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Memorable road and/or water and tickets / warning experiences

Ronnie

Jetboaters Fleet Admiral
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Location
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Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2010
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Limited S
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This post is inspired by posts I’ve read in @Julian neighbor thread.

to start, I was once upon a time that young cocky kid / man who drove sports cars faster than I should have. Thankfully I never caused an accident or injuries.

1. In high school I drove an ‘87 Pontiac trans am. One night I was driving on a freeway downhill and doing over 100 mph when I passed a highway patrol motorcycle. The cop was cool in that he did give me a ticket but for speeding under 100 mph. I’ve always heard at 100+ you get arrested and your car impounded. I’m doing so he said, “son you looked like a piece of sky lab coming down the hill”.
Around $50 for traffic school, this before they made you go to school and pay the fine.

2. a few years later I was driving from Northern California to back to college in Southern California in my ‘89 Mitsubishi starion turbo. I was on the grape vine which is the 4 lane highway (in each direction) through the mountain range separating northern / central California from what most people think of as Southern California when a C4 corvette pulled up next to me so we started racing, on the way up a 300zx joined us.

I was in third when we reached the top of the range, I looked over to see the chp parking lot in Lebec. Of course I didn’t slow down. The a few seconds later I was going over 120 mph when I looked in my rear view mirror to see a chp mustang on my ass, lights flashing and siren blaring. I hit the brakes he pulled up next to me and got on the speaker, driver follow me, driver follow me. So I did the best I could but he lost me (I couldn’t exit the freeway because there weren’t any exits for miles. Not long after that he and eventually I caught the 300 zx. We both followed the mustang until it caught the corvette. That’s when we all pulled over and got tickets. He wrote me up for 75 mph, at the time the speed limit was 55 mph. My response, “thank you”. I wondered how fast the Vette was going but was smart enough not to ask. $400 plus traffic school.

3. finally a few years back, I was on the big island of HI traveling in a convertible mustang, when I past a parked mustang on the other side of the road. Turned out to be a cop who pulled out, did a u-turn and gave me a ticket for doing 50 in a 35. The ticket Came with an envelope . $55 if under 20 mph over the limit, $85 for doing 21 + mph over the limit. The cop then told me about three other speed zones / speed traps along my route being monitored by his fellow officers. $55.

Alright, who else is brave or dumb enough to fess up?
 
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Funny story, in part because it happened to someone else! :)

Early 80's, I'm driving back to State College (Penn State) when I see this black Porsche 911, along the side of the road getting a ticket. About 10 minutes later, this same Porsche 911 comes flying past me. Five minutes later, I see the same Porsche 911 along the side of the road getting another ticket. I always wondered how many tickets that poor guy got that day? ?

Jim
 
1987-ish. I was a 2nd LT driving around 40 in a 30 mph zone at Camp Pendleton. MP pulls out and starts to follow me. It was pounded into our heads...every ticket on base is a bad ticket. Less than a minute later, a Sergeant goes by in the opposite direction, quite a bit faster. MP does a u-turn, heading off to ruin that poor marine's day instead of mine. The Sergeant stopped by to see me later...was able to laugh about it, but wanted to make sure I knew who to thank for the good luck!
 
2008ish - I had my ninja 650 crotch rocket pinned at 140mph with RPMs left to go around 2am on a highway. No I was not drinking, I was going home after hanging with a gf well past my curfew. I was 16 = young, dumb, full of cum, and bulletproof. As I got to town an officer spotted me, I turned at the co-op and he followed me on an adjacent street, thankfully I left my mothers garage door open that night, I turned in there and shut everything off and watched him drive on by!
I always tell people now that you live and learn and hope you don’t die while you’re learning. I drive like a grandpa now in my vehicles, my drive safe-and-save can vouch for me ??
 
Mine is much tamer. On the yammie was going under a bridge. NWZ. Accelerated before leaving the zone and sure enough the local patrol boat appears out of thin air. It was memorable because it was just me and two of my little girls. They boarded us and went through all our safety stuff. Girls thought it was awesome how they boarded us. Just got a warning.
 
On the water? Where to begin...Honolulu District Court for a felony (might have to look that paperwork up again but the charge was serious) of riding a PWC in the waves (yes. jumping waves on purpose is Outlawed in Hawaii). Took my one and only deferment offered by the judge and left the court by my own power and with a lighter wallet.

