The dumb drivers thread
06-21-23, 04:50 PM
#391
Lexus Champion
Didn't you say you drive 78MPH, they're cool with that?
Last edited by AJT123; 06-21-23 at 04:55 PM.
06-21-23, 04:58 PM
#392
Lexus Fanatic
06-21-23, 05:47 PM
#394
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
One of the things my Dad taught me is how to be a human radar detector. How to scan traffic ahead and anticipate where a speed trap might be and watch driver behavior ahead of me and watch their reactions to tell me what to do. One of the things I love on my S class is there is a button that drops the speed right to the speed limit if you are in Distronic. So if you see a cop hit that button and it backs it right off.
A lot of the highways around here when you travel are 70MPH, and I set the cruise at 80 and don't give it a second thought. 80 in a 65 I get a little more alert, 60 or 55 if I'm doing 75-80 I'm really alert. On the beltway in VA for example the limit is 55, or if you are in the toll lanes its 65, I always use the toll lanes. On 66 the limit in the newly completed toll lanes all the way from the Beltway is 70 which is amazing. 270 goes to 65 north of Urbana, 95 goes to 70 south of Woodbridge, I70 is 70. On the beltway and on 270 where the limit is 55 I just drive the upper end of the flow which is 72-80 and I'm fine
I honestly see no reason to have a radar detector.
In 25 years of driving I think I have been stopped maybe 4 times...only 2 of those times on the highway (knock on wood). One time I was out of state in PA and a cop picked me out of a line of cars all going the same speed (bogus), and the other time I was on the Dulles access road in VA and an Airport cop pulled me over on a power trip for doing 60 in a 55. You're going to from time to time get stopped by people targeting you being out of state and on a power trip.
Last edited by SW17LS; 06-21-23 at 05:53 PM.
06-21-23, 06:25 PM
#395
Lexus Fanatic
One of the things I love on my S class is there is a button that drops the speed right to the speed limit if you are in Distronic. So if you see a cop hit that button and it backs it right off.
I guess, though, when you spend more than 100K for a vehicle, you get things in it that you usually don't see every day.
if you are in the toll lanes it's 65, I always use the toll lanes.
I honestly see no reason to have a radar detector.
.In Virginia, they sometimes also use LIDAR and speed-detection from aircraft (it is marked with signs), but is less-frequent than conventional X and K-band radar. Helicopters are not cheap to operate.
In 25 years of driving I think I have been stopped maybe 4 times...only 2 of those times on the highway (knock on wood). One time I was out of state in PA and a cop picked me out of a line of cars all going the same speed (bogus), and the other time I was on the Dulles access road in VA and an Airport cop pulled me over on a power trip for doing 60 in a 55. You're going to from time to time get stopped by people targeting you being out of state and on a power trip.
Today, most judges or magistrates would probably toss something like that out of court....with a word of reprimand to the officer. Speed-cameras themselves usually give you a 10-11 MPH leeway.......to account for things like speedometer-error, oversized-tires affecting the speedometer-reading, downhill-effects of gravity, inaccurate cruise-controls in vehicles, and other effects.I've never had a speeding ticket in my life...only once was I even stopped and warned about a speed-incident, many years ago, in Rock Creek Park (Beach Drive) in D.C., for 37-38 in a 25-zone. You hear horror-stories every day in the press/media and in social-media about how bad the cops treat people when they are stopped (beatings/abuse/profiling/weapons, etc...). But I have found, in the relatively few times I HAVE been stopped for things like a red-light incident or illegal U-Turn, that, the more courteous and polite you are to the cop, do what he or she tells you, don't give them any bull-****, and don't try and one-up them by playing armchair-lawyer, the better they are going to treat you, and let you off or give you a warning.
There ARE some exceptions to that, though, in some places. Some of the most notorious are the classic speed-traps in small towns in the Deep South (or even father north, in Ohio), strapped for cash, and run by corrupt individuals, that deliberately target out-of-state drivers to and from their way to Florida. The speed limit automatically drops very quickly from a much higher speed to maybe 25 MPH, too quick for adequate braking/slowing down, they have a corrupt cop sitting there at or close to the sign with radar, and BAM, they nab you, just like that. They figure you're hundreds of miles from home, carrying money or credit-cards for a vacation, and more or less at their mercy. Yes, corrupt as hell, but they have gotten away with it for years, and only a few of them have ever been exposed and shut down by higher authorities.
Last edited by mmarshall; 06-21-23 at 06:45 PM.
06-21-23, 06:42 PM
#396
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Are you able to see the toll lanes without a toll, or does your car have one of those transponder-systems which automatically records the use and sends the bill to you in the mail or debits your bank-account?
60 in a 55? LOL. Today, most judges or magistrates would probably toss something like that out of court....with a word of reprimand to the officer. Speed-cameras themselves usually give you a 10-11 MPH leeway.......to account for things like speedometer-error, oversized-tires affecting the speedometer-reading, downhill-effects of gravity, inaccurate cruise-controls in vehicles, and other effects.
