Sheriff Rich Martin
Courtesy of Rich Martin, Lake County Sheriff's OfficeI guess I've never been one to write a bunch of speeding tickets since I have always had kind of a lead foot myself. So, it would be hypocritical to write a ticket if you usually do the same thing. That's not to say that traveling 15-plus miles over the speed limit will probably result in a speeding ticket, especially if you are untruthful or less than cordial. Have you ever heard the phrase, "Well, I talked myself into that one!"?
A recent poll showed the top reasons people use as an excuse for speeding:
- 26% claim they didn’t realize they were speeding.
- 21% say they are late for work.
- 25% tell police there is a medical emergency.
- 20% say they have to use the bathroom.
- 14% say they didn’t see a speed limit sign.
- 22% remark that they were going as fast as everyone else.
- 15% blame being late to pick up or drop off a child.
- 13% remarked that they were late for a doctor’s appointment.
- 13% said they were late for a court appointment.
People usually have some sort of excuse for speeding, and I've heard some off-the-wall excuses. Here are some rather interesting excuses for speeding:
"I wasn't speeding, I just got a haircut and it makes me look fast."
"My car has a recall on it for unexplained acceleration and I'm on my way to get it fixed!"
"Officer, my wife is getting pregnant tonight and I want to be there when it happens!"
“I'm more sober than my friend, so I am driving them home.”
"I know I was going fast, I was trying to get the snow off my windshield, so I could see where I'm going!!!!’"
"I was trying to achieve 88 miles per hour so I could go back in time to 1957..."
"I'm very sorry that I was speeding, I had to find myself a bathroom quick before I pissed my pants."
"I was rushing home to watch cops."
"I'm sorry officer, I was rushing to the nearest Krispy Kreme because I heard you guys ran out of donuts."
“I’m on my way to an eyesight test and didn’t see the speed limit sign.”
"I was speeding because my hemorrhoids bother me when I sit."
"I'm in a hurry to get home as my dog is lonely."
"My wife ran away with a cop, I thought you was bringing her back."
“I was talking to myself because I am mad at my husband and was practicing what I was going to say to him. I guess the madder I got, the faster I drove.”
"My wife told me to slow down so I sped up."
"I have a cold and when I cough, my foot mashes the pedal."
"I'm sorry officer for speeding, but without my glasses I can hardly see the speedometer."
"I just saw 'The Fast and the Furious' at the movies and it inspired me!"
CALLS FOR SERVICE REPORT
It's time for the monthly "calls for service" report. This will provide you with an idea of the prior month's response for public safety services within the county.
- 911 Hang up: 6
- Abandoned Call: 2
- Abandoned Vehicle: 4
- Accidents Falls: 26
- Alarms: 20
- Allergic Reaction: 1
- Animal Bites: 4
- Animal Control: 43
- Annoyance Threats: 10
- Assault: 9
- Assisting Other Agencies: 26
- Attempt to Locate/Well Check: 23
- Be On the Look Out: 9
- Bleeding: 4
- Breaking and Entering: 3
- Breathing Difficulty: 27
- Business Property Check: 83
- Car Animal: 1
- Car Deer: 13
- Chest and Heart Problems: 15
- Citizen Assist: 7
- Civil Complaints: 4
- Civil Standby: 12
- Code K: 3
- Court: 5
- Covert Investigations: 3
- Criminal Sexual Conduct: 5
- Death Notification: 1
- Diabetic: 3
- Disorderly Person: 2
- Disturbance: 5
- Domestic: 14
- Driveaway: 1
- Dumping Complaint: 1
- EAS Notification: 3
- EMS Assist: 6
- EMS Coverage: 31
- EMS Supply Run: 3
- EMS Transfer: 45
- Fire Alarm: 1
- Follow up: 49
- Found Property: 2
- Fraud: 5
- Gas Odors: 3
- Harassment: 5
- Illegal Burning: 1
- Info Call: 4
- Interview: 8
- Jail Pick up/Transport: 17
- Juvenile: 4
- Juvenile Runaway: 1
- K9 Incident: 3
- K9 Traffic Stop: 1
- Larceny: 21
- Lift Assist: 12
- Liquor Inspection: 1
- Lost Property: 1
- MDOP: 1
- Medical Alarm: 3
- Mental Emotional: 6
- Mental Emotional Transport: 6
- Motorist Assist: 8
- Open Line: 3
- ORV Traffic Stop: 5
- Overdose: 5
- Pain Back Abdominal: 8
- Paper Service: 11
- Patrol Area: 336
- Personal Injury Accident: 16
- PPO Request Violation: 2
- Pregnancy and Childbirth: 1
- Property Check: 23
- Property Damage Accident: 9
- Reckless Driver: 7
- Reckless ORV: 1
- Road Hazard: 10
- Road Kill: 1
- Rollover: 6
- Seizures: 5
- Sick Unknown: 61
- Slide off: 3
- Smoke/Unknown Fire: 5
- Snowmobile Traffic Stop: 3
- SOR Check: 1
- Special Event Coverage: 6
- Stationary Radar: 38
- Stroke: 5
- Suicide/Attempted Suicide: 4
- Suspicious Person: 4
- Suspicious Situation: 40
- Suspicious Vehicle: 13
- Telephone Calls for Officer: 19
- Township/Village Meetings: 4
- Traffic Control: 1
- Traffic Stop: 228
- Trespass: 4
- Unconscious Unresponsive: 15
- Unwanted Person: 3
- VIN Inspection: 6
- Warrant Arrest: 33
- Water Incidents: 1
— This information is provided to you for clarification on specific laws, and not legal advice. This is not to be construed as a personal opinion, agreement or disagreement of any specific law. Topics covered are for educational and informational purposes only. As needed, excerpts from other articles are used for reference and/or content. If you have any questions on any specific topic, you may always email me your questions to rmartin@co.lake.mi.us.
