[MadisonMini]

Anyone with a convertible got a speeding ticket yet?? Got my first one today.

Gorgeous day today in Wisconsin, 65 degrees and sunny. Had the top down driving through town just happy with the weather.

Cop pulls me over and is FLABBERGASTED that I could not tell him how fast I thought I was going. Like I'm going to be looking at my speedo when I'm having that much fun???

Needless to say, gave me a ticket for going 47 mph in a 30. Now I"m feeling all cautious driving, but I"m sure that won't last long.

 

[howardpm]

ohhh

Might I intetest you in a radar detector.

Howard

 

[jonnyyellow]

one problem i tihnk is with the radar detectors.. waht if it doesnt pick up the cop and the cop pulls you over... isnt it illigal to use radar dectectars? idk.. i think i might be wrong..

 

[lattehiatus]

Radar detectors are illegal in Washington DC and Virginia, and there may be some restrictions in your state regarding their use. Most states do not specifically prohibit radar detectors. AFAIK, radar jammers are illegal in most states.

You may want to check out this site for more information regarding laws in your (and neighboring) state(s).

http://www.afn.org/~afn09444/scanlaws/radar4.html

 

[howardpm]

yep

Ya sucks, I live in VA and I used to live in MD and they were fine. I really bought it for when I was driving from NY (college) to MD. But now that I live in VA it sits in my glove box.

 

[prairiefire]

The old "Do you know how fast you were going?" scam

Every cop asks that question.

Most people, stopped in a 30 mph zone, will say something incriminating like "I was going 40 not 50." So even if they beat the radar or other timing, they have admitted to speeding. And, the cop writes it down. If you challenge the ticket, your words will be used against you.

So, it's best to do as you did and keep your mouth shut.

sjh

BTW -- It was 90 or so in Houston and humid, today.

Wished I was back in Mt.Horeb on the home farm and driving fast on the country roads.

 

[Peter Crowl]

Cruise Control

Peter...who lives by his CC .. in Denver

 

[MadisonMini]

Cruise Control

Peter...who lives by his CC .. in Denver

how much fun is it to use CC in a 30 mph zone?? i know i got a ticket, but i'd have to say that beats using CC all the time to avoid a ticket...

 

[juliek]

sorry to be a killjoy but as one of the said cops who has to deal with rtc's along with other things, if you saw the difference in the bodily carnage of a person knocked over at 40 mph and at 30 mph you would see that at the lesser speed the person would have had a much better chance of survival or at least of being more recognisable!!!

enjoy your driving but the speed limits are there for a good reason and radars may stop you from getting caught but they won't stop you from killing someone.

sorry if this seems like a lecture but having dealt with rtc's caused by illegal speeding amongst other things it's something i feel strongly about.

happy "safe" motoring.

 

[Peter Crowl]

how much fun is it to use CC in a 30 mph zone?? i know i got a ticket, but i'd have to say that beats using CC all the time to avoid a ticket...

How much fun is it to be constantly watching the speedometer?

With all due respect to you and the motoring experience, using the cruise control at 30 MPH is one of the best uses of the device. I am one of those who defends enthusiastic enforcement of speed limits in urban areas..and I have received citations.

I, too, have a hard time keeping my speed to 25, 30, or even 45 ... and that's in my Minivan. Setting the CC for limit or an acceptable touch above relieves me of violations and has the added benefit of relieving me of the worry. All I have to do then is watch out for school zones.

A few more tickets...meaning a bunch more points...and you'll probably be more inclined to take my point

Peter...no angel, but using technology to control his impulses...in Denver

 

[snek]

sorry to be a killjoy but as one of the said cops who has to deal with rtc's along with other things, if you saw the difference in the bodily carnage of a person knocked over at 40 mph and at 30 mph you would see that at the lesser speed the person would have had a much better chance of survival or at least of being more recognisable!!!

enjoy your driving but the speed limits are there for a good reason and radars may stop you from getting caught but they won't stop you from killing someone.

sorry if this seems like a lecture but having dealt with rtc's caused by illegal speeding amongst other things it's something i feel strongly about.

happy "safe" motoring.

