Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/22 for details.
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/22 for details.
Options
Comments
On the other hand, scanning for law enforcement is probably the root cause of a good percentage of accidents on the road since driver's have to divert their attention and efforts to avoiding a ticket, sometimes at the cost of getting into an accident as they were paying more attention to surrounding potential LEO's than the road in front of them and their own vehicles actions.
Another great reason to get rid of all traffic enforcments that is used for revenue generation.
I propose all fines instead of going to the gov't be donated to a charity of the offender's choice. If I knew my money wasn't going in to feed the beast of the system, I'd probably fight them much less fiercely.
The mindset is that while I might feel comfortable and appropriate driving 35 MPH on Lake Murray Blvd with a Chevy 2500HD Truck hauling a 10,000 lb. payload, I would feel downright silly and 100 years old if I was caught driving that slow in my 2006 A3 2.0T as the sole passenger/driver.
In my area and to the north are many secondary back roads that "straight line" speeders on the interstates at 80 mph would be hard pressed to maintain a 45 mph average on a legal 55 mph twisty longer segment. They are great at intimidating people going legal and plus on interstates but would go into the weeds on the secondaries. Most of them are dopes.
"Men over age 45 are much more likely to crash their vehicles on icy and snowy roads, according to a new study.
Those risks, notable as the winter driving season approaches, are even greater if the older men are driving pickup trucks."
Different road conditions are a factor in crashes involving male, female drivers, study finds (Chicago Tribune)
Of course, "men under age 45 are more likely to get into serious accidents on dry roads, perhaps because of overconfidence on their part".
OK. So, godzilla, do you also know better than DOT as some other posters here? Are some, many laws, speed limits and others not fair in your area? What's your point?
One thing in my area are compact pickup drivers. Which I kept statistics. I swear that most of them drive well under the speed limit and intentionally or unconsciously want to block other traffic.
Well, I like proving statistics wrong my whole life. I enjoyed driving from 16 years old to 25 years old to prove to auto insurance companies that their high rates for young males were unwarranted, as I never cost those insurance companies anything. I'd be much richer today if I drove without insurance for that decade of life (assuming the LEO's didn't ticket me for being uninsured and fine me that way).
I'm not 45 yet, but I'll enjoy driving each and every day to prove that I won't contribute to the serious dry road accident statistics until I turn 45, then beam and gleam that I proved that one wrong too.
The problem with statistics is that they don't take into account all variables. I hate auto insurance companies!
I better start being more careful! I favor driving in inclement weather above all other driving situations. That magic number isn't so far off and, given that I don't "get on it" when the roads dry out, perhaps I am even more likely to contribute to that winter driving statistic?
I have done that all of my driving life and my intent is NOT to look for cops.
Well good for you, your driving record should be exemplary then.
In CA a lot of people have LONG commutes and long drives and it is harder for a human to pay attention for long periods of time. It is far easier to pay attention for say, 20 minutes at 100 MPH, than it is to pay attention for 40 straight minutes at 50 MPH.
I'm willing to bet money that if speed limits were raised to 100 MPH you wouldn't see nearly as much texting and cell phone talking as you currently do! And the one's that don't get it, and continue to do so anyway, well, DARWIN will greet them.
So, is there an "attitude" problem?
Well, it is. Have gotten letters over the years from my Secty of State on very good driving record for no infractions.
In CA a lot of people have LONG commutes and long drives and it is harder for a human to pay attention for long periods of time.
Baloney and bunk. Some of my jobs in recent year required 100 to 120 mile round trip commutes without police stops for speeding or other.
Maybe just like former Gov Blago of ILL got sentenced to 14 years in prison today.
Well, just as bad as "knee-jerk" comments with no basis saying without substantiation that some laws, such as speed limits, are set by mostly incompetent people. Incompetent and speed limit violating drivers, perhaps, claiming that speed limits are not set properly. How stupid is that?
If you mean a few mph over the limit, sure, I see that kind of thing too when traffic allows. At least, traffic in the left lane is often over the speed limit. Then you have the folks in the other lanes who typically (where I live at least) hold pretty close to the limit. Or under, depending on conditions.
But do you often see 95% of traffic zooming along at 40-50% over the limit? I doubt it. I know I don't. That's pretty exceptional in my experience.
...well, I think a permissible action is to go up to 15 over the speed limit...
Yup, we are well aware now of how you believe the laws don't apply to you, in your special, private universe.
