Abstract
This article discusses research into the role played by conspicuous traffic enforcement activities in the reduction of speeding by drivers in Buncombe County, North Carolina. Statistics on the behavior of motorists when encountering a marked police car that was positioned to indicate its role in the enforcement of speed limits are presented. The effects of law enforcement officials on the speeds of motorists is framed in terms of how visible their enforcement activities were. The element of surprise is presented as a key factor in the reduction of speeding through conspicuous enforcement. (Author/publisher