People, I can honestly say that I have never in my life gotten a speeding ticket, and haven't even been pulled over. I'm talking about a driving career spanning ***cough***** nearly 30 years, 'kay?

I have had my MINI for a grand total of 10 days, and guess what? I was going to return a DVD to Blockbuster and, just for the fun of it, decided to push it. It was only for maybe 30 seconds. I always say in my neighborhood, "Where's a cop when you need one?", but my number was up tonight.

I guess I lost my head and just couldn't help myself. Good friends, I MOTORED. I was going 70 in a 40 zone. There were no other cars on the road. Conditions were favorable (I thought). I have always been such a good girl, and have coveted a MINI for 6 years. I patiently waited until I wasn't a soccer mom anymore and could go back to a manual transmission and feel the road.

I predicted this would happen within a month of getting my MINI---on this board, on one of the off-topic game thingies. Someone responded that it would be sooner than that, and they were right on.

Thankfully, the officer was super cool. I suppose my tears and polite sincerity helped, not to mention that he saw my temporary plates and admitted he wanted a MINI and had just seen "The Italian Job". He broke into a knowing smile. He suggested I go to the track. "What? What's a track?", I thought. No ticket, no fine, no nothing. He didn't even run my driver's license.

Also, I washed my MINI this weekend. Waxed him too. I've never done that in my life. I have a big order of products on its way, and I can't wait for it to arrive. What the . . . . .?

I'm still kind of in a state of shock that Miss Perfect was engaged in such an event. Have I been exposed to some sort of demonic virus that causes me to engage in thrill-seeking illegal activities, not to mention the whole washing/waxing incident?

Have any of you experienced this? How did you handle it?

I'm seriously concerned. I think I may need therapy.

 

I've been let go 3 times since August 2007.

 

Good Lawd!! If that's what already happened to you then I seriously think I'm gonna be in big trouble..

 

You folks who get these "warnings" or "let go" have never met a SC Trooper.

No such thing exists here. Liz got hit with a 70/55, but I REALLY doubt she was actually speeding because she's always the one that tells me to slow down, and she didn't know it at the time but her speedometer reads 3mph fast. I just really doubt she was showing 73 and went right past a cop.

Anyhow, she paid the fine and the ticket was reduced to half the points... but back to the topic at hand, I promise you she was nerve wracked and the trooper didn't blink an eye.

Be glad your cops have hearts

 

Tweeckey--------Uh, oh. . . . and I see you're a PW/PW too. Could that be a factor, ya think?

 

I have had 4 tickets and 1 warning between 1995 and 2002. From 2003 - present, I have not been pulled over. I am invincible!

 

Uh-oh. Famous last words there. I've gotten a ticket from a state trooper and warnings from the rest.

 

peaches is fortunate! I've been pulled a bunch of times on motorcycles. Usually, I was riding something exotic and there was so much interest from the CHP that I was set free or given a ticket with significantly reduced overage. So yeah, it happens.

 

Hi Peaches611,

You are actually pretty lucky that the cop did not give you a ticket. I was pulled over for speeding three weeks ago. It was the first ticket I ever had in my 12 years of driving. I was pretty bummed since I wasn't even speeding intentionally. I thought was just cruising along and enjoying my long drive on my M3. I got caught on a speed trap and the CHP caught me on his laser going 85 on a 65 mph freeway. The officer marked me down going 80+ so I can take driving school so it would not show up on my record. I guess there is a first time for everything.

Thanks btw for welcoming me to the NAM forum.

 

Boston cops are a**holes, caught in a speed trap on the tobin bridge the Second day i had my car!!, was soo pissed, didnt even get a chance, was cited for doing 57 in a 30, which is Bs, because it was a 45 that reduces to 30 with only one sign, and the cops set up at the sign pretty much so as soon as i passed it they had me, which i totaly unfair, oh and the fact that i was singled out of the three other cars that were going the same speed wasnt very cool either, cop walked over and Barked at me for my license and registration. not cool considering this was the first time i've ever been pulled over, and was wicked nervous and totaly freaked out because i reallt didnt know what was going on at first. only thing i got to say was that i didnt see the sign, and he barks back at me again that theres three of them i went back over the bridge the next day and there was only one sign, and then he gave me the ticket and pulls out the radar gun and pulls over another car. nice big $270 ticket. what a way to ruin a really great day it was. really sucks cause i wasnt really intenionaly speeding, like 55ish is like w/e on the highway. and really thats not speeding on a highway, its speeding in a suburb like neighborhood but not in that enviroment, im not paying im fighting it.

 

Be careful, the law enforcement profession attracts many types, just like any other profession, except that they carry guns and sometimes, bad attitudes.

have fun with the detailing. Post pics.

We're celebrating our three month anniversary today. 3600 or so miles since pickup at Moritz on March 15.

Despite retiring from soccer dad activities, a whole slew of professional, domestic, and daddying duties have kept me from the detailing time I need.

I'm not a speed demon, but I long to open up on the open road. Fast and legally or moderate and fuel-efficiently, I'm in need of some hardcore motoring.

 

It very well could be.. It's the color I tell ya! It's got us brainwashed!
Though I'm not complaining...