Skipping to the current era with a boat. I was stopped and boarded by the Coast Guard July 4th 2021 for an inspection after fighting through a squall for an hour further up the coast. My guest and I were treated respectfully and everything was in order but it was quite obvious that we were on edge and not appreciative of being stopped for a courtesy inspection considering there was a host of boats on the Sandbar just a 1/4 mile away having a good ole time.
Coast Guard 2021.jpg
 
Got caught on my '99 Honda CBR600 in early 2003 and my early 20s doing somewhere between 120 & 130 in a 55 just after 1AM. Topped a hill on a 4 lane highway and met an AL State Trooper. Since my father was a deputy at the time in a neighboring county, I knew better than to run. I was stopped, off the bike, helmet off, keys on the top of the tank, and standing about 10ft behind the bike before he even topped the hill after turning around to chase me. He got out of the car and calming asked why I was in such a hurry. With teeth chattering, I told him that when I left home it was much warmer and that 100+ didn't make it any colder, but it got me out of the cold much faster. I tried to explained that I only lived about another 2 miles down the road and really just wanted to get there and get warm. He said he would follow home and ticket me there and told me to get on and go. I drove home, at the speed limit of course, with him following. Pulled into the garage, closed the door and proceeded to walk down the driveway toward his patrol car. He rolled down the window, informed me that I should be in cuffs in the back seat, pointed to my wife standing at the front door and chuckled knowing I was in trouble, then drove off.

I had another run in with the same trooper about 3 years later. He laughed and said you again, then got a ticket for doing 61 in a 55 on the same bike in the exact same place.
 
I’ve been pulled over so so many times…I’ve only received 3 tickets. Most memorable times I didn’t get tickets, I was deployed to Turkey in 1998, 3 other guys and I rented a car and decided to find a ski resort on some mountain that was several hours drive away. I was driving, it was night time on a road in the middle of nowhere and hadn’t seen another vehicle for a long time until there were blue lights behind me. I pulled over and the guy got to the window, looked at me weird and started speaking, of course I didn’t have a clue what he was saying, he was aggravated! I showed him my military ID, stateside drivers license and rental papers. He looked at me holding all this and raised his voice pointing at the speedo and the road and walked back to his car?‍♂️ I didn’t know what to do, was he writing a ticket? Was he radioing someone to see what to do with us? Sat there for a good 5 minutes and he drove away. So I left, so dang scary! Looking back on stupid crap I have done, this trip always comes to mind, we didn’t tell anyone where we were going, hell, we didn’t even know exactly where we were going. Stayed a some hotel type place by a random ski slope we found, had a good time but since this was before cell phones and all that I have no idea what I would have done if we would have gotten stranded on the way, that cop took me to jail, got hurt skiing….so many ways that could have turned into a terrible situation!

another memorable time, I had just got back to my town after riding sport bikes with a friend, we had been in Kansas City, it was probably 1 or 2 in the morning. We stopped at a gas station beside where my friend lived, I left to go home while he got gas. I pulled out and there was one set of headlights a good 1/4 mile behind me, I rode a wheelie across the railroad tracks as I left the gas station, that one set of headlights was a state trooper?‍♂️ He turned his lights on and I pulled right over into a parking lot. I took my helmet off as he got to me, his face changed demeanor when he saw me, I guess I was was much older than he expected, I was about 30 at the time. He askedwhy I did that, I told him I normally never do anything like that in town but the one time I do there he is. He said “I just ask that you do things like that out of town where no one is around, young kids buy these bikes and see you dowheelies or whatever and then they try it and get hurt….”.
Didn’t give me a warning or anything, my first thought was “there’s a wreck less driving charge, he’s going to impound my bike”… and all kinds of thoughts.
 
Went to pick up a bareboat rental last week. While waiting for them to dock, USCG pulled up because the FWC officer with them decided he wanted his warm weather gear. While waiting on FWC officer, my party pulled up (and docked beautifully at that). USCG decided to come over and do a full inspection on the vessel and occupants.

Full-on inspection for the driver and a guy who put his hand on the steering wheel for 2 seconds at the dock. I keep all safety gear aboard and do an overview before launching, so they knew where everything was and passed that with flying colors. Guy who barely touched the wheel, they did DUI test and told him he's right at the limit and lucky he wasn't going to jail (based on checking his eyes for 2 minutes) Main driver, they took on the USCG boat to do a breathalyzer, I assume. They let both of them walk. I spoke to both guys and couldn't even smell alcohol. I know they had a few but they had 5 people with an 18 pack over 6 hours.

I get they are doing their job, but they were kinda dicks in this instance (demeanor and all).
 
There must be something about the Hondas. On my Fireblade (CBR900) back in the UK about 4am in the morning on my way back from work in 2000. Riding around the North Circular (ring road in London) that has fixed speed cameras all along it - only I rode that route every day and knew where every camera was, so would hit 120+ then slow down for each camera. Well, I pull off my exit and then stop at a traffic light and that is when a police car pulls up next to me and politely asks me to pull over. Engine off, helmet off, and stand by the bike. Officer tells me he doesn't know how fast I was going because they couldn't keep up!, but I obviously know the road because they could see me slow down for the cameras then accelerate away. Told me to slow down and sent me on my way. How I walked away with a warning I don't know.
 
