Terminalcoffee discussion

What's your driving record like?

Ok, this morning I was pulled over for speeding for the third time in six months. All three incidents were in about the same place, leaving or entering the small town where I live...the speed goes from 25 to 35 to 45 to 55 in a mile stretch, and I, ahem, get a little enthusiastic about hitting 65 as early as possible. But, anyway, in all three incidents I've been warned but not given tickets! Yay nice law enforcement people! I don't know if they're part of a larger effort to give more warnings, but I'm way thankful and will try to do better in the future.

I average a ticket about every two years. I haven't been in an accident in decades.

You?

16-20: two speeding tickets. no wrecks
20-30: one speeding ticket, one wreck
30-43.5: no tickets, no wrecks
43.5-45: three tickets. two speeding (both in ohio) one "unsafe lane change" ticket (in NJ on the turnpike in a rental car)and no wrecks

i had to take the 5 hour driver safety course after that last ticket just to keep my license

so far i got 0 tickets. the only 'accident' i had was when i drove the car into a wall, but only one of the lights was hurt, the wall was already in bad shape.

Ohio sucks. I've had two tickets on the turnpike.

yup RA. a serious revenue source for the ****-eye state

Hmmm, I've been pulled over for expired tags twice (both in speed trap town... I was in my 20s).

I've gotten pulled over for not wearing my seatbelt in an interstate construction zone (where I was stuck in the same place for 45 minutes and my feet were getting tired from holding the clutch and gas in place for what seemed like FOREVER).

I've been in two accidents in my life - neither were my fault.

And I've gotten 7 speeding tickets in my life... they were all laaaaame - speed traps - speed going from 55 to 35 to 40 to 45 to 40 to 55.... that sort of thing.

I do ALOT of long distance interstate driving, so all in all, I'd say I have a decent record.

I haven't gotten a speeding ticket in over ten years. And I drive like I just stole it.

PS - Virginia is the worst state to get a speeding ticket. Their fines are outrageously expensive; my wife was ticketed at going 10 miles over the speed limit, and she got a $320 fine.

I've gotten pulled over about half a dozen times for speeding, but so far, 0 tickets, just get those "stern" warnings. O wrecks.

All accidents have been people rear-ending or sideswiping my cars.
No speeding tickets.
I got pulled over once for a lane change at a really confusing intersection where they happened to have some sort of sting set up. The supervisor was the one who pulled me over, but the cop who walked over to write the ticket liked my dog. She said she had to write a ticket since her boss was watching, so wasn't it a shame I wasn't wearing my seatbelt (hint, hint)?
"I'm wearing my seatbelt!"
"Let me repeat that. Would you like a $200 ticket and two points on your license for an unsafe lane change, or a $30 ticket and no points for not wearing your seatbelt?"
"Officer, I am SO sorry I wasn't wearing my seatbelt."

I've been in a few accidents...Only one was my fault and one I appealled due to weather conditions. The other few were minor and other peoples faults. I have been pulled over for speeding somewhere around 8-10 times...2 tickets (one was a few weeks ago and the guy let me off easy only ticketing me 65 in a 55 when I was really going 82.) I have also been pulled over once for a red light violation...which I dont even remember but found the warning in the car when I was pulled over 2 years later for "lane control" (which was crap cuz I wasnt swerving...It was late @ night and he saw the Mass plates and I think he just wanted to have fun.)

All in all...I've been driving for a little over 10 years...I dont think my record is that bad...I probably need to cool it on the speeding a little though

all that in 10 yrs? naw...you are a good driver :)

My last ticket was after I hydroplaned, hit a concrete divider and flipped 5 times. I have 2 speeding tickets, one from a "photo cop", and have been pulled over an additional 5 times.

16-19: No tickets, no wrecks.

haha Kevin...I never said it was that good either...I'd say in the middle. I just have a minor issue w/ having a lead foot...and the other incidents were people hitting me (so that doesnt really count.)

The only speeding tickets I have on my record are from speed traps on the Mass Pike. Quite annoying. Otherwise I have talked my way out of any other tickets, the other three times I was pulled over for speeding.

The only tickets I've gotten in the past few years have been for driving with an expired state inspection sticker, but my driving record is what I would call "poor". Multiple speeding tickets, a driving-too-fast-for-conditions, a reckless, several illegal U-turns and left turns...my biggest coup was talking my way out of a DUI by playing on the old "cops and nurses" thing, plus I was wearing a really short cocktail dress. The cop let me go and gave me his card, I had no idea why until my GF explained it to me. I never called him though.

Missie wrote: "My last ticket was after I hydroplaned, hit a concrete divider and flipped 5 times. "

yikes.

