Catching the occasional speeding ticket isn’t unusual for some drivers. The citations on this list go well beyond the basics to encompass the truly bizarre.
From outrageous stunts to felonious speeding, American drivers engage in truly wild behavior. Let’s look at the top 10 examples of the most bizarre and egregious traffic violations of the past few years to get a feel for it.
1. Leesburg, VA – Speeding With Fake Plates
In June 2024, a man was pulled over for speeding. Sagar Govani of Leesburg, VA, was driving 117 mph on the Dulles Toll Road. Upon running his plates while pulling him over, the police discovered that the white Ferrari Govani was driving had a fake license plate. The police arrested Govani for reckless driving and displaying a fictitious plate.
2. Norfolk, NE – Bull Riding Shotgun
Lee Meyer of Norfolk, NE, was pulled over in a modified Ford Crown Victoria. The modification? He had removed part of the car’s roof and windshield to fit a Watusi bull in the front passenger seat and replaced the door with a metal cattle gate. The bull, Howdy Doody, enjoyed the ride of his life. Meyer was let off with a warning and told to go home.
3. Beverly Hills, FL – Santa Claus Outruns the Cops
In December 2024, Santa Claus was seen riding his motorcycle in Beverly Hills, FL. Upon being pulled over, he led the police on a high-speed chase, pushing his bike to 120 mph. The man dressed as Mr. Claus escaped and was not prosecuted.
4. Daytona Beach, FL – WILL RUN
In March 2024, the police apprehended a teenager named Ashtin Jarvis after he took them on their second high-speed police chase in a week on his motorcycle. The teen reached a top speed of 145 mph. His license plate? WILL RUN.
5. Charleston, SC – Attacked by Bees
A driver in Charleston, SC, was pulled over for driving erratically. His explanation? He was trying to evade a sting from a bee trapped in his car. Though the officer checked the vehicle, there was no sign of the offending insect. The man, Tom, caught a reckless driving ticket.
6. Salem, MA – Ghost Sighting
Bees in the car is a reasonable explanation for erratic driving compared to some. A man swerved into the other lane in Salem, MA, narrowly missing another vehicle. His explanation upon being pulled over? He swerved, trying to avoid a ghost in the road. Derek also received a reckless driving ticket.
7. Los Angeles, CA – Time Travel
The DeLorean DMC-12 from Back to the Future is one of the world’s most recognizable vehicles, thanks to the popular movie franchise. When one was clocked at 88 mph in Los Angeles, CA, it was no surprise to the officer that the man claimed he was trying to time travel. He received a citation for speeding.
8. Monroe County, MI – Driver Clocked at 180 MPH
There’s speeding, and then there’s speeding. A man was pulled over on a stretch of road in Monroe County, Michigan, after an officer clocked him at 180 mph, faster than most vehicles can drive. The officer who pulled the man over said he had never seen anyone speeding that fast.
9. Long Island, NY – Famous Singer Catches DWI
The rich and famous aren’t above the law; this traffic arrest proves the point. In June 2024, popular singer Justin Timberlake was pulled over in Sag Harbor, Long Island, for running a stop sign and failing to remain in his lane. The singer refused a Breathalyzer and was charged with driving while intoxicated.
10. Finland – €170,000 for Speeding
This incident didn’t occur in the United States, so consider it a bonus. In 2003, a Finnish businessman received one of the most expensive speeding tickets in history. Jussi Salonoja was driving 80 km/h in a 40 km/h zone and paid a hefty price of €170,000 for his infraction. The moral of the story? If you have money, don’t get pulled over in countries with income-based speeding fines.
robert.davis