A close shave....

[dmairspotter]

A few days ago, on an unnamed highway in an unnamed country, I was driving along in my Box S. Sunny day, top down and two miles of visible limited access highway ahead with nary a car on it. I thought why not?

Got up to a speed that started with a 1 and ended with both hands on the wheel and a grin on my face. Figured that was enough, and decided to give the brakes a good workout to get down to relatively legal speeds in a hurry.

10 seconds later, constabulary hiding in the trees in the median. Looked down, and I was going less than 10% over the legal limit.

Sometimes the gods do smile on one...

[BoxsterSteve]

This is about 2 years old here now...
Welcome to Ontario:

Lead foot drivers beware: if you’re caught in Ontario driving 50 km/h or more above the speed limit, you will soon be treated like a street racer.

That means police can issue roadside seven-day licence suspensions and impound vehicles for a week. If convicted, you could face fines ranging from $2,000 to $10,000.

The new regulation, announced by Premier Dalton McGuinty Wednesday, takes effect at the end of next month, and tweaks measures implemented earlier this year to target street racing and dangerous driving.

Excessive speeding will now be considered a driving “stunt.”

“That means they’ll face the extreme stiff penalty we apply to street racers,” said McGuinty. “In short, you’re looking at major cost and major inconvenience.”

On average, there are about 2,500 convictions in Ontario per year for driving at 50 km/h or more above the speed limit, according to officials.

This summer, the province strengthened penalties for street racers and drunk drivers with its Safer Roads for a Safer Ontario Act. The legislation increased fines for convicted street racers up to $10,000 — the highest street-racing fine in Canada.

[particlewave]

I actually passed a cop hiding under a bridge while doing about 115. Scared the crap out of me! I let off the gas, but he didn't even attempt to follow.

Stupid, I know. It was late and no other cars on the road so I thought I'd open her up...almost paid the price!

[coolbreeze551]

Originally Posted by particlewave

I actually passed a cop hiding under a bridge while doing about 115. Scared the crap out of me! I let off the gas, but he didn't even attempt to follow.

Stupid, I know. It was late and no other cars on the road so I thought I'd open her up...almost paid the price!

Had almost the identical situation (cop in different location and not going as fast) and I did pay the price. 30 day suspension and $1200 fine could of been worse had I not hired a rep

[Ghostrider 310]

my bad, deleted.

[pothole]

Originally Posted by particlewave

Stupid, I know. It was late and no other cars on the road so I thought I'd open her up...almost paid the price!

Speeds well over 100mph on an empty, dry motorway / highway in a well maintained Boxster are perfectly safe. What's not safe is driving at the legal limit in a clapped out SUV a few feet from the car in front. But you're perfectly OK to do that!

Which just goes to show enforcing speed limits are only tangentially related to safety. They're most about either ignorance or getting off on power.

[jcb986]

I found the best time to hit is after the church crowd on Sunday morning's. They are getting blessed and so am I...no cops.

[ProjectM96]

I was at a redlight and no car was moving. There was a digital speed sign telling you your speed. Suprisingly, it was reading 76, 65, 89, 44, 58. no one was moving.

When people just started accelerating, it was still recording the same random high numbers when people were just getting passed 20mph from a stop.

There was no nearby highway or area where there could have been a car driving over 40mph. It was weird.

[Dragonwind]

Originally Posted by pothole

Speeds well over 100mph on an empty, dry motorway / highway in a well maintained Boxster are perfectly safe. What's not safe is driving at the legal limit in a clapped out SUV a few feet from the car in front. But you're perfectly OK to do that!

Which just goes to show enforcing speed limits are only tangentially related to safety. They're most about either ignorance or getting off on power.

This is so true. I shake my head when I get passed by some soccer mom in an SUV doing well over 80+ and then coming within a couple feet of the person in front of them. I also see guys in pickups who must think their vehicle is somehow impervious to all laws of physics and aerodynamics yet they will be the first ones to complain that gas is over $4/gal.

[san rensho]

I got caught by an airplane (in my Saab). Radar is of course innefective against a plane. The pilot said I was going 105. Liar, I was going at least 115. Went to court and it was dismissed on a technicality. Being a lawyer has its perks.

[Johnny Danger]

None of these square badges would deign to mess with Johnny Danger ! Judo chop !!

[pjv]

Things here are even worse. We have what are known as 'hoon' laws (hoon - Australian vernacular for serious speeding and other driving misbehaviour). They can immediately suspend your licence, impound your car for up to 3 months, and ultimately send your car to the crusher if you continue to offend (extreme cases). Large fines too of course. Usually these penalties are for speeds of 50 km/h or so above the local speed limit. Speed cameras are everywhere of course. It is just not worth speeding in this state (also some other Aust states).

