We (almost) got a ticket this morning!

We were on our way to brunch, crossing the West Seattle bridge. Apparently, the speed limit was lowered recently from 45 to 35, and the “grace period” was over. We don’t use that route very often, so we were stopped for going 52 in a 35.
Hubby is a firefighter. Both cars have union stickers on them. He’s never gotten a ticket.
There were 12 motorcycles and 4 marked cars pulling just about every car over. Hubby was sure his streak was over.
The officer asks a lot of questions about where he worked, asked to see his union card, then went back to the 'cycle and got out a ticket book. :frowning: :eek: When he came back to the window he said he couldn’t just let it go, he had to give a WARNING! Then off, he went, with us sitting stunned at once more having the union sticker act as a “get out of jail free” card.
I’m not gloating. I’m just reporting, gloating would be bad karma. :smiley:

[Not gloating - gloating would be bad karma]
I have the same sticker on my car, and I got pulled over in Pennsylvania last week. The officer said I was doing 88 in a 65. :eek:
When I gave him my license and registration, I also handed over my EMT cards (MD and PA) and my volunteer firefighter ID card. Once he verified that everything was in order, and that I wasn’t wanted on puppy-kicking or anything, he let me off with a warning.
I was fully prepared to get a ticket, and would have paid it, but if he chose to let me off with a verbal warning, so be it.
[/ng- gwbbk]

And I did keep my speed at the speed limit after that.

Although it’s not obligatory, I do believe it is professional courtesy to other members of the emergency services contingent.

It has been many years, but an officer stopped me in the middle of the night (actually, I saw that he had me on radar and pulled over rather than initiate chase) my speed being ~ 78 in a 65, and upon seeing my FF vanity tag asked me if I was responding to a fire.

No, I said-that would be such a bad lie I’d be embarrassed to tell it.

He ran my cards, told me to slow down, and let things go at that.

Couple years ago, two friends and I were driving on I-70 just west of Salina, KS. A cop was standing in the middle of the interstate motioning us over. We’re like, hmm, this is odd. Turns out we were clocked by aircraft going maybe 10-15 miles over the limit. He walked back to his car (which was parked in the center median), and we figure, “aircraft, those things have to be expensive, here comes the ticket”.

We too ended up with a warning somehow.

Sure, it’s a kick in the pants to know that you might be “special”, I’ve experienced it and it’s a good feeling, but what it really means is that your ego might make you more likely to be be seriously injured, dismembered, or die in an auto accident. Thats not considerering that you might inflict those same results on another, law abiding citizen. Wise up, speed kills, is a life worth the few minute you might save.

Sheesh, they’re out in full force lately, aren’t they? I was pulled over here in Ballard just yesterday morning on my way to work. Granted, I was going 45 in a 30 zone… :o

Didn’t get a ticket, just a stern warning. I think he went easy on me after finding out I’ve only had my license for two months. Ever. And I’m 29.

I think he pitied me. :smack:

First off I wasn’t driving, my husband was. He has also never had an accident, and is, actually, a very safe driver. I’m not sure why the speed limit was lowered on the five lane bridge, but, he wasn’t aware it had changed.
He sees serious injury in his job as a firefighter/EMT a lot. He’s quite aware of the consequences of reckless driving.
Since I was a trauma nurse for over a decade, I too, am aware of those consequences.
But, thank you for your concern.

Anastasaeon, naw, it was that cute smile that saved you! :smiley:

I certainly don’t think I’m ‘special.’ As I said in my post, I was fully expecting to get a ticket, and would have paid it if I did.

I drive an emergency vehicle in my daily job, have had a safe-driver training course, and also some EVOC (emergency vehicle operations) training.
As an EMT and a firefighter, I’ve seen first-hand what car accidents can do.
When conditions are bad, I drive appropriately. The day I got pulled over, I was on a stretch of straight road, in broad daylight and it was clear weather. I’m not just some speed freak.

I think there must be some sort of national crackdown all this week - a lot of people are on vacation. Sometimes on my way home I will jump off the interstate and take a backroad jaunt through the countryside. There is a place where I see all sorts of cool birds like Bald Eagles and Herons and Pelicans. One thing I almost never see are police - yesterday I saw four, one of them unmarked.

Wouldn’t surprise me. The electronic message boards around here are all alternating CLICK IT OR TICKET and SPEEDING KILLS.

Ah, it’s Fourth of July week.

And Canada Day north of the border.

What, may I ask, is that supposed to mean? Click what?

It is an ad campaign running here in the states. They want you to buckle your seat belt. It refers to the clicking noise most seat belts make when you fasten them.

The nose the buckle makes when you insert the belt.

The seat belt. I was looking at one of those signs this weekend and thinking, “Y’know, if you haven’t seen the commercials on TV or the sparsely scattered billboards around, you would have no idea what that means.”

Now I get it!

Seatbelts are mandatory here as well, but I don’t recall seeing any ads recently reminding people of that fact. That’s why that sentence didn’t “click” when I read it. :slight_smile:

Sorry if I offended anyone in particular. I listened to a call in radio program a few days ago and was surprised at the number of people who readily admitted to, routinely, going 10 to 15 miles over the posted limit. They all rationalized it, in one way or another, and all acted as if it was commonplace and to be expected. I’m sure that recollection affected the tenor of my response to the OP.

On a limited-access highway it’s typically commonplace to go 5-15 miles over the posted limit, depending on the location. Trying that on surface streets is just asking for trouble.

If it makes you feel any better (though I’m not the OP), I can’t rationalise mine, and won’t try to; I was going way too fast, I felt like an absolute heel, and I’m much more careful now. :slight_smile: