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Speeding violation but no speed limit sign visible

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vfpeter

Junior Member
I am in state of Georgia.

I was driving on a major road (speed limit of 45) and got pulled over as soon as I turned into another road. The cop told me I was driving 55 on 30.

1. I did not see any speed limit signs on the new road. It is a small stretch of road (1/4 mile).
2. The cop showed me the laser reading of 55. I have COBRA Radar detector and did not hear anything. How do I know if it was not reading from previous driver.

I will be going this weekend to take some pictures of that area and confirm there was no speed limit signs. I always try to be no more than 10 over the limit.

p.s. This is my first driving violation.

Any insight is appreciated.

Pete.
 
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FlyingRon

Senior Member
There's an speed limit of 30 miles per hour even when not posted in residential and urban areas. 40-6-181 OCGA.

Your radar detector not working is not exculpatory.

Ten miles over the limit is still speeding.

If you don't know what the limit was supposed to be, how can you testify that you were ten miles over it?
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
If you don't know what the limit was supposed to be, how can you testify that you were ten miles over it?
Exactly.

I get the impression that the OP thought the speed limit was still 45. Since he implies that he was aiming for 10-over, that means he was doing 55 (and knows it.)
 

vfpeter

Junior Member
Thanks for all the insight. May be I was not explaining clearly ....

Highwayman,
Not sure if you are being sarcastic. I am just trying to understand and make sense. Are you saying that there are no corrupt cops? Not that I am saying this one is. That is why I am asking is it possible for any cop to get your speed on laser device without triggering your radar detector. Just a pure technical question and nothing more....

Zigner,
I was doing 55 on the major road. But then I took a right turn into another road. Only a crazy person would take a turn without slowing down. I had definitely slowed down to take the turn. And I have a Honda ridgeline which does not have a great pickup like corvette or other sports car to catch up to that speed. I hope you guys really understand the situation here... Also, I was not looking at my speedometer when I took the turn. I was focusing on the speed limit sign and then got very nervous as I got pulled over. I immediately pulled over as I saw the cop on the other side take a u-turn and come behind me. In fact I thought he was going somewhere where there was a emergency.

Flying Ron,
How many people drive at the posted speed limit. Most of the people drive within 10 miles over the limit. I understand that it is speeding, but even the DMV acknowledge that and you do not get a point for this. It is up to to the Cops to enforce this. Very few zealous cops really pull over for this and that when they are forced to increase the revenues by issuing citation. I have seen people get ticket for 5 miles over the speed limit.

Blue Meanie
Yes, I do know the DMV rules. But that is not the case here. And I was not speeding. I am always within 10 miles of the limit. Read below for my rationalization:

Let me try again...
I was driving on a major road with speed limit of 45.I took a right turn and within 20 seconds I got pulled over by this cop. Actually there were two cop cars strategically positioned on that small stretch of road. So I did not even have time to comprehend that this road did not have a speed limit and I should be slowing down.

So are you guys saying that every time you turn on to a new road, you immediately slow down to 30 miles and not look for a speed ,limit? Did I mention this road is less than 1/4 mile in length. I was not even aware of this road. This is a new road and my GPS directed me on this road.

If any of you are from a big city, you will know this for sure. City and county officials are known to do things like this (speed traps) to generate revenues when other avenues start drying up. And if you guys don't think this is true, then I am wasting my time in this forum.

p.s. I just found this online:
Georgia has a speed trap law that applies to all police agencies except State Patrol. Some of the regulations regarding Speed Measuring Device (SMD) use include: (1) cannot issue tickets for less than 10 mph over posted speed limit, (2) cannot use SMD on downhill road with more than a 7% downgrade, (3) cannot use SMD closer than 500 feet inside a changed speed limit zone (4) police vehicle using SMD must be seen by all approaching vehicles at least 500 feet or more, and (5) any municipality using SMD must have warning signs on major road at city or county limits stating so.
 
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Silverplum

Senior Member
Highwayman,
Not sure if you are being sarcastic. I am just trying to understand and make sense. Are you saying that there are no corrupt cops? Not that I am saying this one is. That is why I am asking is it possible for any cop to get your speed on laser device without triggering your radar detector. Just a pure technical question and nothing more....

Zigner,
I was doing 55 on the major road. But then I took a right turn into another road. Only a crazy person would take a turn without slowing down. I had definitely slowed down to take the turn. And I have a Honda ridgeline which does not have a great pickup like corvette or other sports car to catch up to that speed. I hope you guys really understand the situation here... Also, I was not looking at my speedometer when I took the turn. I was focusing on the speed limit sign and then got very nervous as I got pulled over. I immediately pulled over as I saw the cop on the other side take a u-turn and come behind me. In fact I thought he was going somewhere where there was a emergency.

