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DES (Sickspeed)
Intermediate Member
Username: Sickspeed

Post Number: 1401
Registered: 8-2002
Posted on Monday, January 20, 2003 - 11:19 pm:   

Hans, that's why i love amereicha... :-)
Hans E. Hansen (4re_gt4)
Member
Username: 4re_gt4

Post Number: 803
Registered: 4-2002
Posted on Monday, January 20, 2003 - 11:09 pm:   

A friend of mine in Lousiana - which is notoriously known for crooked politics - says that it's easy there to get a ticket 'fixed'. Some bucks to the right bureaucrat, and it just disappears!
V.Z. (Ama328)
Junior Member
Username: Ama328

Post Number: 81
Registered: 11-2002
Posted on Monday, January 20, 2003 - 7:20 pm:   

Texas doesn't have 'points' and doesn't reciprocate with other states on tkt info.
DES (Sickspeed)
Intermediate Member
Username: Sickspeed

Post Number: 1373
Registered: 8-2002
Posted on Monday, January 20, 2003 - 3:34 pm:   

Robert, unfortunately, that's a myth... The minute i heard that, i think i went out and purposely got a ticket, JUST to test it out... Well, i sent in a check for $2 more than the ticket was for and not only did i get points on my license, but they never sent me a check back, for the difference...! That definitely added insult to injury... :-(
Robert (Rjklein4470)
Junior Member
Username: Rjklein4470

Post Number: 222
Registered: 3-2002
Posted on Monday, January 20, 2003 - 3:28 pm:   

Do you want to get out of having the points on your licence. It works I have done it

Here is how.
You send in your payment of the fine, but you pay too much.
The state will send you a check for the ballance, and you simply do not ever cash the check. Hence the points will never get posted because the account is still open.
V.Z. (Ama328)
Junior Member
Username: Ama328

Post Number: 80
Registered: 11-2002
Posted on Monday, January 20, 2003 - 1:02 pm:   

Why not just find a 'traffic' lawyer there in DFW and pay 'em to have the tkt 'fixed'? Been several yrs since i last got a tkt, but used to cost around $75-100, plus a nominal fine, walla, no problemo. My guess is that you could get off for no more than $150-200, immediately, no deferred adjudication crap.

Just be SURE you get an agreement from lawyer that the tkt will be fixed, so you don't get screwed by both lawyer and Tx. Way this used to work was that a lawyer would show up in court with a wad of tkts to get fixed. These would all get reduced to non-moving fines(that way, doesn't show on your record). Court still gets some $$, lawyer gets $$, you get OFF.

Traffic lawyers typically have ads on billboards and in the yellow pages.

I always preferred to pay up, rather than defensive driving class, as it's kind of nice to have the ddc in your back pocket for a time you might not be able to get a tkt fixed.

Is also worth knowing that in *most* states, defensive driving class only works on tkts < 25 mph OVER the speed limit(e.g., 94 mph on Interstates with 70 mph limit). SO, if'n you ever get nailed for more, do standard stuff to appease the 'officer/trooper' and see if you can get them down under this limit (found out about that one in CA one time; got nailed for 110mph on I-5 south of SFO in a 735 Bimmer, got to talking w/tropper, he wrote me up at 85 mph).
Hans E. Hansen (4re_gt4)
Member
Username: 4re_gt4

Post Number: 787
Registered: 4-2002
Posted on Thursday, January 16, 2003 - 12:17 pm:   

Chevrolet used to have an active stealth program going on for the Corvette. They did lots of experimentation to see what would work. One experiment with a giant plow-like fixture with a steep upward slope showed that surfaces pointed away from straight ahead made the car totally invisible. Quick, everyone, get your F-snowplow on order now!
Ken (Allyn)
Member
Username: Allyn

Post Number: 658
Registered: 10-2001
Posted on Thursday, January 16, 2003 - 11:49 am:   

My Europa is invisible to radar from the rear except at point blank range. From the front, the T chassis section makes it look like a Mack truck.
Hans E. Hansen (4re_gt4)
Member
Username: 4re_gt4

Post Number: 775
Registered: 4-2002
Posted on Thursday, January 16, 2003 - 12:06 am:   

PS - what's fun with a radar gun (sorry, James, RADAR gun) is to aim it at an oncoming car in the other lane. The speed reading is the sum of your and the other car's speed. I went into work with the readout showing 148 one day and told everybody that's the reading that I got while playing with my car. Major <g>
Hans E. Hansen (4re_gt4)
Member
Username: 4re_gt4

Post Number: 774
Registered: 4-2002
Posted on Thursday, January 16, 2003 - 12:03 am:   

1975 308GT4 speedo: Dead on.

