Got stopped by the police today in Oceanside.

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: Got stopped by the police today in Oceanside.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Matthew David Maiers on Tuesday, September 25, 2012 - 09:55 pm:

I saw the coppers before they saw me, then they started following me, they followed me for a mile then I heard the anticipated "brraaap" and the flash of lights.

I pulled into the nearest parking lot, and she got out the car and complemented me on the car and asked if it was '25 (surprised! its a 24) so she then told me that she felt that I shouldnt be driving on this road because the speed limit was 55, and I was going 35. Thankfully no ticket and of course her partner asked to take a picture of my car.

She was genuinely concerned for my safety and warned me of the dangers of driving such a contraption ( must be a new officer).

My question is LEGALLY how much slower than the speed limit can you go? This was probably the fastest road I drive on (Oceanside blvd) which is 55mph, I never feel run off the road and I've never gotten maliciously honked at.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erik Johnson on Tuesday, September 25, 2012 - 10:03 pm:

Go directly to the source

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc22400.htm

There's probably also a law that applies to posted minimum speeds.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Floyd Voie - Chehalis, Washington on Tuesday, September 25, 2012 - 10:08 pm:

Matthew,
You may find the answer to your question in your state drivers manual. It may be online.

I just came back from a coast to coast trip and I saw at least one state (Nebraska?) with a min and max speed limit posted, but this was on the Interstate.

Someday you may get lucky and find a friendly officer in the coffee shop who may give you the answer.

Good Luck
Floyd


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Floyd Voie - Chehalis, Washington on Tuesday, September 25, 2012 - 10:09 pm:

OK, Eric types faster!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Frank Harris from Long Beach & Big Bear on Tuesday, September 25, 2012 - 10:38 pm:

In Hawaii they post min and max speed limit like 35 and 50 and they ticket for under and over. But in California they simply escort you off of the faster roads. We were in our right hand drive 1913 Cadillac Touring and they stopped me for going 50 in the right lane on the freeway. They talked to Mary in the left front passenger seat and asked to see her driver's license. I had gotten out of the right hand driver's seat by that time and walked around behind the car and was behind him at that time and tapped him on the shoulder to tell him it was not Mary but that it was me who was driving, not a smart move . . . After he calmed down he said everyone was slowing down to look at us and we were causing traffic issues and we had to leave so he followed us to the next off ramp at 55 with his lights flashing, the car could hit over 65 but we had to leave. The National speed limit at that time was 55 due to Jimmy Carter's brilliant thinking. We were doing 50 and it was not fast enough and he would not let us do 55. For him 56 was too fast. Brilliance is not always displayed by those who lead.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ted Dumas on Tuesday, September 25, 2012 - 10:50 pm:

I know about two T's rear ended by speeding drivers not paying attention. One, about 5 years ago, was a 1909 on its first journey since restoration, en route to Dublin on the Texas T Party. The Model T was annihilated but the driver and passenger survived without major injury. On the forum recently, was a similar accident reported in France. In this case the casualties consisted of bangs and bruises and a broken ankle if I remember correctly. The car was severely damaged but special touring body appeared repairable if the frame was replaced.

Driving on the highway in a Model T, one really needs to keep an eye on the road ahead and the road behind.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By A. Gustaf Bryngelson on Tuesday, September 25, 2012 - 10:50 pm:

In Idaho, I am lucky, as the state gives right of way to any agricultural traffic on state and county roads, if the vehicle can not maintain posted speed, it is required to have an SMV emblem displayed on the back, and that limits the vehicle to 35 mph. I was once asked by an air traffic controller why I had an SMV on the elevator of my Taylorcraft, I explained that the airplane flew so slow that I was required by law to have it. He was about to buy that explanation, when I told him that it keeps me legal while taxiing on county and state roads. My lift off speed was 42mph, so there was a very short space of time when I was outside the law when flying off public roads.
Best
Gus


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By steve miller- mississauga,ontario on Tuesday, September 25, 2012 - 11:09 pm:

In Ontario
"at such a speed as to not impede the flow of traffic"


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rob Heyen - Nebraska on Tuesday, September 25, 2012 - 11:19 pm:

As an old "cop" ( BTW, COP is an acronym for Chief of Police), most states and jurisdictions will have the "impede traffic" mention in statutes. That gives a lot of gray area to driving slower than most motorists. Bottom line, it says "Speed Limit" on most highways, not "Speed Minimum".. The exception is the Interstate System, that lists max, min, and even min hp limits in all states.

Rob


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Terry Woods, Katy, Texas on Wednesday, September 26, 2012 - 12:00 am:

I invite everyone to bring their T's to Texas and drive on the new I 35 bypass toll road between Seguin and Georgetown where the legal top speed limit is 85 MPH.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Spaziano, Bellflower, CA. on Wednesday, September 26, 2012 - 12:51 am:

Frank,

First of all, a rousing HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you sir!

