Traffic Ticket
 

$140 for 26 mph in a 20 mph zone and not even a "school zone". And I'm sure there are many many of "The Villagers" that are getting "taken" to the cleaners daily but many "Villagers" also have exceeded the 20 mph "trap" almost daily but your turn is coming

And yes I have also heard "horror stories" about the Golf Carts getting $600 tickets!....over and over but there's a lot of difference in being in a Golf Cart & a automobile doing 26 mph !!!

What happened to "warnings"? like the olden days.
It's not like I was doing 90 mph in a school zone @

And they think Bernie Madoff was a crook??? I know some of the "do gooders" love it when "others" do such a terrible crime

Any attorney's available?

Thanks for the warning and sorry to hear of this. I guess 5 mph over is the new 9 mph over.

Your point? You was speeding.

Was this in a school zone? Those are always taken serious.

From a retired LEO - waaaaaa! Call the waaaaambulance. You people that pi** and moan when Police Officers don't do anything are the same ones damning them, accusing them of taking the public "to the cleaners" and stooping so low as to compare them to Bernie Madoff and calling them crooks when you are caught violating the law - SHAME ON YOU! 26 in a 20 is a violation of the law. Want to dispute it? Go to the traffic court at the location, date and time that should be printed on your ticket.

Was this a Sumter Co. Deputy that stopped you? If so, schedule a meeting with Sumter Co. Sheriff Bill Farmer and voice to him your concerns on how he, his Deputies and his department are crooks and take "Villagers" to the cleaners.

" Stop breaking the law". LOL

Try not to get a ticket and then you won't be unhappy.

Where did this take place?

The officer was only doing his job. However, I wish he would chase down other doing a lot faster like the City Furniture trucks, the trash trucks and some of the landscapers who fly.

Enforcement of the laws always has some negative impacts!!

It's a tough spot to be in. Nobody obeys all the time. Getting snagged must hurt. The officer did go by the letter of the law and not the spirit of the law I believe. We had PBA cards in NJ that were just like getting out of jail free card. My friends who are officers say they have total discretion over whether or not to write the ticket and to adjust the MPH down to give someone a break. They always strictly enforce the limit when someone gets snippy with them. I never speed on purpose and more then ever I slowed down around here because of our challenged friends on the road. I still feel bad for you!

It's not being "taken to the cleaners" when you get a ticket for exceeding the speed limit.
If you're looking for someone to blame, look in the mirror.

That certainly seems to be an excessive fine. Where were you when you got the ticket?

Since moving here I rarely speed excessively like I used to. 5 m.p.h is my limit and I'm constantly being passed on Buena Vista and Paige Place by folks likely traveling 45-50 in a 35 zone. I've become familiar with where the deputies typically set up and make sure not to go flying by those areas. I also do not think folks know that when entering Spanish Springs from the bridge over Lake Mira Mar the speed limit is 10 m.p.h. Lady Lake PD sets up radar stops there every few months and often just hands out warnings. But I have seen several cars traveling at a dangerous speed into the square on that road. Too many pedestrians, and you're looking at a big fine even if your just going 35.

Now out on the Interstate and Turnpike is a different story. For my own a safety I travel nearly 80 m.p.h. most road trips because if you try to do the speed limit on I-75 you are likely to get run over.

Where did the infraction take place?

I always told my 2 sons, & everyone else, to drive as if there was a cop in their
Rear view mirror. Good advice.

Good attitudes are rewarded........well, I guess you can figure out the rest-----:police:

Yes the law was broken. And yes it's the QP's fault. What bothers me is there are so many other serious crimes going on around here that to focus on minor speeding violations is the real crime. Without the Villages these police departments would sill be one man bands. And yet they punish the hand that feeds them. Spend there time finding the crooks that steal golf carts, the scams that people use against seniors, and other opportunists that come here to rip off the residents.

I don't support speeding and especially those that speed to excess. But 26 in a 20 in a car is not excess. Go after the real crooks and give the residents a break.

One never sees the garage trucks or the lawn guys pulled over. 6 over seems excessive, for a ticket, but the commercial trucks are going faster than that.

I often drive 7 or 8 mph over the speed limit on interstates and up to 5 mph over the speed limit on other roads, I fully understand that I have no complaint if I am caught by the police and given a ticket. I choose how fast I drive. It does not matter how fast other people drive; I am responsible for what I do and for the consequences. However, I do abide by school zone speeds.

While saying it is "just 6 mph over the speed limit," given that the posted speed was 20 mph....it actually equates to about 30% faster than the posted speed.

Which on a 70 mph posted highway, would be the equivalent to over 90 mph.

Instead of whining about being "taken to the cleaners"... the solution is very simple.

