The THP boy done told me this was my one and only warning, that I was flagged in Tennessee such that if they every saw my plate again they would be looking to finish the job up on me.
Now it was a speed trap set up all the way -- the Highway Patrol officer who gave me the warning was less than 2 miles up the road from the hidden in a cut away Sheriff's Deputy that was supposed to give me the coup de grace BIG TICKET.
The gimmick on the first trap (warning) was that there was a 35 mph section of the Dragon that broke free into the straight road. Since there was no change in signage, the 35 mph on the previous curvy road sign still ruled (Tennessee rules).
I was clocked at 50 on the straight road section that in NC would have been 55 mph by default (no speed limit sign in view). In NC the curvy road speed limit only applies to the curvy road section, the default 55 covers all other sections unless posted otherwise.
The long straight away speed trap section was ALL still 35 mph in Tennessee's rules because of the last previous speed limit sign. The Sheriff's deputy down the road was supposed to catch me going over 35 after JUST being warned, then slap the big big ticket on me.
Yes, I got lucky on the second speed trap because I read a little satisfaction in the body language of the THP boy, such that I was suspicious and was looking for the rest of the screw job his attitude had implied. The other boy was in a cut out on a long gentle curve that would have been 55 minimum in NC. I was going 35 and waved at him as I went by.
The fock of it all was that the default general speed limit in Tennessee is only 45 which is just a little bit too slow for 5th gear on a Savage.
I still would have gotten the warning ..... or the ticket. All my NC road habits are death up in Tennessee.
So, I will stay on the marked interstates in Tennessee where the local mounties generally act fairly reasonable if you keep to the posted speed limit.
BTW you can pull a trailer to 75mph in Tennessee on an interstate if the wheels carry that rating or higher. Mine do. (yes, I checked)
I still feel a little uncertain about hauling guns through Tennessee, since they apparently like to confiscate things and not return them. Apparently the local cops think anything they can confiscate belongs to them now .....