Too often, the public finds the posted speed limits to be written at the LOWER limit of REQUIRED speed, ...
Huh? :confuse: What the heck does THAT mean? What is this "REQUIRED" speed to which the posted limits are written (i.e. to their LOWER limits)?
How about this simple idea: a jurisdiction has set the legal speed limit for a roadway. It's a law, like there are many other laws. It's your choice to: 1) follow the law, 2) follow the law but work to change it because you don't agree with it, or 3) don't follow the law. In any case, we as adults know that we are responsible for our choices and our actions.
Most of the time, I drive in such a way that I don't HAVE to look for cops at all, because I'm not driving in such a way to draw attention to myself. Easy.
Given you driving record?
We've heard about your driving record. Multiple infractions, with half thrown out due to technicalities (ie officer not showing up).
The police are targeting you for vengeance?
No, they're targeting you because of the way you drive. You drive as you're above the law, and that laws don't apply to you because "the La Mesa PD officers who illegally enforce it." (your words)
I believe that with your attitude, it's just a matter of time before your luck runs out. Tickets, fines, accidents, higher insurance rates -- my crystal ball shows all of them in future.
Good luck.
That being the case, yeah, I'd be watching for the car. Or maybe it would make itself so obvious (from his driving) I wouldn't have to look real hard.
Either way, it's your driving that makes you the target. Vengeance has nothing to do with it. Easy pickin's, maybe
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
Find me at kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h)
Review your vehicle
Are you sure? How come I've had more then my share of blatant phony baloney accusations and allegations thrown my way then? Sometimes they just pick a vehicle code out of their behind other than speeding.
Remember, not all my victories in court have been due to dismissal from the officer not showing up, I've also been found NOT GUILTY 2 times.
In the latest "officer didn't show up" case, I basically double dogged dared the Santee police to show up, by leaving a voicemail phone message the night before the court date the next day, and saying to the supervisor, I don't think he'll show, but in case you do, you should know blah blah blah.
I had the guts to call them out and say "I don't think your gonna show." But by the way, the court date is tomorrow (a friendly reminder). Of course, I had them by the balls since they hadn't responded to the court order to produce evidence/discovery to me. This was a judges order, so the first thing I'd of done is court is motion for a finding of contempt of court against the Santee Sheriff's for ignoring "HIS" order. At that point the judge really has to either fine the sheriff's for contempt of court (they don't like their orders being ignored), or simply dismiss my case in the alternative. Either way I win.
Absolutely spotless and pristine with no at-fault accidents of any kind, and the latest NO FAULT accident being several years ago when a LA Mesa PD officer rear ended my bumper in his Harley Motorcycle on the freeway.
And those incompetents are supposed to tell me how to drive?
That's what I mean. If the vast majority of traffic is above the speed limit a majority of the time (CA weather is optimal the vast majority of the time) then the speed limit is incorrect and too low.
The speed limit should be set so that 85% are in compliance on average!
If the vast majority of the population routinely disobeys the law, perhaps it is the law that needs to be changed.
Umm... because of the way you drive? Low hanging fruit?
That's not what I said. Please re-read my post... my ENTIRE post.
How did you come up with that statement when you know so very little about principles of insurance and insurance companies?
The comment is an example of mill town union mentality. :P
-
Mind you, all this blather about speed limits would mean diddly-squat if those that sped could leave behind those that don't. Or in other words, it's only the interaction on the road between speeders and non-speeders that cause the frustration.
And that could easily be mitigated if the non-speeders would simply leave the passing lane open for the speeders to leave the area. And by the same token, the speeders would leave the farthest right lanes open for all the non-speeders.
Point?
There is little point to spouting distances commuted without any mention of the environment in which you had to do it. Did you have to regularly commute from north of Baltimore to Richmond, VA? That'd have you fight rush hour traffic on three beltways (Baltimore, Washington, and Richmond).
Or was it from Idaho to Montana, where you might not have even seen a car for the entire drive?
---
I mean, just Wednesday, I had to drive from just south of Baltimore to Andrews AFB, southeast of Washington, DC... in the driving rain, during rush hour. I desperately wished people *WOULD* have passed me, as everyone on I-95 was driving the speed limit, creating a situation where everyone was bumper to bumper, boxed in on both the right/left/front/back.
But that's considered safe, according to some of the speed limit proponents... as there was no speeding.
Though, had those in the left lanes passed me, then many of those that were behind my car could have stopped being behind my car... giving me the peace of mind knowing that if I had to suddenly stop, I wouldn't be rear-ended.