James: I've used my radar gun (Oops. RADAR gun.) to check the calibration on my speedo also. What you said about brake lights is totally true. Squeeze the trigger and watch damn near everybody slow down. Kinda funny, except I'd hate to be the victim of my own prank!
william speer (Wspeer)
Junior Member
Username: Wspeer

Post Number: 131
Registered: 8-2002
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 10:34 pm:   

radar returns te largets signal. therefore meaning, that the largest moving vehicle in the radar range will return with th speed. the problem this creates, is if the officer is using laser he can pinpoint the vehicle. if not, it is hard to say what vehicle was being measured (most likely the largest vehicle), but you still have to deal with the word of an officer versus the word of a citizen.
Dave328GTB (Hardtop)
Member
Username: Hardtop

Post Number: 390
Registered: 1-2002
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 10:14 pm:   

Gentlemen,
Whether or not your speedo lies, you all need a Valentine One. Ferraris will be pulled over even when Suzy homemaker in her minivan is going even faster and doesn't get a second look by constable Joe.

Dave
Erik R. K. Jonsson (Gamester)
Member
Username: Gamester

Post Number: 255
Registered: 11-2000
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 10:11 pm:   

Rob, the ticket I got on the way to your home was eventually dismissed under the diferred adjudication process. Well worth it I'd say. I always make a speed table for my cars with my Kustom K band Radar, while often exceeding the posted speed limits.

James Selevan (Jselevan)
Member
Username: Jselevan

Post Number: 306
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 10:10 pm:   

Three kids in Little League and High School baseball drove me to purchase a RADAR gun. Made by Decatur Electronics (Illinois). I have spoken with them at length concerning various technical issues. I, too, have a tuning fork to establish accuracy (one is not calibrating the RADAR with the tuning fork, but merely testing the accuracy). It is dead-on every time. My tuning fork is set for 77 mph.

Decatur sells the exact same RADAR gun for police use.

Want to calibrate your speedometer? The handheld GPS units are excellent devices to use. Maintain a steady speed and compare against the GPS.

I used the RADAR gun to calibrate my speed, aiming it at an overpass (to avoid the Sine(x)factor). One funny story. I was driving from San Diego to Orange County one day with the RADAR gun. I triggered it to measure my speed against the stationary bridge approaching. As I pulled the trigger, most of the brake lights in front of me lit up, and you could see all of the cars performing a panic slow-down. My RADAR gun set off all of their RADAR detectors.

One point of possible defense when pulled over by a RADAR aiming police-person. Ask to witness the accuracy test with the tuning fork. If they have it, and it is accurate, you are SOL (that's a technical term). If they do not have it, or if it reads incorrectly, then you have documentation in court of the inaccuracy and will likely get off. By the way, I believe that RADAR is an acronym (etymology - RAdio Detection And Ranging) and should be capitalized. There is debate concerning this, however, as Webster does not capitalize.

Jim S.
j scott leonard (Jscott)
Member
Username: Jscott

Post Number: 264
Registered: 1-2002
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 9:54 pm:   

Mine must be upside down. The 89 328 reads 6-7 miles per hour slow.
Randy (Schatten)
Member
Username: Schatten

Post Number: 572
Registered: 4-2001
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 9:54 pm:   

I thought speedos were only calibrated at/to 55mph and anything shy or greater is 'ok' to be off.
Ming Cheng (Onlinesys)
Junior Member
Username: Onlinesys

Post Number: 138
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 9:49 pm:   

Rob -- I think your speedo is faster only at speed like 10-30 but becomes accurate at 40+.
I found my 456 having the same habit and on a friend's 348 as well.
Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator
Username: Rob328gts

Post Number: 3216
Registered: 12-2000
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 9:18 pm:   

The point of the thread has been lost a little, I thought my speedo read 5-10 fast, but this ticket proves me wrong. How many other Ferraris are showing accurate MPH, but you think it reads fast? I wanted to go 75-80, that's why I had it pegged at 85, but then I get a ticket for 86!
DES (Sickspeed)
Intermediate Member
Username: Sickspeed

Post Number: 1222
Registered: 8-2002
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 9:04 pm:   

"i would much rather not figfht a battle i can not win, and focus on trying to win the battle i can fight."

i have Sun Tzu's Art Of War at home... maybe i should finish reading it... wise words...
william speer (Wspeer)
Junior Member
Username: Wspeer

Post Number: 130
Registered: 8-2002
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 8:53 pm:   

i can't say whether they are required or not. it is a state law in texas that it is not incumbant upon the officer to provide these documents at the time of citation. i don't know whether in court they have to. based on my experience in court, it the word of the officer, an officer of the court, versus yours. who is the judge most likely to believe? i am not talking about what is fair, i am talking about what is reality. i would much rather not figfht a battle i can not win, and focus on trying to win the battle i can fight. even though we don't have points, i would much rather pay court costs than increased insurance premiums for three years. i don't know if this is still true, but i know two years ago, harris county (houston) was the highest insurance rating county in the u.s. it is a matter of fighting for the greatest good, or at least, the good that will benefit me the most.
DES (Sickspeed)
Intermediate Member
Username: Sickspeed

Post Number: 1215
Registered: 8-2002
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 8:32 pm:   

William, some states require that certification papers be filled out, proving the last date of calibration for the radar guns... They must furnish these upon request when contesting a speeding violation... i just don't know if it applies in Texas...
william speer (Wspeer)
Junior Member
Username: Wspeer

