sorry about this... i recently received 2 speeding tickets in massachusetts and was very annoyed as it was clear on both days, minimal traffic, etc... law in massachusetts is 3 moving violations in 1 year = suspended license.... one ticket was even in a volvo station wagon! the other in a MINI

Reminds me of the saying... So why did you pull over my car officer if many of the cars on the road were speeding and the response was "because you were easiest to catch" which speaks to the arbitrary nature of getting a ticket... I wish they ticket people on secondary roads a bit more, and let the folks going 75 mph on a quiet highway with no pedestrians be alone

 

Huh? Are you saying its OK to break the law on Interstates???

You are advocating speeding?

 

I don't think the intent was to advocate speeding or to say thats its ok to speed on interstates, only that it is far more endangering to the general public to speed on secondary (read residential) roads than on interstates with little to no traffic. As such, lsd05jcw seems to be suggesting that speed enforcement should be focused more on these roads and not on quiet interstates where there is less of a chance someone will get hurt.

 

I think they focus on the Interstates because when there is a serious accident (and lets hope there is no fog) on an Interstate, because of the higher speeds, the Accident is FAR more tragic. Far more likely to cause death. Not a matter to trifle with. Hit an immovable object at 75 is going to leave a permanent mark. Hit it at 35 is also going to hurt but maybe not dead.

 

true, true. but again, not likely to be as many little kids playin hopscotch or some such sillyness on the interstate

 

Unfortunately, there can be little kids who are Mario Andretti wannabes playing on the public interstates and then the fog rolls in (see http://www.witruck.org/fog.htm) for one example

Drive safe, don't speed (except at the racetrack). Arrive Alive.

(wow, preachy ... FORGET I said that... Just be safe)

 

Klingon is now on the list of languages into which Google can translate.

Say what? What instructions??! Please share! Obviously, to avoid derailing the topic, a PM would do just as well.

Congrats on getting the ticket reduced!

 

Here! Here! Congrats! In my sophmore year at VT, I suffered through a reckless driving incident flying North on I-81 over by Lexington (can you say "VMI country" ). It was late at night - state trooper testified that he had been eating dinner at the truck stop and was radioed on the CB by the truckers I was passing...

I was young and being foolish - I had the needle buried on the speedo.

I got off with a relatively small fine, though the reckless driving stayed on the record. Then I went home and told my parents Got my own insurance from that day forward. I've only had one speeding ticket since (20 years) and that was on the *&%! New Jersey Turnpike. Talk about a perpetual speed trap!

Also - what's the deal with blue vs. orange dash lights affecting the speedometer? Visibility? Details please

john

 

$2500 & 12mo in jail?

Well, I suppose its time I slowed down my driving (1% of milage @ 100+ MPH) on I-495. I haven't been clocked nor stopped yet, but upon reading this thread I surely am not going to risk it anylonger. Its nice knowing my MINI has been happy at triple-digit speeds (all while sipping gasoline).

I saw a quote in another thread, "speeding has never been fatal; crashing is". I truely believe this myself, and wish I lived somewhere like Germany instead of NoVA... yeah, I speed... but speed safely without endangerment. The only danger is for that of a cop in a crappy-American pursuit car, attempting to catch someone at those speeds. Likewise State Police won't follow motorcycles travelling at 150+ MPH... the police see that situation "which will work itself out".

My 2c - a MINI Cooper @ 100 MPH still gets better mileage than a Ford Explorer @ 70 !!!! I think the EPA, DMV and, FOP need to talk.

 

A MINI is as stable @ 100 as a Porsche is @ 125.

But, I won't suggest putting your arms out the sunroof @ 110 ... it reallllly freaks out your passengers.

TIP: turn your palms towards eachother (as in praying)... otherwise your open hands will catch air and your arms will slap against the rear of your open roofline *ouch*. Also trust that your passenger won't react by attempting to grab the steering wheel himself. A MINI in Motion, remains in motion, unless interrupted. a properly balanced car can drive straight for 1-2 miles (I've proven that).

 

The Short Bus drives a Cooper, as do I. The couple of times I've gotten the Cooper above 100, she didn't feel as sure-footed as at 90. Not unstable, but not solidly planted, either. Short Bus is also running on stock run-flats and standard suspension; I don't fault her timidity.

 

Glad you've grown wiser. I don't think its a wise idea to advertise these facts in a public forum ... especially around the beltway.