Second of all, and with all due respect AND not to start a political mud slinging contest which usually happens when someone makes a comment like the one I'm about to make, the national 55 mph. speed limit was enacted during the Nixon administration in 1974 as a fuel saving measure during the oil embargo.

That was the first time we had to wait for hours to get a tankful of gas. The second time was in '79 when I was a senior in High School and only had enough gas to drive to the Prom and then home.

Mike.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Stitt-Southern Oregon on Wednesday, September 26, 2012 - 12:54 am:

Oregon so far pretty much leaves you alone if you pull over and let cars pass.
BTW I believe it was Nixon that passed the double nickel speed limit in 1973.
Nixon wanted it at 50mph. The law was signed by Nixon but did not go into effect for 60 days, when Carter was President. It causes much confusion and rightly so.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Coiro on Wednesday, September 26, 2012 - 02:11 am:

Out in my neck of the woods, the minimum legal speed on the Long Island Expressway (I-495) is 40 mph. The speed limit is 55, but in reality, traffic flows at between 60 and 70 mph.

Now, I realize that some Model T's can actually maintain 40 mph, even up a reasonable hill and that may meet the letter of the law, but it won't prevent getting rear-ended by some lip-flibbing daydreamer whose attention is divided between driving and texting.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wayne Sheldon, Grass Valley, CA on Wednesday, September 26, 2012 - 02:48 am:

It varies from state to state. It has been explained to me, in Califunny, that there is NO minimum speed limit on any road in the state. HOWEVER, it is at the officer's discretion to declare you a traffic hazard and he (or she) may order you off that road. The exception is farm machinery which can be really wide, block two lanes and the shoulder even on the freeway and can do whatever speed he wants like the 30 plus foot wide machine I followed on highway 101 at 14 miles an hour one time.
But, sorry Frank, you can be doing OVER the speed limit in an a antique automobile and be ordered off the highway for impeding the flow of traffic. It almost happened to me once.
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gilbert V. I. Fitzhugh on Wednesday, September 26, 2012 - 07:23 am:

I remember the Nixon double nickel. What I definitely DON'T remember is Carter following within 60 days of Nixon. There was a guy named Ford for several years in between.

Gil Fitzhugh, Morristown, NJ


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ricks - Surf City on Wednesday, September 26, 2012 - 10:12 am:

The forgotten Ford...

Oceanside Blvd is at least 3 lanes in each direction, right? Unless it's rush hour and traffic is bogged down anyhow, the cop would have a hard time convincing a judge you were impeding traffic. If the traffic is light and you are in the outermost lane is maybe when it's most likely to be rearended.

We need a radar that detects a car coming up too fast in our lane, and an air horn pointed to the rear. Hmm, I may be onto something.

rdr


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Stitt-Southern Oregon on Wednesday, September 26, 2012 - 10:44 am:

Gilbert you're right...LOL Ford. I forgot all about that guy. Didn't he help make Chevy Chase famous.
And this is a Ford forum.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Charlie B actually in Toms River N.J. on Wednesday, September 26, 2012 - 10:46 am:

Your personal speed limit should be ingrained in that space between your ears. You know the limitations of the car and you know how others drive. While getting rear-ended might not be your fault the price you'll pay will be higher than the modern that hits you. Bob's right about I-495 and every other road out there. 10-20 MPH. over the limit is almost standard. Of course this only bodes worse for you if you're hit. There are enough 30 MPH and lower single car horror stories involving T's without asking for it. The government says it's an automobile and you have paper work to prove it but it's up to you to drive it as it was meant to be driven.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Henry Petrino in Modesto, CA on Wednesday, September 26, 2012 - 10:56 am:

Rob,

Not to bird walk, but I always thought "Cop" was a contraction of "Copper", taken from the fact that many early 20th century police officers wore badges that were made of nickel plated copper.

Interesting....


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By James A. Golden on Wednesday, September 26, 2012 - 11:47 am:

I was recently asked to do some research on this notice that came with my new tag sticker.

This was to determine if it was an attempt to keep all antique vehicles of the main highways.

There have been several recent deaths in Maryland caused by a slow antique vehicle being rear-ended on a main highway by a faster or speeding car.

That was the supposedly the cause of this new law.

Other states will probably follow suit.

"A person may not drive a vehicle on a highway if the maximum speed capability of the vehicle does not exceed the posted speed limit for the highway by at least 5 miles per hour."

Sticker


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Thode Chehalis Washington on Wednesday, September 26, 2012 - 11:59 am:

I thought the most common meaning of COP was constable on patrol. According to this:
http://ask.yahoo.com/20000315.html

It came from:
Around the year 1700, the slang verb cop entered English usage, meaning "to get ahold of, catch, capture." By 1844, cop showed up in print, and soon thereafter the -er suffix was added, and a policeman became a copper, one who cops or catches and arrests criminals. Copper first appeared in print in 1846, the use of cop as a short form copper occured in 1859.