Sorry to rain on your parade, but a lower speed isn't some kind of an ultimate safety device that will protect you and your loved ones. Most automobile accidents are caused by distractions, poor observation, lack of mechanical maintenance, faulty judgment and low driving skills - not by this or that speed limit.

A higher speed doesn't increase the probability of an accident. A jetliner isn't more likely to crash because it flies faster than a helicopter. Recently, Amtrak didn't spend billions of dollars on the high speed Acela train knowing it is more likely to derail than the slower trains. Speed by itself doesn't change the odds of a crash.

This is something I feel strongly about.

happy and safe motoring

 

[indimini]

I didn't think juliek was saying that higher speeds automatically increase the risk of accidents. Speeds poorly matched to the environment are likely to increase the chance of something going wrong however. While jetliners aren't more prone to crash than a helicopter because they travel faster, I dare say that you wouldn't want to be on an airliner trying to land at 300 knots!

The same is true for motoring. In neighborhoods or more congested areas, excess speed puts all around you at greater risk. And if a person where hit by a car going 50 vs. 30, all other things being equal, the physics do dictate that the higher the speed the more damage there will be.

We can all probably plead "guilty" to driving too fast at one time or another. The key is to think well about your surroundings.

 

[snek]

I didn't think juliek was saying that higher speeds automatically increase the risk of accidents. Speeds poorly matched to the environment are likely to increase the chance of something going wrong however. While jetliners aren't more prone to crash than a helicopter because they travel faster, I dare say that you wouldn't want to be on an airliner trying to land at 300 knots!

The same is true for motoring. In neighborhoods or more congested areas, excess speed puts all around you at greater risk. And if a person where hit by a car going 50 vs. 30, all other things being equal, the physics do dictate that the higher the speed the more damage there will be.

We can all probably plead "guilty" to driving too fast at one time or another. The key is to think well about your surroundings.

All other things being equal, a person in not more likely to get hit by a car going 50 vs. 30. So why even bring it up? In what way was the original poster's speed poorly matched to the environment? If the key is to think well about your surroundings, then if he did that, he didn't do anything wrong.

 

[indimini]

I (and juliek -- sorry, don't mean to speak for you) didn't say a person is more likely to be hit at higher speeds, but if hit, the damage will likely be more severe at higher speeds. (That said, I'd prefer to not get hit at all )

If the key is to think well about your surroundings, then if he did that, he didn't do anything wrong.

There is the legality of ones actions and the ethics of ones actions. Driving the highways in the states (at least where I live), pretty much everybody is traveling faster than the posted limit -- legally not appropriate. However, from an overall safety standpoint, it is much safer to travel with the flow of traffic. That, to me, is thinking well about your surroundings. In contrast, doing 40-45 in a 30 MPH zone when kids are getting on/off busses is not only illegal but is also not very safe or considerate.

 

[Peter Crowl]

All other things being equal, a person in not more likely to get hit by a car going 50 vs. 30. So why even bring it up? In what way was the original poster's speed poorly matched to the environment? If the key is to think well about your surroundings, then if he did that, he didn't do anything wrong.

It is true that inattentive driving causes accidents...cell phone use being the worst IMO... but kids and dogs dart out in front of you...other drivers do inexplicable things because they aren't paying attention...

But again...with all due respect...MadisonMini wasn't even aware of his speed .. and I have been guilty of that too. That said, one does not get to choose ones own speed limit based on what they consider proper matching. Speed limits are speed limits. When they are set, they are usually set with knowledge that people will drive a bit above. If the limit is 30, traffic engineers know the average will be around 34 or 35, and typically will consider that safe. albeit illegal....IMO...it is the responsibility of all drivers to observe and obey speed limits, and accept the consequences of violation without complaint. You know the rules, if you choose to break them you have to be willing to pay the price.

Peter..in Denver

 

[snek]

I (and juliek -- sorry, don't mean to speak for you) didn't say a person is more likely to be hit at higher speeds, but if hit, the damage will likely be more severe at higher speeds. (That said, I'd prefer to not get hit at all )



There is the legality of ones actions and the ethics of ones actions. Driving the highways in the states (at least where I live), pretty much everybody is traveling faster than the posted limit -- legally not appropriate. However, from an overall safety standpoint, it is much safer to travel with the flow of traffic. That, to me, is thinking well about your surroundings. In contrast, doing 40-45 in a 30 MPH zone when kids are getting on/off busses is not only illegal but is also not very safe or considerate.

