It was late Friday night, and I was on my way home from a concert. Any of y'all familiar with the Fort Bend Tollway will know that it's mostly empty at that time. Well, I was moving pretty fast.....ok - really fast. As the tollway ends, the speed limit drops from 65 to 45. As I hit that part, I slowed down (to about 80) and that's when I noticed a car coming up from behind pretty fast. ..sure enough - the red and blue lights go on, and I'm thinking "Crap!...this is going to be BAAAAAD".

It was a Fort Bend County Sheriff, driving a marked pick-up. I must have passed him a while back...D'oh! I was expecting the worse - a field sobriety test - going to jail - car getting towed. I really started to have that sinking feeling when a tow truck driver pulls in front of me with his lights flashing. However, after the tow driver talks tot he Officer - he leaves. This is my first indication that, perhaps, I wasn't going to jail. Well, here's the best part of this story. After a few more minutes, the Officer comes back to my vehicle, and asks me "what model car is this?" I answer "Mustang GT". He says - "nice car - but you really need to slow it down". With that, he gives me a written WARNING, for going 80 in a 45. A WARNING!!! I was in shock!! I looked at the officer, and half stuttered "A warning?!?!? - THANK YOU SIR!"

So I figured, at the very least, I owed the Fort Bend County Sheriff a big THANK YOU!

 

Thats great glad you got off although the Fort Bend County Sheriff's department might not appreciate the publicity.

 

+1 As they say no good deed goes unpunished

 

It's actually good PR

 

I agree. When you are honest and polite with an Officer, normally they will be the same with you. Another part may be that you were not endangering any other drivers and that you were in control of your vehicle. It amazed me all the times they have ppl actually believe they run from the cops...like they can outrun a radio. Even our Mustangs can't do that...

I think it is safe to say you were DARN LUCKY but even so, on the whole, cops are nice guys and only become negative when lied to or deceived.

I only hope I get so lucky when I get pulled over...

 

The part of your story that bothers me the most is that you were worried about a field sobriety test. That , + driving way to fast usually ends up with someone dead. Glad you and all the other drivers on the road are ok. Driving under the influence is to risky.

 

Glad someone said it.

 

....y'all....
Only in east Texas!

Willie
x-Texan. Now all Arizonan!

 

Be glad it was a warning. Now you can stay home next weekend and detail the pony, it was a bad pony last weekend.

 

Ive done similiar, but the last thing I would do is make it a "written" warning, so the brass can chew my nads.

 

You don't need to be drunk to worry about the test.
I know how easy it is to get a sobriety test.
I've been given a field test after I told the cop the truth that I had only had three beers (that's about a .02 for me).
He had pulled me over for doing 35 in a 30 (I never got up to 35).
He had no radar (he admitted to guessing at my speed).
He was a ROOKIE.
About 10 minutes after the test, his boss finally drove up and told him that since I passed the test he had to let me go.
He proceeded to tell me how lucky I was and that the body only metabolized one drink per hour.
I looked at him and said,"So I only got 2 beers in me now".
He replied, "A lot more than that buddy, a lot more than that".
And this was 20 years ago, before the laws were so strict.

 

Fort Bend Tollway isn t really that long and doesn t end at Hwy 6?

 

I'm 42, and used to commute between Austin / Houston - so I've had my fair share of trafic tickets. You are correct - MOST officers will treat you with the same respect that you show them. Unfortunately, I have also had a couple bad experiences, so there is always that bit of apprehension. And yes, had I been driving reckless, or doing anything 'stupid' I'm sure the officer would have given me a ticket (or worse).

I was worried about a sobriety test because the officer asked where I was coming from and I said "a concert". Yes, I did have a few beers earlier in the night. But they stopped serving around 9:30, and it was midnight when I was pulled over. I wasn't even buzzed - but I'm sure I smelled like a concert. Honestly, I have never been given a field sobriety test, nor even suspected of drunk driving - probably because I know better than to drive under the influence.

LOL - that's a great idea - she does need a bath.

This is what really surprises me the most. 80 in a 45 - that's 35 mph over the limit! I'm not sure if it's true - but I've heard going 30 over the limit can get you thrown in jail. ...and I can just imagine this officer's buddies saying "you gave him a 'warning' for that??" ..all I can think is that he either LOVES Mustangs, or I caught him in a REALLY, REALLY good mood.

Yes, going south, it ends at Highway 6 (this is where it drops to 45mph). LINK: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...9645&z=13&om=1

 

In Mass. it is 20 mph over and it turns into reckless driving which they can throw you in jail.

 

I always thought it was double the limit gets you thrown in jail, and more than 25-30 over was grounds for losing license.

I'm sure it's different in every state, and once a judge and lawyers get involved I'm sure it's even different within the state.

 

COOL! Glad you clarified it.

 

a big thanks to all the nice coppers out there

 

Yup, too bad I havent met any of them in those situations...

 

Hmmm Feel like I gotta chime in......living in TX, and in the general area of that. I wish these officers would come down over here to Galveston County. The idiots here in Lamarque, ****inson and TX City, which are towns over the I45 corridor seem to be out in perpetual speed trap and WILL pull you over even w/ no reason and DO have tow trucks standing like next to them, which are most likely their cousins Bubba and Stoner. Just the other day, they pulled me over, for get this: "One of your license plate lights is burned out" WTF? Can you say "Fishing Expedition?" Since I was doing like 67 MPH, knowing better, since last year I got a $250 ticket for doing 71 in the same zone (BTW, exits 10-15 are no fly zone, especially at night, you drive a modified car, DO NO SPEED, they will pull you over and your radar detector will be all read). Another day I go pulled over for no reason again w/ my other mustang, just so he could inspect it . Too bad the idiot missed my offroad exhaust and gave me a warning for "partially obstructed license plate." from license plate surround, WTF?
Long story short avoid that area, the cops are in w/ the judges and are probably related to each other, since no one in that area has got any brains to know better and guess what, Ron Paul (yes him) is the representative for that district and Kenny Delay(ed) is just up the road. You should see their fines.......
Sorry for the long rant.....and no I am not a gangbanger, rather a professional who is tired of needless Police harrassment in this area and I ahve lived in the Northeast for a long time and never had any problem, only here, WTF?

 

I am also glad you clarified it. I was not trying to be a jerk or anything, but there have been to many horror stories about driving under the influence. Just be safe.