Jim


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Thode Chehalis Washington on Wednesday, September 26, 2012 - 12:06 pm:

James,
That 5 MPH over the speed limit law would make many trucks illegal. Some modern trucks are governed to a maximum speed of the speed limit by their owners.
Jim


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Frank Harris from Long Beach & Big Bear on Wednesday, September 26, 2012 - 12:11 pm:

I heard it was for the copper buttons on their coats.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ricks - Surf City on Wednesday, September 26, 2012 - 12:13 pm:

We rented a Hurtz box van a dozen years ago, and it was governed at 55.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Charlie B actually in Toms River N.J. on Wednesday, September 26, 2012 - 12:24 pm:

Rick, a lot of rental vans/trucks are governed. The companies have found they last longer that way. LOL. Any way, a "modern" going slightly slower isn't going to be stopped as quickly as an antique. James: I'm sorry to say I think they might be right. If your told to stay off major highways or at least know that if your on there you're in the wrong it might save some lives and cars. Some folks, usually newbie's, drive the thing like it's a modern. It takes time to learn how to drive the car and it's limitations.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Charlie B actually in Toms River N.J. on Wednesday, September 26, 2012 - 12:49 pm:

I'm looking for it but I can't find it. I think there might actually be restrictions here in N.J.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Sam "POPS" Humphries on Wednesday, September 26, 2012 - 02:12 pm:

IN KENTUCKY:
Minimum Speed Limit: A person shall not operate a motor vehicle at a speed that will impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic. �189.390(6)

Posted (Minimum) Speed Limit:

Other: I. For vehicles with 5 horsepower, the maximum speed is 35 MPH in any location. �189.390(3)(b)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gary H. White - Sheridan, MI on Wednesday, September 26, 2012 - 05:30 pm:

In Michigan the only minimum speed limits I know of are on the expressways. Bicycles are allowed on most other roads and have the same right of way as powered vehicles. Nothing like going 55 mph an a state highway and coming up on some bikers going 5-20 mph. While some state highways have cycle lanes on the side, unposted side roads have the same 55 mph speed limit and this is where most biking groups (and Ts) like to travel.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By kep NZ on Wednesday, September 26, 2012 - 11:01 pm:

What i cannot figure out is why modern drivers have to, compelled to drive faster than would be suitable for the road, The conditions and outside of their abilities, Also in excess of the speed limit. Just watch them that is why most crashes happen.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Craig Anderson, central Wisconsin on Thursday, September 27, 2012 - 12:16 am:

Same here in Wisconsin Gary.
All our state roads have wide bicycle lanes so when I drive on state roads I drive as far to the right as is practical and STILL some drivers seem to feel they have to take the opposite ditch to pass me......of course those are probably drivers who do the same to pass a bicycle......(bonk emot here)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ricks - Surf City on Thursday, September 27, 2012 - 07:58 am:

Bicycle: per mile, the most dangerous mode of transportation.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Thode Chehalis Washington on Thursday, September 27, 2012 - 11:18 am:

Actually in keeping with the time frame of the Model T, transportation with horses is probably more dangerous then bicycles.
Jim


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By M Philpott on Thursday, September 27, 2012 - 12:06 pm:

I have always been told that 45 mph was the magic number.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Matthew David Maiers on Thursday, September 27, 2012 - 12:10 pm:

transportation by horse is more dangerous for other drivers, because unlike a human they would swerve for the horse wreck and end up killing themselves.

hhhmmm heres a thought, maybe we should carry around a bag of squirrels, then when sombody starts riding our tail just throw one out there and make them swerve........


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dave Dufault on Friday, September 28, 2012 - 08:52 am:

Yes, I've lost many brain cells over the years and cannot quite comprehend the meaning of Maryland's law:

"A person may not drive a vehicle on a highway if the maximum speed capability of the vehicle does not exceed the posted speed limit for the highway by at least 5 miles per hour."

Doesn't that piece of legislation pretty much require a driver to break the posted speed limit law to assure their vehicle is still "legal"? After all, something may happen overnight to the vehicle to prevent it from attaining the max speed it did yesterday.

Been trying to figure this one out for days...

Dave


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Fred Dimock, Newfields NH, USA on Friday, September 28, 2012 - 09:23 am:

You don't have to drive a T to meet Mr or Ms Stupid.

I was on my way to work this AM on a windey road with a 40 MPH speed limit in my daughter's van.
I was doing 45 and a Mr. Stupid (not a kid) in a ricer just had to get by me.
Apparently the double yellow line and upcoming corner didn't register in his feeble mind because he passed me.
It is a good thing the guy coming the other way was awake!


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