Hampton, South Carolina Speed Traps
Hwy 278W City Limit
The cops (revenue collectors) wait for the speed to abruptly drop from 45 to 30 mph. I didn’t see any sign and when I backtracked and looked for it I found one…on the other side of a long line of crepe myrtles. I paid my ticket because I was speeding and consider this a “tourist tax” that’s not all that uncommon in these dumpy little towns throughout SC.
In front of Subway sandwich Shop
On Highway 278 / Elm Street there is an abrupt speed limit change from 45 mph to 35 mph. Officers will clock speed on vehicles in the 45 mph zone from the clear line of site of over 800 ft at a fork in the road on Magnolia Street. If you call them on it, like I did respectfully, they will claim that they cannot see you from that location due to the slight curve in the road. That is nonsense and actually illegal. Since the court of jurisdiction is actually in the same rural area that receives the revenue from speeding fines, there is a conflict of interest and you will never get a fair trial. Easier to pay the fine and allow these unethical police officers to ticket law abiding motorists in a 45 zone from a location that is just inside a 30 mph zone. The lack of integrity would shame any person with morals. For shame!
The 24 hour pancake house
The cops tend to hang out around the pancake house in the early morning hours Midnight to 5am. After that, they tend to hang out in church parking lots.
Interestingly, they all tend to have the rank of Captain or Major on their lapels-if you don’t get paid well, Hampton will at least give ya a nice title.
And yes, they will "do you a favor" by lowering the supposed degree of offense on the ticket-emphasis on the word supposed. It’s your word against theirs.
Their dream is to get a job at the local Federal Prison-However, unlike Hampton, the BOP does have standards for hiring officers
State Highway 363 near Railroad Crossing
Cops like to sit on the opposite side of Rabbit’s Lawnmower Repair Shop and catch people as they are coming across the railroad tracks, heading out of the city limits.
Wade Hampton Road
Officers like to sit in the parking lot of the Masonic Lodge. I’ve also seen them sitting in the bushes next to the entrance of Wade Hampton Apartments. Be careful. If you are going just one mile over the speed limit, you will pay.