WARNING to anybody driving to WDW!!!

[irunnoft]

Hey guys, I just wanted to warn anybody who's driving to Disney World soon to watch out for the Orange County Sheriffs. We went to WDW for my birthday this past weekend and we drove down from NC on Friday. We came into WDW from Daniel Webster Parkway and came on Western Way behind the Coronado Springs. Not far after the Disney sign on Western Way, the road curves by the Coronado Springs and there were two Sheriffs there with radar guns. The speed drastically drops from 55 to 35 right there in a short distance. I got pulled over and was certain I was getting a ticket. The Sheriff took about ten minutes and then returned and said "I don't want to ruin your birthday so here's a warning." She gave me a yellow sheet of paper that was NOT a ticket (miracle) and then told me to keep it down. During the two days we were there, we saw Sheriffs hiding all over the place using radar and pulling people over. The worst ever was on that straight away heading towards the Contemporary (this is after you've come through the Magic Kingdom gates mind you). Right where the road curves, the speed is 30 and there were two Sheriffs there pulling people over. Guests traveling on the monorail could see it. It was so close to the Contemporary it was silly. Just wanted to warn you guys. Keep your eyes on your speed because the Orange County Sheriffs were out in FULL force!

 

[blondietink]

In August we saw several police with radar guns on the way in from the East on route 536. I think they are making themselves known because of the problems in the water parks.

 

[johnGorski]

Same thing happened to us last April they got us doing 55 in a 35. They looked at my MN drivers license and said we are giving you a warning. He also made a commit more then likely if you were a local you would have been ticket. Weekends have been a real problem with Florida residents speeding acording to the deputy. .

 

[larryz]

In August we saw several police with radar guns on the way in from the East on route 536. I think they are making themselves known because of the problems in the water parks.

What -- people are speeding in the water parks???

Seriously, speed control is a problem throughout the complex. The 45 and 50 mph zones remind me of the Indy 500.

The slower zones are not quite as bad, (well, with the exception of a few...!) but people just don't know how to control their speed any more.

So, little to no sympathy from me on any speeding tickets anywhere... but thanks for getting the word out. I'm sure those who need the warning will ignore it, but you tried...!

 

[Linda Farrell]

Thanks for the warning. A new thing here in New York since Sept. 1 is photo enforced red lights. If you go through or just as it turns red, the camera takes your picture, they mail you the picture and you get fined. Hasn't happened to me yet, but I'm being extra careful.

 

[Beauty & the Best]

Its so true! We drive from Sarasota - I75 to I4. And right at the Polk county line we set the cruise control to right at the speed limit, not a mile more.

There are always lots of troopers on I4 once the county changes from Hillsborough to Polk and it stays that way through Orange county as well.

Even if you're not a big speed demon, it's nice to know where they are so you can adjust your speed accordingly.

 

[PixieDust32]

What about the water parks?

We always drive when we go to WDW and DH is such a Grandpa, he is always checking his speed and the speed limit, i don't like driving there, is to confusing, DH gets lost every single time, we ended up in Celebration, or Kissimie, LOL.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I think the Orange County Sheriffs have been on patroll in WDW the past few years checking for speeding cars, so it's nothing new. In fact I have seen them a lot more times early in the mornings because they must figure people might be rushing to the parks. I also saw them pull someone over past the Magic Kingdom toll, when my family and I were on our way back to the Contemporary.

 

[RACHELSMOM1]

Wonder if they ever pull over the Disney busses, some of those guys have lead feet!!

 

[fla4fun]

Thanks for the warning. A new thing here in New York since Sept. 1 is photo enforced red lights. If you go through or just as it turns red, the camera takes your picture, they mail you the picture and you get fined. Hasn't happened to me yet, but I'm being extra careful.

There are some of these around the Orlando area as well, although I don't recall any down close to Disney. One of my co-workers ran up over $800 in tickets the first six months, because of the one at Kirkman Road and Conroy Road, near Millenia Mall.

I'm glad they are cracking down on speeding. Disney is a place that attracts a lot of drivers who really don't know where they're going. They are trying to read signs, and figure out which lane to be in, and the last thing they need is someone flying through the traffic at the speed of light (CM's have been notorious for speeding in the past - but it seems to be more widespread these days). Speed limits are set for a reason - they are the maximum speed you can travel that particular road safely due to visibility, curves or hills, driveways, etc. Just do the right thing folks - don't speed!

 

[queenie82]

Thanks for the warning. A new thing here in New York since Sept. 1 is photo enforced red lights. If you go through or just as it turns red, the camera takes your picture, they mail you the picture and you get fined. Hasn't happened to me yet, but I'm being extra careful.