But then, according to those self-same speed limit proponents... *THAT* would be unsafe.
Maryland... specifically: MD-295, MD-32, I-95, I-70... just to rattle off a few.
With speed limits posts at 55 for all but I-95, the standard rate of speed is 75 mph.
Which is roughly 40% higher than the posted speed limit.
I think most judges in a court of law would consider me an expert on the subject matter and I'd make a good expert witness.
If you are so knowledgeable, then please tell me why an Insurance company named AIG needed a bigger bailout than GM.
How did those principles of insurance and insurance companies work out for them?
The answer is they had no principles. It's all about corruption, greed, and sticking it to the consumer.
I see an occasional vehicle clipping along at 70+ in the left lane in 55 zones. They stick out like a sore thumb up here.
Back to inconsiderate driving... I was driving along a 4-lane (2 lanes each way) parkway today, 45 limit. Middle of the day so light traffic. I was going near the limit so I was in the right lane. The SUV to the left of me decided to go about the limit also. An older Evo came up fast from the rear, rode the bumper of the SUV for awhile. I actually was driving a little faster than the SUV, so after a bit the Evo moved in behind me and rode my bumper for awhile (in the right lane). The SUV slowed even more so the Evo was able to get into the left lane and blast on, probably 60 or so. But this road has several stoplights. They're pretty well timed. Sure enough, a little up ahead the Evo had to stop. I maintained speed and sailed through the green light after it changed--I had to switch for a bit to the left lane so I could sail pass the Evo as it got back up to speed.
Unfortunately, you should do the same. Those Financial Products were insurance. They were exactly that. AIG was insuring other stupid investments against loss, because people knew they were being stupid risky and AIG thought it was a good idea to invent insurance for investments and take on risk.
It's all semantics. It was insurance for the most part that brought them down. CLAIMS on that insurance, to be exact.
His comment was "that's not even fast." "nothing wrong with that speed."
And he's not a fast driver like me either. Boy, I'd love to have a jury trial with this one.
My father in law drives like mollasses and even he got a speeding ticket a few years back. Was he speeding? NO! He never speeds. Was he radared incorrectly and inaccurately? Yes!
Was he convicted? Yes. Did he give the officer an assortment of expletives? Yes. He gave that officer an earful of profanity.
I'm sure the officer blocked out his schedule for this menace to society to get punished.
LOL.
Some people will never learn.
at a busy intersection where I was 2nd in the left turn lane, to get onto the main 4 lane semi-highway. the road I was on had quite a bit of traffic both ways, since it is a main shopping area. So, our road gets a turn. the other direction had a green + LT arrow. No arrow my direction.
So eventually our side goes green, with the oncoming staying green. Car in front never moved. The only way to turn here is to pull out and wait for the light to change then finish. Nope, she never budged through the whole light cycle. Thankfully next cycle she did pull up and eventually make the turn. Good thing, because I think the dude behind me was going to get out and yell at her otherwise. I was just going to exercise my horn.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Today I saw one who fit the new resident profile try to turn left across a busy street - but the street had one of those curb high concrete dividers. You can imagine how that went (they didn't make it). I will easily say newbies here need to be given different driving tests. Oh yeah, these menaces also love the Sienna and Odyssey, especially the ones 2 generations back.
Also saw two dumb Lexus' today, which doesn't help my bias. One an old man in a newer LS going about 25 in an underposted 35 where most people go 40-45. Left lane of course, amusing watching car after car go around him. After I got by and watched him in my mirror for maybe a mile, he actually moved to the right. And then an IS and a big bendy bus were on a main road, bus going just under the limit as one should expect - it's a bus, and the IS pacing it to a tee and not letting anyone by. I won't stereotype that driver either, but I will say had I yelled at her, she probably wouldn't have understood.
And finished it off with a moron in a Focus wagon who pulled directly out in front of me from a side street like I wasn't there, was I was approaching at 30, nobody behind me. I wish I had a big old truck so I could just ram these simps off into ditches or into the path of an oncoming locomotive. The lowest common denominator, just surplus overhead on society.
But let's hope that those of us thinking of exterminating the inconsiderate drivers in our midst don't ourselves become targets of someone who spots us making what they think is an inconsiderate driving maneuver.
No inconsiderate drivers today, as my car stayed nice and warm and dry in the garage. It's nice being able to not have to brave the idiots to do small errands sometimes.