AS WE WERE leaving town for a 1 3/4 hr. drive to St. George, Utah this morning, the county's sheriff was just pulling away from his house as we approached. So we were behind him as we headed south. I ended up performing what cops refer to as a "pace clock." I maintained a stable distance between his truck and mine, consequently going the same speed as him.
In a 45 MPH zone, he went 55 MPH. When we left town and entered a 55 MPH zone, he went 65 MPH. He passed a truck with a load of hay. By the time that truck turned off, the sheriff was well down the road. I had heard stories about his lead foot but this morning I saw for myself.
It is my firm belief that people who enforce the law should obey the law. I'm sure his view of the importance of his position translates into a semi-conscious belief in his personal immunity.
County sheriffs all over this country are often their jurisdiction's most powerful and recognizable public figures. All the more reason, in my view, to set a proper example. His deputies give out plenty of speeding tickets. Maybe one of these days someone will present the Three S defense: Sheriff Smith Speeds!