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Oregonians - Speed Advice

In New York, you can generally go 10mph over the limit at highway speeds, and 7mph over the limit on lower speed limit roads. But, our maximum speed limit is 65mph. The Thruway was designed to be driven at 90mph on the average, but the maximum limit is 65. Even with these generous buffer limits (when compared to other states), NY still writes a lot of speeding tickets. Many speeding tickets run about $400.

In the past, towns had to hand over the revenue for speeders to the State. The town would spend the money to try the case, and would forfeit the revenue to the state. But, if the town plea bargain the case, the town would keep the revenue. But, all of this is about to change. NY is now proposing "reform" of the court process. The state now wants to prevent plea bargaining, so the NY state would get 100% of the fine money and the towns get nothing. But, the towns would still have to spend their own money to try the case, and process the tickets. This would generate another 58 million in tax revenue. Needless to say, the towns are angry. Towns are now talking about raising property taxes to make up the difference. Local residents are angry too. They now refer to police cars as, "Mobile Tax Units". Or "MTU's". The NYS Thruway recently announced that they will be ending their 60 million dollar contract with the NYS Police to enforce speed limits. A lot of turmoil and in-fighting over traffic tickets. Hard to say how it will all turn out once the dust settles.

But, it doesn't end there. Now, when you get tickets of 6 pts or more, the DMV will be assessing additional fees for 3 years for each car that you register. Some regard this as, "Tickets that keep on giving". The DMV ticket fees start at $100/yr and go up $25/yr for each pt. If alcohol or drugs are involved, or if you refuse to submit for testing, then it is another $250/yr for the 3 years.

NY State now admits that traffic tickets are all about the tax revenue they can generate.

But, it doesn't end there. New York is now changing the timing on Red Lights. The Federal standard is 1 second for every 10mph. So, in a 55mph zone, the yellow light is 5.5 seconds long. NYS DOT is now very quietly changing the 55mph zone yellow light timing to 4 seconds. That way they can write more tickets for people running red lights. NY attitude is who cares about safety, as long as we can generate more tax revenue.
 
But, it doesn't end there. New York is now changing the timing on Red Lights. The Federal standard is 1 second for every 10mph. So, in a 55mph zone, the yellow light is 5.5 seconds long. NYS DOT is now very quietly changing the 55mph zone yellow light timing to 4 seconds. That way they can write more tickets for people running red lights. NY attitude is who cares about safety, as long as we can generate more tax revenue.

Does New York have a high death tax too? This is the perfect way to get more people killed. New York needs to fire the Governor and a whole bunch of legislators.
 
If you happen to be traveling to the rally via WA state - may I respectfully recommend that you take care to do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING - speed related, or otherwise, that would draw the attention of the local LEOs - state, county, or municipality.

Be safe, have fun (yeah I know) best regards.
 
The whole issue of yellow light timing started on the US DOT forum. Someone found a "loop-hole" to allow states to get around the Federal regulations. I believe that Chicago was the first to change the yellow light timing in city streets. The city was sued and lost. I believe NYS was next. So far, they haven't been sued. About a week after they changed the yellow light timing near me, there was a fatality due to the yellow light timing. A number of cars were involved. Ironically, one of the vehicles involved was a DOT vehicle. The very people who changed the yellow light timing.

It is an issue that really irks me. When people outside the area speed-up to get through the light within the 5.5 second standard, you have locals slamming on the brakes to get stopped within the real 4 seconds. It is a recipe for accidents. And, that is exactly what we are getting. We get a lot of people blowing through red lights. When it snows, it is like Russian-Roulette.
 
The part about "7 over" will buy you a ticket if you encounter a state trooper almost anywhere in Texas. Their attitude is that they give you 70, or 75, or 80, or even 85 as posted limits in rural areas and you shouldn't need to take much more than that.

4 over will get you a ticket most places, and 2 over might, or might result in a roadside chat at least.

Sheriff deputies might be a bit more tolerant but you can't count on it.

This tight (2-4 mph) is a real concern for me since my (Canadian) RT shows Kph only so when speed zones change often I end up getting a headache just calculating the mph to go the legal speed. No, I don't own a GPS which would be a great help to show actual speed and some even warn about speed zone changes.
 
This tight (2-4 mph) is a real concern for me since my (Canadian) RT shows Kph only so when speed zones change often I end up getting a headache just calculating the mph to go the legal speed. No, I don't own a GPS which would be a great help to show actual speed and some even warn about speed zone changes.

Your speedometer is probably dual marked for speed with the primary units for your country (kph) on the outside circle in bigger numbers. The secondary units for your country (mph) will be in smaller numbers on the inner circle.
 
Your speedometer is probably dual marked

Nope. Motorrad's Canadian bikes are metrically pure. :) Even certain German cars are metrically pure.

...the secondary units...

Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau's Liberal government of the '70's outlawed Imperial measurements (we still have acres, however, sort of). Even us Westerners have gotten used to this. :D
 
Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau's Liberal government of the '70's outlawed Imperial measurement.

As did the rest of the world many years earlier. Except for one large exception. That said, my American sports car is metric.

And I can't believe that any reasonable law officer is going to take the trouble to write up a ticket for 2-4 mph over the limit. Heck, that's speedo error fer cryin' out loud.
 
As did the rest of the world many years earlier. Except for one large exception. That said, my American sports car is metric.

And I can't believe that any reasonable law officer is going to take the trouble to write up a ticket for 2-4 mph over the limit. Heck, that's speedo error fer cryin' out loud.

