Bluffton, South Carolina Speed Traps

Bluffton sucks. Don’t do any business in Bluffton as it is a speed trap. Speed limits are not marked well and you can easily be caught with out of state tags going with the flow of traffic 46MPH in a supposed 30 MPH zone = $180. You must be very familiar with the area tro know the speed limits, and the officers are not polite.

Bluffton has always had the reputation of aggressive traffic enforcement, and I hate to admit it, but it works. I do not remember the last time I saw a wreck in the town, but nearby Hilton Head is a death trap. The local newspaper recently had an article on the "New, more compassionate" Bluffton Police Dept. I have no problem with more compassion, I just wish it had started last year. In the article, a cop is pictured on a traffic stop. The caption reads, "the driver was given a warning for his speed." The cop in the picture is the same one who wrote me a $150.00 tiket last year. He gave the driver in the article a warning, but told me last year, "The only warning you will get from me is the big black and white sign stating SPEED LIMIT 30." My insurance agent sure is glad Bluffton was not compassionate last year.

My husband was the victim of a speed trap. One officer radioed the one down the road to be waiting for an out of towner. Driving from Savannah at dusk on a long road (Buckwalter) the speed changes from 45 to 35. Even though we were from out of town as soon as we approached the sign the second we passed we were pulled over by officer on opposite side of road waiting for us to approach. We did not even see the sign or would we have had a chance to slow down. This is a long road and there is a small stretch (about .5 miles). What a trap!

I want to give everyone fair warning, Do Not Drive Through Bluffton. If you must, drive way under the speed limit. When you see the "Reduced Speed Ahead" sign, slow down before you pass it. A cop will be waiting within inches from the other side. Not only do they sit where the limit changes from 60 to 25, but to make it worse, they write you a $250 ticket for going 3 mph over. If they pull you over, expect no mercy. I heard they once wrote a fire truck going to a fire a ticket because they didn’t think the fire was big enough to justify the fire truck going 5 mph over the limit. Oh, one more thing, Do not waste your time fighting the ticket. Court is held in what looks like someones garage, and there is a big sign on the wall. It reads "Every traffic case is your word against the prosecuting officers. The court will always believe the officer."