Rock Hill, South Carolina Speed Traps

On I-77, driving through Rock Hill, there is an overpass (lacking on/off ramps) that exists between the 82A/B exits (York, Rock Hill), and the exit for Dave Lyle Boulevard (1.5 miles or so between). If you’re northbound, coming from the Columbia side, you will pass the exit for Dave Lyle Blvd and see, sort of up the hill, an overpass with strange concrete median divider work underneath it. The dividers of the 6-lane highway are extended out to shield the underbelly/framework of the overpass and this makes a supreme hiding spot for all patrol cars and motorcycles. If you are southbound, coming from the Charlotte side, you will pass over the Catawba River bridge, pass the 82A/B exits (York, Rock Hill), go around the turn and will immediately be in view of the overpass (which is Mt. Gallant Rd, and lacks on/off ramps). They are doing a lot of construction on the 82A/B area so the anticipation is yours, when you look back to see if there is anything hiding back up in there. There is a gap of time, off in the distance, when it is possible to see them, and also, remember to look for that long antenna that is common on motorcycles. I�ve been had 3 times, and saw a trooper turn and pull through, getting into position, yesterday.

This is a recently widened strech of hiway, now 8 lanes with a high concrete median in the middle.There is a break in this median wall just big enough to get a motorcycle through underneath a bridge which crosses over the interstate. It’s approximately 1/4 to 1/2 mile from the Hwy 21 exit. I had gotten on I-77 heading Northbound about three exits before this point. The speed limit is 60 mph here and all the way to Charlotte, even though it’s 8 lanes all the way. Most people go about 70 mph. But there are cameras all along the highway. ("only for monitoring traffic conjestion") I was traveling with the flow of traffic when a silver BMW four door sedan passed me on the right side and was probably going 7-10 mph faster. Since I was running late, I decided to fall in behind him at a respectable distance and get to my destination a little sooner. I was depending on my Escort to give me enough warning of radar, since I was BEHIND the BMW. What came next made me wonder if the BMW was an unmarked troopers car.(BMW has an assembly plant in Greenville and has donated several sedans and motorcycles for the highway patrol to use). The BMW continued to be my "front door" until I passed under the bridge, at which time the Escort went wild. I knew that police radar was close by but I didn’t see a vehicle. I was in the outside lane at the time and was preparing to get off at the Hwy 21 Southbound exit which was four lanes over.I got off went under the overpass and down about half a block to a red light. I stopped at the light then turned right, which is legal after a full stop, provided no one’s coming the other way. I had gone about 1/4 mile when I heard a siren and looked back to see a motorcycle coming up behind. I was at the business where I had an appointment but decided to pull off on the shoulder, since the "motorcop" indicated he wanted to talk to me. He asked for my license, registration and proof of insurance. I asked him why he stopped me and he said he clocked me at 86 mph! This was such a shock that I forgot to get him to specify exactly WHERE he was when he clocked me. I told him respectfully that I had not been traveling anywhere near that speed and that he must have gotten a reading from someone else’s vehicle and thought it was me. I asked him if he had clocked the BMW ahead of me. He said he had and it was going 78 mph. That’s interesting since I was following him and not gaining on him. He said he’d reduce the speed on the ticket to 69 in a 60 mlph zone which is 2 points and I think $50 "IF I DON’T GO TO COURT"! Since it would be my word against his in a small town where I had NO influential contacts, I just paid the fine, reluctantly. I’d have loved to have gotten the revenue cop on the stand under oath to explain why he didn’t ticket the BMW but did ticket me.

As you drive past Sutton Rd exit83 south bound on I-77 the police will hide on the bridge and clock your speed with radar as you pass under the bridge. You can not see them till you look in your mirror back up on the bridge. As they check your speed there will be 2 or more police cars hiding on the entrance ramp waiting on the signal from the police on the bridge to pull you over. I drive to Rock Hill from Charlotte every day and they do this several times a week.

As you are leaving Main Street heading to Mcdonalds past the last stop light.. late at night, especially on weekends there are always cops on the left side of the road at an old run down motel. Also, there is bank on the right side which usually houses a cop or two pretending to be at the ATM. (yeah right).

When leaving town, after passing the Cone station, a cop sits in the BP at the corner of Leslie Highway and 21. It is very difficult to see him behind the traffic backed up at the light, and it is difficult to determine whether he is a customer at the store of police until you are past him. It is usually a white, unmarked car. The speedlimit is 45, but many people speed up because it turns 55 only a few hundred yards later.