Memphis, Tennessee Speed Traps

Police are constantly patrolling this area. The speed limit is 35 for much of the road. Do Not Speed. You will get a ticket. They make good money from this stretch of road alone.

Police will hide on side streets to catch people unfamiliar with the area. There are few signs, and most signs are covered by leaves during the spring and summer.

Driving westbound where the Freeway ends, you’re slowing from 55 to 40 almost immediately, and going rapidly downhill. You really have to lay on your brakes. The cops sit on the right side of the road and catch you just as you’re coming down the hill, because you can’t see them until you start down. They should give you about 1/2 mile to slow down. It’s like shooting fish in a barrel. It’s almost an abuse of justice, because there are no homes or businesses until about a mile past where the trap is.

Unmarked white SUV with dark windows that obscure blue lights until they are blinking asking you to pull over.

As you enter into Shelby County west bound on I-40 around mile marker 35 the speed limit drops from 65 to 60 miles per hour (55 for trucks). It is clearly marked but is heavily partroled between the Shelby County line and mile marker 20 primarily for west bound traffic but they do have to turn around to go back to the county line after writing tickets. There are 2 full-tme dedicated unmarked white Ford Expeditions assined to this area along with several other unmarked cars routinly prowling. I travel this stretch daily and invaribly I see at least 2-4 cars pulled every day particularily around exit 24/25 at the 385 intersection. While it may not technicaly be a speed trap as it is marked it is a major revenue enhancer for Memphis/Shelby County enough so that they dedicate 2 full-time vehicles 24/7 at the county line.