NOS was sleepy now so he asked me to drive. There was lots of two lane to cover yet so I gratefully slid into the cockpit and fired up the V8. We had seen signs on the interstate under the SPEED LIMIT 75 - MINIMUM SPEED 50 signs that proclaimed “NO TOLERANCE.” We figured they weren’t kidding so I kept the speed to just a tick under the posted limit, which kept changing as we approached and passed through towns. What we weren’t prepared for was the speed trap.
While cruising on the approach to Arcadia, where the Round Barn is a must-see (I had specific instructions from a co-worker to get a snapshot of it), and while NOS dozed, I saw flashing lights in the rearview. Ugh. My last speeding ticket was in 1990 and I avoided points by attending Traffic School. It was also my first speeding ticket in (then) 17 years of driving. The officer asked if I knew why he stopped me. I said I assumed I had been over the speed limit, though I couldn’t say for sure where that might have happened. “The speed limit in Oklahoma County is 55. You were doing 67.” I disbelieved the 67 but had to admit that I was probably going something over 55 - I had not seen any signage to that effect but my mind must have been on the Round Barn. Then he said “You were also over limit in this 45 zone” which sign I had also not seen “--and I probably should write you two tickets.” License, registration and proof of insurance all went with the officer back to his squad car. Several minutes later he returned with his book and said he would write me up only for the 67 in a 55. What a break! I thanked him for his courtesy and signed the ticket. Silly me, I didn’t look to see what he had written, which was 67 in a 45 zone, a much greater infraction. Fifty dollars greater. But I didn’t find that out until we were back home. I did ask him how we would be notified of the fine and where to send it - he said the city would send us a letter confirming the fine which he quoted at $150. Ouch. Later when I called, not having received the letter as promised, the clerk of courts told me they DON’T send letters and the fine was $200. I explained that the officer had written the wrong number on the citation and she informed me, too bad, you signed it. Oy vey. Like they say, No Tolerance.
The Round Barn was still ahead but we had lost at least a half hour conversing with The Previous City's Finest, so we made a quick stop, browsing the gift shop and then climbing the stairs into the upper floor of the barn. It is an architectural marvel with no interior supports, just the outside walls to hold up the domed roof and its shingles. The roof reflects sound in such a way that there is a marked reverb effect until you reach the center of the platform in the middle of the floor; then any sound you make is amplified by being reflected back to you from all directions. It would make a great recording studio.
