Speed traps

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Tue Aug 19, 2014 2:48 pm

I haven't seen one for a while, but I saw OPD not with a gun, but standing on 96th St between Harrison and Q with what looked like a small set of binoculars and another cruiser parked waiting for a call. First trap I have seen in years besides a cruiser just parked off the side of the road. Maybe I'm just lucky and drive slow, but are these coming back?

Post by **Brad** » Tue Aug 19, 2014 2:50 pm

They are on pacific all the time. In the afternoon they are catching east bound people at 90th street and in the morning they are catching people westbound at 84th street.

Also at 58th and Western a lot.

It seems like they all use the binoculars now.

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Tue Aug 19, 2014 3:04 pm

Dude wad on the sidewalk in a yellow vest. When I was growing up, a radio station always interviewed an OPD officer who told everyone where the traps would be for the day.

Post by **Brad** » Tue Aug 19, 2014 4:12 pm

This speed traps I mentioned in the post above are all dudes on the sidewalk in the yellow vest. And most of the time they are always a motorcycle officers. Very rarely do I see a police cruiser there.

Post by **Brad** » Tue Aug 19, 2014 4:14 pm

My last speeding ticket was at 39th and coming Street. It was also a motorcycle cop with the yellow vest standing on the sidewalk. He walked out in the middle of the lane with his hands up until I stopped and then pointed towards the side street. I've received two speeding tickets in that manner... About 15 years apart.

Post by **Brad** » Tue Aug 19, 2014 4:16 pm

Also now that district 66 is back in session you will see them on 90th St. near Shirley or Francis. They've been using that spot since I went to Westside 20 years ago.

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Tue Aug 19, 2014 4:24 pm

What website? Do they list the day's traps online?

jessep28 · Post by **jessep28** » Tue Aug 19, 2014 9:01 pm

I've seen the cop in a yellow vest on 90th North of Center trying to catch Southbound traffic. I've told myself on several occasions to slow down, but still happen to be speeding when I see them. I have never been pulled over though. I sometimes will see a traffic car on the North side of 118th and Q there at the median.

Post by **Brad** » Tue Aug 19, 2014 9:08 pm

Coyote wrote:What website? Do they list the day's traps online?

Auto Corrector. Should have said Westside.

GetUrban · Post by **GetUrban** » Tue Aug 19, 2014 9:10 pm

Whenever the weather is nice, in the mornings, there always seem to be yellow-vested motorcycle cops on 72nd between Ames and Crown Point, usually south of the 4 major broadcast towers. Sometimes a car will sit up in the road leading to the driving range just north of Benson Golf course and snag northbound cars. The speed limit is 40 on that stretch, but you can get away with 46-47. I think they're looking for the 10mph-over speeders mostly. They don't have to wait too long.

Uffda · Post by **Uffda** » Wed Aug 20, 2014 11:32 am

I've have seen one of officer stand on one of the bridges above Dodge expressway - usually 'hiding' behind the sign

and then patrol officers in cars are sitting on ramp waiting for the call

cdub · Post by **cdub** » Wed Aug 20, 2014 12:37 pm

I have to drive through two school zones in the morning and there are frequently cops monitoring those. Not quite a speed trap but I bet they get people every day.

Omababe · Post by **Omababe** » Wed Aug 20, 2014 1:52 pm

In the recent weeks I've seen them Saturday morning on I-80 just as you approach the city line at Harrison. They have a car off to the right, right by the Harrison St. entrance ramp. You don't see it until you get there.

Post by **Brad** » Wed Aug 20, 2014 2:00 pm

Omababe wrote:In the recent weeks I've seen them Saturday morning on I-80 just as you approach the city line at Harrison. They have a car off to the right, right by the Harrison St. entrance ramp. You don't see it until you get there.

I think that speed trap is so permanent, they added gravel for the patrol cars and red reflectors to mark the gravel. They had one at the 80/480/JFK before the construction. You can see both of them on Google Earth.

