Summersville, West Virginia Speed Traps

Preyed upon today (8/9). Traveled several hundred yards from a standing stop at the Rt 19/Rt 41 intersection stoplight. Could see the next light was red also and braked early – also saw two patrol cars in median. Still pulled over for alleged 63 in 50. Told Officer this smelled of a speed trap and I will fight in court. Drove back to scene and saw car with FLA tags nabbed. Court date is 9/26. Anyone successful in challenging? I may have to pay $132, but Summersville has not heard the last of this! It’s on.

As a Canadian CAA member, who recently travelled the US 19 on my way home from Florida, I am disgusted by the unfair treatment of "out-of-towners" in West Virginia. I was warned by my auto club that excessive speed enforcement was in effect and I duly obeyed the speed limit. Didn’t matter. I understand that CAA has taken strong steps to circumvent this area and now directs their members through Charleston. Good for them to take a stand!! Earned my respect. If you want to know more about what is going on in Summersville check this site http://library.cnpapers.com/

I am Canadian and travel through Summersville, WV, quite often. (it is the shortest route through WV). When the sign says Speed Limit Strictly Enforced, they mean it. While traveling through on night – 3:00am, I stopped for gas at an Amaco gas bar with a 24-hr Arby’s. I was there for no less than 40-minutes when a Summersville cop drove in, parked in front of my car blocking it and said I just passed him doing 72 in a 50 zone. When I asked him the exact time, he told me 3:17am. I had filled up with gas, and purchased an Arby’s meal. I keep all my receipts and the time on it was 3:17am. The officer had the ticket filled out completely except for my personal information. I asked him to reconfirm the time which he complied to reasure me it was exactly 3:17am. I then showed him my meal receipt for the exact same time and told him he was lying. All he did was turn around and leave. A complaint filed by an out of state person gets about as much interest. The police department said it must have been an error in transcribing the time and said i would be better off dropping the complaint as I could be charged if any fact was not true. I decided they had the advantage and left well enough alone. This department is very corupt is all I say. Since I drive a company car, I have had the licence plates changed.

I recently received a ticket on US 19 on my back from Myrtle Beach. It was actually the route that AAA suggested from Pittsburgh. I agree with the majority of the other drivers that it’s a racket to ticket out of state drivers. I was behind 5 other cars at a traffic light and before we got to the next traffic light, I was pulled over by a cop going in the opposite direction. I could not have been going more than 45mph at the time. I was singled out because of my out of town plates. I am not going to fight it. After reading all of the other emails, I consider it my donation to the Summersville Recreation Fund. I can guarantee one thing — I will never drive through Summersville again. I am in the process of writing a letter to AAA to recommend an alternate route for all of those drivers from this area to go down South. There are a lot of people from this area that go that way. Hopefully, I can spread the word around enough to give what the Summersville police department want — less traffic.

I use the word "radar" lightly -i have a radar detector that didn’t even go off before I was pulled over. I had just pulled out of Burger King and was coasting down the hill to a red light WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE and was told I was going 63 in a 50mph zone. $137!!!! When I told this story to my brother, he said the same thing had happened to him the year before – same raod, same Burger king, same red light – probably even the same Barney Fife! i seiously doubt the "officer" was using radar at all. And he was also very rude. Summersville a speed trap?