[RandallNeighbour]

I've had so many near misses and 'talked my way out of it' brushes with the law over speeding that I've lost count.

Now that I track my car, I poke along the road in any of my vehicles. No clue as to why, but I just don't want to drive fast on public roads any longer.

[greg9ball]

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

I've had so many near misses and 'talked my way out of it' brushes with the law over speeding that I've lost count.

Now that I track my car, I poke along the road in any of my vehicles. No clue as to why, but I just don't want to drive fast on public roads any longer.

My experience is exactly the same. Once I started going to the track, I lost my taste for driving fast on public roads. A lot of my track friends feel the same way. I have a theory behind this phenomenon. Before I started going to the track, I had no avenue for my shenanigans so I took it to the streets. My driving skills were low, so I was pushing my limits and getting a rush at relatively sane (if stupid) speeds. Once I started doing track days, my skills improved and I needed to go way faster to get the same rush. Driving and cornering at the speeds necessary to get that rush is pure insanity on the street. Now I simply enjoy driving my Box S at reasonable speeds and have no desire to push the limits on the street.

[thstone]

Originally Posted by greg9ball

My experience is exactly the same. Once I started going to the track, I lost my taste for driving fast on public roads. A lot of my track friends feel the same way. I have a theory behind this phenomenon. Before I started going to the track, I had no avenue for my shenanigans so I took it to the streets. My driving skills were low, so I was pushing my limits and getting a rush at relatively sane (if stupid) speeds. Once I started doing track days, my skills improved and I needed to go way faster to get the same rush. Driving and cornering at the speeds necessary to get that rush is pure insanity on the street. Now I simply enjoy driving my Box S at reasonable speeds and have no desire to push the limits on the street.

Ditto. Same for me.

[stephen wilson]

Sadly, this hasn't worked for me! I race a Formula Ford, and still like to drive fast on the street. Though this rarely includes triple digit speeds, more like cornering hard on ramps and 2nd gear corners.

[986_c6]

Originally Posted by stephen wilson

Sadly, this hasn't worked for me! I race a Formula Ford, and still like to drive fast on the street. Though this rarely includes triple digit speeds, more like cornering hard on ramps and 2nd gear corners.

I don't believe it is illegal to take on-ramps or corners hard, is it? Because like you, that is the only time I "punch it."

Otherwise, +1 for another track guy driving "normal" on the streets.

Btw, for every "lucky miss" story comes the same number of "oh ********************" stories. Just the law of statistics.

Keep safe everyone!

[bar10dah]

I'm generally not a fast driver. However, it's nice to open up the Boxster every now and then.

Today, got on the 70 MPH interstate. As I merge, I accelerate up to about 70 MPH and pull into the right lane. As I do this I notice the SUV behind me in the center lane start to accelerate, as I guess he realized up ahead of me in my lane at a slightly slower speed was a pick-up truck. Guess that SUV didn't want me pulling into that center lane, ahead of him.

I could have easily dropped a couple gears and had been outta there! However, I just slowed down, and let that SUV pass me. He's probably doing about 80-90 now. He really made a big show of passing me like he did.

And just as that SUV passed the pickup truck, a flash of black Charger went past my passenger side window. Looked in my rearview mirror and off in the break down lane, parked, was a State Trooper in an unmarked car.

I watched him in my rearview mirror. The Trooper got on the interstate rather slowly and cautiously, not interfering with the traffic in the thru lanes, which I thought was cool. But as soon as he got over into that left lane, he must have floored it. I'm still doing about 70, had moved over to the center lane to pass that pickup, and that trooper flew by me at what appeared to be at or near 100 MPH.

Trooper 1, SUV 0.

Sometimes it pays to be older and wiser. Sheesh, several years ago, I would have definitely out-accelerated that SUV in order to get in front of him. Today, it saved my bacon.

[particlewave]

I was in KC a couple of weeks ago in the Porsche, behind some idiot in the left lane pacing a state trooper(center lane). He was obviously scared to pass him, even though the speed limit was 70mph and he was only doing about 63. I move to the far right lane, slowly and legally, and passed the cop on his right while doing the limit. The cop made eye contact with me then proceeded to slow down and merge into the fast lane to pull over the guy doing 63. We have stricter enforcement of left lane dawdlers here in MO, especially in KC.

That felt pretty good!

[bar10dah]

Sweet! Awesome story Particlewave.