Flying Ron,
How many people drive at the posted speed limit. Most of the people drive within 10 miles over the limit. I understand that it is speeding, but even the DMV acknowledge that and you do not get a point for this. It is up to to the Cops to enforce this. Very few zealous cops really pull over for this and that when they are forced to increase the revenues by issuing citation. I have seen people get ticket for 5 miles over the speed limit.

Blue Meanie
Yes, I do know the DMV rules. But that is not the case here. And I was not speeding. I am always within 10 miles of the limit. Read below for my rationalization:

Let me try again...
I was driving on a major road with speed limit of 45.I took a right turn and within 20 seconds I got pulled over by this cop. Actually there were two cop cars strategically positioned on that small stretch of road. So I did not even have time to comprehend that this road did not have a speed limit and I should be slowing down.

So are you guys saying that every time you turn on to a new road, you immediately slow down to 30 miles and not look for a speed ,limit? Did I mention this road is less than 1/4 mile in length. I was not even aware of this road. This is a new road and my GPS directed me on this road.

If any of you are from a big city, you will know this for sure. City and county officials are known to do things like this (speed traps) to generate revenues when other avenues start drying up. And if you guys don't think this is true, then I am wasting my time in this forum.

p.s. I just found this online:
Georgia has a speed trap law that applies to all police agencies except State Patrol. Some of the regulations regarding Speed Measuring Device (SMD) use include: (1) cannot issue tickets for less than 10 mph over posted speed limit, (2) cannot use SMD on downhill road with more than a 7% downgrade, (3) cannot use SMD closer than 500 feet inside a changed speed limit zone (4) police vehicle using SMD must be seen by all approaching vehicles at least 500 feet or more, and (5) any municipality using SMD must have warning signs on major road at city or county limits stating so.
So your position is that regardless if your actions are illegal, the police are corrupt and the law is nonexistent. Oh, and we have to believe that, too.

Alrighty.
 

ShyCat

Senior Member
That is why I am asking is it possible for any cop to get your speed on laser device without triggering your radar detector. Just a pure technical question and nothing more....
At the risk of stating the seemingly obvious... A radar detector detects the radar waves emitted by a radar device. It does not detect the laser beam emitted by a laser device. :rolleyes:
 

HighwayMan

Super Secret Senior Member
Highwayman,
Not sure if you are being sarcastic. I am just trying to understand and make sense. Are you saying that there are no corrupt cops? Not that I am saying this one is. That is why I am asking is it possible for any cop to get your speed on laser device without triggering your radar detector. Just a pure technical question and nothing more....
Seriously? Are you that uninformed (to put it politely) that you do not know that laser and radar are two completely different things?
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
Zigner,
I was doing 55 on the major road. But then I took a right turn into another road. Only a crazy person would take a turn without slowing down. I had definitely slowed down to take the turn. And I have a Honda ridgeline which does not have a great pickup like corvette or other sports car to catch up to that speed.
Your Honda, while not possessing the power of a Corvette, can certainly use its 250hp V6 to accelerate quickly.


I hope you guys really understand the situation here... Also, I was not looking at my speedometer when I took the turn. I was focusing on the speed limit sign...
WHAT speed limit sign? The title of your thread states that there was no speed limit sign visible. Were you lying then or now?


...and then got very nervous as I got pulled over. I immediately pulled over as I saw the cop on the other side take a u-turn and come behind me. In fact I thought he was going somewhere where there was a emergency.
You saw the officer make a u-turn, so you immediately pulled over? Really? C'mon - you have to come up with a more believable story than that. Or, perhaps you are trying out stories to see which one will fly?
 

vfpeter

Junior Member
It's a Cobra brand RADAR/LASER detector.

At the risk of stating the seemingly obvious... A radar detector detects the radar waves emitted by a radar device. It does not detect the laser beam emitted by a laser device. :rolleyes:
Correction: What I have is Radar/Laser detector. Why would someone invest in only a RADAR detector when you know the COPS uses RADAR and LASER :). So simplicity sake I was referring to RADAR detector instead of typing RADAR/LASER detector every time.
 

vfpeter

Junior Member
Your Honda, while not possessing the power of a Corvette, can certainly use its 250hp V6 to accelerate quickly.


WHAT speed limit sign? The title of your thread states that there was no speed limit sign visible. Were you lying then or now?


You saw the officer make a u-turn, so you immediately pulled over? Really? C'mon - you have to come up with a more believable story than that. Or, perhaps you are trying out stories to see which one will fly?

I took a left turn on the major road which had the speed limit. Once I took the left turn into the new road, I was pulled over. Then I saw the cop take U-turn on this new turn. Does this make sense? ;)

Also, I was looking for the new speed limit on this new road that I turned into.
 
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vfpeter

Junior Member
So your position is that regardless if your actions are illegal, the police are corrupt and the law is nonexistent. Oh, and we have to believe that, too.

Alrighty.
I am not saying all police/city/county are corrupt. Either you are too naïve or stubborn or not been at the receiving end of one.

Agreed that those few rotten ones give a bad name to the majority of hard working and honest one.
 

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