won't get a lecture from me. I've never gotten a ticket or even a warning but that's only because I haven't gotten caught. To be fair, it's always on a divided highway and in good weather conditions. I try to stay to the limit but drift past it more than I'd like. One time I had to follow an ambulance that was taking my father to the neighbouring town for a medical appointment (NOT an emergency) and the ambulance was well over the speed limit all the way. I had to break the speed limit to keep up! I hope you avoid any more tickets with those photo radar units :)
ReplyDeleteYes. they shouldn't give old guys a ticket!
DeleteI won't tell you off Red because I have a bit of a lead foot myself! I've always been a safe driver but I went through a phase in my 50s where I got several speeding tickets. Enough that it caused my car insurance to go up! I've slowed down since then although I still have the temptation to drive faster when I'm on the interstate or highway.
ReplyDeleteThe car I have now is very different from previous cars I've had . It doesn't slow down like other cars.
DeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI was more of a speeder when I was younger, now not so much. People are passing me when I do the speed limit. Take care, enjoy your day!
You're so right. People do pass you when you do the speed limit.
DeleteWhile most of us may exceed the limit a bit (it can be difficult not to), I don’t understand speeding, particularly in a city context where you catch up t’other guy who passed you at the next lights. Driving 10th over doesn’t save you much time in a 10 minute trip. Or even in a half hour trip.
ReplyDeleteHowever, in my youth, I did speed more. There was a time in Kentucky when I was pulled over at something like 95 in a 70 zone. The cop was merciful and let me go.
Photo radar doesn't let you off. Now 95 is a bit up there.
DeleteI’ve always felt farm kids were better drivers because we have been driving for years before we get the official license.
ReplyDeleteSaying that, I got my first ticket in thirty years last year and by camera radar. I had sped up to pass a semi and let a fast approaching string of cars by on the interstate. I was being nice instead of taking five miles to pass the semi on cruise control. So my complaint with camera radar is they don’t take into account the context of the situation.
I agree with your criticism of photo radar.
DeleteI so enjoy your stories! And your confessions. LOL I don't speed. The thought of getting tickets seems to be a deterrent. HAHA
ReplyDeleteAfter a while you just go blindly along. That's when you get caught.
DeleteIt's funny, once a behavior becomes a habit, it is very hard to break, indeed. My Hubs is a life-long speeder. He dithers about here at home until the last second, and then he believes he can "make up" the time on the road and be on time for his destination. Yah, sure, until you encounter other drivers!! And just for laughs, a few years ago a friend's 93 year old Mom was caught speeding, doing 45 in a 30 zone! The officer about fell over once he pulled her over. She told him "I'm old, don't have much time left, so I speed to get wherever I am going!" OMG what a hoot!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure police are surprised every day by some of the people they pull over and the excuses they hear.
DeleteI hope you don’t either, Red.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to do my part!
DeleteThat is hilarious!
ReplyDeleteThanks.
DeleteI got a speeding ticket when I was 19. I got my next speeding ticket in my fifties. I had to go to court and I listened to the cases before mine. They had the most ridiculous excuses. One person was behind someone who was driving dangerously, and passed him for her own safety. Another man said he had speeding tickets in 30 states (how he thought THAT would improve his current situation, I'm not sure). In any case, when it was my turn, I got up before the judge and said, "I'm guilty. I admit it. My daughter was arguing with me, and I was arguing back. I wasn't paying attention as closely as I should have. The only thing I ask is that this doesn't made a black mark on my driving record because my insurance will go up and I have two boys in college." He asked me when I last received a speeding ticket. I told him. He said, "Any other charges in the last 40 years?" I said no. He said, "I fine you for parking in a no parking zone." It was just that quick. I said, "What?" not understanding. He leaned forward and said, "listen, a parking ticket is the same fine, but doesn't go on your driving record, so I suggest that you plead guilty to the parking ticket, but if I see you back here, you'll get no further breaks from me." I plead guilty to parking badly at 75 mph and promised never to park that fast again. And I haven't.
ReplyDeleteHilarious! Your story was better than the rest. some people just automatically incriminate themselves.
DeleteI hardly ever drive anymore, but when I did drive I would only go over the speed limit on the big highways on long road-trips. I mostly try to stay within the speed limit in town. It's so easy to go too fast.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to keep your eye on the speedometer and the next thing you know you're way over the speed limit.
DeleteThese photo-radar systems DO seem a little sneaky, but I guess if you're speeding, you're speeding. I can see getting lulled into speeding when you're driving on the open road across that flat, wide prairie! But maybe not in town. :)
ReplyDeleteAs I said there are very practical reasons for a speed limit.
DeleteLesson learned I hope. :)
ReplyDeletethe lesson has been learned but the foot is still heavy.
DeleteI am about to give you a lecture about speeding. Get ready. Here goes: "Blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah. Bad boy Red!Blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah!"
ReplyDeleteI'm sound asleep now!
DeleteI try not to speed in town as we have too much traffic and pedestrians around. Out on the highway I do speed because the other cars and trucks would run me down if I didn't! Everyone goes super fast!
ReplyDeleteI like to keep up with the traffic.
DeleteThe only ticket I ever got was for careless driving. Wrecked my parent's van by fishtailing on a gravel intersection during rain.
ReplyDeleteParents must have many stories bout what happened when their kids drove the car.
DeleteMe dad started driving when he was 12, but had to stop when they brought in the law requiring driving licenses!
ReplyDeleteWe only got a license when we were 16.
DeleteI like to drive fast. I like to feel my car tuck into the road and do what I'm asking it to do. I've had one speeding ticket, in my forties. Now there are speed cams everywhere and every podunk village police force is out revenuing, I don't drive fast as often.
ReplyDeletethe little old lady from Pasadena!
DeleteRed, you tell the best stories. I had to laugh. Gosh, driving since you were 11 years old! I've never had a speeding ticket. Occasionally, I catch myself going a little over the speed limit and slow it down. I scared to death of being pulled over by the police. :)
ReplyDeleteThe only time I was really scared was when i was in North Dakota. The big gun he had scared me.
DeleteSore subject for me. I was almost killed by a speeding driver when I was in college, spent 3 months in hospital. I don't speed.
ReplyDeleteSpeed limits are made for exactly what happened to you. Speed kills,
DeleteI tend to speed too, but I really try not to go more that 5 mph over the limit. On freeways I use cruise control to keep my honest if the traffic allows. But then the traffic here is usually so heavy we can't even go the speed limit.
ReplyDeleteAt this age, I usually stay off freeways.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that our car insurance would cost even more than it does if I got caught speeding is enough to keep me from doing it. Sorry you got a ticket though.
ReplyDeletethat was shocking and funny both at the same time :)
ReplyDeleteat the age you got speed warning people get sow enough to quit driving :)
you start driving really early indeed ,here either people do so specially in small towns but can't say 11 but fourteen fifteen yes
11? Seriously? I didn't learn until absolutely necessary in my 30's and now I've pretty much given up driving which is very inconvenient. Art prefers driving anyway because he wouldn't trust me on the road.
ReplyDelete