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possible speeding ticket (San Mateo Bridge; Bay Area)

post #1 of 16
3/20/10 at 12:07am
Thread Starter 
Did anyone you know get a speeding ticket on the San Mateo bridge in the San Francisco Bay Area even though a cop didn't stop them in person? I was going east on the San Mateo bridge today, and was the first car in pack of cars (pretty empty in front of me) and there was a cop with a radar gun. I was in the middle lane (total of three lanes) and was going about 72 MPH (no faster than the cars behind me). The speed limit was 65 MPH. I know there are radar guns with cameras, but they're not that common, so was wondering if the cops on the bridge use camera radar guns. If they do, I'll probably be getting a ticket in the mail, and I'm panicking now (never got a traffic ticket before).
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post #2 of 16
3/20/10 at 12:22am
Never heard of anyone getting a ticket just from a radar gun.

I've seen the cops on the San Mateo Bridge with radar guns and have been "tagged" at, but never received anything. 72mph isn't that much over. You should be fine but keep me posted.
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post #3 of 16
3/20/10 at 12:28am
I hope you don't get one. The people I've seen on the bridge that actually got busted for speeding actually got /chased/ by the cops from the bridge after they got caught on the radar (you can see the guy holding it out).

I used to drive across the bridge back and fourth when I worked at Redwood City from the Union City area and that was pretty common. I think I've seen cameras on the bridge, but I don't think it's used as radars. I believe they're just to check the traffic conditions or weather conditions on the bridge itself (not sure).

However, again, if they do, my wishes that you don't receive one... but based on my observations, I haven't seen anyone speed through it (TONS do, trust me... no one really follows that 65 there IMO) without getting busted by the cop on the spot.
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post #4 of 16
3/20/10 at 12:33am
i think you're fine, the cop would definitely have chased you if you were going to get a ticket, and being at the front of the line, you probably wouldnt have been the one getting it. It would most likely have been the unlucky b@sterd at the back of your little pack
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post #5 of 16
3/20/10 at 1:17am
if the cop didn't stop you, you don't have a ticket. don't worry, sleep well.
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post #6 of 16
3/20/10 at 1:22am
I really doubt it. When cops use the radar gun it's basically the same routine just as if they were in their cars clocking people. So if you were to get a speeding ticket you would've seen and heard sirens in your rear view mirror. If not you have nothing to worry about.
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post #7 of 16
3/20/10 at 11:54pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks everyone. I can sleep better. I'll wait about 2 weeks and if I get a ticket in the mail, I'll let you guys know.
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post #8 of 16
3/21/10 at 12:12am
That's weird. This morning I was driving on the highway, coming back from the bank, and I was cruising along in the slow lane at a cool 85 MPH (speed limit is 65). Every single other person was going the same speed as me and I was maybe one or two cars behind the front. All of a sudden I see a cop car on the shoulder up ahead, and the cop is standing in front of his cruiser aiming a speed gun at the cars coming towards him. I slowed down to about 70 and got in the middle lane and I was safe. I kept looking in my rearview mirror but the cop just kept standing there... pointing the gun... like a statue. Maybe he was dead and his body just has good balance? The wind wasn't blowing hard this morning so I guess it would make sense...
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post #9 of 16
3/21/10 at 12:38am
If you didn't get pulled over you didn't get a ticket. Photo radar is something else entirely.
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post #10 of 16
3/21/10 at 12:57pm
reminds me of an experience I had 30 yrs ago in the boston area. I was driving up from jersey to boston and I think it was the mass pike (forget exactly) where there were a whole bunch of cop cars in the left (opposite traffic) lane pointing at us in our direction. further up the road actually on our direction were a bunch of cops standing there pointing (with their hands!) at cars. it seems they expected people to just obey. I did not, however and I kept going and pulled over into the nearest gas station up ahead on the pike. I asked the station attendant what that was all about and he said 'hmmm, maybe you better hide out here for a bit' (lol).

I never heard anything or got anything in the mail but it sure freaked me out at the time.

those guys were actually risking their lives standing in turnpike traffic and manually pointing at cars to pull them over. what a bad way to do things! but at any rate, I didn't stop and while I was pointed at, nothing ever happened to me. I guess they were shooting fish in a barrel and there were more fish that were easier to get without any effort.
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post #11 of 16
3/21/10 at 5:51pm
You were just 7 MPH over the speed limit. I can't believe you'd get a ticket for that.
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post #12 of 16
3/21/10 at 9:04pm
If the cops tagged you at 72 in a 65 zone with a radar gun and didn't chase/pull you over, you're probably not going to be getting a ticket of any sort. Likely they were watching and waiting for someone to hit a higher speed than what you were doing.
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post #13 of 16
3/21/10 at 10:00pm
they usually give people 10% leeway over here, owing to the fact that speedo's need calibrating regularly to be totally accurate.

As you were within that ten percent, its highly possible you were going no faster than 65 anyway.
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post #14 of 16
3/21/10 at 10:05pm
when caught by a photo-radar, you get nothing more than a fine in the mail. you do not get a ticket unless pulled over by a cop, and thus also will not get a court summons or any points on your license
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post #15 of 16
3/21/10 at 11:44pm
Speaking of tickets. I've been to Chicago many many times. And i never pay at the booths. I just drive through the "I-Pass" lane. I've never gotten a ticket for it. Why do you think that is?
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