SURVEY -- Speeding Tales of Whoa!

[97RedCorvette]

Whether your Corvette is Arrest-Me Red, or Bail-Bond Blue, it’s hard not to open the throttle and get into trouble, especially in the newer cars. What are your tales of woe in getting caught speeding?

 

[DRTH VTR]

I have been pulled over twice, with one ticket. I was about 15MPH over both times. I try not to make a habit of speeding, but I gotta open it up sometimes!

I do most of my speeding at the local drag strip. Drag the strip, not the street.

 

[RedLdr1]

Came Close

In the Atlanta metro area speed limits are suggested speeds I suspect.. Anyway almost everyone drives 10-15 MPH over the limit it seems.. Doing 70MPH in a 55MPH zone will get you rear ended on I-285.

My Valentine V-1 has saved me several times on the roads outside of the metro area though.. Don't leave home without it!!

And yes my Vette is Torch "Arrest Me" Red.. with tinted windows (legal) to boot...

 

[matchframe]

In 1986 I actually got caught racing a Porsche 911 in Houston. We were leaving downtown about 11:00 PM one night when the challenge was on. The road we were on is called Memorial, and there is about 4 miles of no lights or intersections with lots of curves. This Porsche was obviously wanting to go for it. The light turned green and we were off. I jumped him on the line, but as soon as we hit the first turn, he shot ahead. The road straightened and I caught him and was in the process of actually passing him. I look down at the speedometer and we were approaching 120 MPH, when all of sudden I noticed there was a Police car right on my bumper. I let off the gas when he hit the lights, and slowed to a stop as the Porsche was history. The Police ask for the routine things, and then ask me if I knew who was driving the Porsche. I said no, never seen him before. The Officer told me to slow it down, and be careful. He then walked back to his car and took off. I sat there wondering what just happened. I then started down the road...at a very respectable speed, when up ahead about two miles down the road, I saw several Police cars all around the Porsche. The driver was standing spread eagle leaning against his car. I slowly went past and nobody even noticed. I guess you could say that I won this time.

That was the very last time I ever raced on a public street!

Oh yes, I have received a ticket in my Vette, but it was doing something like 15 MPH over the speed limit on the freeway.


Bill

 

[bossvette]

I was going to Michigan Corvette Recyclers to pick up some parts minding my own business on Ohio 295 a 2 lane road 55 mph limit at about 60+ when I crossed unknown into Berkey where it is 50 and the Cop hidden behind the barn got me, typical small town speed trap. I usually slow way down going thru these small towns, but this was quite far from the town it self (one stop sign, no traffic lights).

 

[atmmac]

Listen to this! I was in the passenger seat of my dads eagle vision about 5 years ago he was driving. We are about to go through a light that turned yellow. Cop turns on his lights and pulls us over. Do you realize you just ran the light? My dad replies it was yellow. He says i know it was yellow but you could have stopped anyway. I have to give you a ticket because i have not met my required amount. Youll have to fight it in court. My dad was ****ed he had to waste an entire afternoon going to court and the officer didnt show!

 

[Hib Halverson]

Yesterday afternoon, a photo assistant and I were doing fast-action work with an 04 Z06 LMCE up on Glendora Mountain Road, a staple of automotive photographers in the So. Cal. area and an oustanding road on which to test a car's handling.

We'd finished four hours of photo work and were heading back down GMR back to my office. The shoot had gone well. The excitement of a job-well-done coupled with the last mile of GMR's twisties was too much to resist.

I was on that Z06 real hard. Exiting the last turn (a tight, 180 that is downhill at the entrance and level at the exit and is posted for 15mph) I had the car balanced perfectly between lateral acceleration and a little wheelspin as I got the power down early.

As I came off that turn I saw a California Highway Patrol unit, about 100 yards away coming the other direction.

We were totally fornicated. I just laughed out loud, pulled over and waited for the guy to turn his Crown Vic around and red light us.

I was either lucky or he was in a great mood as he wrote me for 48 in a 30 mph zone. He well could have busted me for wreckless driving or exhibition of speed. He was a nice guy and bid farewell with, "Have a nice day
and drive safely."

Oh, well...it was the first time in over 15 years of testing cars up GMR that I'd ever been stopped there. In fact, it was the first time I'd ever seen CHP there, too.

On to traffic school!!

 

[Fishman]

Many years ago I was driving the Vette down a 4 lane freeway that intersected with another 4 lane freeway. I was going around 80-85 mph in a 55 zone. As the two highways merged, I noticed a state patrol car coming and about to merge with my lane. Needless to say, the Officer noticed my car was traveling much faster than their car (not sure if the radar was on). As soon as I noticed the patrol car... the lights went on. I pulled over immediately to the side of the road. The Officer got out of HER car and walked towards mine. I knew I had to think quick as I was one ticket from losing my license. As she approached my car, I leaned forward and basically 'doubled-over'... as if in a lot of pain. She asked me what was wrong... I told her I had to go to the bathroom so bad I was about to explode! I told her that if she needed to give me a ticket, would she PLEASE do so at the next exit where there was a gas station and a bathroom. She started to say something and I said 'you need to follow me to the station now, I can't hold it anymore'! I didn't wait for her reply and put the car in gear and took off. I looked into my rear-view mirror and saw her run back to her car to pursue. I got to the gas station before her and immediately ran into the men's room on the side of the station. I 'waited' in the bathroom for 20 minutes before coming out. She was gone... probably got another call.