- Where does it say some speed limits are legally not appropriate but not others?
- Since MadisonMini got his ticket on a Sunday, chances are there were no kids getting on/off busses. Doesn't that make speed limits set for school days also legally not appropriate?

 

[snek]

It is true that inattentive driving causes accidents...cell phone use being the worst IMO... but kids and dogs dart out in front of you...other drivers do inexplicable things because they aren't paying attention...

But again...with all due respect...MadisonMini wasn't even aware of his speed .. and I have been guilty of that too. That said, one does not get to choose ones own speed limit based on what they consider proper matching. Speed limits are speed limits. When they are set, they are usually set with knowledge that people will drive a bit above. If the limit is 30, traffic engineers know the average will be around 34 or 35, and typically will consider that safe. albeit illegal....IMO...it is the responsibility of all drivers to observe and obey speed limits, and accept the consequences of violation without complaint. You know the rules, if you choose to break them you have to be willing to pay the price.

Peter..in Denver

If the average will be around 34 or 35, it is illegal for traffic engineers to set the speed limit at 30. It is a violation of the federal MUTCD guidelines that every single State adopted as a law.

 

[indimini]

Where does it say some speed limits are legally not appropriate but not others?

Snek,

Perhaps my wording was awkward - I should have simply said that driving ofer the posted limit is illegal (got carried away w/ too many words saying 'legally not appropriate')
The speed limits are set and are the law. As Peter pointed out, if you break the law, you live with the consequences, no whining.

All I am saying is that, in the real world, there are times/places where one's disregard for the law is more appropriate from a "common sense" perspective. If I was to do 55 in the left hand lane on the D.C. beltway I would be doing the legally correct thing, but I'd be a danger to myself and the other drivers who choose to drive 70+ MPH. Driving 15 MPH over the posted limit in that situation IMHO is not nearly as dangerous as doing 45 in a 30 MPH zone. Both are still illegal.

 

[snek]

Snek,

Perhaps my wording was awkward - I should have simply said that driving ofer the posted limit is illegal (got carried away w/ too many words saying 'legally not appropriate')
The speed limits are set and are the law. As Peter pointed out, if you break the law, you live with the consequences, no whining.

All I am saying is that, in the real world, there are times/places where one's disregard for the law is more appropriate from a "common sense" perspective. If I was to do 55 in the left hand lane on the D.C. beltway I would be doing the legally correct thing, but I'd be a danger to myself and the other drivers who choose to drive 70+ MPH. Driving 15 MPH over the posted limit in that situation IMHO is not nearly as dangerous as doing 45 in a 30 MPH zone. Both are still illegal.

If neither speed limit was set in accordance with engineering standards, then neither speed limit can be equated with safety.

 

[Peter Crowl]

Snek,

If I was to do 55 in the left hand lane on the D.C. beltway I would be doing the legally correct thing, but I'd be a danger to myself and the other drivers who choose to drive 70+ MPH. Driving 15 MPH over the posted limit in that situation IMHO is not nearly as dangerous as doing 45 in a 30 MPH zone. Both are still illegal.

Colorado just passed a law that prohibits you from sitting in the left lane - you can only use it for passing. There was much consternation about it from those who do sit in the left lane at 55 'cause that's the limit.

Fact is, you cannot do that anymore. Now...OTOH if you scoot down the left lane doing 65, you are subject to a violation. I agree that on the freeway being over speed is not as dangerous...but it is still a violation.

I don't quite understand Snek's coment...If the average will be around 34 or 35, it is illegal for traffic engineers to set the speed limit at 30. It is a violation of the federal MUTCD guidelines that every single State adopted as a law.

What does this mean? That traffic engineers must determine the average speed on a roadway and then set the limit to that speed? That makes no sense. What I was saying in my post was that there is an understanding that traffic will go faster than posted speed. If you want people to really go no more than 35, set it at 30. That's the reality of it from 2 traffic engineers that I've discussed this with over the years.

Peter...in Denver