Prairie View, Texas Speed Traps

The road speed changes abruptly twice in a relatively short stretch as you approach the university from Hwy 290. It drops from 75 as you exit the freeway to 40, then to 30, then to 20. The area is called The Hill and the cops sit on the median on the other side of the slope so that they can catch you speeding (anything over 20) as you descend and approach the university. It’s a big money machine for the tiny city as they look to monetize the traffic flow to the university. (If only they were this diligent about addressing the shootings/murders at the student apartments in the area, but I guess that doesn’t make the city money.)

On the Old U.S. 290 between Waller and Hempstead, Texas, the PV police will drive around with 70 mph showing on their radar. If they pull you over and you challenge them and ask to see their radar equipment, it will show 70 mph. I have a Passport radar detector and knew police were shooting at me long before they could see me. I slowed to below the speed limit. The PV police pulled me over for speeding. I challenged him, told him "no way," and asked to see his radar. Sure enough, it showed 70 mph. When I pointed out my radar detector and began arguing about what he was doing, he must have decided not to press the issue and just verbally warned me. They are a bunch of crooks and are probably doing the same on the new highway as well.

Prairie View (PV)is a small college town between Waller and Hempstead, Texas. The city patrol cars are maroon and gold and unremarkable in appearance. Sometimes the officers park on the median and sometimes they mix in with traffic while waiting for someone to “zoom”” by them. I have been going through Prairie View about twice a month (both ways)for about 10 years and it is not uncommon for me to see a PV officer ticketing someone for speeding. The speed limit through PV is 65 MPH. I always slow down when I come to that town. “