^^I was speeding on I-85, heading to Raleigh NC in the rain, when some fuckwit cut over in front of me and slammed on his brakes (he'd been harrassing me for several miles, I don't know why, maybe because I'm blonde and had California plates on my Jeep Cherokee at the time). I hydroplaned right out of the southbound lanes, down into and back out of the wide, deep grass median strip, acoss the northbound lanes, and became airborne briefly before crashing down onto the side of a hill, down which I continued to slide for about 60 feet before I came to rest in the midst of a little copse of trees. Miraculously, I was not even scratched and my Jeep sustained no body damage at all though I had to have the front axle and all four tires and rims replaced. That's when I got my DTFFC ticket.

Oddly, when I realised that the valley of the median strip wasn't going to stop me and I was going to cross the northbound lanes, all I could think was "please don't let me wind up on Rescue 911!"

Mary wrote: "^^I was speeding on I-85, heading to Raleigh NC in the rain, when some fuckwit cut over in front of me and slammed on his brakes (he'd been harrassing me for several miles, I don't know why, maybe ..."

again, yikes.

"fuckwit" is a fun swear word.

WOW Mary! Glad that you were ok! The ticket at the end of all of that is cherry on top.

That cop who gave you a ticket for that, Mary - what a dick! As if the experience wasn't bad enough...

I ducked off of I-84 near Hermiston, OR late one night a week or two ago, looking for a place to get early breakfast. While zipping along a two-lane road at about 55, a local constable passed me going the other way. He suddenly wheeled around behind me and put on every flashing light he could.

After we stopped, he came up to the window and told me I had been speeding through his little town. I thought for sure I would get fined -- especially since I didn't have an insurance card to show him (it was a rental). He went back to his prowler and came back a few minutes later, handed me my stuff and told me to slow down when I went through his town from now on.

I said, "Yes sir. Thank you sir!"

Dodged another one.

I get a speeding ticket about once every 10 years -- whether I need it or not. My last one, as i think I told here before, was for changing lanes w/o signaling in Salt Lake. That one cost me $132, I believe.

I got a parking ticket in Philadelphia once that cost $180. No ... really.

Only had one real accident in all my many years of driving. My '67 VW bus rolled over about six times along US1 outside of Key West, after bouncing off of a dog track kennel truck that turned left in front of me. No dogs were injured, in case anyone wondered.

I have been pulled over 7 times for speeding, no speeding tickets. I have had one fix-it ticket and one fix-it warning, but since I had appointments to have my car fixed both times, I didn't accually have to pay anything. I have also got a citation because I didn't have proof of inssuance in my car (since it's not required where I'm from, I just happened to be in Minnesota) but again no fine, just had to mail in a copy.

Also, zero wrecks.

Larry, you have to show an insurance card when you get pulled over???...We don't even get those I dont think...

Unless you mean registration...is that like the same thing?

We get proof of insurance to keep in our vehicles in WI also. But I think you only need to show it if you are in an accident.

Oregon requires showing proof of insurance on request.

When you get pulled over in Mass you show your license and registration...thats all...

Maybe you need to have insurance when you register so your registration is enough...

Jim wrote: "We get proof of insurance to keep in our vehicles in WI also.
"

When I get pulled over (um, fairly often, lately) they never ask for it, now that I think of the issue...

I've gotten one speeding ticket, ever, and I was driving the library van at the time. Oops!

Nick Cave, on full blast, tearin' down the Washington highways...:)

Yeah thats what I was thinking...I just knew that I have never been issued any kind of insurance card and never knew they existed.

I think cops only ask for your license and registration, but proof of insurance is a good thing to have in your wallet, especially if you're traveling to other states. Leaving aside speeding tickets, proof of insurance becomes an issue when you're in an accident.

I think you have to be able to show insurance in Colorado too.

That's like some kind of nasty socialism or something when you are FORCED to buy insurance. *pulls tongue back out of cheek*

Yes, but I know of two people right now who have been hit by people with no insurance, and their own insurance won't cover the damages, so they're just screwed.

That's why I carry extended uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. It is pretty cheap, too.

New safety advisory:

Rear-Facing Car Seats Advised at Least to Age of 2

E.M.T.’s call the rear-facing seat ‘the orphan seat’ because in a bad car accident, that child is often the only one who survives.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/22/hea...

My rear-facing seat said 1 year old or 22lbs. I'm still waiting for him to hit 22lbs. He is a year and a half and weighs 20lbs.

My problem with him being rear-facing is I can't see him when I look in the back.

ever since i got my license, ive gotten a ticket three times for "speeding", been in two accidents (not my fault) and given numerous middle fingers from angry drivers. ive also driven into a tree, and ruined my mother's garden lots of times. but all that happens from 4am-7am. after that im fine.

Barb wrote: "I saw this on the news the other day, and I think it's a bit much.
"

I thought the same until I read the article. Survival rates are much higher for kids who are rear-facing. It has to do with how their heads and necks respond to crashes.