Raising Arizona: Danica gets another speeding ticket
Some people we'll just never understand. Like those who'll look at a high-performance sports car and ask, "But where are you going to drive it?" Or the cops in Scottsdale, Arizona, who have given a speeding ticket to Danica Patrick yet again.
Never mind that for many police officers, a pretty girl batting her eyes would be enough to, um, get off...with a warning. And Danica's a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, for crying out loud. But the IRL's perennial favorite driver, former rookie of the year, winner of the Japan 300 and potential future F1 pilot was only going 54 miles-per-hour. Granted, that it was in a 35 mph zone, but come on. Danica's used to going 200 with her silky hair on fire. The last time she got pulled over in Scottsdale (home to her sponsor GoDaddy.com), she was ticketed for going 57 in a 40 zone. We've heard it before, nobody's above the law, yadda yadda yadda.... but somehow, this just ain't right.
Gallery: Danica Patrick wins Indy Japan 300
[Source: azcentral.com]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
rndmnme 4:05PM (12/31/2008)
Yes, but to be fair to the cops. The only time Danica drives fast is usually before she wrecks so... you know.. just trying to look out for John Q. Public.
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the vegas style guy 4:08PM (12/31/2008)
I know I shouldn't say this, but I would totally let her go!
After she gave me an autograph for my six year old niece.
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cFoo 5:30PM (12/31/2008)
I'll let her go after I speed on her.
McLovin 6:55PM (12/31/2008)
I'd let her go...
after I pop my cork...
on her chest...
McLovin 8:59PM (12/31/2008)
@AZZO
So you think there should be one law for people with race driving experience and another law for everyone else? Sounds like tortured logic to me.
Do me a favor and keep your asinine "logic" to yourself.
rTwelve 4:10PM (12/31/2008)
This is par for the course in Arizona. See: statewide photo radar
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JD 4:13PM (12/31/2008)
Do we know how many warnings she has? One, maybe 5, no one knows.
Danica is supposed to be a good example, regardless of how fast she drives on the track. I'm with the cops on this one, I agree with the ticket.
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AZZO45b 9:02PM (12/31/2008)
Yeah right JD... You & I are not "famous" so we can speed all we want, but she has fame, fortune & a racing license so she forfeits her right to have a private life?
Modern cars/ trucks have excellent performance & handling capabilities. Light years better than their 50's-60's-70's cousins, yet most local speed limits were established in those eras & have remained UNCHANGED,
Danica was not going 90-100MPH in a 35 or a 40 zone. Let's not try to paint her as some crazed, safety hazard... terrorizing the streets of Scottsdale, AZ. I'm sure most AB readers have "speed trap" tickets as part of their driving record.
Fritz 4:14PM (12/31/2008)
She shouldn't get any special treatment. However, she also shouldn't have gotten a ticket. She already pays an exorbitant amount of taxes, like everyone else.
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McLovin 9:08PM (12/31/2008)
God people are stooooopid! So if you pay a lot in taxes, you can drive however the hell you want? If I'm not mistaken, that seems to be what you're saying.
Actually, I'm not sure WHAT you're saying since you contradict yourself within the span of two sentences. That has to be some kind of record.
Look, there is one driving law. ONE. One law for everybody whether your rich or poor, white or black, smart or stupid, pretty or ugly, fat or thin. You get the picture?
Consider this a pre-emptive STFU before you even respond. I'm invoking the Bush doctrine. STFU.
Beastage 4:14PM (12/31/2008)
Even as a motorsport fan, fast car fan and with a tendency to drive fast on free good roads when conditions allow.... there is one rule I refuse to break no matter what, driving over limit on low speed zones like that... speed is for the clean open road.
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Sandok 4:20PM (12/31/2008)
Totally agreed. What's the point of speeding in areas where you are putting other people's lives in danger?
bhtooefr 4:25PM (12/31/2008)
That 57 in a 40 ticket...
A 40 MPH zone is universal code for "speed trap." 45 and 35 are legitimate speeds, 40 is almost always a speed trap in an area that's wide open, and can safely handle 55 all day long, but they want revenue. ;)
AZZO45b 8:50PM (12/31/2008)
My last speeding ticket was on a nice twisty, two lane road. I was clocked going 58 MPH in a 35 MPH zone. I would speed up for the corners & drop my speed in the straights (that's how the cop caught me such a short distance from his hiding spot). I was issued a ticket for 5 MPH over.
Cost me $130 & obviously my insurance took a hit. They still put the actual speed on the ticket. My car was not even close to its limit & I was endangering no one.
Am I reading Auto Blog or Auto Police? Anyone endorsing speed traps must also endorse electronic speed limiters placed in ALL cars?? Surely, all the law abiding, safety advocates who have posted have no need for a car that travels ABOVE the legal limit??? PLEASE!!!!
Zoran 4:17PM (12/31/2008)
Danica is overrated anyway.
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exkart 4:21PM (12/31/2008)
Sorry but she deserves it.
It'd be ok at 10 or maybe 15 mph over. Anything over that and you're asking for it.
then again 35mph speed limit in Arizona???? (was it by a school?)
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Rob 4:25PM (12/31/2008)
To me traffic cops are not much more than tax collectors. The vast majority of tickets given out are not for safety - they are to fill budgets. Safety is the excuse used to stick their hand in your wallet. I like to try to make them think about where their life has gone when I get a ticket... "is this where you thought you'd be 10 years ago?"
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Alex1217 4:29PM (12/31/2008)
Let's face it. Speed traps are nothing but revenue generating systems for the Governement. With the economy in freefall, local counties are forcing the LEO's to distribute even more citations. As someone mentioned, she might have even been caught by those infamous speed cameras. With falling tax revenues, I'm sure more of those things will go up in States across the country. We're in for some rough waters ahead.
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ack154 4:31PM (12/31/2008)
Yes... she gets paid to go fast.... ON A TRACK. Not in residential areas.
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AZZO45b 9:27PM (12/31/2008)
Story didn't say it was a "residential area". BTW, neighborhood speed limits are usually 25 MPH (not 35MPH).