Etowah, Tennessee Speed Traps

As your are headed north on 411, just after you pass the Etowah Police Department building the speed limit drops to a ridiculously low 30 mph. Many don’t see the 30 mph speed limit sign. Police are there & will drive over double the speed limit to give you a ticket for going over the speed limit.

If you take Etowah back roads to avoid the speed trap, the town is full of stop signs. Police are frequently there to give you a ticket for safely rolling through stop signs. The over use of stop signs has earned Etowah the nickname Stop Sign City.

My Husband and I were coming from Georgia heading to Gatlinburg. I lived in Benton, Tn., so I knew where their speed trap was. My Husband was driving as we came into Etowah. I told him to set the cruise control on 35 mph, which was the speed limit, until we got farther out of town. Well he said he was getting a little tired and ask me if I would drive a while. We pulled into the Bi-Lo parking lot and changed drivers. I was now on my way out of town, topping the hill I see the 55 mph speed limit sigh in my headlights, I see blue lights in my rear view mirror. I pulled over and was right at the speed limit sign. The cop comes up to my window and says he clocked me at 45 mph coming thru town and that he would reduce it to 40mph to give me a break and no points on my licenses. The ticket was 85.00. I had to work on the day I could appear in court, not that it would have made a difference, but I wasn’t able to go. But if you read my post thoroughly, you will notice that I wasn’t the one driving as we came thru town, My Husband was and had the cruise set on 35. I had Georgia tags and was about 2 car lengths from the 55 mph sign. That’s McMinn County for you. They must have an agreement with Benton "Cops" If one don’t getcha the other one will. Especially out of state tags.

Another small town city located on U.S.411 just off State Hwy. in McMinn County, TN. Gets a large part of its city budget from citations issued mainly to out of state motorist passing through from Georgia or upper Tennessee. City runs along the bottom of the Unicoi mountains and is a beautiful ride if you can do it safely. Good luck fighting a citation in court, its just not possible in the city.