:J

 

[Tuna]

In 12 years of Vette ownership, I've been stopped once - many years ago. No ticket. Nice cop.

That's not to say that I don't speed - I do. Maybe it has to do with where and when I do it and a lot of luck.

I've also done the Big Ben Open Road Race in west Texas a couple of times. It's a real kick to be going well over 100 on a US highway, pass a Texas Highway Patrol car, wave and get a wave back!

 

[Ken]

That's a good one Fishman! :L

I once was driving back from Colorado late at night. Going through the desert, every time I would come up on another car, I would approach it warily until I could determine if it was CHP or not, then if it wasn't I'd resume speed (around 100 mph). Well, after a while of this and not seeing any CHP I decided the hell with it and did not slow down as I approached the next set of tailights. My mistake - it was a cop!

I didn't even try; I probably went from 100 mph at his rear bumper to under the speed limit by the time I reached the front of his car. I simply pulled over and stopped. He barely flicked his lights on before he turned them back off, because he could see that I was stopping for him to write me up.

He was cool about it; he said he never even had a chance to clock me. He just wrote it for a little over the limit if I remember correctly. :cool

 

[AZMike]

We were on the way home from my Dad's place on a Sunday night around 10:00pm about 2 years ago. I take I-10 from Riggs Rd. to Elliott Rd to get home. The first 3 or so miles has a speed limit of 75. Being late Sunday, and no traffic, I decided some high speed travel was in order.

By the time I got to Chandler Blvd, I was down to 70 (in a 55). I get pulled over when I'm coming off of Elliot (3 miles later). The cop says "I saw you get on the freeway at Chandler Blvd, and you were doing 70+ in a 55"

I call B.S. on him and told him that I got on the freeway 7 miles before that at Riggs Rd. How do you miss a yellow vette anyway? I also think to myself "70 - Hell, you should have seen how fast I was goin 5 miles back! "

Needless to say, he wasn't too happy about getting called on his BS, so I got the ticket. He responded with "Well, it doesn't matter where you got on, I clocked you at 70+ in a 55". I ended up wasting a Sunday in traffic school to have it dismissed. I still want those 8 hours of my life back!

Well, another year, and I've got another 'freebee' ticket. You get to go to traffic school once every 3 years here. If it weren't for the outragous insurance hikes when you get a ticket, I'd just try to fight it and pay the fine if I lost.

 

[HOTMOTORSPORTS]

Last Summer I was headed north on I95 in Maine on a Sunday afternoon.

Nobody in site.

Listening to some fantastic sounds and going about 75 in a 65.

After quite some time, I could hear a small beep from somewhere, then I noticed it was the radar detector. On and Off, On and Off steadily. I looked ahead and saw nothing, then I looked behind me and saw a State Police right at my bumper, heck, he WAS my rear bumper!!!

I slowed down slowly for fear he would actually ram my car if I did it too fast. That's how close he was.

I saw an exit coming up, but just as I was going to the right lane, he decides to go to my right and show me he is pushing a button on and off making my detector go on and off.

He smiled at me, gave me the signal to slow down, then gave me a thumbs up.... and got off the exit.

Wow, he was either a fellow Corvette owner, a guy who knew I was enjoying the cruise, or ending his shift.

Whichever one it was, all I could think of doing was grin, then smile (by then I knew I was ok) and wave back.

Chuck

 

[Ken]

Chuck, wouldn't it be cool if he was one of our members here. :cool

_ken

 

[HOTMOTORSPORTS]

That would be the coolest of cool!!!

CHuck

 

[atmmac]

I 95 in maine i love that road its nice to drive fast on!

 

[Joe Diver]

I have now adopted a "Relax and Cruise" Philosophy. Let's see how long it lasts?

Wednesday morning I was cruising to work about 9:30 am....down the GB Tollway in north Dallas....traffic finally let up enough past the last tollbooth before I75 that I could open it up and get away from folks....everybody is over in the right two lanes to exit on Central and I'm 3 lanes away in the left all alone doing 130. Yeah, I know, not too smart...but I was just cruising a nice straight, smooth, stretch of open road....when I notice another car coming up behind me. I start backing off just as the lights come on. Now, my radar detector never went off so he will have to estimate, but I know I'm f*&^$d. He get's out, big guy with burr haircut. Marshall. He asks "In a hurry?". I reply, "Well, just got out of traffic and trying to make a little time." He says " 110 is a bit much, don't you think?" Whew. He takes my license, looks at my insurance, and tells me to sit tight for a bit. So, I'm thinking, this will be expensive. Great, I haven't had a ticket in years. I don't need this. Dumbass me, what was I thinking? Hey, can't I go to jail for this? Oh Jesus, please don't arrest me...about 5 minutes later (he was on a cell phone) he walks back to the car and explains his all encompasing authority as a Marshall, and that speeds in excess of 100 mph are an arrestable offense. He called a DPS Trooper to make the arrest, but the Trooper was busy and said to hold me for 40 minutes. Well, the Marshall was on his way to another call when he stopped me and can't wait. "Count your blessings son, this is your lucky day" as he handed me back my license. He told me that DPS has my license and plate, and if I get pulled over again for excessive speed they will arrest me for that and this incident with him as a witness. "Slow down" as he walked away...I thanked him....and God...and Jesus...and my lucky stars....

Hence, my new driving philosophy of just relaxing and cruising, and no more stupid s#!* in town.