First, there’s this:
Linebacker Chris Cole, driving a black SUV, was recorded at 105 miles per hour on a speed measurement device and linebacker Darren Ikinnagbon, driving a white SUV, was an estimated 10 feet behind him was neither gaining or falling back and was also estimated to be going 105 by the officer, according to an Athens-Clarke County police incident report obtained Tuesday Feb. 24 by the Athens Banner-Herald. Both SUVs passed 6 or 7 other vehicles on the road.
In SUVs. Jesus. Anyway, for today’s musical palate cleanser:
Regarding the song’s origins, it was a bit a rebellion piece about the National Maximum Speed Law of 55, enacted in 1974 as a means to reduce energy consumption (although it was only predicted to reduce energy use by a whopping 2.1%, it is estimated it actually achieved a .5% reduction, mainly because people did everything they could to disregard it). Despite energy prices decreasing enough by 1987 to increase the speed limit back to 65, many kept it supposedly for “Driver safety” although the reality is many local LEAs discovered it was a healthy and reliable revenue stream. The limit was eventually increased to 65 in 1995.
As Sammy tells us:
“Two o’clock in the morning, I’m driving a rental car to Albany, from Albany to Lake Placid. Four-lane Highway, not a soul, I’m going about 62 miles an hour exactly. Cop pulls me, a little wet I didn’t even know while I was going the speed limit changed. I’m sitting there, I was so burnt, I was just exhausted. I just handed my driver’s license, hand him the Rent-A-Car stuff. He starts to write it up and the guy said how fast is 62. I said like ‘I thought it was 65’, you know, and he’s going […] ‘We give tickets around here for 62!’. You know like ‘Where have you been?’. I went 55, get to my house, wrote the song. Oh man, I mean, four o’clock in the morning. I picked up my guitar. I just wrote that damn song. It came that quick.”
Imagine getting clocked at 105 when the speed limit was being that strictly enforced.
Also, imagine that, nearly 31 years later, a local LEA is still relying heavily on speeding tickets and moving violations as a steady and reliable revenue stream. Particularly from the UGA Football team.
Both driving 2025 Mercedes Benz, must be nice. Also, 105mph within 10 feet of each other is dumbassery.
The ACC police have always used tickets as a revenue stream. It is not just athletes they are targeting.
Drive through south Georgia over the speed limit. You’ll meet lots of local LEA. It’s tradition down here.
Auburn, AL PD says hold my beer. They routinely issue tickets for less than 5 mph over the limit. They allegedly carry a measuring tool in their cars to check tire treads and will write a ticket if your tires are too worn. They swear they don’t have quotas but pull people over left and right the last week of every month.
Hagar’s, story about the song is better than that terrible song. Although it is appropriate for the occasion.
One of the reports said the cop followed them (with lights) for over a mile before they pulled over, no wonder they were arrested….
They probably don’t ever check their mirrors.
Just two more typical left lane cruisers…. But seriously, it was 9 at night, you can’t miss blue lights right behind you….
Sure it was a silly MTV song but that and the Red Rocker’s 3 Lock Box album was a high volume joy in the car.
Every police department uses traffic citations as a revenue stream. It makes me think of this (if you haven’t seen Zootopia, it’s one of the best animated movies of the 2010s).
https://youtu.be/-ITrdLRjz7w?feature=shared
The story has nothing to do with the ACCPD. 10 feet apart going 105 mph? Those 2 assholes should be tossed off the team.
105? On that road it’s not excusable but it is understandable. Everyone is fortunate they didn’t wreck and hurt anyone.
10 feet? I call bullshit on Barney Fife. You’re calling for backup at that point.
I was in the USN in 1983 stationed in Norfolk VA. Sammy opened for ZZTOP at the Civic center. Dressed completely in red he tore the stage up. Non stop action. Great show. Great music and ZZ Top finished the night promoting their Eliminator album pulling fire from their guitar strings. We represented the USN with about 20 guys from the squadron there. It was a blast.