License revocation due to excessive speed

[A Quiet Boom]

Originally posted by dvkk
A friend of mine has a non-Pcar set up for drag racing. Its done 11.7 on nitruos. One summer day on a clear road with nothing around he opened it up to the top of 3rd. Straight into a laser trap. Even though he was doing triple the limit, they just gave him a regular ticket. The real reason they didn't give him more was that they said he was accelerating so fast they couldn't get a stable reading! He was super polite and had a clean record. Then afterwards gave them a lesson on how nitrous works. How you treat them can help.

Wow, nearly the exact same thing happened to me when I had my drag car. No nitrous though, the cop was so impressed with the acceleration he didn't give me a ticket. I explained to him that I was having some troubles with the tune on the car and just got a little carried away with the "testing" When I showed him timeslips stating that I could hit 130+ in a 1/4 mile his jaw dropped wound up talking to him for about 20 minutes and he told me to save the testing for the track.

Last summer I got caught by the Ohio Highway Patrol in the p-car doing well over 100, I explained to the cop that the wife and I had just seen "The Fast and the Furious II" and I had let adrenalin get the better of me. After a nice conversation in the front of the police car he let me of with a ticket for 75 in a 60 simply because he'd been guilty of something similar in his '69 Corvette.

Bottom line, take it to the track. Being able to open your car up with out risking jail or fines (or killing someone) is far more fun than doing it on public roads plus you get the added benefit of a timeslip or lap time so you can judge your improvements.

[KobaltBlau]

porschenut, you need to go to the track. you will realize how dumb it is to do that stuff on the street. Regardless of the actual penalty, you're cruisin for a bruising, and I think you know that. The insurance cost is the killer, anyway.

At higher speeds, they can give you an 8 point reckless driving ticket on top of the 6 point 20+ ticket, "just for the speed." Whether this complies with the law could be debated. Speed contest is another one to watch out for at 12 points.

I haven't really heard of people in colorado being hauled off to jail when they get pulled over except in alchohol cases. But again, the insurance is the killer. (or the accident, literally)

Just go to the track and you won't care about doing this on the street anymore.

Oh, and does this belong in the Tech Forum?

[North Coast Cab]

Last summer I was in the 911 on a stretch of highway which is 4+ lanes wide and heading over a slight crest and then down hill. I buried the pedal and as I rose over the crest I saw the cop sitting on the side of the road. Both feet on the brakes as I flew past and pulled over to the side before he had his lights on. He said he got me at 107. After thoroughly checking my record he returned with two tickets. One for 89 in a 60 and another of excessive speed or something. He said my clean record kept me from a trip to the station. Anyway, I had to go to court and pay what amounted to about $400. I was told afterward the two ticket deal is there way of punishing without cripling the driver. Since then I really think twice about driving above 100 on the street.

John

[Grady Clay]

porschenut,

I agree with zotman72 and geof33.

We have some great tracks here in Colorado. For under a ‘C’ you can get a full day’s track time. Second Creek Raceways (SCR) here in Denver and PMI in Pueblo are the best bargains. SCR is at 88th and Buckley (near DIA) and is $60 for ½ day – that is usually all anyone can stand.
PMI is $75 per day and is a great high speed track with lots of up & down and a wide vaiety of turns. You will go from 130 to 60 going into turn one. It will get your attention! Turn 5-6 will interest you also.
There is also a great track at LaJunta and CDR at the Mead exit north of Denver.
PPIR is only reasonably available for club events as they want $3500 per car to practice.

Rocky Mountain Region PCA and Alpine Mountain Region PCA have some great DE events at all these tracks. Join the region; go to many DEs, and save your life.

Remember, a 911 is still just a car, abet a great one. It won’t stop on a dime from 100. It won’t corner on a rail. It can spin out in a blink of an eye. It can crash and kill you and others. The most important thing you learn at a DE is what your car won’t do.

I drive very defensively on the street. Perhaps even “chicken.” It’s the nut that turns left in front of you, runs the red light, or tries to pass at 150 in a 55 that I’m scared of. I’m OK on the track. I don’t mind going 215 at Sebring, Daytona, Charlotte, etc.

PCA DE events are organized so everyone is going the same direction, no “incompetents” are on the track, you get an instructor, there is safety equipment and track personnel, and we are all doing the same thing.

Practice days are not as structured. Do some PCA DE events first.

Best,
Grady

Grady Clay
gradyclay@hotmail.com

BTW, I went to my first PCA DE in 1968 and still have the same car.

[jbryant]

Hey Doozer- Any pictures of your Mom....'s 930.

[jbryant]

Also, I got a ticket for 90 in a 55 last summer. i got a 400$ fine and a few points.. My personal insurance did not go up at all. Then I get a $12K increase in my company auto policy (company cars that all have me named primary-as owner of the company)!!
Will I speed again? Probably. Is it worth it? NO!

[porschenut]

I have to say I'm surprised at all the good, responsible advice I'm getting -- I kinda expected more sarcasm.

I've studied these cars for years but never owned one until now. Driving it for a month has added to my perspective, and in unexpected ways.

Looks like it's time for some DE!

[Raynald]

Hello !
i find This funny pic !!!
Raynald

[masraum]

130 is so easily reachable in these cars, you can do it in a flash. Doing stuff like that around other cars is worse than stupid, doing it by yourself is stupid. Call me stupid.

150 is a little scary, but I had bad shocks at the time and didn't know it, the S2000 stayed with me right up to 150, wasn't racing, though, he was just following me.

1) Don't hurt others through your stupidity
2) Be prepared to accept the consequences of your actions
3) Assume the consequences will be the worst they could be. (Which could be really bad)

[kqw]

Dirve safe. As mentioned here, many have tempted fate with speeding but the consequences are high especially when other cars are on the road. Now that you've exercised your 911, feel lucky.

One of the worst feeling in the world is to cause injury to yourself, or someone else. You never get over it. I am not speaking from first hand experience but I have know people that have. Think, think, think....enjoy the drive for a long long long time.

[geof33]

Originally posted by Grady Clay
Turn 5-6 will interest you also.

Thread the needle baby!!!

I have to agree, Pueblo is my favorite track with the exception of the now dead Stapleton Airport Tarmac course. I was lucky and got to do the "Last Run at Stapleton" very cool.

Second Creek has a couple of scary spots that can get you into trouble. Saw a 356 eat it big near the overpass.

[Grady Clay]

Dave,

I think the lack of sarcasm is because we all have a common interest – Porsche. If you have an unfortunate meeting with the bridge at I-25 and Weld 70 at 125 mph then we all loose an ’86 coupe, a Porsche enthusiast, and possibly worse. What if someone else is killed or injured from a moment of inappropriate exuberating?

Have we all done stupid things? Of course. I was young and dumb once also – I just lived to tell about it.

Best,
Grady

[993.986.]

Grady, always the voice of reason, thanks again. I've been too chicken to try 140 even out in the sticks around here in Iowa where I can see for miles on a straight, flat road.. I figure at that speed a racoon or pheasant could send me out of control. Dave you must have big ones to do that in a car you've only had a month (and it's 18 years old!!). After reflecting on this thread awhile I'm less likely to even see 100 again except in a track type condition. I must say also that 100 in a 35mph zone is completely unresponsible, and inexcusable IMHO.

[porschenut]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by 993.986.
Dave you must have big ones to do that in a car you've only had a month (and it's 18 years old!!). [QUOTE]

LOL! It started so innocently. I didn't think about it first, I just starting going faster and all of a sudden I had an irresistable urge to punch it. As I passed 120, then 130, I kept thinking about how smooth and stable it was, and curiosity got to me. My judgement said to quit, but for some reason I couldn't get my right foot to listen. Stupidity, as has been pointed out by many.

Originally posted by 993.986.
I must say also that 100 in a 35mph zone is completely unresponsible, and inexcusable IMHO.

In hind sight I agree. But jeepers, this car sure likes to run.

[911SCfanatic]

The main reason I'm buying another Porsche is so I can track it. The last few times I've been out I find myself cruising I-75 at about 105-110 mph for 15-20 mile stretches...not a good idea. Figured the only safe way to deal with my weakness/stupidity is either sell the car or buy another one and start spending some time at the track.

[geof33]

I'm with you too Bill. Going to do an RSR beginning next year and hopefully wind up with a long nose RSR with a 3.6 when it's all done. Street legal, but VERY trackable.

Hmmm... I wonder who is one of my main inspirations???

[DavidI]

As a cop here in SoCal, you would be arrested for reckless driving (misdemeanor) and your car would be impounded. If you caused an accident and someone was injured, it would be a felony. If someone died as the result, you would be charged with one of the forms of murder/manslaughter (depending on how it happened). You would loose your license as well.

Do us all a favor and drive at that speed on a track where there is a less likelihood of injuring someone, or for that matter yourself.

[Grady Clay]

Dave,

At some point, early on, I discovered that just one vehicle wouldn’t do.

Even today as a family we have:
1. Porsche for Play (mostly on track.)
2. Toyotas for Transportation.
3. Ford for Functional towing.

This all came from my realization that if I drove my race-bred Porsches on the street all the time, sooner or later enthusiasm and familiarity would overcome good judgment and I would kill myself. I drove my 40 hp ’63 VW sunroof a lot; the 911s, 904s, 914-6s and others not all the time. (The VW had Colorado license plate TURBO.)

This is also one of the reasons I intensified my racing Porsche. The racing I did was, I feel, was much safer than driving on the street. I confirmed that with many discussions with the actuarial types at K&K.

The good news: I’m here to tell you about it. The other side is I’m sure DavidI has had to scrape too many good people off the pavement.

Best,
Grady

[85 Coupe]

Please don't equate speed with recklessness... Why the hell ever preach responsibility in a 911 forum then?! Speed laws aim at only one of the two aforementioned variables. I and many others would love spending time on a track but instead have that their time consumed in daily routine, for me it's a hospital setting being in med school. The key is to accept people's follies as fact and move from there, and thoughts of retribution thru fines and impoundments are but touching the surface of the iceberg. How many drivers obey speed limits for more than 2 consecutive days? The issue is safety in all dimensions and not speed as a single variable. I'd be driving the car I always wanted as a second car as a daily driver then, in that simple minded thinking, a late eighties silver shadow!
When the occasion presents itself I do not drive slowly and just wanted to beef up the ranks of those feeling no guilt passing the 125 mark when they found it right...
Happy motoring
Jean-Paul

[Grady Clay]

Jean-Paul,

You, if you have worked the emergency room, know more than most the carnage from auto crashes. Mostly they are not accidents but rather the result of carelessness, drunks, sleeplessness (something I’m sure you know about), and other influences. High speed just makes the results worse (mass times velocity squared.).

I agree, “The issue is safety in all dimensions and not speed as a single variable.” Most drivers (including us Porsche types) are not used to high speed. As Lester said, “A racoon could send him out of control.” It seems sensible that speed IS an issue. We are not talking about ten-over. We are talking 130 in a 55.

Passing the 125 mark is appropriate - - on the race track.

Best,
Grady