Word for Word

A fast draw on the radar gun

By DAVE SCHEIBER, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published April 17, 2003

It may not be as effective as a radar detector, but many motorists are turning to the Information Superhighway to avoid speeding tickets these days.

The Web site www.speedtrap.org is an interactive guide to the busiest speed traps around the country, broken down state by state, city by city. You just may recognize an intersection on the list.

Officially dubbed "The Speedtrap Exchange," the site invites experts -- okay, anyone who has been hit with a speeding ticket -- to contribute details about spots in which the police are most likely to be lurking with a radar gun. (Comments chiding the speeders, by the way, are given equal time.)

It's not that the organizers, the National Motorists Association, advocate ignoring speed limits. The Waunakee, Wis., group simply objects to the speed trap concept:

"Speed traps," it declares, "are often used by municipalities as one method of generating revenue to run the government. 'Safety' is given as the excuse for running a speed trap, but the real reason boils down to money."

The Speedtrap Exchange objects to busting drivers who are simply going with the flow: "Traffic is moving safely and expeditiously, but not legally according to the posted speed limit. As fast as the pen can be applied to paper, driver after driver is issued a speeding ticket that results in exorbitant fines, points on their driver's licenses and insurance surcharges."

So slow down and sample of some of the moving prose inspired by the moving violations.

-- Dave Scheiber, Times staff writer

St. Petersburg

Location: I-275 under the 54th Ave N. overpass

• Time of Day: Mid-day
• Level of Enforcement: Moderate
• Type of Enforcement: Laser
• They hide under the 54th street overpass almost every day. You can speed before and after 54th with no problem, but slow down as you get to the overpass. They also put a guy in the bushes right after the overpass going north. Then you see they aren't under the overpass and speed up only to get hit by the guy in the bushes.

Location: I-275 for 2-3 miles north of Sunshine Skyway Bridge

• Time of Day: AM Rush Hour
• Level of Enforcement: Moderate
• Type of Enforcement: Unknown
• FL State trooper sits in I-275 median and pops cars in north and southbound lanes.

Location: Northeast High School

• Time of Day: AM Rush Hour
• Level of Enforcement: High
• Type of Enforcement: Laser
• The entire perimeter of Northeast High School is loaded with speed traps. They can be right after the cemetery as you crest the hill on 54th Ave N. or they could be on the side roads of 16th street. Since NEHS covers about 12 square blocks, they have a lot of room to work. And since tickets are higher in school zones, they usually set up one guy with Lidar and have 50 police cars on side roads that grab people one at a time.

Tampa

Location: Skipper Avenue, across from Breckenridge Apartments near USF

• Time of Day: Late night
• Level of Enforcement: Moderate
• Type of Enforcement: Unknown
• The officer waits in the parking lot with his car's lights off, gunning drivers as they accelerate out of the stop sign. He/She also catches people who don't make a "complete stop" at the stop sign. He is there usually three days per week.

Location: South Village Road, intersection of North Village road

• Time of Day: PM Rush Hour
• Level of Enforcement: High
• Type of Enforcement: Radar, Laser
• Last week I counted, there were SEVEN cop cars stationed right behind the stone wall when turning onto North Village road. There is a man in a white van or a red F150 clocking on laser farther back on the road, after you go by him, there (are) seven cop cars hanging out around the corner . . .
• Other's Comments -- We need cops on this road. People drive way too fast on this residential section of town. There have been deaths with drivers trying to turn onto Casey Rd. Slow down and you won't get a ticket!

Clearwater

Location: Bayside Bridge

• Time of Day: AM Rush Hour
• Level of Enforcement: Moderate
• Type of Enforcement: Radar
• As you come over the hump heading towards the exit for East Bay, beware of cops having a field day, especially in the AM rush. It's easy to do 80+mph
• Other's Comments -- If you are going 55 on this bridge in normal weather conditions, you yourself are a hazard

Oldsmar

Location: Tampa Rd/Forest Lakes Blvd

• Time of Day: Any time of day
• Level of Enforcement: Moderate
• Type of Enforcement: Laser
• Pinellas Sheriff's Office Traffic Unit enforces speeds along this corridor on a regular basis. Watch out for "The Bear" in the dark blue unmarked car.

And drumroll, please for . . . Waldo

Location: Rt 301

• Time of Day: Any time
• Level of Enforcement: High
• Type of Enforcement: Radar
• Wow, 55 in a 45 on a clear sunny Sunday afternoon. My speedometer was reading 50 but I wasn't paying attention to it until I saw him parked at the school. Radar of course doesn't lie so no warning. What bothers me is the police officer (he signed my ticket as the asst. Chief) almost caused an accident speeding down the shoulder of the road after me! No ticket for him but cost me $133 money order or cashiers check only. I would have rather donated that money for a billboard warning people of this infamous speedtrap.

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