We have had red light cameras for 10 years or more now. They are all over the place. Too many people have been killed running red lights.
We even have some red light AND speed cameras at some traffic lights in Canberra so even if you don't get caught running the red, if you speed up to get through before the red you get caught for speeding!

Thanks for the warning about extra patrols.
I'm usually too busy remembering to drive on the wrong side of the road, put indicators on instead of the wipers, and watching the 10 zillion road signs to always watch my speed.

 

[skier_pete]

I'm usually too busy remembering to drive on the wrong side of the road, put indicators on instead of the wipers, and watching the 10 zillion road signs to always watch my speed.

Last I checked, we drive on the RIGHT side of the road here. (Pun intended!)

SkierPete

 

[choirchic]

Wonder if they ever pull over the Disney busses, some of those guys have lead feet!!

I TOTALLY agree! Standing on the buses back to the Value Resorts at the end of a day in the parks is a Hazard to your Health!

 

[seashoreCM]

I'm usually too busy remembering to drive on the wrong side of the road, put indicators on instead of the wipers, ...

Made more difficult when the steering wheel is on the wrong side of the (rental) car and the indicator lever is on the wrong side of the steering wheel.

Now if you go a little slower in order to read signs, will anything bad happen?

I consider a red light camera system flawed unless there are two pictures, one showing the light red and the car just before the intersection and the other showing the car in the intersection.

OT: "A signal indicating a restriction of speed shall be acted upon as soon as it becomes visible but a signal indicating clear shall not take effect unilt the train reaches the signal." (from a tourist railway rule book)

 

[HeyIt'sMe]

Wonder if they ever pull over the Disney busses, some of those guys have lead feet!!

I was thinking the same thing!!

 

[boettj]

Sounds like the 10mph rule does not count. I use that as my rule of thumb. Set my cruise control to 8 over. Most police will not bother you with that. Unless it's a camera, and yes I've gotten a speeding ticket from a camera. I was doing my normal 8 over near Washington D.C. A month or so later, the rental car agency sent me a bill of the speeding ticket.

I don't mind going the limit, but in many areas the limit is set far too low.


For the comment on the buses. Spot on. We will not ride the buses after a couple harrowing rides. Honestly, I think they bus drivers have two speeds. parked and the speed of light.

 

[dormouse72]

It kind of makes sense...all municipalities are HURTING for money and Florida has been hit by the economic slow-down in more ways than one (drop in property values so drop in property tax, no construction jobs so residents reducing spending or leaving, other areas hurting so tourism drops and so does the sales and resort taxes, no state income tax). Catching out-of-towners in speed traps brings in revenue but doesn't upset the locals too much (after a day or two they figure out where they are).

I have a car but I live on public transportation - finding parking in NYC is either a logistical nightmare or prohibitively expensive. But we are driving up from Miami so we'll be careful.

 

[queenie82]

Made more difficult when the steering wheel is on the wrong side of the (rental) car and the indicator lever is on the wrong side of the steering wheel.

My point exactly. I reach for the indicator and bam on go the wipers...

Now if you go a little slower in order to read signs, will anything bad happen?

My point is when it is in the low speed zone you can easily get slightly over...I generally am pretty slow....as people FLY by...but you also need to stay near the speed so you don't get a truck up the rear[/quote]

I consider a red light camera system flawed unless there are two pictures, one showing the light red and the car just before the intersection and the other showing the car in the intersection.

Our system DOES have TWO pictures taken. That is the point. You can go through orange and hit the other side with it red and that is fine. It is red red that they get you.

We also have fixed speed cameras that can get you either direction from the same camera because we have proper full number plates on the front AND back of the car. In addition they are looking into adding point to point speeding fines along freeways. ie...if you were going at the right speed limit you couldn't have gotten here in 10mins. It should have taken 15mins.

They have a LOT of little tricks up their sleeve - with many of them pretty much revenue raisers. I do not support speeding but in those places where it is TOOO slow and feels like suspended animation it is incredibly tedious and easy to go over. and doesn't achieve as much as watching on dangerous road sections where people get killed.

I'm not perfect...but I must say...once someone you know dies in a car accident you do watch everything much more.
So just chill in Disney folks

 

[safetymom]

They have been doing that for quite a while. I am glad they are doing it. There are too many drivers going too fast on WDW property.

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

They have been doing that for quite a while. I am glad they are doing it. There are too many drivers going too fast on WDW property.

I'm with you. If you don't want a ticket, don't speed. I was hit by a cm rushing to work a few years ago. If it is that important, leave earlier.