Getting caught for speeding
At the end of April, on my way home from work, I got caught for speeding.
Which was fair enough, I was driving 9 kilometers (approx. 5.5 miles) faster per hour than I was allowed to. Quite a hefty fine, though: 1500 SEK (214 USD), where I don’t even dare to wonder what I would have to pay had I been going faster (still, as opposed to Finland, ticket amount is not based on annual income here in Sweden…).
I was caught by a speeding camera, and the interesting part was the letter I got home with a picture of me speeding:
If you look closely, you can see that I am, in an overly curious manner, looking out at something. What the hell was I looking at?
Secondly, believe it or not, the big white square over the passenger’s seat is not my doing; the picture came like that. So, when Fredrika saw it, she didn’t bring up the speeding or the ticket – she asked who I had had sitting next to me! To her, it was a cover-up with a secret passenger, and she demanded to get to know who it was!
So, thank you dear police, for creating these kind of conspiracy implications and possibilities… 
19 Comments
September 11th, 2009 at 3:06
lol! what would wives be if they were not wives:) How long time did it take for them from the speeding till you got the letter?
September 11th, 2009 at 4:45
Wow, they're pretty strict in Sweden. In California they usually let you go up to 5 miles per hour over the speed limit in the city streets and up to 10 MPH on the Highway/Freeway/Interstate. I'm sure that someone thought that putting a large white box over the passenger side of the windshield would protect you or the passenger if you're having an affair, but it ended up making your wife wonder who was in the passenger seat. As they say, "the road to Hell is paved with good intentions".
September 11th, 2009 at 9:38
I think you were looking for the speed camera!
September 11th, 2009 at 9:58
This is hilarous! Not the ticket, not you in the picture, but the way Fredrika reacted! Great stuff!
September 11th, 2009 at 11:22
Law enforcement with a wicked sense of humor
September 11th, 2009 at 11:35
Well it cost you 1500 SEK, but for that price you got a great anecdote and rich content to support it. I'm sure you will share this with others many years to come.
September 11th, 2009 at 12:26
Thanks guys! I might just have given it a little harder interpretation than what it was actually like (that was at least Fredrika's reaction), but still a nice story
Andreas,
In all fairness, she was joking.
I think it took about two weeks before I got the actual letter – can't really remember.
Tanny,
I can't really tell if they deducted anything or if that was my actual speed. Still tough, though, since this was basically out in the middle of nowhere. Also, I have always loved that expression!
Adrian,
Ha ha ha!
Martin S,
Well, it all comes down to relations…
Morgan,
That's how we do it here.
Oscar,
That's a good point, it was more like an investment in getting good writing material.
September 11th, 2009 at 12:51
The passenger is out of the picture due to legal issues. So you can't use this picture as evidence (imagine a divorce case where your wife uses the speeding proof picture with you and your secret mistress as evidence). In some countries the speeding photos are always made from the back of the car.
September 11th, 2009 at 12:58
Ionel,
Yes, I understand. Whatäs interesting though, is what kind of interpretations that can lead to (as with this case).
September 11th, 2009 at 13:39
Clearly, you were looking out for reindeer!
I love the bit about Fredrika's response (that made me laugh). Poor Robert – a speeding ticket AND being caught with a mysterious White Squared-passenger!
September 11th, 2009 at 14:43
Matt,
Clearly!
And yes, it was a hard day for me.
September 11th, 2009 at 19:22
So, who was in the passenger seat?
September 11th, 2009 at 22:32
My friend got one of these for going through a red light here in Los Angeles. In his picture, he was in the process of putting on his sunglasses and he looked quite suspicious (in a gun-runner/low budget hit man sort of way). My friend is mostly harmless, but he loved showing off how bad-ass he looked in that picture. It was worth every penny of the $400 plus fine he got…or so he says.
September 12th, 2009 at 11:59
Ahaha, you posting this is absolutely priceless.
September 12th, 2009 at 22:17
Martin,
No one, NO ONE I tell you!
Erik,
Ha ha! Yep, sort of buying an image.
Jeroen,
Glad you liked it!
September 15th, 2009 at 21:04
Even as a person who speeds occasionally, I LOVE the idea of speeding fines being linked to income.
September 15th, 2009 at 22:54
mdmadph,
Ha ha!
October 2nd, 2009 at 7:05
I am totally opposed to all speed cameras. They are not accurate and they don’t really do anything expecte raise revenue and force drivers to cocnstantly watch their speedometer rather than concentrate on the road ahead and what is going on around them. I found some interesting information on http://bit.ly/Y59uH that may be of use to readers if they get pinged. Actually you should read it BEFORE you get a ticket.
December 30th, 2009 at 1:15
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