GRANDPASMUCKER · Post by **GRANDPASMUCKER** » Wed Aug 20, 2014 2:34 pm

I have not had a speeding ticket in over 30 years. Of course I am not important like a lot of people so I have no reason to be speeding around!

Omababe · Post by **Omababe** » Wed Aug 20, 2014 2:53 pm

Word on the street (actually in the office)

is that there will be sobriety traps Labor Day weekend, most likely in the LaVista area.

Post by **Brad** » Wed Aug 20, 2014 2:58 pm

GRANDPASMUCKER wrote:I have not had a speeding ticket in over 30 years. Of course I am not important like a lot of people so I have no reason to be speeding around!

I can honestly say that all my speeding tickets in Omaha were me not paying attention. I was never racing or running late, I was cruising along thinking about something else and then there was the cop.

Out in the Panhandle was a different story, I was out in the middle of no where, windows down, music cranked and I was Flying! I had not seen another car in Miles until I saw the Sheriff... He was super cool and only gave me 19mph over so I was still eligible to take the class.

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Wed Aug 20, 2014 3:29 pm

Omababe wrote:Word on the street (actually in the office) is that there will be sobriety traps Labor Day weekend, most likely in the LaVista area.

I have been through a sobriety check at Harrison and Harry Anderson Blvd.

GetUrban · Post by **GetUrban** » Wed Aug 20, 2014 4:31 pm

Brad wrote:
GRANDPASMUCKER wrote:I have not had a speeding ticket in over 30 years. Of course I am not important like a lot of people so I have no reason to be speeding around!
I can honestly say that all my speeding tickets in Omaha were me not paying attention. I was never racing or running late, I was cruising along thinking about something else and then there was the cop.

Out in the Panhandle was a different story, I was out in the middle of no where, windows down, music cranked and I was Flying! I had not seen another car in Miles until I saw the Sheriff... He was super cool and only gave me 19mph over so I was still eligible to take the class.

Not paying attention to speed while thinking of something else is what gets me in trouble too. But on my normal commute route, I pretty much run on auto-pilot, including the necessary speed adjustments to not get cough in the usual speed traps.

When you're out in the middle of nowhere, with nobody else around, it's actually easier to get caught. I usually follow someone else that's speeding at a good distance so I'll see their brake lights go on or they'll get caught first. The last 3 times I've been stopped on trips, they've let me go with just a warning.....very lucky. Last Sunday I was southbound on N72nd from McKinley to I-680 and a motorcycle next to me took-off and pulled a wheelie for about 1/4 mile and then must have accelerated up to at least 120mh all the way to I-680. Insane.

Omababe · Post by **Omababe** » Wed Aug 20, 2014 5:07 pm

Coyote wrote:I have been through a sobriety check at Harrison and Harry Anderson Blvd.

That's one of their more infamous ones. You don't see it until it's too late to turn off. They can also pull the inno^H^H^H^Hsuspects off without tying up traffic too much.

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Wed Aug 20, 2014 5:58 pm

That's what I noticed about that spot. It perfect for this. There is no way you can jump the median and do a Louie without attracting everyone's attention, and they have an easy detour...

Post by **Brad** » Wed Aug 20, 2014 6:19 pm

They why they use 108th and Giles too. Not many places to turn off once you see them.

cdub · Post by **cdub** » Thu Aug 21, 2014 1:55 pm

Speaking of speeding... What does everyone feel comfy with on the Interstate? I usually only get 3-5 over, sometimes more if there is fast traffic. I figure they wont bother and the ticket wouldn't be bad anyway. I saw a lot of people pulled over on my last trip TO Colorado (shouldnt be weed, going to lol) and I always wonder how fast they were goin.

skinzfan23 · Post by **skinzfan23** » Thu Aug 21, 2014 2:16 pm

cdub wrote:Speaking of speeding... What does everyone feel comfy with on the Interstate? I usually only get 3-5 over, sometimes more if there is fast traffic. I figure they wont bother and the ticket wouldn't be bad anyway. I saw a lot of people pulled over on my last trip TO Colorado (shouldnt be weed, going to lol) and I always wonder how fast they were goin.

