| |
| Editor’s Note:
Since other Texas magazines are always touting the best of this and the best of
that, we decided to view speed traps with their positive viewpoint. Don’t we all
admire efficiency and hard work? Of course we do. Therefore, the communities on
the list have the hardest-working and most efficient speed traps – allowing us
to call them “The Best.” - Ed. |
| Full
disclosure: this sign in Sarita,
Texas was meant to warn people of speed bumps but the sign maker got it slightly
wrong. – LW |
Mr.
Alan Cambre http://arencambre.com/blog/2010/03/04/texass-worst-speed-traps/
has compiled a list of the “worst” speed traps in Texas.
Worst meaning the highest ticket revenue per person.
The
list below is from Mr. Cambre’s research but we have added the county names
- and the highways where the offences took place. The revenue generated over an
eight year period (2000-2008) is found on Cambre’s site as well and it’s nothing
short of astounding.
In addition to this list are three other sites dealing
with speed traps, the third link is a motorist advocacy site that also deals with
red light cameras and publishes updates on their “popularity.”
www.speedtrapped.com
www.speedtrap.org *
www.motorists.org
*The number of Texas towns included
on speedtrap.org calls into question their data-gathering techniques since the
official state map of Texas has just under 2,000 towns
listed and Speedtrap.org shows that there are 1,926 speed traps in Texas.
Several of the above sites allow comments and there is always a goody-two shoes
who will say: “Don’t speed and you won’t get a ticket” or words to that effect.
We sincerely hope that they will come back and update their comments after they
get out of high school and have been out in the real world awhile.
We
were considering writing about speed traps back in 1998, however after calling
triple A to see if they had a list, we got a spokesperson on the line who informed
us that speed traps did not exist. He did admit that there were zones when speed
limits were rigidly enforced, but (in a laughing tone) he said we had been watching
too many old television programs.
Reassured, but blushing at our ignorance,
we decided that we shouldn’t keep the myth alive. That very evening, as the local
news began it’s round-up, the lead story focused on one of these non-existent
speed traps on Highway 59 south of Houston
where motorists were given a choice of receiving a citation or donating to a local
charity. |
The
Top 40 Worst Speed Traps in Texas
Compiled
by Alan Cambre |
| Westlake | Denton
/ Tarrant Counties Hwy 114 | | Estelline | Hall
County (Population 168) A ghost town is number 2 on the list. | | Domino | Cass
County Highway 59 Pop. 52 | | Montgomery | Montgomery
County State Hwy 105 | | Martindale | Caldwell
County Highway 146 | | Cuney | Cherokee
County Highway 175 | | Palmer | Ellis
County Highway 45 | | Rio
Vista | Johnson
County Hwy 174 | | Riesel | McLennan
County Hwy 6 | | Patton
Village | Montgomery
County Hwy 59 | | Mount
Enterprise | Rusk
County Hwy 84 and 259 | | Pantego | Tarrant
County SW of Arlington | | Wilmer | Dallas
County Hwy 45 | | Dalworthington | Tarrant
County Between I-20 and I-30 | | Lott | Falls
County Hwy 77 | | Lavon | Collin
County Hwy 78 | | Chillicothe | Hardeman
County Hwy 287 | | Waskom | Harrison
County I-20 On the Louisiana State Line
“Welcome to Texas, here’s your ticket.” | | Shenandoah | Montgomery
County I-45 | | Mustang
Ridge | Travis/Caldwell
Counties Hwy 183 | | Ferris |
Ellis County I-45 | | Covington | Hill
County Hwy 171 | | Arcola | Fort
Bend County Hwy 6 | | Northlake | Denton
County I-35W | | Rice | Navarro
County I-45 | | Zavalla | Jasper
County Hwy 63 | | Magnolia* |
Not sure which of 3 (San Jacinto, Anderson or Montgomery) | | Alvarado | Johnson
County I-35 W, US 67 and 81 | | Brownsboro* | Not
sure of which county: Caldwell, Henderson or Kendall | | Driscoll | Nueces
County Highway 77 | | Rhome | Wise
County Highway 287/ 81 | | Kemah | Galveston
County Highway 146 | | Corrigan | Polk
County Highway 59 | | Coffee
City | Henderson
County Hwy 155 | | Itaska | Hill
County I-35 W | | Eustace | Henderson
County Highway 175 | | Rogers | Bell
County Highway 36 | | Southside
Place | Harris
County Adjoining Houston on Bellaire Blvd | | Calvert |
Robertson County Highway 36 | | Selma | Bexar/
Comal County Line I-35 | |
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