Riesel, Texas Speed Traps

Speed trap north bound Hwy 6. 2-10-12 – night- received ticket for going 71 in 70 mph zone. Officer on top of the hill behind 55 mph sign. Officer said I was in a “transition zone” where the speed drops to 55 mph, and then to 45 mph, all within 1/4 mile. Asked me what my hurry was and I told him that I was in no hurry and had cruise control set at 70 since posted limited was 70. My mistake…he said limit was actually 65 mph(wrong) and transitioned to 55 mph, so he change my ticket to 71mph in a 55 mph. “Transitioned $216 from my wallet. Court appearance or response within 10 days by certified mail only. UPS does not deliver certified mail to this one-horse town! When I came back through on Sunday – 2/12/12 the officer recognized my car again and pulled out behind me and followed me for a mile, he couldn’t get me this time since I was doing 35 mph. Avoid this area at all costs……you will pay!

This is more than just a speed trap. It is simply a revenue source for this worthless town. I got a ticket for no trailer lights on an unloaded flat bed trailer in broad daylight with the lights on the tow vehicle clearly visible. For this technical violation they charge the outrageous amount of $295! They are simply there to generate revenue. I will never spend a dime in this dump and will avoid it at all costs. I advise everyone to avoid this place at all times.

Police Chief Danny Krumnow added me to his long list of fundraisers for the city of Riesel. Driving northbound on cruise at 69, the is a 55mph sign in what appears to be open country–it is easy to miss. Almost immediately, you top the hill and see a small town with a 45mph sign. I shut my car down well below the 45mph and thought I was fine. Turns out, Krumnow was shooting the top of the hill with his laser. The distance between all 3 signs (70, 55, 45) require that you completely get off the accelerator (or in the case of the 45mph, that you hit the brake!). Don’t know if the chief of police is always there, or if he was just taking advantage of the many people that were bring their children to move-in day at the major university up the road. My ticket was for 69 in a 55mph zone–my mistake because I was so sure that the speed limit was 70, that I admitted to going 69!)

Amazing. I had not had a ticket in nearly 15 years of driving 25,000 miles per year until driving from College Station to Waco and hit Riesel, a town I had never even heard of. After getting the ticket and arriving in Waco for a meeting with a Judge and two other lawyers, I asked them about Riesel and they shook their heads and said Riesel is an embarrassment to McLennan County.

Speed drops from 70 to 30 in a very short space. Cop is sitting in yard behind the lower speed limit sign. You can’t slow down in enough time to avoid the ticket. I know this is fact. Because I drove through Riesel for years to service the phone company generator. Use the bypass around town.