My fun is over ...

[Mad1]

Well it had to happen eventually.

There's a stretch of highway on my way home that is practically unenforceable for speeding. It's a divided highway near a prison ... no place to lie in wait on the side and no exit or enterance nearby.

If I'm ever in need of a mood boost, I can run up to 100+mph on the straight, flat stretch of nearly deserted road, then get off at the next exit and head for home. (Not to worry, I'm always careful to make sure no other cars are around when I decide to get a little happy by going WOT.)

But our zealous new Police Chief is planning to enforce two stretches of that highway, including my favorite part, with helicopters using stop watches and pavement markers.

They're taking away one of the few simple pleasures I have in this world ... guilty-free speeding. :)

Any advice, other than the obvious, for avoiding this particularly high-flying speed trap?

Of yeah, one of our reporters is married to a Metro helicopter pilot ... should I just ask him to ignore any fast-moving black sedans he sees?

Jeremy
Mad1

"Rebel with a lead foot."

[Fourth Horseman]

Short of somebody in the passenger seat with a FIM-92 Stinger, I think you're probably out of luck there. :D

[mtnh]

It may be as simple as scanning the sky before you start your run. I did that with huge success in New Hampshire. They run a small cessna in a criss-crossing pattern over the interstate, which sticks out like a sore thumb. You may need to add a moon-roof to aid in the countermeasures. :coolman:

Mike

[RCSignals]

at least you weren't just caught driving 100mph on that stretch.

You'll just have to find another road, or learn how to camouflage the car from air observation :)

[Silver_04]

I would think it would take a lot of cash to keep air traffic patrol going. That money will have to go to something else when the budgets start running low. This is just a mere bump in the road for the time being, but it's gonna be hard to beat eyes in the sky with Motorola's. If you work for media, I think this is a good investigative opportuniy to see just how much cash is going to be sunk into this operation. Maybe you can get it grounded. One patrol car in the median will keep speeds down. This just shows again tickets are for revenue. They aren't trying to prevent speeding, just catch it.

Sorry, I'll get off my soapbox.

You can also turn lemons into lemonade. I would use this as an opportunity to justify buying new brakes. This way you can haul starting at the first timing marker and nail the brakes just before you get to the second timing marker. Voila, you overall time is the same.

[duhtroll]

Yeah, but if you get caught speeding and slam on the brakes you can get two violations - one for speeding and the other for reckless driving. Just a thought.

Personally, I would buy the Escort Passport 8500/ZR3 shifter system and continue driving as per normal.

:D

-A

[Mad1]

I would think it would take a lot of cash to keep air traffic patrol going. If you work for media, I think this is a good investigative opportuniy to see just how much cash is going to be sunk into this operation. Maybe you can get it grounded.

We've already got a story in the works. Seems the pilots think the same thing ... big waste of taxpayer cash in helicopter fuel. A department in Florida seems to think the exact opposite ... its makes money for them. Any comments on that from you orange peels down there?


One patrol car in the median will keep speeds down. This just shows again tickets are for revenue. They aren't trying to prevent speeding, just catch it.

So true. They made a special note of how, since this trap is close to a contruction site (well past it in my opinion), the fines are doubled. In their opinion, it is a very "cost-effective" enforcement. :pimp:

Jeremy
Mad1

[RF Overlord]

I want to say up front that this is NOT a flame against MAD1...

...but I've never understood the fascination so many members of this board have with needing to go triple-digit speeds...witness all the posts about defeating the speed-limiters in the ECM, "What's your fastest speed?", "Blew by a Lexus at a 125"...etc...

Driving that kind of speed on a public road is just plain irresponsible...although I have no doubt of the qualifications of every member of this board to drive safely at that speed, it's the OTHER moron I'm concerned about...the one who has no idea you're barrelling down on him that fast and does something stupid...or the deer (squirrel, dog, badger, whatever) that runs out in front of you...or the kid on a bicycle who hits a patch of sand, and swerves into the street...

I, of course, have never done anything stupid in my life, and to quote my old buddy Elton John: "I can bit¢h, I can bit¢h 'cause I'm better than you!"...

But seriously, I want ALL the members of this board to still be rockin' and rollin' around in our MMs when we're in our 80's :rasta: ...so drive safely and responsibly, 'K?

:rock:

[Mad1]

You'll just have to find another road, or learn how to camouflage the car from air observation :)

On the first ... not possible, unless I can get the MM to float. This stretch is the only bridge across the Cumberland River on my side of Nashville. (They closed the ferry service when this highway was opened too.)

On the second. Do you have any ideas? I'm not wild about painting the MM grey with a yellow stripe down the top.
:lol:

If I had to, I could put a couple of 5 million candle spotlights on the roof aimed upwards. Kind of like a jammer of sorts, though I don't think having a chopper flying around blindly would be a good thing.

