How to Avoid Speeding Tickets – for Dummies
Saturday, May 7, 2011 at 6:06PM Tweet by Jim Poulton
Amidon, North Dakota. Credit: Sorabji.com
‘No sir, I didn’t realize I was in a 30 mile per hour zone. Yes sir, I realize I was speeding. No sir, I wouldn’t like to spend the night in jail. Please sir, I would like to pay my fine in cash … may I give you the $150 now?’
It’s happened to anyone who’s spent time driving around the west. A speed trap, the flashing lights, wail of sirens, the slow walk up to your car window. The embarrassment, the chagrin, the lecture. The experience is emblazoned in our minds like an old trauma, so that any little indicator that it may be about to happen yanks our foot from the gas pedal.
Credit: InspirationalQuotesShortFunnyStuff.com
The police – who are no dummies – know this, of course. So they get creative. Especially in small towns, where they don’t often have the budget to run patrols day and night.
Belvedere, California. Credit: Mercury News
Enter Mr. Policeman(nequin). It’s a phenomenon throughout the west: old police cars parked on the side of the highway with what looks like an alert police officer inside – well, at least he or she is sitting up straight. The mere sight of the car makes just about everybody slow down, except of course those in the know. It’s brilliant. The town gets a peaceful roadway without spending a plug nickel. And they make dummies of us all.
Lyman, Utah. Credit: Jim Poulton
Send us your Mannequins in Cop Cars pictures at info@my-west.com, or upload them to the My-West Photography Challenge Pool on Flickr.
Kane County, Utah. Credit: Donna Poulton
Kanab, Utah. Credit: Donna Poulton
Fredonia, Arizona. Credit: Unemploymentality.com
Fredonia, Arizona. Credit: Unemploymentality.com
Amidon, Belvedere, Fredonia, Kanab, Mannequins, Police Cars, Torrey | in Mannequins in Cop Cars, Speeding Tickets
Reader Comments (6)
These wonderful cops often sit in their parked vehicles for weeks at a time. Sometimes through snowstorms, where the car is nearly buried in snow. They also like as you know to hang out at donut shops, so of course they have to have plastic donuts!
They are a deterrent to speeders though, at least upon the first passing. We are quite fond of these police officers in our county. They quietly (very quietly) keep the peace. Thanks for posting!
Post Script: Not very helpful if you stop and knock on their window to ask for directions.
When I stopped to take a picture of one of the mannequins, there were red lipstick planted kisses on the window next to the cheek of one of the "officers!"
Susan, Donna, and I, are all familiar with our friend in Fredonia! I'll wave to him again this Wednesday and thank him for "making my day!"
How come the cop cars I speed past always have live officers in them? Will no one cut me a break?! I have never seen a mannequin in a police car. Everytime there are guys with tall black boots and scary looking guns on their belts in those cars.
At least we don't have the blue boxes that take your photo as you speed. I have a rather unflattering photo of myself in Tasmania last year taken by one of those things. It cost me AUD 75.00!
Susan, We've had our share of tickets in Montana...and that was when there was "No" speed limit!