I was just ticketed this past Sat. I Was Wrong! I Was Speeding!! I was doing 79 in a 60 area. I had not taken my cruise control off. He, of course, asked why (as if it mattered to him). We had just driven 10 hrs from Fla. in the pouring rain. I was tired and stopping at a relatives in Wilmington overnight. My wife was sick and in the hospital at home. All I wanted to do was go home. He told me the limit was 60 with a 15mph zone. If I had been doing 75, I could have sent in the fine. But because I was doing 79, 4 miles over the zone, I had to do a court apperance. I asked him to explain and he said, I have to come back on Mar. 4th and go to court or else have a warrant issued for my arrest. I said this is crazy, This is the United States, this only happens in the movies. He said "Sir, this is Whiteville N.C. and you broke our laws. Have a nice day. After that the limit went to 45--to 70--to 55--to 35 and to 60 again, and No One's On The Road!! He didn't acknowledge my N.J. trooper shield and said "That doesn't work here."

It is worse than what he explained on the speed limits. I got ticked for westbound going 61 in a 55. The cop went through the median digging up dirt to get around. I have driven that road many times and I told the officer that the part I was sitting on was in fact a 65 mph. He said it was a 55. I looked at the ticket which marks the mile post, that was also what was on the sign. I know it goes 55,65,60,70,55,60. Which it does. I went to the next exit area and came back. Going East to retrack my route and just to be sure I wasn't mistaken or going nuts. I drove up one mile to get off, passing (about 10 car lengths up the road) a 70mph sign. When I got back on, the road, it was 70mph, then dropped to 55. I thought I had earlier mistaken that part to be 65. Then it went back up to 65, and then down again. I turned around to go back west where I was going. It was then 55. Just ahead it became 65, then I passed where I was pulled over, then up to 70. Point: The west bound lanes are 65 for two miles, where the East bound lanes are 55. They don't match. So even those that travel that area a lot may not know and think yes, this is the 65 area, and it be a 55 on the opposite side. But the cop should know! As it turns out, I was in fact in the right and not speeding. Thing is, I travel through that part at 55, until I hit the 70 zone. It doesn't change after the 70 zone until out of the 74/76 split.