Pennsylvania Highways Blog

I will admit that I am not the best driver in the world, but no one is perfect. I have also fractured an occasional traffic law in my 14 years behind the wheel.

In light of New Jersey Governor Corzine's accident, our own Governor Rendell was asked about the behavior of the state trooper behind the wheel of his car. He acknowledged that his personal vehicle sometimes exceeds the speed limit. He went on to say, "Sometimes we adhere to the speed limit, sometimes we don't. On many of Pennsylvania's highways, if you adhered to the speed limit, you'd be a safety hazard."

In that case I want all of my fines repaid because I was trying to not be a safety hazard! Especially the time on April 6, 2001 at 1:43 AM where two from the Belle Vernon barracks almost ran me off PA Turnpike 43 to extort $180 (originally $190, but they were so "generous" at the trial...sheesh). I should also note that they tailgated me for two miles in a construction zone with no lights or siren on, and only caught me because I had to exit. Nice work, Starsky and Hutch!

Not to mention that they laughed the whole time they filled out the ticket, and screwed up two items they had to correct. My license picture wasn't the greatest, but I didn't think it was that funny. However, what I think is hilarious is that I didn't have my seat belt on, and only put it on when they went back to their car to whoop it up over my license, registration, and insurance. Now THAT is funny...screwed yourselves out of an additional $50 because you were so enraged I stated the observation of "You came up on me pretty fast," but I digress.

Back to the subject at hand: Sometimes? That's rich! Back in 2004, the Philadelphia Daily News reported that troopers had clocked Rendell's Cadillac at speeds of more than 100 MPH nine times along the Pennsylvania Turnpike. A State Trooper behind the wheel doing 35 over the limit! That is five points and a departmental hearing and sanctions under Section 1538(d). Tisk tisk. You better fill a ticket out on yourself since I always thought that was against the law, but I guess it is do as I say, don't do as I do, right? Oh well, in that case as George Costanza once said, "There's no laws in this place. Anything goes! It's Thunderdome!"

The police are supposed to set an example on the highways by keeping and maintaining discipline just like my teachers did in school. Speeding and driving aggressively are like teachers shooting spitballs at kids and passing notes. Well, that last one is a bad example with all the teacher/student affairs going on recently.

After the story broke, Governor Rendell instituted a policy ordering his drivers to abide by the speed limit except in emergencies. Note to self: use that excuse next time. He even told the Harrisburg Patriot-News, "I've told my troopers that I don't want them exceeding 80 unless they need to pass, or unless there's some real exigent circumstance." There's my excuse: there is some real exigent circumstance. There also seems to be a standing "exigent circumstance" at a sports bar near my parent's house as I get passed on US 30 when driving to it and sure enough those who blew past me are turning into the parking lot.

There are various manners of speed detection such as VASCAR (big name for a stopwatch and math) gives an 11 MPH cushion, radar (which only State Police can use) allows a 6 MPH cushion, and if a trooper is behind you, they can give you a ticket for just one mile over. What they don't tell you is it has to be for 9/10ths of a mile at the same speed, so keep adjusting your speed if you find a Smokey in your rear-view mirror.



Rendell Admits Frequent Flying on the Freeway - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review