Michigan Life Lessons: Speed Limits Begin at the Sign

In my hometown of Brooklyn, Michigan, when you are leaving town west on Jefferson Road, the speed limit changes from 25 mph to 55 mph. Not uncommon, BUT, as a kid with a driver's license upon which the ink had yet even to dry, I, in my then infinite wisdom, decided that if I could SEE the 55 mph speed limit sign, I could GO 55 despite being a reasonable distance away... while passing the Columbia Township Police Station. I was an idiot.

So, if you were ever pulled over at the age of 16 in a small town in a part of town where you KNEW your parents, pastor, teacher, aunt, or the third cousin twice removed of your neighbor that moved three years ago was going to see you and before the ticket had even been written everyone in the zip code knew you were getting it...you know how I felt when I saw flashing lights in my rearview mirror.

My stomach decided it was more comfortable upside down, my palms started sweating, and I could already recite the lecture I knew I was getting that evening from my folks. In the meantime, I watched in the rearview mirror as the Chief of Police exited his cruiser and began walking toward me (it's a small town, so I knew who he was, and he knew who I was).

"Scotty..." he began, "You know how fast you were going?" For some reason, in my memory, he was chewing gum and wearing sunglasses, but that could also be a flicker of Smokey and the Bandit.

I explained to the Chief that I wasn't even going 55 and he asked, "What do you THINK the speed limit is, Scotty?"

"55?" I asked.

"No, you see, it's 55," he said, extending his arm and pointing in front of us. "...up there," he added. A sign that we hadn't even reached before I pulled over.

"You were doing 52 BEFORE you even got to THAT sign. You need to be doing 25 mph until you PASS that sign...THAT SIGN...WAAAAY up there."

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"Sorry?" I muttered. He then sighed and went back to his cruiser. He came back a couple of minutes later.

"Well, Scotty, the way I see it, we've sat here long enough that your parents will know I pulled you over, so you're getting off with a warning. Tell your folks I said hello and good luck dealing with them tonight."

He knew that was just as good, if not better, than a ticket. He was right. They found out.

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Have you ever had one of those long talks at the dining room table where you say nothing for what feels like hours, and your parents say things you would realize were incredibly wise and thoughtful as they spewed from your mouth years later when speaking to your kids? Yeah, I did, too.

Long story short, it's true, the speed limit technically begins at the speed limit sign. Before that, you have to follow the previously posted limit. I know this because I asked the current Columbia Township Police Chief, Jay Niles, who grew up just a few houses over from my family.

"People still go over the speed limit there, and even though the law states that's where it starts or ends, we still give most folks some leeway." If you pictured him wearing sunglasses and chewing gum, I do, too, EVERY TIME I talk to him.

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If you're heading to Brooklyn, Michigan, you should know that it's a great town to visit, explore, and grow up in. Just know, they take their speed limits seriously, especially coming into town by the golf course, or by the old Centennial Farm.