My Maserati does 185...

[Bill Glasheen]

... I lost my license; now I don't drive.

For you young folk who don't recognize the lyrics, here is the source. Joe Walsh was a favorite of mine. Great guitarist and lyricist.

..... Joe Walsh - Life's Been Good

I know a few martial arts instructors like me. In their youth and sometimes in current day, their athleticism and daring-do extends into other aspects of their lives. They appreciate things like... nice cars. And speed.

Last night coming home from workout, I did my run by the grocery store (for fresh food to cook) before heading home. I usually have about 5 ways to get there, and I rarely go home the same way. It's difficult to explain... So I chose to do an end-run route that goes through undeveloped areas on the west end of Henrico county, and loops back to the exit off the beltway which is near my home.

Problem is... I guess Henrico county is behind on their taxes, because they had a car sitting in the dark on the median in the middle of bloody nowhere where there were 4 lanes on each side and not a soul around and the speed limit was... 45 mph. He got me going 66. Technically 1 MPH over being reckless driving.

Oops!

I was nice, and he was nice. He dropped it to 64, and wrote the ticket. Henrico county gets their tax dollar money. I didn't hurt any animals in the process, and frankly my boxer 6 engine barely got to growl. He got me about a quarter mile from the entrance to the beltway where the speed limit was 70. Sheesh...

This morning I read this, and now I don't feel so bad.

Jayson Werth to serve five days in jail over reckless driving charge

Washington Nationals outfielder Jayson Werth will serve five days in jail following a guilty plea on Thursday to a reckless driving charge, according to reports.

Werth was found guilty of the charge in December after being pulled over in Fairfax County, Virginia in July for driving 105 mph in a 55 mph-zone on an I-495 on-ramp.

He appealed the conviction to Fairfax County Circuit Court prior to the plea deal.

According to a report from The Washington Post, Werth also faces a 30-day suspension of his driver's license.

He will serve the five-day sentence on weekends to accommodate his shoulder rehabilitation and preseason training, the report says.

All that said...

The libertarian in me growls just a little. It was the middle of bloody nowhere at 11 PM with nobody around on a 4-lane highway. I don't drink. My car needs the workout. Pfffttt!!!

I'm now going to have to invest (again) in a radar detector. Virginia is one of two states where they're illegal, but it's just a simple fine. The increase on your insurance rates from points on the driving record because Henrico needs to nab people to collect tax dollars is nothing to sneeze at. I'll proudly engage in my exercise of civil disobedience. Catch me if you can.

- Bill

[Van Canna]

Bill, what is the best radar detector to get? Is there a way you can have installed under the hood without a tell tale?

How about this one?

http://www.valentine1.com/v1info/compar ... 7AodwTIAMA

[Van Canna]

What if you come up against a radar gun that powers up just as it points at your car and not before?

[Bill Glasheen]

Van:

Technology is *always* changing and I'm not up on it. But be confident that the people who make the technology LEOs use are eventually one-upped by our wonderful capitalist system. We're usually one step ahead.

What if you come up against a radar gun that powers up just as it points at your car and not before?

Back when the speed limit was 55 and I refused to abide by it, I had a detector. On I-64 between Charlottesville and Richmond at o-dark thirty on a Sunday morning, a LEO would sit on the entrance ramp and power up the detector just as you came by. I'd jam my foot on the brake and he couldn't fix my speed in time. Good reactions rule! As long as you're not being really stupid (like Werth going 105 in a 55), they're not going to catch you. Most importantly, never, ever have an ounce of alcohol in your body when you drive. I rarely drink, and NEVER drive after having even one drink. Driving is serious business, and should be treated that way.

Virginia is one of two states where radar detectors are illegal. The law is actually unconstitutional (long story) but they never push the situation so nobody challenges the law. So the policeman who sees my brake lights pulls me over, and asks for my license and my radar detector. (Cute...) I politely do so. They try real hard to fry it by making you turn it on and they hit your vehicle at point-blank range with the radar. If you have a good one, the electronics have appropriate protection against this. In Virginia it's a non-moving violation, and a simple, inexpensive ticket. They don't want you to challenge it. They just want to intimidate you.

It is what it is. Being nice while politely expressing your libertarian views is the way to go. They ask me if I'm going to use the radar detector again and I politely say yes. Nothing they can do... Honesty and appropriate respect rule the day.

- Bill

[Bill Glasheen]

By the way...

There are a few other rules I follow in this whole cat-and-mouse venture.

• Avoid vanity plates. Attracting attention to yourself for any reason means attracting the attention of LEOs.
  .
• Don't buy a "ticket-me-red" color car. See the above for reason.
  .
• My son's friends recommend "de-badging" the car. I'm seriously considering this. (Here is a before vs. after example for my car.) This is common practice in Germany, by the way - a country where people appreciate good cars and are allowed to drive fast. See the above for reason.

