Swimming at Rally-Speeding in WI

[greenwald]

In April of 2006, the local NBC afffiliate in Milwaukee (WTMJ-TV, Channel 4) aired a special investigative report on speeding enforcement in two areas of WI.

First, Racine / Kenosha Counties, where numerous speeding tickets were issued while the reporter rode along, and then Sheboygan County, where the reporter and camera crew followed a Motor Officer around for an afternoon, performing speed enforcement.

Majority of motorists stopped (and cited) in the southern part of our state were from IL. However, that is a geographical factor, as a vast number of Illinois residents flee their 'flatlands' for the beauty of WI. whenever they get the chance. The reporter also noted that the license plate, identifying the 'state of origin,' could not be observed until AFTER the vehicle had been pulled over.

Also, whenever I have driven in IL, it puts NASCAR to shame. Speeds are excessive, lane switching without warning and rudeness all too frequent. My IL borthers and sisters should not wonder why so many of them get ticketed in WI, driving the way they do.

As for the Motor Officer up in Sheboygan County, that patrolman was me. I issued only warnings (have the segment on a DVD!) and extended courteous advice to motorists of several states. However, they earned it with their polite demeanor and taking personal responsibility for breaking the law.

Ride like NASCAR - pay the Piper.

Ride Alert!

[vetbmwrider]

This reminds me of newspaper article that I read a few years back. A Chicago lady was stopped in Racine I believe 15 over on I 94. She complained and whined so much about her ticket that, and stated that LEO where targeting people form out of state. So some important state person stated to look into how the LEO personal was conducting traffic stops. During this investigation they all so looked into this person driving record. This person had a few speeding tickets in IL for what? For what, breaking the speed limit. After looking into this person driving record her story did not hold any water because of her driving record for having a lead foot. Now she lived in the Chicago area were people will give you the road rage stare if you are not doing 80mph on the I 294 and if I am correct that is mostly 55mph zone except in the construction zone or stop and go traffic. Now if you want to drive like an idiot in WI sooner or later your going to get a ticket that is a fact, but this also true in most states.

[ESSNOWYT]

My observation has been that more out of state vehicles are pulled over in WI than any other state.

I think that is a poor observation/attitude to have. To everyone that is coming to Wisconsin. Please enjoy our state. And realize, if your doing something stupid/wrong, our police force will help correct you.

Snowy.

[sibud]

I think that is a poor observation/attitude to have. To everyone that is coming to Wisconsin. Please enjoy our state. And realize, if your doing something stupid/wrong, our police force will help correct you.

Snowy.

Snowy,

First let me welcome you to the forum. Glad to have you here and looking forward to your posts.

As far as my observation regarding who gets stopped in Wisconsin, it was just that, an observation. There is no attitude involved. Of course I will make observations tomorrow on my way to West Bend and give an actual count of numbers of units stopped by law enforcement and the number of those with out of state plates.

I was born in Beloit, so I'm a Wisconsin native. I come often and spend money including this trip. We have pulled sailboats to Door County and the Apostle Islands spending money along the way. Tourism is a great industry in Wisconsin and rightfully so. The state is beautiful, has great sailing waters, curvy, windy, twisty roads in SW Wisconsin that are a blast to ride, as I did earlier this year on the Slimey Crud Run.

I like Wisconsin.

That doesn't mean I'm blind.

I stand by my observation.

YMMV

[greenwald]

Allow me to make a few closing remarks about our neighboring state to the south.

After having made thousands of traffic stops involving hundreds of IL drivers over my 32+ years in law enforcement, some observations if you will.

1) Most IL drivers, though almost universal in their "need for speed," were polite and remorseful once I pulled them over.

2) The politics of the Windy City ("Vote early and vote often!") do not impress us simple, WI folk - translation: it doesn't matter how many 'tourism dollars' you spend here - it doesn't 'buy' you any slack with regard to traffic laws. Bring your MasterCard.

3) With a total population in WI smaller than most major cities in the USA, we just aren't in a hurry to get anywhere here - it's more about the ride than the destination, essentially the 'mantra' of owning a BMW.

So, Welcome to all visitors! Enjoy the beauty and hospitality of Wisconsin, but respect our laws. They keep us all safe.

Ride Alert!

[cjack]

Allow me to make a few closing remarks about our neighboring state to the south.

After having made thousands of traffic stops involving hundreds of IL drivers over my 32+ years in law enforcement, some observations if you will.

1) Most IL drivers, though almost universal in their "need for speed," were polite and remorseful once I pulled them over.

2) The politics of the Windy City ("Vote early and vote often!") do not impress us simple, WI folk - translation: it doesn't matter how many 'tourism dollars' you spend here - it doesn't 'buy' you any slack with regard to traffic laws. Bring your MasterCard.

3) With a total population in WI smaller than most major cities in the USA, we just aren't in a hurry to get anywhere here - it's more about the ride than the destination, essentially the 'mantra' of owning a BMW.

So, Welcome to all visitors! Enjoy the beauty and hospitality of Wisconsin, but respect our laws. They keep us all safe.

Ride Alert!

I love to hear a Wisconsinite say the word Sheboygan.

