3 ways to avoid speeding tickets that won’t cost you a thing

Posted by Andrey Malskiy Categories: Features, Transportation

Each day I commute about 60 miles and I see a lot of things on the road. Some things are just gorgeous, like the snowcapped Olympic Mountains, while the other stuff I see is sheer stupidity, like the lady who decided to go against the flow of traffic today. These a pretty much non-issues in the world of driving, while we think that the real threat are the boys in blue. Now don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against our task force, but getting dinged for going 5 mph over the speed limit is a bit too ridiculous in my book. Over the years, I’ve noticed ways of how to avoid tickets at little or no cost to you. Continue reading for some tips!

Follow the Trucks
Lets start with the most basic of observations. For those that are on the highways as much as I am, it is without a doubt you’ll run into a few semi trucks. Now before you start complaining that they hog our roads, let's change our perspective on them for a bit. Most these guys (and women) have been driving for a long time. Just like you, they don’t like getting pulled over by the police either, and over the years they’ve developed a keen sense for the road. What I mean is they can read things better than your average driver can, and 9 times outta 10, truckers will use that information to their advantage - and you can too. Truckers have a higher ride height compared to your average vehicle, thus they can see further ahead for any hazards that lay ahead, including the 5-0. And when the road is clear, the trucks that don’t have a governor  (most trucks cap out around 65) will be making up the time that they lost in the city sitting in traffic. So when you see a trucker speeding, you can assume its safe to pace them. 

Play the License Plate Game
This one always cracked me up. I understand that having a car with red and blue lights bolted to your roof, along with having your vehicle plastered with "whatever city PD," is a dead giveaway. That's why the roads and freeways are also patrolled by undercover vehicles. I’ve seen everything from domestics to Kias used by law enforcement. However, regardless of what vehicle the officer is in, there are traceable clues that can blow the cover. Almost every state trooper has license plates that give them away. The plates will either have an XMT stamped on the right side of the plate (though this is become a rarer practice,) or have the department acronym in the plates. For instance, a plate in Washington State would read “WSP 103.” The WSP stands for Washington State Patrol and the number following is just for identification. So next time you’re not sure if you’re going to pass a cop or not, read the plates!

Look Out for Domestics
More often than not, police cruisers are domestic vehicles. If you can remember what Ford, Chevy, and Dodge cars look like, you’ll be able to save yourself from a ticket. Some of them are even easily distinguishable at night. The Crown Victorias have a distinguishable headlight signature. If you can memorize how that looks, you should be good. The best kicker is from Dodge. The new Dodge Chargers are becoming more and more popular among law enforcement. Chargers are the easiest vehicle to identify on the road today. They have taillights which can be seen from a mile away, just in time for you to slow down. Don’t believe me? Take a look at the picture below.

These are just a few things I’ve learned while driving. Though I wouldn’t count these as fireproof methods, they’re sure as heck solid guidelines. Hope they help you in staying clear of any tickets, but if you really want to have a leg up driving and peace of mind check out the Escort 8500 X50!

Do you have any ticket avoiding tips to share?