I’m at my friend Stephanie’s house for the weekend. On my way here I got my first speeding ticket. Boo! My dad recently told me that during the gas crisis of the 70s they made it a law that no one could drive over 55. That would kill me. I’d double check to see if it really was a law, but I’m too lazy and my pirated internet connection is a bit wonky. It wouldn’t be the first time my dad pulled one over on me…
When we were kids my parents went to Carmel once a year for a kid-free weekend. They told us it was illegal for children to be in Carmel – NO KIDS ALLOWED! Which I always thought was strange because there was a super neat toy store there and my folks always brought goodies home (my beloved Bobby Bear!). I met a girl at church camp when I was fourteen-years-old who was from Carmel.I barely caught myself from asking her how she could possibly live in Carmel with their strict no kids allowed law.
I liked to spend time with my dad. When he worked Saturdays I would tag along and spend the day driving around with him. One day, when music became very important in my life, I was begging to listen to the Rick Dees Top 40 Countdown. My dad told me that I could listen to my radio station when his show went to commercial. It took quite awhile before I realized that we were listening to commercial free radio. I was quite pissed at the time but we still laugh about it.
I can tell that your dad has a great sense of humor based on the deceptions that he subjected you to as a child. That sounded awful, but I meant it in a good way.
Too funny.
Being (I think) around 10 years older than you, I can attest that indeed such a horrendous law existed. It took bloody forever to get anywhere – people in the East came up with that one, I can tell you. If you’ve ever driven through Nevada, you’d say the speed limit should be 90.
I didn’t think the Utah Highway Patrol gave speeding tickets? You sure don’t see anyone drive slow in SLC!
It’s true, driving 55 saves an enormous amount of gas compared to driving 65. Also, I remember when the speed limit was raised to 65. It was sometime shortly before I got my license, in the early 90’s.
Before that, the official speed limit was 55, although you could find nary a person who followed it. I remember people joking that they were going to “lower the speed limit to 65 in New Jersey.” I just don’t remember when it happened, but sometime in my lifetime (aka after 1978).
Conor drives 55 to conserve fuel. It drives me freakin’ batty. I’m a speeder. Stupid environmental responsibility. Bah.
I had a friend who believed into his twenties that children weren’t allowed in Jamaica, because as a child his dad would go on business trips there and tell him the same thing your dad did. Funny stuff.
I drive ~59 at just about all times. I am patient and have no urge to die, though I may be bludgeoned to death some day by a road-raged speeder.
dude, when i turned 16 (in 1995) they had just dropped the speed limit back down to 55 and i got my first ticket exactly a week after i got my driver’s license. i was doing 85. the cop said, “i’m going to be nice and put 75 on the ticket”. yeah, thanks asshole. woulda been a lot nicer if he didn’t give me a ticket at all. thank God they picked it back up. my tickets are a lot less expensive now.