 

So cool that you were let off with a warning by a policeman who has excellent taste in cars. Yes, this will happen quite frequently, the urge to push it. Tis hard to fight since the MINI wants to go fast.

So you are not alone. The best therapy is washing and waxing your MINI when it suits you, and picking safe spots for your outbursts of pure motoring.

CROC 411

 

omg..i better go easy when driving... hate to get a ticket..CT cops seldom give chances

 

Try an Alabama Trooper. I once got a ticket for going 61 in a 55. Talk about attitude. I took the defensive driving course to avoid the points but had to reschedule. No one in the county I live in told the county I got the ticket in, and lo and behold, I got a letter saying the judge had issued a bench warrant for my arrest. Took a little time to straighten out...

 

yeah, if you really need to speed and who doesn't, and just for the sheer fact of knowing how it handles, take it to the track. You'll have a blast and probably get hooked. You'll meet all kinds of nice track junkies there that will help you out.

I did a track day with my motorbike. I learned more in one day at the track about bike handling then I did for 3 years riding around. Plus the need for speed isn't as strong any more.

One of the biggest benefits of tracking your Mini is that you will become a better driver.

 

You guys are lucky.

I don't usually drive on highways, but went to a friends house for a game of poker, left at 2am back home, US-1 - Roosevelt Blvd., on the far right slow lane doing 68.8 on a 45 safety corridor zone (or so he says I was clocked going 68.8).

I was minding my own business while other cars were zooming by like 85-90mph... and I got pulled over... ugh...

Safety Corridor too, fines doubled. Would have cost me $209 and 4 points, but the judge was lenient. On citation day, he brought it down to $183 and 2 points.. but still... my insurance still goes up.

This was my first speeding ticket since i got my license 7 years ago and exactly one month after I got my mini. ::sigh::

Remember, if you're in Philadelphia, around the Roosevelt Blvd area and not within peak time zone where you and fellow cars are in the same pack going over 45mph, don't chance it alone. It can get really ugly, really fast.

 

Just take a copy of your post on Nam and let the judge read it. That should do it.

 

 

You had a moment of grace...and good for you for trying to extract some sense of proportion from the whole thing. I'm one of those guys that seldom pushes it because I've seen the car right before me...or right after....get pulled over and it was just too close for comfort. Once I decided to negotiate a road construction area a bit too quickly....I didn't see the dust all over the road and the MINI slid all over the place. I was in control but, there again, I learned a lesson. Another thing...I've observed how rude it can seem when aggressive drivers interface with normal traffic. It ain't pretty and reflects poorly on the driver and the car.

In light of all this (I've been driving MINIs since 1/03) I opted to use MINI handling prowess and precision to drive extra courteously and within the law. To my shock, folks seem very pleased to see this kind of driving from a little MINI (I get lots of thumbs-up and waves) and that does give me a sense of satisfaction. The biggest hurdle in all this was a matter of perspective...realizing that, while in some ways I was driving a sports car, but in other ways....it was just a little Mini/MINI!!! So I sorta backed away from the aggressive stuff in favor of a different motoring ethic more consistent with classic, quirky Mini motoring. It put me in the right frame of mind for staying away from trouble.

 

There are all kinds of cops just like all kinds of everything (everyone) else. Sometimes you get a warning, sometimes you get a ticket. If you don't want a ticket don't speed. I've had five speeding tickets in the last twenty years. Paid every one of them because I was speeding every time. Truth is for every time I got a ticket I had sped a hundred times and hadn't got caught. I told both my sons growing up "if you don't want the cops coming to your party don't invite them". Pick your spots and take your lumps. If you think the ticket is unfair go to court. If you think the cop was a jerk make an appointment with his/her chief and complain. The only way to change things is to be a grownup and complain to someone who can do something about it. Finally, I was a cop for thirty years and I gave a lot of warning too...Peaches611, 70 in a 40 would have gotten you a ticket from me notwithstanding your "tears and polite sincerity".

 

Funny, I had the EXACT same thing happen to me....following behind my dad...who was in his '08 MINI stage 1....my first ticket sent me to court, paying a hefty fine and is taking me to driving school a week from saturday i mean, not that its good or anything but yah know, it could have been worse!!! the bad thing about it all is that he was down behind a concrete baricade and the radar detector didnt get him....but 9x's out of 10 the detector goes off and saves a life...get one!

 

Well, after sleeping on it, I definitely gained some perspective. I was really lucky to have a young MINI-friendly officer, and I learned a lesson for sure. We are planning a road trip next month from Dallas to Telluride, CO, after the break-in miles, so all those twists and turns should satisfy me.

In spite of everything I've read here over the past months, I was still surprised at how quickly I fell in love with my MINI and how it re-ignited my passion for driving. I will proceed with much more caution, though, after last night's little wake-up call!

 

This thread just made me giggle so much. A good thing for a Monday. No doubt I'll really need to stay conscious of this when my MINI arrives next month.

 

I too was stopped twice in my first few weeks of ownership and they let me go after checking my papers. 72 in a 50mpg in the middle of nowhere 2 lane AZ road. I did the "it's a new car, beautiful day" act and that was good enough. I have a female friend who's beat a few tickets with tears over the years. Never hurts when there's an element of discretion involved on the officer's part.