Today, most judges or magistrates would probably toss something like that out of court....with a word of reprimand to the officer. Speed-cameras themselves usually give you a 10-11 MPH leeway.......to account for things like speedometer-error, oversized-tires affecting the speedometer-reading, downhill-effects of gravity, inaccurate cruise-controls in vehicles, and other effects.
He gave me a ticket for "failure to obey a highway sign" because he knew the speeding ticket wouldn't stick. I just paid it. Whatevs!
I HAVE been stopped for things like a red-light incident or illegal U-Turn, that, the more courteous and polite you are to the cop, do what he or she tells you, don't give them any bull-****, and don't try and one-up them by playing armchair-lawyer, the better they are going to treat you, and let you off or give you a warning.
06-21-23, 06:44 PM
#397
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
So twice in as many days!
Just now coming home this specimen decided he would make a left turn from the center lane instead of the left turn lane, in the dark, and the rain! you can see me flashing at him:
Just now coming home this specimen decided he would make a left turn from the center lane instead of the left turn lane, in the dark, and the rain! you can see me flashing at him:
06-21-23, 06:50 PM
#398
Lexus Fanatic
There ARE some exceptions to that, though, in some places. Some of the most notorious are the classic speed-traps in small towns in the Deep South (or even father north, in Ohio), strapped for cash, and run by corrupt individuals, that deliberately target out-of-state drivers to and from their way to Florida. The speed limit automatically drops very quickly from a much higher speed to maybe 25 MPH, too quick for adequate braking/slowing down, they have a corrupt cop sitting there at or close to the sign with radar, and BAM, they nab you, just like that. They figure you're hundreds of miles from home, carrying money or credit-cards for a vacation, and more or less at their mercy. Yes, corrupt as hell, but they have gotten away with it for years, and only a few of them have ever been exposed and shut down by higher authorities.
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06-21-23, 07:06 PM
#399
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
There ARE some exceptions to that, though, in some places. Some of the most notorious are the classic speed-traps in small towns in the Deep South (or even father north, in Ohio), strapped for cash, and run by corrupt individuals, that deliberately target out-of-state drivers to and from their way to Florida. The speed limit automatically drops very quickly from a much higher speed to maybe 25 MPH, too quick for adequate braking/slowing down, they have a corrupt cop sitting there at or close to the sign with radar, and BAM, they nab you, just like that. They figure you're hundreds of miles from home, carrying money or credit-cards for a vacation, and more or less at their mercy. Yes, corrupt as hell, but they have gotten away with it for years, and only a few of them have ever been exposed and shut down by higher authorities.
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06-21-23, 07:07 PM
#400
Lead Lap
One of the things my Dad taught me is how to be a human radar detector. How to scan traffic ahead and anticipate where a speed trap might be and watch driver behavior ahead of me and watch their reactions to tell me what to do. One of the things I love on my S class is there is a button that drops the speed right to the speed limit if you are in Distronic. So if you see a cop hit that button and it backs it right off[size=33px].
Another thing I do is as I approach intersections I look at the pedestrian crossing signals for the countdowns so I know how much time I have to make the light.
06-21-23, 07:18 PM
#401
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
My dad didn’t teach me anything like that but I did teach myself. I’m constantly checking my mirrors at to see what’s behind me and i look for certain types of cars that are typically unmarked cars like explorers, durangos, etc. When I’m going pretty fast I look a good bit ahead of me and if I see a few consecutive cars braking for no reason, there is typically a police car on the side of the road taking radar. Just little things like that have saved me.
Another thing I do is as I approach intersections I look at the pedestrian crossing signals for the countdowns so I know how much time I have to make the light.
Another thing I do is as I approach intersections I look at the pedestrian crossing signals for the countdowns so I know how much time I have to make the light.
I do the same thing with the crosswalk timers
06-21-23, 07:28 PM
#402
Lead Lap
Since this is the dumb drivers thread one thing that drives me absolutely crazy is there are known speed cameras in certain areas I drive though in another county (my county doesn’t have speed cameras) and they even have signs about the speed camera zone and cars will brake and slow down below the speed limit to the point where it disrupts traffic. It’s like they don’t realize that (1) you can actually go the speed limit and (2) there is a 10mph grace limit before the camera goes off. Drives me absolutely crazy!
06-21-23, 07:40 PM
#403
Lexus Test Driver
Ya'll got me thinking.
I want a dash cam now, just for fun.
I want a dash cam now, just for fun.
06-21-23, 07:41 PM
#404
My dad didn’t teach me anything like that but I did teach myself. I’m constantly checking my mirrors at to see what’s behind me and i look for certain types of cars that are typically unmarked cars like explorers, durangos, etc. When I’m going pretty fast I look a good bit ahead of me and if I see a few consecutive cars braking for no reason, there is typically a police car on the side of the road taking radar. Just little things like that have saved me.
Another thing I do is as I approach intersections I look at the pedestrian crossing signals for the countdowns so I know how much time I have to make the light.
Another thing I do is as I approach intersections I look at the pedestrian crossing signals for the countdowns so I know how much time I have to make the light.