I am right there with you. I usually go 4-5 mph over the speed limit on the interstate. Most cops aren't going to bother pulling you over unless maybe if its a construction zone. Otherwise they focus on the people going 10 or more over.

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Thu Aug 21, 2014 2:29 pm

I hate to admit it, but I rarely watch how fast I am going. I just get in line, and follow the traffic flow, unless of course I am stuck behind the slow crowd... Usually it is 5 mph over the posted speed limit.

GRANDPASMUCKER · Post by **GRANDPASMUCKER** » Thu Aug 21, 2014 2:30 pm

cdub wrote:Speaking of speeding... What does everyone feel comfy with on the Interstate? I usually only get 3-5 over, sometimes more if there is fast traffic. I figure they wont bother and the ticket wouldn't be bad anyway. I saw a lot of people pulled over on my last trip TO Colorado (shouldnt be weed, going to lol) and I always wonder how fast they were goin.

I am just not wired that way and I'm glad of it. What difference does it make between 75 miles an hour and 79 or 80. Its ridiculous. Why do people feel the need to always being pushing their luck? When I am driving down the interstate my #1 goal is to stay away from the trucker trash. I don't get worried about how fast or how slow I am going nor do I worry about senile drivers or women drivers or texting drivers or none of that. Avoiding the trucker trash is the name of the game for a safe smooth relaxing ride down the interstate.

skinzfan23 · Post by **skinzfan23** » Thu Aug 21, 2014 2:36 pm

I agree with staying away from groups of cars or trucks. However on our 8 hr trip to and from Denver, 5 mph makes a big difference. Probably cut 40-50 min off of our travel time.

GRANDPASMUCKER · Post by **GRANDPASMUCKER** » Thu Aug 21, 2014 3:26 pm

skinzfan23 wrote:I agree with staying away from groups of cars or trucks. However on our 8 hr trip to and from Denver, 5 mph makes a big difference. Probably cut 40-50 min off of our travel time.

Theres no good reason for worrying about a lousy 40 or 50 minutes. Doesn't worrying so much about saving a precious minute here or there just suck the life out of what could be a nice laid back road trip? Your supposed to be on vacation relaxing and enjoying yourself not fretting over how quick you can make it from Denver to Omaha. Wouldn't it be relaxing to just drive 75 and not worry about if the State Trooper is going to get you. With your family in the car its going to be scary enough having a blowout while going 75. I like to stop often at the rest areas and truck stops with a mandatory stop at a sit down restaurant in North Platte! Stopping at the rest area or truck stop for a breather is well worth the time you might loose. It just makes that long drive so much less painful. I don't know how many times I have drove to Denver or back and stopped at every single rest area. The trick to stopping a lot is holding it to around 5-10 minutes. If you are with people who will turn every stop into a 20 to 30 minute ordeal then you have to avoid stopping at all!

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Thu Aug 21, 2014 3:58 pm

Between Dallas and Austin I was goin 85 and not because I really have a lead foot. That was just me keeping up with traffic in the slow lane. People in the left lane were flying.

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Thu Aug 21, 2014 5:03 pm

Ah yes, the Texas Autobahn, been on it many times when I lived in Austin.

jessep28 · Post by **jessep28** » Thu Aug 21, 2014 6:41 pm

I set my cruse for 65 West of Omaha. You just burn more fuel for the time you save going the extra 10mph.

GetUrban · Post by **GetUrban** » Thu Aug 21, 2014 8:00 pm

I usually set my cruise for 80 or no more than 84 in the 75mph zones on the interstate. Sometimes you just need to separate yourself from a big pack of cars, whether by speeding up a bit or slowing down to let the pack pass. I hate driving in a big pack of cars.

