Roadside Chat #2- No Pic This Time, But No Ticket Either!

[reedred]

So I was driving home from DC Sunday night. Traffic on the Outerbridge Crossing was barely crawling. I was in the right lane, and a lot of people were moving over into an entrance lane and cruising up the side. I evenrtually joined them. (Dumb move #1) When I got to the end of the lane, the two trucks there wouldn't let me in, not that I would have if I were them. Rather than wait, I pulled up a bit on the shoulder and got in. (Dumb move #2) As I moved over, I saw the rear of a NJ Police cruiser parked on the shoulder.

Fifteen seconds later, a cop with a flashlight is screaming at me to get back on the shoulder since I like it so much. He took my license, registration and insurance, then went back to yell at more people. I patiently waited as I saw the other two officers handing people their tickets, then went back to talk with the first guy a couple of cars behind me. All three then approached me, and I was suddenly thankful for the fresh britches in my bag on the passenger seat.

The yelling cop explained that shoulder riding is a big problem, very dangerous, and a big ticket- 5 points and $800, "but it looks like you have plenty of money." I quickly assured him that I definitely do not, and it's not an expensive car. His ears perked up, and the usual questions (Saturn?, cost, HP, etc.) ensued. One of the others asked if my new plate, FABU, had anything to do with FUBU. All three cops were actively involved in the conversation. After about 3 minutes, they realized the other motorists were still waiting. Old Yeller gave me my information back, thanked me for being courteous, wished me luck with the car, and made me promise to stay off the shoulder before stopping traffic so I could pull out. Not once did the subject of my front plate come up.

The moral of the story is, of course, don't drive on the shoulder. I still can't believe that my car actually got me out of a ticket! It was kinda awesome, but definitely not worth the stress.

[Skip]

The Sky gods shined down again on you. ....Skip...You don't want to be well known.....

[hersheytx]

Now only if the officer was a female and she wanted a test drive. Maybe we should hold that story for Maxim.
Remember your are one of the lucky ones. Being stuck in traffic in your SKY is a blessing. Turn up the radio and relax!

[usmc]

not to be a jerk or anything reedred, but I would have given u the ticket.

as an official commuter (2hrs to go the 45 miles home ) that shoulder riding is a major pet peeve.

party on!

[Rick Tinley Park]

Originally Posted by usmc

not to be a jerk or anything reedred, but I would have given u the ticket.

as an official commuter (2hrs to go the 45 miles home ) that shoulder riding is a major pet peeve.

party on!

Know how you feel !

I have to mention. When driving through MI last week or so -- there was a stretch of road construction coming. The highway sign read: LEFT LANE CLOSED 1 MILE AHEAD.
In Illinois this means "get into the left lane and try to go as far, as fast as possible and get back into the right lane after the back up line starts."
In Michigan it means -- most everyone begins to move to the right and we only slowed to 50 mph through the whole closing...! Love them Michigan drivers!! There were no cars trying to "get ahead"

[SteveR]

In New York it means get your middle finger ready, every man for himself!

[Ricky]

Rick -

I think I live close to that bit of road you are talking about (I-94? east). The construction ends not too soon before my exit in K-zoo. As you get closer to Detroit and Flint the mind set changes, more like Chi-town. The west and north sides of the state have more mellow people than the east side.

FYI if you are heading toward the east side.

[1994SC2]

Haha, awesome tale espeically when they assumed you could clearly afford it based up on the looks of the Sky.

I wonder if the penalties really are that stiff. Seems like a lot for that kind of infraction.

[usmc]

Originally Posted by SteveR

In New York it means get your middle finger ready, every man for himself!

LOL, thats kinda how it is here. not nearly as bad as NY but we're getting there.

[ctyankee]

Don't you just love police and their copittude. Go ahead and yell at me like you're my daddy when I am routinely passed by cops speading without lights on, not using their turn signals, u-turns where the sign clearly says you can't, etc. The list goes on. And then they turn around and give out tickets for the same behaviors they exhibit every day. Glad you got out of the ticket though.