[JCABRANES]

This reminds me of newspaper article that I read a few years back. A Chicago lady was stopped in Racine I believe 15 over on I 94. She complained and whined so much about her ticket that, and stated that LEO where targeting people form out of state. So some important state person stated to look into how the LEO personal was conducting traffic stops. During this investigation they all so looked into this person driving record. This person had a few speeding tickets in IL for what? For what, breaking the speed limit. After looking into this person driving record her story did not hold any water because of her driving record for having a lead foot. Now she lived in the Chicago area were people will give you the road rage stare if you are not doing 80mph on the I 294 and if I am correct that is mostly 55mph zone except in the construction zone or stop and go traffic. Now if you want to drive like an idiot in WI sooner or later your going to get a ticket that is a fact, but this also true in most states.

I think you are referring to a woman who worked for the Chicago Tribune and was stopped for speeding in Racine. This woman apparently wrote an article claiming that Racine County targeted drivers with Illinois license plates. After much hooplah she eventually pled to an amended charge in which she acknowledged that she had been speeding. Frankly, in 12 years of practicing law, a significant portion of which is traffic law, I have not seen anything which leads me to believe that the Racine Sheriff's Department or the Wisconsin State Patrol are targeting Illinois (or other out of state) drivers.

There are also very good reasons why there is enhanced enforcement in this area. Over the last 3-4 years there have been spectacular high speed fatal crashes in Racine County. On one occassion one or more of the cars involved burst into flames. On another occassion an off duty Racine County Sheriff's deputy was killed. Because of this the local LEO's have been instructed to crack down on speeding. Cause and effect.
I agree with you... drive like an ass and chances are that you will be caught and have to pay.

[535IS]

As a 'recovering Ohioan' still in culture shock after moving here in 1991, I can offer a different perspective from our Sheboygan LEO contributor.

I am virtually always 10 mph over the posted limit (NOT school zones! NOT congested areas!). I am also virtually always ignored when doing so. The only time I was not was when a very young Sheboygan County deputy decided that, while the gooseneck-hauling dually and the Grand Cherokee ahead of me were perfectly safe at 74.9 mph on I-43, I, in my Audi 200 Quattro at 75.0, was not. At least, he claimed that they were going slower than I, even though I'd followed them at exactly the same distance (with my cruise control on) since the Hwy 57 split south of Port Washington.

Know that I-43 is three things. It is the biggest damn road up through eastern Wisconsin, so the local LEOs have little else to do but microwave it. As a consequence, it is where all the out of state drivers travel, so of course, many of them get stopped out there at least in part because the prevailing flow of traffic isn't the 80 mph you can easily get away with in Cook County, IL. Finally, it is also a 'drug interdiction' route. As virtually the only way drugs flow from Chicago & Milwaukee to Green Bay, the Manitowoc and Sheboygan county LEOs delight in stopping 'suspect vehicles' for almost any reason on I-43 between Manitowoc and Sheboygan. A loud muffler might get you a body cavity search, especially if your license plate happens to read "UZI 9MM" (Yup; honest-to-God, I saw that one - pulled over in Sheboygan County).

Wisconsin is not a 'full disclosure' state like Ohio, which at least requires some markings on patrol cars doing traffic stops. They use completely unmarked cars and they have been known (at least in Sheboygan County) to resort to the use of such things as a nondescript old Dodge Omni to stop and cite bikers headed to the races at Road America. As for the threat of aircraft, I wouldn't worry a whole lot about it. Two years ago, Wisconsin only had one airplane doing traffic duty - and we sold it. The pavement markings are still around, but the airplane isn't.

The last thing to bear in mind is that, if you do have a forfeiture (most traffic matters are noncriminal for a number of prosecution-favorable and revenue-friendly reasons) to pay, it will probably shock you. While our quoted 'fines' are very reasonable, the additional fees and court costs border on the obscene. The only thing under $100 is a ($20) seatbelt violation. Everything else begins at $122 - and that's a (state charge) parking violation. The smallest forfeiture for speed is $193. The only upside to this is that Wisconsin is one of only two states east of the Mississippi that is not a member of the Interstate Violators Compact, so it is possible that any violations sustained here won't show up in your home state's records - unless your state happens to be adjacent to Wisconsin.

If you have a serious traffic matter while in Wisconsin, feel free to call my cell number at 920-AHA-YODA. I am primarily a bankruptcy lawyer, but I know traffic law, I'm an incurable motorhead, and a new Airhead rider. If I cannot help you directly, I will know who can.

[JCABRANES]

If you have a serious traffic matter while in Wisconsin, feel free to call my cell number at 920-AHA-YODA. I am primarily a bankruptcy lawyer, but I know traffic law, I'm an incurable motorhead, and a new Airhead rider. If I cannot help you directly, I will know who can.

Or just PM me as I can help you directly

[RBOETTCH]

Checkout Pike lake

http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/...ific/pikelake/

Not too far from the ralley site, a very nice ride into the Kettle Moraine.

Nice swimming hole tucked into some great roads.

Oh, for speeding, when entering villages pay attention to the speed reduction signs, they can go from 50 to 25 very fast. Also, on the interstates, 22 mph over is too fast. buy me a beer and I'll tell you about it.