Winter time in New England. 18 and was dying to ride my new motorcycle (Kawasaki 750). Streets were clear (no snow and very little ice) and it was warm. Took the bike out on the back roads which lead to a main road and then back to back road. Cop sitting in a parking lot and I panicked. Made a u-ey and bolted it back to the backroad. Pegged each gear (sounded awesome! and was moving!!!) till I slammed on the brakes to bear left onto the backroad. Flying along and rounding a bend, cars were stopped to make a left. Slamming on the brakes and knowing I was going to fast (I would hit them), I laid down the bike across someones front yard and slammed into thick bushes. I was stuck!!! I counted to 30 before the cop skidded past me, backed up, got out of his car, pulled me out of the bush, opened his back door and literally threw me into the back seat of his patrol car. I was scared shitless...I overheard him telling another officer "I had no idea where he went. Someone standing on the corner pointed this way cause I would have gone straight; no way he made that turn!". For some strange reason, it felt great hearing that. They towed the bike away, gave me a $50 ticket and I walked home. I was lucky, for so many reasons!!!

Same bike, going to work (April 2 1982 6:58 AM). Went to pass 2 cars when a car from a side street ran the stop sign, trying to beat the traffic, and I slammed into him. Everything happened in slow motion. Knew I was going to hit him and all I could think about was trying to save the bike. I locked up the back wheel, squeezed the front brake and spun the bike around. The backend hit his left front wheel fender and that's all I remember. I woke up on the other side of the road about a hundred feet from the crash and could not breath. Turned out I had the wind knocked out of me. Took a minute to get my breath back, got up and walked back to the crash. Ambulance came and tried to convince me to go to the hospital to be checked out. Told them I felt fine picked up the bike and pushed it home. I remember my mother screaming at me and took me straight to the hospital were I spent the next 2 weeks and was out of work for 2 month. Turned out I crushed one side of a vertebrae in my lower back and had to wear a back brace for 8 weeks. Begged the doctor to let me go back to work as I was bored out of my mind.
I spoke to that guy I hit. He told me what happened; back of the bike hit his car, I went over his hood crossed over the road and rolled and rolled till I stopped. He thought I was dead and was shocked I got up walked away.

Crazy time. It's amazing I'm still alive. Thank GOD! Oh, the bike was totalled and didn't get another for a long time (until I moved to Florida). Now I drive a Tesla and typically hit a hundred every time I get in it. Luv it!
 
About 15 years ago I got pulled over in a bad neighborhood in Indy. Cop asked me what I was doing around there, got me out of the car. I already let him know I had a pistol and a permit for it and it was in my center console. He proceeded to empty the whole magazine on the trunk of my car and all the rounds rolled off onto the ground. He then proceeded to tell me to get out of there and just got in his car and left. Lol
 
About 15 years ago I got pulled over in a bad neighborhood in Indy. Cop asked me what I was doing around there, got me out of the car. I already let him know I had a pistol and a permit for it and it was in my center console. He proceeded to empty the whole magazine on the trunk of my car and all the rounds rolled off onto the ground. He then proceeded to tell me to get out of there and just got in his car and left. Lol

Today that is like $20 wasted.
 
Oh sweet cheese and crackers......I could fill pages and pages with the BS stuff I've pulled.

Here's a quick one:

Guy driving was the best man in my wedding. Passenger is the edit/writer of GM High Tech Performance Magazine that was covering this event. I was the one who (somewhat drunkenly) talked the editor into going for this ride at like 0-Dark-Thiry. Luckily nobody was caught from the undisclosed location somewhere near Overland Park, KS. @Tyguy might know the location. A good time was had by all!


I'll add some more "text based" recollections later. Have a meeting in 5 with the Bobs.
 
1987-ish. I was a 2nd LT driving around 40 in a 30 mph zone at Camp Pendleton. MP pulls out and starts to follow me. It was pounded into our heads...every ticket on base is a bad ticket. Less than a minute later, a Sergeant goes by in the opposite direction, quite a bit faster. MP does a u-turn, heading off to ruin that poor marine's day instead of mine. The Sergeant stopped by to see me later...was able to laugh about it, but wanted to make sure I knew who to thank for the good luck!

Trust me, if he knew you were a butter bar he would have let the SGT go and pulled you over for sure! LOL
 
30 years ago the wife and I had signed up for a week long ski trip to Aspen, we were with a group of 10 or so that flew into Stapleton Airport, we all got in a large window van. The organizer of the group was driving. We were in the high desert somewhere between Grand Junction and Aspen, doing 85 or so. I was sitting behind the driver and saw blue lights turn on coming towards us. As the police passed us, they were hitting the brakes hard and turned around with lights on chasing us. Most of the other passengers were sleeping. Tour organizer/driver floors it. I see 100 on the speedometer and a small town a couple of miles down the road. We make it to town with the police still a couple of blocks behind us. He turns off on a side road, then turns down an alley, pulls into an open garage. People start to wake up because we are not moving anymore. He shuts down the motor and tells everyone to keep their heads down. We stay there for 5 maybe 10 minutes he gets out of the van and goes for a little walk, apparently all clear and we then continued on to Aspen! And I am still skiing!
 
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