[Lil GTO]

The shortest distance between any two points in Ohio is through a construction zone.

Years ago - when they did most of the road work during the day instead of overnight and on weekends - 4 lanes of I-90 East were close down to 2 lanes just east of Cleveland. MOST folks read the signs and got over well before the state flower (orange barrels) appeared. One guy goes flying ahead at 90 mph - gets all the way up to where there is no more space left and he tries to cut over - about 30 minutes later when I got up to where he was STILL waiting to get over I did not let him in either - not sure how long behind me he had to wait to get over.

Not quite so many years ago on I-271 South - half an hour or so south of Solon - two lanes are down to one (road constriction again) - and a tractor-trailer in front of me decides to take up both lanes - and the road is too twisty to see much in front of him - and the shoulder two narrow to get around him. I understand the reason for this - to stop the jerks that cause traffic to halt while they force their way in - but in this case after about 20 miles at 15 mph - we finally got to the consturction zone and there was not a signle vehicle in front of the truck for miles - I think I managed to get in front of him just entering the area with concrete dividers on the road - and accelerated to 60 mph or so and did not see another single vehicle until I was clear out the other end of the construction zone.

[Texas Red Line]

Just to throw this comment in, when I get my Sky I will be heading for Big Bend in West Texas. My current schedule should make that happen in Feb or March. About 50 miles outside of San Antonio the speed limit turns to 80MPH on the interstate and is this way for the next 450 miles. The benefits of the Redline will certainly come into play.

[skypyro]

comming home from work stoped to get a ice coffie a dunks in the sate of mass. got in my sky and drove off the cop having coffie in the parking lot followed me onto the street and pulled me over to ask about my car and i told him about it and then he asked me for my lic. and reg. because i didnt put my set belt on when i go in and drove off clikit or ticket 25.00 ticket but you have a nice car some times it works but some times it dont

skypyro

[ShowGal]

Originally Posted by Rick Tinley Park

I have to mention. When driving through MI last week or so -- there was a stretch of road construction coming. The highway sign read: LEFT LANE CLOSED 1 MILE AHEAD.
In Illinois this means "get into the left lane and try to go as far, as fast as possible and get back into the right lane after the back up line starts."
In Michigan it means -- most everyone begins to move to the right and we only slowed to 50 mph through the whole closing...! Love them Michigan drivers!! There were no cars trying to "get ahead"

Sorry I have to disagree with you on this one. I HATE when people don't use the left lane all the way until it ends, especially those that stop in the middle of the road and try and merge right when they see the sign. I guess it depends on the circumstance, but when I would run into road construction on the interstate in AL and GA, people there would back up the non-closed lanes for miles, and I don't see how that makes traffic get through the construction any faster. Most of the time by the time you got to the lane closure traffic was moving again.

[reedred]

Originally Posted by 1994SC2

I wonder if the penalties really are that stiff. Seems like a lot for that kind of infraction.

I wondered that too, but I was just glad I didn't have to find out. For the record, I would've given me the ticket too. I also plan to stay off the shoulder.

[Rick Tinley Park]

Originally Posted by reedred

I wondered that too, but I was just glad I didn't have to find out. For the record, I would've given me the ticket too. I also plan to stay off the shoulder.

Many states now double (I have heard of triple) all tickets given in a construction zone. For example -- if a speeding ticket is $100 -- it is $200 in a CZ!

[Dreamer]

Originally Posted by Rick Tinley Park

I have to mention. When driving through MI last week or so -- there was a stretch of road construction coming. The highway sign read: LEFT LANE CLOSED 1 MILE AHEAD.
In Illinois this means "get into the left lane and try to go as far, as fast as possible and get back into the right lane after the back up line starts."
In Michigan it means -- most everyone begins to move to the right and we only slowed to 50 mph through the whole closing...! Love them Michigan drivers!! There were no cars trying to "get ahead"

I'm proud of us here in SE MI, too. but if you're from IL, I'd imagine you were more south west.