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Cop Free Road Trip

Get to your climbing destination without a speeding ticket

Going on a road trip and have a lead foot?

A cop has to pull his shift and is in no hurry, so realize that getting a ticket will set you back all the time you would have saved by keeping the pedal nailed. So don’t get pulled over on your way to a killer climbing or bouldering trip.

Here is your tip sheet on avoiding tickets, including ones on how to get away with nudging the gas past what you should. Nevertheless, the information in this article is not legal advice and we do not condone breaking any traffic laws. The best way to avoid getting a ticket is to drive within the law. That said, read on…


Plan ahead, visit: beartraps where they catalog the location of speed traps on highways throughout North America. This is a worthwhile visit on the web. Just scroll down on the homepage and look for all the highway signs, click on the roads you’ll be hitting and the speed traps are listed according to mile markers and other important landmarks.


The Dirt:

Don’t make your vehicle a bulls eye on wheels

Clean up your car and insure that there is nothing in blatant violation of the law like non functioning lights, unbuckled seat belts or parts dragging on the ground. Remember that cops are trained to be visually oriented and to look closely at everything. Rattle trap cars with Burning Man bumper stickers draw the attention of police as much as a red Ferrari does.

Chill
Don’t weave in and out of lanes, or move erratically. Try to stay out of the left lane, that’s why it’s called the “fast Lane.”

Think ahead

Look in the distance for anything parked at the side of a highway or in the center median, especially if there is just a little bit of the nose of a car sticking out. The bottom of a long hill is always a place to suspect since that is where speeds will be at maximum for a cop to clock. Watch trucks. If a trucker suddenly slows down, it is usually because there is a good reason.

Get a pack mentality
Even if you are speeding, it is much harder to clock you in the middle of a group of vehicles. Remember that a radar gun doesn’t know which vehicle is speeding and there must be something distinguishable to isolate a speeding car. One thing that can bust you is to be passing another vehicle while the clocking is happening. By passing, the officer will have some certainty of who is doing the speeding. Being alone or the lead car is a set up for an almost uncontestable ticket. Always try to stay behind a faster driver or around drivers traveling at similar speeds.
Use, but don’t rely on a radar or laser detector.
Remember that detectors are illegal to have in your vehicle in VA, and Washington DC. Even in places where they are legal, when a cop pulls over a person who has an obvious detector device or if he sees someone trying to hide it, it won’t make for a happy police person who might have given a stern “don’t let me see you speeding again,” without a ticket. If you’re going to have a detector, cough up the cash for one that won’t get you busted due to its mere presence in your vehicle.

Know police vehicles
You may be able to recognize a classic Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor in your rear view mirror from 10 car lengths ahead, but there are police cars that will not be what you expect. For a long time, climbers cruising down into Aspen, CO from Independence Pass knew that the trendy town transported Aspen’s finest in Saab’s, but in 2005, Volvo XC-90s replaced the Saab sedans. Then in 2007 the Volvo was replaced by electric-powered Toyota Highlander Hybrid cars. In short, don’t count on a standard “black and white” on a road trip. It could be anything and you don’t want to find out after the fact.

Beware of police giving tickets
Just because a cruiser is at the side of the road issuing a ticket, don’t assume that the coast is clear. Many times there is a clocker car in a speed trap and a queue of patrol cars waiting to go in pursuit of the unsuspecting speeder. Don’t get pulled into complacency.

What to do if you get pulled over
Always think of what can be done to make an officer feel safe. Being a cop is scary. They never know which car will have a lunatic inside and anyone who will mitigate the worry of a cop will be more likely to get a warning or at least not be harassed by an irritated lifer with a chip on his shoulder.
• Keep your hands on the steering wheel while a cop approaches your car.
• Move slowly when reaching for anything.
• If the registration was in a center console, close it after the paperwork is out. Center consoles are right in your reach and a weapon is always a worry for police.
• If it is night time, turn on the dome light.
• Keep your seat belt on unless instructed to do otherwise.
• Always pull over to the right side of the road.
• If you can get under a light at night time, great. If you can get into a pullout where traffic is not even close, better still.
• Speak with respect. “Officer” is the best way to address one, unless you are sure of his / her rank. Calling cops Ma'am or Sir is sometimes called “bootlicking” and won’t get you any extra points.
• Don’t argue. It’s serious bad news in the worst cases.
• Decide how you want to play your discussion if you are asked the question “do you know how fast you were going.” In most cases, it is best to not admit guilt. It makes it more difficult to contest the ticket if you go to court. On the other hand, there are plenty of reports of people who have driven away with a warning after surprising the officer by saying something like… “You are right, officer, I was going over the limit and guess that I needed to be warned to slow down. I appreciate you giving me that wake up call and warning me.” There is a subtle linguistic hint that he is going to give a warning and not a ticket without begging to get out of it. Asking to not be ticketed is a guaranteed ticket, but thanking someone for warning you and helping you to drive correctly is a different story. You decide which approach is best.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: THIS IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE.