My Trip ... good news and bad

[Eric03Cobra]

Well, I'll start with the good news.
So my wife and I had to travel from Missouri to Iowa then over to Wisconsin for Family matters. Total miles traveled was about 1300

I was excited about this trip because I just got my Bassani X-Pipe and Cat-back / 4 inch tips installed. The sound and performance are awesome!

With the stock exhaust (and about 10,000 miles) the best MPG I could get was about 18 MPG.

On this 1300 mile trip, I averaged 21.5 MPG with windows down sometimes and A/C on others. Speed was averaging about 80 MPG. The coolest part was between WI and IA, I was averaging about 100 MPG and got the best mileage of 22.6 MPG.

Now for the bad news.
While traveling from WI to IA, I got nailed in MN for a 92 in a 70. I'm cruising along a nice straight stretch of road with no one really around. I've been watching for planes and cars in the medium. I missed the State patrol sitting on an overpass. Right as I saw him and started slowing down, my Valentine 1 sounds off. Copper nailed me with LASER right as I saw him.

Fine is $140. I've gotta get a lawyer and get this taken care of because MN and MO participate in the Interstate drivers license compact (basically MN will tell MO that I was speeding and to assess me points on my license).

Oh well, wanted to share the Gas Mileage improvement and my ticket woes.

FYI:
Car is all stock save for Air Silencer removed, K&N Drop-in, and Bassani X-Pipe and Catback. about 11,700 miles right now. Been using Mobile 1 5w-30 since 500 miles.

 

[JKD COBRA]

I am glad you had a great trip (for the most part) I really enjoy having the 6th gear to help with the MPG. I love cruising at 60-80mph and still keeping the rpms low.

Sorry about the ticket though, that sucks. I also recieved a "present" from the law last saturday.

 

[Rwick7]

Why didn't you just out run him?

 

[08snake]

Originally posted by StlBlack03
Why didn't you just out run him?

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Valentine ONE went off after you saw him, Good Investment!

 

[Tweaker]

Was nailed in MN too. They give no slack and I thought AZ troppers were bad...

 

[KOTH]

Originally posted by 03snake
:lol: :lol: :lol:

Valentine ONE went off after you saw him, Good Investment!

Valentine is a good detector but LIDAR is a narrow band so once your detector picks it up it is most likely because you have just been hit. If your lucky you may pick up someone else being hit.

LIDAR pretty much has to be straight on (the reason he was on the overpass) to be accruate and it has problems in fog, rain, smoke. I don't think it can be used through glass either. It does work at night. Many of the toll booths in Florida have LIDAR and photo equipment.

I have an Escort 8500 and the only place it has gone off is at toll booths. This detector can pick up LIDAR from the front or the rear.

 

[Eric03Cobra]

Originally posted by 03snake
:lol: :lol: :lol:

Valentine ONE went off after you saw him, Good Investment!

Bet your ass a Good Investment. I only received one ticket this trip instead of the other 6 that Mr. Valentine's device warned me of :-D

Statey was sitting on the over pass triggering the gun himself. I was the only one on the road (except for about 10 bikers heading to sturgis in the other lane) so he had a clear shot. I'm just pissed that I didn't scan the overpass earlier.

MO doesn't use Laser much yet so it's not been a big deal. Now I'll be more vigilant in looking for car's in the median, sides of the road, and overpasses along with planes in the sky.

 

[Eric03Cobra]

Originally posted by StlBlack03
Why didn't you just out run him?

An option, but besides not knowing the area, I had my wife and sister-in-law in the car with me.

 

[lguerra1]

Here is the best investment, and it is FREE.

Only go 5 over the speed limit on public highways. LEO's won't look twice.

 

[slythetove]

Originally posted by Eric03Cobra
An option, but besides not knowing the area, I had my wife and sister-in-law in the car with me.

Eric03Cobra: "Hang on girls!! We're making a run for it!"



:lol:

 

[Pyro]

Originally posted by Eric03Cobra
Car is all stock save for Air Silencer removed, K&N Drop-in, and Bassani X-Pipe and Catback. about 11,700 miles right now. Been using Mobile 1 5w-30 since 500 miles.

This part sounds pretty funny to me. Mine is stock too save for the 9" Powerstack, Ram Air duct, 2.93" pulley, Pro 5.0 w/MGW shift handle, Flowmasters w/ electronic cutouts, and hood mod. ;-) :beer:

 

[harry gilbert]

Originally posted by lguerra1
Here is the best investment, and it is FREE.

Only go 5 over the speed limit on public highways. LEO's won't look twice.

Except in Ohio with Michigan plates. Got nailed for 56 in a 55 there.

 

[NyteByte]

Originally posted by harry gilbert
Except in Ohio with Michigan plates. Got nailed for 56 in a 55 there.

What?! You're sh!tting us? Gotta hear more about THAT one!
Please tell.

 

[JKD COBRA]

Only go 5 over the speed limit on public highways. LEO's won't look twice.

that doesn't always work. I was doing 5mph over and somehow I got a ticket for 19mph over :gt: I have no idea how they got that, needless to say, I am going to court for this one.

 

[JoeAsheville]

5 MPH over...I routinely go 10 mph over with absolutely zero problems. Notice that I did not say that I go 10 mph over everywhere I go.

Sorry to hear about that odd tix Kevin. Somewhere on the net is a story related by someone who was able to show that a radar gun clocked a tree repeatedly going 55 mph.

As long as you can show a reasonable doubt that cop had an accurate speed reading you will be able to beat the ticket.

 

[JKD COBRA]

Joe - thats exactly what my friend was telling me after I got pulled over. He mentioned something about them testing the radar guns on trees and getting around 15mph or something. It was just a weird situation, I was positive I was going 40 but the officer originally said I was going 40-45mph but then after talking to another officer that pulled in behind us she said "oh, you will be suprised how far back our radar goes, we got you at 54" So I asked to see the radar showing I was doing 54 but she refused to show me.

So I don't know who or what they clocked at 54 but it wasn't me :shrug:

 

[taronis]

Originally posted by StlBlack03
Why didn't you just out run him?

Can YOU say BAD IDEA?

 

[Goldy]

Originally posted by harry gilbert
Except in Ohio with Michigan plates. Got nailed for 56 in a 55 there.

I don't think the Ohio State boys pick on just those from Michigan; they're not too crazy about those from Indiana either. Bottom line: don't speed in Ohio!!! (especially if you have out of state tags). I'm beginning to think they have special radar/laser training as they seem to use the 'instant-on' radar/laser at just the right times. Even if there are a bunch of cars on the road (some of which may be speeding just a little), it somehow seems they typically shoot when they have a sure thing.

 

[Rwick7]

I would just like to re-state the sarcasm that was apparently not attached to my first post.

 

[KWladyka]

Originally posted by harry gilbert
Except in Ohio with Michigan plates. Got nailed for 56 in a 55 there.

That would be an easy one to prevail on. I've been a cop, prosecutor and defense attorney and unless it has changed, the rule on any speeding violation is to within an error margin of + or - 2 miles per hour. The rules listed below are fairly common. See rule 38.6. Knowing the rules applied in your state are useful for mounting your defense.

When I was a cop I never cited unless it was over 10 mph over the speed limit. It's no guarantee, but lguerra1 and JoeAsheville are correct. If one stays within 10 mph over the speed limit the chances of being pulled over are greatly reduced.

CALIBRATION/TESTING

38.1 Due to the nature of the medium and systems used, these devices are CONTINUALLY SELF-CALIBRATING.
38.2 Calibration VERIFICATION is carried out:-
(a) By the device itself during its BUILT IN tests upon being switch 'ON' and,
(b) During and as part of the START and END of tour checks. A record of these checks will be made (ie in pocket note book).
38.3 Should a calibration defect arise, the device MUST be returned to the manufacturer or certified authorised agent before further use.
38.4 The speed meters shall be annually calibrated by the manufacturer or his agent and a certificate should be issued to this effect and held by the police. A visible sticker showing the date of calibration should be fixed to the meter.
38.5 The testing procedure as laid down by the manufacturer of each individual device must be scrupulously adhered to. These checks must be carried out before and after any check when enforcement has taken place and as follows:-
38.6 Handheld Device - Check against a police vehicle fitted with a certified calibrated speedometer at a speed compatible with the site to be checked prior. As this equipment does not have to be reassembled at each site this check should be at the commencement and completion of a tour of duty, to within an error margin of + or - 2 miles per hour.
38.7 Roadside/Tripod - The accuracy of the meter should be checked by driving a vehicle with a certified calibrated speedometer through the beam at at a predetermined speed at the commencement and completion of operation at each location (speed to be compatible with the site being checked).
38.8 Vehicle Mounted - If the equipment is dismantled after each operation the check should be in accordance with roadside/tripod guidelines, if not as handheld guidelines.
38.9 Some devices have the facility to measure distance and this should also be used to confirm accuracy following manufacturers instructions.