My vehicle isn't overcompensation. I don't need to prove anything to anyone; I just want to have fun. Blending in is a virtue in life. It reminds me of a physician who used to work for me and subsequently became Virginia State Health Commissioner. She talked about not advertising her grades when she was a high school cheerleader. I get it... Same for one's martial ability, and the car you drive.

- Bill

[Van Canna]

Excellent points Bill.

What do you think of that detector I posted? Is there that sniffs an unpowered radar gun about to be triggered?

Here's your car...

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/201 ... est-review

Do you really like it?

[Bill Glasheen]

Excellent points Bill.

What do you think of that detector I posted? Is there that sniffs an unpowered radar gun about to be triggered?

I will do my research and get back to you, Van.

- Bill

[Bill Glasheen]

One other recommendation I have for people like me with nicer cars who drive a lot. On long trips, I ALWAYS use my cruise control. Mine works very well, and even slows me down on the West Virginia turnpike (using the transmission when needed) to maintain speed in both directions. I dial in the amount I want to push it, and it abides by my wishes. It is one of the biggest reasons I have a good driving record.

- Bill

[Van Canna]

I see this...

"Instant-On" Protection
K-band radar guns have what's known as "Instant-On" radar. This keeps the transmitter in "hot standby" mode, ready to be activated by an officer when the target is within 200-300 yards. Practically speaking, you can't really defend yourself against Instant-On radar; if it's been aimed at you, your speed has been measured by the time your detector gives an alert. However, if the radar was targeted on a car ahead of you, a detector with sensitive K-band reception will alert you. High K-band sensitivity is what allows manufacturers to promote a detector as giving Instant-On Protection.

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-aNCwMk4eWY ... ssary.html

[Bill Glasheen]

I see this...

"Instant-On" Protection
K-band radar guns have what's known as "Instant-On" radar. This keeps the transmitter in "hot standby" mode, ready to be activated by an officer when the target is within 200-300 yards. Practically speaking, you can't really defend yourself against Instant-On radar; if it's been aimed at you, your speed has been measured by the time your detector gives an alert. However, if the radar was targeted on a car ahead of you, a detector with sensitive K-band reception will alert you. High K-band sensitivity is what allows manufacturers to promote a detector as giving Instant-On Protection.

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-aNCwMk4eWY ... ssary.html

There is theory, and then there is the data.

Never been caught... It's not like they didn't try. In every case, I was the only one on the highway, and they pulled me over to ticket me for the radar detector.

If you're not going *obscenely* fast and you have good reactions, this technology won't catch you. However if someone is using you as their "front door", they very well may run into you. I can slow down that fast.

- Bill

[mchcoastal]

Bill, what is the best radar detector to get? Is there a way you can have installed under the hood without a tell tale?

How about this one?

http://www.valentine1.com/v1info/compar ... 7AodwTIAMA

A close personal friend of mine (and a fellow martial artist) enjoys his BMW 6-series under the watchful eye of his Valentine One radar detector. It is a very capable device and the directional arrows and multi-tone warnings are very effective. Its sensitivity tends to identify instant-on via scatter on cars ahead (always drive with a "rabbit" on the horizon in front of you!).

I'm no scientist and I'm sure Bill will weigh in with some good insight, but I thought I'd offer some personal experience. You won't go wrong with a V1.

-MCH

[Bill Glasheen]

I agree about the "scatter". You get plenty of warning if they're flashing others on a busy highway.

Another point here... Never be the slowest runner if a tiger is chasing a group, and never be the fastest driver on the highway if you're going too fast. This is where "flying below the radar" becomes a literal proposition.

- Bill

[Bill Glasheen]

By the way... this is the car that got Jason Werth in trouble.

..... Jason Werth Porsche

I totally understand, Jason.

Both this Porsche and my Subaru by the way have boxer engines. They're the only car brands that do. Very low center of gravity. A martial artist would get it.

- Bill

[mchcoastal]

Another point here... Never be the slowest runner if a tiger is chasing a group, and never be the fastest driver if you're going too fast.

Agreed! I tend to follow the 80/20 rule of driving -- if 20% of the cars are passing me, and I'm passing the rest, I'm probably okay. However, like I tell my students that the best way to not get hit in a fight is not to be there, the best way to avoid an accident is to be in front of it when it happens...

[Bill Glasheen]

Indeed! As I tell my students, the best fight is the one never fought.

I rode a motorcycle as my only means of transportation for two years. It taught me a lot about defensive driving. Even a driving instructor who taught a course I took (in lieu of a speeding ticket that was forgiven) preached that it was better to speed than to travel in clusters, at an unsafe speed differential, or in someone's blind spot.

- Bill