Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Tourist Trap/ Small town/ Vacation Town Scams

What sorts of small town scams have you seen and or had tried on you?

Why do the poor ass con artists get all huffy when you catch them at it or dont fall for it?

Not your average small town price gougeing, but actual attempts to short you, steal or oter illegal acts...

Speed traps.

Most east coast beach towns don't have limited acess highways into
them, so it's little roads, thru little towns.

You can be sure if they have police, they are targeting tourists.

Pissed off their community isn't getting any money?
Pissed off at having the traffic, while not getting any money?
Simply opportunistic?
All three?



A friend was getting passed by two North Carolina cars when she saw the cop. Somehow😉, he only got her speeding! (Must be the Florida plate)

Couple days later she got the fine in the mail.
Along with several lawyers offering to show up in court, plea her case, and
pay the fine. (In person was mandated!)

They got it down pat.
Fine money, enhanced court money, lawyers paid too!
And who is going to drive 450 miles each way to spend a couple hours in
court on a case that's pre determined? And I'd bet that you have to register if
YOU appear. And, the individuals appearing will be seen last.

It was around $100 for the lawyer.
He had her pre pay him $200, with the understanding
that if he could plead it down, the balance would be refunded😂😂😂😂😂!
Surprisingly 😉 it took exactly...$200.

Oh!

Motel taxes.

Ever see an advertised price for accomadations?
That increase 30% plus with taxes and fees?
Is it a scam, if it's become the norm?

I got nailed in a South Dakota small town speed trap. Very early on Sunday morning, I was the only car on the road for miles. Clocked me 27 mph in a 20 mph zone.
I used to stay in that town, buy motel, meals and gas there. Now I stop for a bathroom break and don’t spend a dime.

About 20 years ago I got caught in a speed trap in a small town that I have to go through on my way to work. Prior to that I'd often stop to eat, get gas, or at least grab some snacks from one of the local quick stops. I still have to drive through that town but since I got scammed in that speed trap I have not stopped or spent one nickel in that town. I might not be able to do anything about their speed trap, but I don't have to give my business to a town that allows their cops to shake down outsiders passing through.

Vrbo/ vacation rental fees. They add up to a third or more of the total cost most times.

Time share meeting,trying to sell us a vacation rental for a free meal and $20.00 voucher.
Dude was pizzed when I told him"I'm not buying into this cheat,give me my freebies"
Threw it on the desk and said "hope you enjoy it" lol

Your final bill for housing in a typical resort town can be a little shocking once everything is added in if you're not accustomed to it.

Key West has a 12.5% resort or room tax.

During tourist season all the expenses go up for these small communities, they have to have more cops, more garbage pick up more beach clean up, etc.
The residents don't want to carry the extra load so they vote in a tax to cover the added expenses.

The hotels try to complete by having the lowest price so add ons like $20 a day for parking, additional fees for wifi and such can keep their advertised room price looking better.

It's just the way they roll.

I've found the cops in most true resort towns that are tourist dependent to be rather lenient.
They don't want to entice you to show up to party and have a good time then arrest you for doing just that.

US highway 64 passes through several small towns east of Memphis. Most of them have oddball speed limits that change at random, but Somerville is a real speed trap, with no convenient way to bypass the town. After getting tagged once, I was always very cautious whenever I had to drive through there on the way to Memphis. One day I was creeping through about 5 MPH below the 30 MPH limit when the blue lights came on. "Oh great- - - -Barney Fife is going to hassle me again!"

As usual, I presented my driver's license and carry permit, which changed the conversation somewhat. Once Deputy Dawg knows he's not the only one packing, his attitude usually changes. Some are paranoid and terrified, while others get friendly.

"Where ya headed?"

"Memphis"

"Are ya packin'?:

"Yep"

"Whatcha packin'?"

"A 1911- - - -I said I'm headed for Memphis!"

"Yep- - -I agree- - - -get that burned out brake light fixed before ya head home!- - - -Have nice day!"

Nissan pickup with freezer in the bed

Dude looks like Shamwow Guy

Nothing can hold a candle to Crazy Horse

One of those "beef" sales guys with the pickup and the freezer stopped by our place a few years ago. I guess he was too blind to see the 20 cows and calves grazing in the pasture. Back then, it cost me around a C-note to get a calf processed, usually around 400 lbs. of meat from an 800 lb. yearling. That calf only cost me a few bales of hay, some grass, and its mama's milk. We butchered one calf a year and sold the rest. For you folks who attended public school in the past 20 years and can't do simple math, I was eating steaks, roasts, and hamburger for a quarter a pound! When I offered to buy his whole truck load for the same price my beef was costing me, he got his lacy manties in a bunch!

Not a "small town" nor small establishment by any means - Sheraton Hotel in St. Louis, MO. Took family - wife and 3 kids - there on a 3 day mini vacation once. Made room reservations and paid well in advance. Asked if I wanted the "Deluxe Suite" I replied "okay" figuring I might as well shoot the works, pay the extra $ and treat the family since we didn't travel too often. Last day there - almost check out time - found out there was no such thing as a "Deluxe Suite" - all the rooms like ours were the same - no difference whatsoever. When questioned the desk clerk didn't know what to say. I insisted on speaking with the day manager. He tried to B.S. me. Finally had to cause a scene and embarrass them in front of other customers for them to give me a full refund for the difference charged for their nonexistent, "Deluxe Suite".

1988,i worked for Mar-Tec,in Lafayatte ,LA. I had to drive the flatbed loaded with a rack of O2 bottles and a decompression chamber,to go Off shore.
I was told to drive through the town of, GRETNA ,at no more than 5 MPH
Or get just HAMMERED with tickets.,or probably jailed once they saw my N.Y. drivers lic.If i remember,Orange, TX. Was another bad town for tickets.

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Actually deputy dawg assumes everyone is packing and is kind of relieved when he sees a permitted carry. They do not get "terrified" when they discover that someone is legally carrying.

The experienced old hands don't get antsy- - - - -the rookies appear to be about to chit their drawers at the idea they can't be as intimidating as they would like to be.

I had a Montana state trooper pull me over once, I was doing 87 in a 65 mph zone.

He took my license and registration, went back to his car and ran those, then came back to the truck.

We were driving back from one of the "icebreaker" shoots in Glasgow and we had a pile of cased rifles on the back seat so he asked us about those and seemed interested in the shoot. And then he said "I like your hat so I'm gonna let you off with a warning." It was a Noveske hat.

In the UP of Michigan there are a lot of straight roads with very little traffic. I decided to see how fast my company car, a 1972 350cc V8 Chevy, could go. I had it up to 105 mph when the cop stopped me. The speed limit was either 55 or 60. He asked what I did for a living. I told him I was a salesman. "Oh, he said, "salesmen are good drivers but watch it a little," and let me go with no fine.

350 CC is about 17 cubic inches- - - - - -I had a Honda motorcycle with a 350 engine once. How did you get a 72 Chevy with an engine that size going that fast- - - - -drive if off a cliff?