We were driving through western Illinois just outside of Princeton, doing about 68 or 69 mph in a 65 when I saw a cop sitting in the median on Route 80.
I slowed a couple mph and passed a second cop, who proceeded to pull out and follow us for about a mile, then turned on his overhead lights and pulled us over.
“You were clocked at 70,” he said. “In Illinois it’s 65. I’m going to write you a warning to slow you down.”
We’re surprised, to say the least. There is not a police officer in New Jersey that’d pull you over for less than 5 mph over (or so I’m told).
The cop comes back, asks if we have anything illegal — guns, drugs — and where we’re going to and coming from. He tells us we came back clean and then explains that he’s part of an interdiction team — any car exceeding the speed limit from out of state, especially from the East and West coasts, is going to get pulled over.
He then let’s us go, telling he doesn’t want to ruin the great time we had at the bar mitzvah. (We were at a bat mitzvah in Iowa.) He then pulls out and pulls over another car with out-of-state plates.
So, we’ve been profile — East Coast represents!
Hank Kalet 