Slow down and pay attention to the speed limit...or accept the consequences of purposely breaking the law :shrug:

Whew
I consider us lucky. My hubby was going a little fast on Buena Vista the other day. A police car flashed his lights. He immediately slowed down.
I on the other hand, have never gotten a speeding ticket.

A warning? How many years have you been driving? Should know the law by now. Don't speed and STOP at stop signs. No problems.

amen!!

But I am trying to figure out where there is a 20 mile speed zone in the Villages besides the roundabouts...most of the roads are 30, and the 4 lane roads are 35...although the signs entering TV say the speed limit is 20 unless posted....

I doubt you were only going 26 mph. I suspect you were going faster, but the nice officer gave you a break and only wrote down 26 mph.

Since you will not tell us where you were speeding, I assume it was in a very congested area where only an idiot would exceed the speed limit.

20 MPH on Villages Streets
 

But I am trying to figure out where there is a 20 mile speed zone in the Villages besides the roundabouts...most of the roads are 30, and the 4 lane roads are 35...although the signs entering TV say the speed limit is 20 unless posted....[/QUOTE]

Virtually EVERY street in the villages that does not have a designated Cart/Bicycle lane has a speed limit of 20 MPH, unless it is posted even slower. Flying around a golf cart on your neighborhood street is unsafe and illegal, and therefore a ticket-able offense.

It often seems to me a matter of bad luck when someone gets pulled over for speeding as I often see many golf carts and almost as many cars speeding in the Villages as they often pass me by while I am wishing that someone will slow them down.

I try to drive a little below the speed limit but once in a while do find myself going a little too fast.

Have not had a ticket since 1996 though outside of El Paso, Texas while driving from Rohnert Park, CA to Palm Harbor, Florida. Nothing but desert out there but still got pulled over.

Is that really how it worked in NJ? If you could show you gave money to the police charities they let you go? And the cops have "total discretion" over ticket vs warning and what speed to choose to write down which certainly changes the consequences and expense of a ticket?

Isn't that a fairly damning report on the integrity of cops and equal enforcement of the law? Might not such a system of "total discretion" lead to over enforcement in one community and under-enforcement in another based on some factor other than the speed of the car? And wouldn't it be ironic if the community subject to letter of the law enforcement were to point out that discrepancy in policing and be attacked for doing so by the people who have been receiving BPA get out of jail free cards? At least you said snippy not uppity.

the road behind bealls, and homegoods off 466 all the way to walmart is 20 mph I have seen many cars stopped on that road. best solution is just slow down we are pretty much all retired why the big hurry.

Yeah, I hate it when a cop does their job better than I did mine.

the pba is a union not a charity

I also do not think folks know that when entering Spanish Springs from the bridge over Lake Mira Mar the speed limit is 10 m.p.h. Lady Lake PD sets up radar stops there every few months and often just hands out warnings. But I have seen several cars traveling at a dangerous speed into the square on that road. Too many pedestrians, and you're looking at a big fine even if your just going 35.

I always drive at 10 mph. along that stretch. I do it hoping to hear some original abuse, but most of it is the same old one, or two finger waves!.
Regarding the OP's problem, as the old saying goes, "There but for the grace of God, go I."

I think the implication of your last statement is disgusting and insulting to the poster, as well as totally unnecessary. Yes, police have A LOT of discretion in whether or not to write a ticket and for how much. And yes, if you donate to a police organization you get a sticker for your car with the explicit notation that it does not grant you any special favors. I have a drawer full of them, but never affix them to my vehicle. Maybe it has a subliminal effect on the officer, it does show respect and support for LEOs. So be it.

Be happy you did not get an additional surcharge!

If they had no discretion then 21 in a 20 or 56 in a 55 would result in a ticket. Do you really want that. Some small communities, like the ones on 301 North of The Villages have a reputation for not allowing any tolerance. Most people, myself included, seem to be very supportive of law enforcement here. Getting a ticked for speeding, when you were speeding, is not a good reason to try to trash their reputation. There is probably more to this story, as someone else suggested in an earlier post.

Are you really serious when you say a Police Officer writing the ticket can set how much the fine will be? Wow! Just when I've thought I've heard all misconceptions about Police Officers, up pops a new one.

When one states they were only driving 3-5 miles per hour over the speed limit they are ADMITTING to speeding.....in the eyes of the law speeding by the letter of the law is ANYTHING over the posted limit.

Yes LEO use reasonable judgement.
And when one gets caught speeding, no matter by how much,
there is only one person to fault....

I prefer the enforcement of all speed limits like they do at school crossings. The classic example of results from the public when enforcement is obvious.

Book em Danno!!!

Why is everyone in a rush? Medical emergency? or is the liquor store closing soon?

Sorry for your fine, but when they come looking for donation tell them you gave!

I think you misunderstood. The law and the judge set the fine. But it is not unusual for a LEO, catching someone going 60 in a 45 zone to write the ticket for 54, depending on the circumstances