I will repeat what I wrote earlier. Four over will usually get you a ticket from a Texas trooper. Two over might get a stop and chat. If a bad day, even two over might get a ticket. When the limit is 75 (120 kph) on a two-lane state highway, they are not near as lenient as in places where the dreary little limit is 55 (88 kph).

Believe it or not, at your own peril.
 
I will repeat what I wrote earlier. Four over will usually get you a ticket from a Texas trooper. Two over might get a stop and chat. If a bad day, even two over might get a ticket. When the limit is 75 (120 kph) on a two-lane state highway, they are not near as lenient as in places where the dreary little limit is 55 (88 kph).

Believe it or not, at your own peril.

I wasn't questioning the veracity of your statement, I've just never seen or experienced enforcement to that degree - except in the little one stoplight town of Concrete, Washington where I make a point of travelling under the speed limit.
 
In town in Salem obey the speed limit. The LEOs keep pretty tight reins on their city. This means both I-5 through Salem and the surface streets. Also the Creswell /Drain area south of Eugene on I-5 is also watched. (DAMHIK) On the back roads just use your head, the liklihood of seeing a cop when you are way back in the sticks is pretty slim. Also on Hwy 20 west of Corvallis there is a big construction project with a very well marked "dead man's curve" (sadly aptly named) just outside of Eddyville. There is a cop there always. There are enough routes way off the main stem that can be ridden briskly that rushing through populated areas is just foolish.
 
Bring your wallet

I have gotten two tickets in the last 35 years, both in Oregon. The first was a "sting" where they had cameras set up and entering the intersection on a yellow cost me $225. Today I got my second summons for $260 for failing to move over a lane (which was occupied) because a trooper was sitting on the side of the road with his doors closed but his lights flashing while he was doing his paperwork on the speeding ticket he just issued. I feel both these were all about revenue production.

So in 35 years I haven't gotten a speeding ticket or any "normal" violation. The number of LEO's per mile of road is relatively low so that works in your favor but if you ride like a maniac, you deserve what you get. I feel WA patrols their road much more frequently than Oregon.

But if you find yourself at the wrong spot at the wrong time, bring your wallet!

P.S. The less populated eastern Oregon seems to recognize the revenue that rallies bring and their LEO's are more likely to give you a warning than a ticket.
 
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For those that may be visiting Oregon....The Portland metro area, the Salem area and the Albany area are just some of the areas in the state you may encounter photo enforcement for speed and photo enforcement of red lights. Speed vans place a sign on the side of the road prior to the van warning you the van is ahead. Most intersections (if not all) also have signs warning you the intersection is photo enforced. And for those from other states, a yellow in Oregon means stop, not go like a dickens and get through the intersection.
 
Also the Creswell /Drain area south of Eugene on I-5 is also watched.

It has always amused me that I-5, headed toward the Drain exit, is a downward spiral. Did someone on the highway commission actually have a sense of humor? I must say, I've blown through there at 80 mph. Just lucky, I guess.
 
...And for those from other states, a yellow in Oregon means stop, not go like a dickens and get through the intersection.

I always thought yellow / amber meant "stop if you can". Another poster said he was ticketed entering on yellow. Can you say more about this?

Here in Ontario, Canada, a LEO can ticket you if it appears to them that you could have stopped. I've never seen that happen, and it seems that most everyone speeds through. Every time I go through and think I should have tried harder to stop, I check the rear-view mirror and see at least one, maybe two cars following me through!

Big city aggressive, I guess.
 
Come to Louisiana.

The rule for yellow lights here is to stomp on the gas. It means HURRY UP !!! :whistle

We also have drive-through daiquiri shops in the state. And an open container law. :scratch
 
I always thought yellow / amber meant "stop if you can". Another poster said he was ticketed entering on yellow. Can you say more about this?

Here in Ontario, Canada, a LEO can ticket you if it appears to them that you could have stopped. I've never seen that happen, and it seems that most everyone speeds through. Every time I go through and think I should have tried harder to stop, I check the rear-view mirror and see at least one, maybe two cars following me through!

Big city aggressive, I guess.


Here in Wisconsin (and the same verbiage for most other states), YELLOW is not the signal to speed up. It's a judgement call on the part of a responsible driver* (* oxymoronic comment) to slow to a stop - not some nebulus 'grace period' for however many vehicles can still fly thru before a crash finally occurs.

Statute 346.37:

(b)Yellow. When shown with or following the green, traffic facing a yellow signal shall stop before entering the intersection unless so close to it that a stop may not be made in safety.

It's been decades since Americans have driven as the law requires - we now drive pretty much any way we want, and throw a temper tandrum when caught.

Be careful out there on two wheels! :violin
 
I always thought yellow / amber meant "stop if you can". Another poster said he was ticketed entering on yellow. Can you say more about this?

Here in Ontario, Canada, a LEO can ticket you if it appears to them that you could have stopped. I've never seen that happen, and it seems that most everyone speeds through. Every time I go through and think I should have tried harder to stop, I check the rear-view mirror and see at least one, maybe two cars following me through!

Big city aggressive, I guess.

The instruction/explanation you will get from most judges in traffic court is that yellow means stop unless you are of such speed and proximity to the intersection that you can not do so safely. I have heard people tell the judge that they entered on the yellow and thought they were okay. Judge usually rules otherwise depending on testimony of officer. As for the red light cameras, I believe most around my area won't fire unless you enter on the red.
 
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