Running the Highway: How to Avoid Tickets and Other Problems

There are thousands of people who make their living running up and down the road. The most common of these jobs is the truck driver, be they local drivers or people who run loads of oranges from Florida to Alaska. They may or may not offload their own deliveries, but one thing is for certain- these people know what to watch out for on the road. Now you will too.

Speed Traps

Though they are incredibly illegal in a great many areas, lots of people who run the road use radar detectors to spot police officers and cameras in speed traps. These radar detectors may alert the driver that they are coming up to a speed trap, or they may send back a scrambled signal so the detection devices cannot pick up on the driver’s speed- which is usually very far over the legal limit.

So what are speed traps? Imagine you’re on the road, driving at around 75 miles per hour. Suddenly, a town pops up and drops the speed limit to 55 miles per hour. Only 100 feet beyond that is another sign lowering the speed limit to 35 miles per hour. In the space of a second or two, you’ve been expected to drop 40 miles per hour with no prior knowledge. You’ve just experienced a speed trap, and if there are flickering blue and red lights behind you? You aren’t the first person to fall victim to one of these.

They are also completely legal, so keep an eye out!

Questionable Areas

You’re very low on fuel and you see a pitch black truck stop in the middle of the night with several vehicles. You don’t know when the next exit is and you don’t know if you’ll get there.

You stop, you get mugged, you get on with life.

When you’re on the road, especially at night, try to make sure that you stop only at very well lit fuel stations and restaurants. When you’re near the interstate, it is very easy for a criminal to get away with your car, your wallet, or you. Stay safe.

Breakdown Etiquette

Now you have a flat tire and you’ve given up the road. Next time you’re going to take a plane or a boat. Or maybe a boatplane. All you know is this driving thing isn’t for you. Someone is kind enough to stop by, change your tire and give you a smile. You smile back, get in your car and go on down the road.

If someone is nice enough to stop and offer to help you out, at least offer them a tip for the assistance. Never open your wallet in front of them, but go back to your car and pull out a $20. It’s entirely possible that they say no, because some people do this out of the goodness of their heart. Others will deeply appreciate the tip because it may be the only cash they make all day. Tip the people who help you. Follow the golden rule.

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