It's definitely nice not having to worry much about getting stopped when you go no more than 10mph over the limit. They focus more on the construction zones, it seems, so they can double the fines. You have to be careful there.

The most annoying thing is the left lane hogs that will not ever get over into the right lane, no matter how slow they are going. This is what causes those huge packs of cars to build-up behind them. Some people just don't know the rules of the road. (I think we might have had a thread about left lane hogs once before. I think I argued with Streets about that....before he quit the forum)

Post by **Brad** » Thu Aug 21, 2014 8:03 pm

I agree, I absolutely hate left lane drivers!

thenewguy · Post by **thenewguy** » Fri Aug 22, 2014 1:34 am

I work out by gretna and see traps on 80 all the time. I have seen them on bikes, behind trees, and just flat out in the open. with as much traffic as there is, they can sit out in plain sight and you dont see them until you are right up on them.

and regarding left lane drivers: there was an article in last months car and driver and they touched on how the autobahn differs from US highways and interstates. in Germany, drivers almost always stay in the 'slow' lane, and the police enforce tickets for those going too slow in passing lanes.

Uffda · Post by **Uffda** » Fri Aug 22, 2014 2:52 am

I set the cruise for about 4 mph above. Don't make as many stops as Grandpasmucker but I probably have a better bladder...

Also haven't had a ticket in over 20 yrs.

skinzfan23 · Post by **skinzfan23** » Fri Aug 22, 2014 12:53 pm

Brad wrote:I agree, I absolutely hate left lane drivers!

I am not going to lie...I drive in the left lane all the time, but I am constantly checking my rear-view mirror to see if cars behind me are coming up faster. Then I of course get over to let them pass. I just happen to go faster than most of the traffic most of the time by only going 5 mph over the speed limit. I hate driving to downtown everyday on Hwy 75 Northbound because of all the stupid people who drive in the left lane because they don't know how to let people on the on ramp merge in. Many times the left lane is going slower than the right which should never happen unless there is an accident or something.

TitosBuritoBarn · Post by **TitosBuritoBarn** » Fri Aug 22, 2014 3:12 pm

I typically travel at 10 over on interstates (15 on some Chicago interstates where the speed limits are particularly low). While I enjoy car trips, I don't like to doddle. Plus it's more fun.

GetUrban · Post by **GetUrban** » Fri Aug 22, 2014 3:44 pm

thenewguy wrote:...and regarding left lane drivers: there was an article in last months car and driver and they touched on how the autobahn differs from US highways and interstates. in Germany, drivers almost always stay in the 'slow' lane, and the police enforce tickets for those going too slow in passing lanes.

Missouri used to stop people for driving in the left lane when they're not passing. I always get back in the right lane after passing, unless I know I'll have to pass again very soon. Traffic just flows better that way without forming into "packs" of cars. It's safer to keep right since there is almost always someone who is driving faster and wants to get by. It's not up to me to try to control others speed by blocking the left lane. They'll just pass on the right anyway, if they can. All of this applies to interstate driving only. On city streets, I just drive in the lane with the best flow or the one I need to be in to make an upcoming turn.

Post by **Brad** » Sat Aug 23, 2014 3:44 pm

Today the motorcycle officer is at 150th and Dodge Street in the eastbound lanes. However on Dodge Street he did not step out in the traffic with the vest on, he hopped on the bike and chase them down. He ended up pulling over the car that was passing me.

GRANDPASMUCKER · Post by **GRANDPASMUCKER** » Sun Aug 24, 2014 12:14 am

Brad wrote:Today the motorcycle officer is at 150th and Dodge Street in the eastbound lanes. However on Dodge Street he did not step out in the traffic with the vest on, he hopped on the bike and chase them down. He ended up pulling over the car that was passing me.

Good to hear. Hopefully he catches some self centered inconsiderate clowns who think driving 85 miles an hour on public roads makes them cool.