Jeremy
Mad1

[Silver_04]

Well good luck to you. I used to live in Mt. Juliet and the cops there would actually ticket people in the neighboring counties. Maybe they were just angry they had to drive Caprices.

[Mad1]

I want to say up front that this is NOT a flame against MAD1...

Driving that kind of speed on a public road is just plain irresponsible...although I have no doubt of the qualifications of every member of this board to drive safely at that speed, it's the OTHER moron I'm concerned about that runs out in front of you...

Not a problem RF. (Though you should take a deep breath when you're going to be that long-winded on the ol' soapbox.) :)

Anyway, I figure that since that stretch runs past the prison ... anyone out on the highway after dark probably deserves to be hit by something going over the speed of sound.
:bounce:

Seriously, I understand where you're coming from and I really don't speed as a general rule. (Except on this one stretch of paved gold ... hence my discomfort.) Besides, no tickets in almost 12 years. :)

Jeremy
Mad1

[SergntMac]

You're an outlaw, welcome to the club. Many outlaws here are out there with you on your ride.

You ride a steel horse with a price tag on your head, but I have a feeling this will be repaired, and soon. For the short term, give them what they want. A stretch of highway that produces nothing for them.

The buzzards will move on when there's no fresh meat...

[Mad1]

Well good luck to you. I used to live in Mt. Juliet.

That's one of those neighboring places that I try to avoid, especially Old Hickory. (At least they do warn you there up front with a sign at the city limits that they are going to have speed traps every 50 feet.)

[Paul T. Casey]

From one carpet bagger to another I'd opt for whatever it takes to get the spouse of your co-worker to ignore you. :lol: As Sarge says, let them see you going slow for a while, they'll leave if the cash cow doesn't show up. I'm not too sure about speeds in excess of 100, but speeding is realitvely cheap in TN. Personal experience tells me 85 in a 55 is only $97. If I got caught like that in CT, it's probably a $500 ticket.

[woaface]

All the money to get you all the laser and radar stuff won't help you a bit if they're watching from the air with markers. All you need is some common sense...find the markers...don't speed between them.

After a little while when people decide to not speed around there, they won't be able to hand out good tickets, and even if they raise the prices, they won't be able to afford running an operation like that except for on holidays. It'll die eventually if it's some out there kind of place and not a major interstate or what not.;)

[dailydriver]

Paint your car to look like the local cop cars. Then you can speed on any road. :lol:

[nslatin]

Paint over the road markers.

[Bigdogjim]

OK! here are your options:

Move the markers on the highway:) (this will through 'em off)

One of the only print ads forthe Marauder say word is radar can't pick it up? Maybe it's the paint?

Now you can test the theory and report back? :lol:

[CRUZTAKER]

Yes Jeremy, there is a possible solution.

On all my long road trips I carry a Police scanner and not only monitor the Highway Patrol and particular local municipalities...but I monitor the air channels as well. If they're up there...they're talking. And if they're talking...I hear them miles in advance.

I have all of your local frequencies, if you get a handheld, let me know. I'll send a copy of the entire FCC list of every registered channel in the USA.

[duhtroll]

Hey Barry - great suggestion. I have thought of doing that - maybe my next "mod" after the exhaust goes on.

-A

[teamrope]

One of the only print ads forthe Marauder say word is radar can't pick it up? Maybe it's the paint?

Now you can test the theory and report back? :lol:

Been there, done that...They lied to us....check here (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=8767)

[martyo]

Short of somebody in the passenger seat with a FIM-92 Stinger, I think you're probably out of luck there. :D
I bet you our own BillyGMan could hook you up if you were really interested.....


:lol:

[Bigdogjim]

Well they say you can just about anything over the internet:)

[CRUZTAKER]

Short of somebody in the passenger seat with a FIM-92 Stinger.....
Definately gonna void the rear window warranty...."FIRE IN THE HOLE!!!":bounce:

Actually the stinger is old school....dime a dozen at a pakastani yard (sand) sale.:D

[hitchhiker]

They shoot helecopters don't they...?

It would be fun to open up on the chopper with 50 Cals, huh! Isn't
that what sunroofs are for...?

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Just Kidding...

David

[gja]

I am a career speeder. I readily admit that. I am a habitual, unrepentant, non-convertible lead-foot-louie.
That being established, I do NOT speed through traffic nor when there is even a slight chance of taking someone with me. I have good life insurance, so my wife will have what she needs to pay the bills.
I will NEVER place anyone else in that danger. I speed on dead-empty stretches of completely flat roads. And then only when the conditions are such that the weather is no factor whatsoever.
I like to speed, I love to speed. I pay for legal representation when I get nailed. You play, you pay. One way or the other..........
And I have spent whatever it takes to even the playing field with the local constabulatory.
They have L.A.S.E.R. , I have Blinder.
They have R.A.D.A.R. , I have V1.
Let the games begin, no quarter given, none asked.