Post Number: 129
Registered: 8-2002
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 8:26 pm:   

i don't think arguing "i was going 85 versus 86" is worth while. it seems to me that the chance of the radar being calibretd more recently is far more likely than that of your odometer. it also depends on what the limit was. 55 versus 20 (a school zone) makes a large difference. i would still go for deferred ajudication. it is much easier to behave for four months than to try and fight an officer of the court, who will always insist they had just calibrated their speedometer. i am not certain, but an officer told me the extent of their calibration efforts in texas amounted to a tuning fork that was kept in the car. i thought it was b.s., but i have not been able to prove him wrong. granted, i don't know any officers whom i could ask.
Tillman Strahan (Tillman)
Member
Username: Tillman

Post Number: 317
Registered: 11-2001
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 8:10 pm:   

Rob,

Deferred adjudication is based on the jurisdiction of the officer. Two years ago I was on deferred adjudication simultaneously in Grapevine, Hurst, Lewisville, Fort Worth and (I believe) Bedford. Nothing is on my record now.

The longest time was 120 days.
Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator
Username: Rob328gts

Post Number: 3215
Registered: 12-2000
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 7:57 pm:   

Ummm, negative 1... I was going 86 according to the radar, but the needle wasn't a hair more than 85. No one believes me, do they? ;)

I thought it was a year too, but when I called she said 4 months. Might be county by county?
Carmine Nicoletta (Ncarmine)
Junior Member
Username: Ncarmine

Post Number: 51
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 7:51 pm:   

Rob, I thought that one has a year probation intead of the 4 months in TX.

On the technical side, mine reads about 10mph faster. How much faster does your does your read?
BobD (Bobd)
Member
Username: Bobd

Post Number: 935
Registered: 3-2001
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 6:56 pm:   

"deferred adjudication".... Geez, that's what OJ got wasn't it? That's pretty serious! :-)
william speer (Wspeer)
Junior Member
Username: Wspeer

Post Number: 128
Registered: 8-2002
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 6:34 pm:   

rob,

you are talking about deferred adjudication. as long as you do not get another ticket in the time frame (usually 90 days) it will be expunged from the record. the interesting thing is, and i speak from having this occur on several seperate occasions, if you get another ticket in another county, you can do deffered adjudication in that county as well. the counties do not have acces to non-processed tickets in other counties so it appears as you did not get another ticket. if in the same county, you can opt for defensive driving and drag it out long enough that it will fall out of the 90 day period, thus exponging the old ticket. however, your driving record will reflect the ticket that was dismissed through driver education class. it is a loophole in the law that has never been fixed. at one point, during a two year period, i received a ticket about every three months like clockwork. fortunately, they were from driving in different counties and i was able to juggle them all so they were all dismissed through deferred adjudication. there is NO record of any of these on my driving record as the courts never filed the tickets with the state. the courts allow for defered adjudication as it allows them to charge more money than the state mandated amount. to take defensive driving, the state charges around $50.00 and you usually have another $50.00 in court costs. if you go the deffered adjudication route, the court cost are anywhere from $180-$220 (from my experience),of which the county gets to keep all the money-the state gets none. it is in the counties benefit to allow deferred adjudication.

The state of texas does not utilize a point system like other states, so this is not an issue.

having said all of this, i have not recieved a ticket in almost two years. the last ticket i got was for "failure to stop at designated point"-which means the front of my bumber broke the plane of the white line painted on the ground. it was during a time of zero-tolerance (read- the county is short funds and we need money). i have the ticket framed and hanging on the wall. i took defensive driving as it was too much fun to allow that ticket to be dismissed.
Ric Rainbolt (Ricrain)
Member
Username: Ricrain

Post Number: 398
Registered: 2-2002
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 6:22 pm:   

If it's in the City of Dallas, simply schedule for and show up for your court date. 85% of the time, the cops don't come in to work ONE ticket, when they could be out writing 100 more in the same amount of time. It worked for me. It worked for several people I know.
Tyler (Bahiaau)
Member
Username: Bahiaau

Post Number: 457
Registered: 12-2001
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 6:09 pm:   

Rob, get a lawyer.

You should be able to fight it or at least drag it out 9-10 months.

1st ticket in 2 and half years! Wow, i'm impressed. I usually do 3-4 a year. Hand it to the attorney and let them deal with it.
Martin - Cavallino Motors (Miami348ts)
Advanced Member
Username: Miami348ts

Post Number: 3625
Registered: 5-2001
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 1:52 pm:   

Rob,
word of advise:
The points do not go to your license but the ticket goes in your record. The judge can pull that up in your driving record at any time. That is why you have to cross "Plea of no contest", which means you are not admitting nor declining it. That is a permanent mark on your record.

You are WAY better off giving the ticket to a lawyer and have them fight it for a minimal amount. Worst thing that will happen is what you are willing to do anyhow. No Contest, no Points and maybe driving school.

Take your chances here! You have nothing to lose!
Randy (Schatten)
Member
Username: Schatten

Post Number: 566
Registered: 4-2001
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 1:43 pm:   

Rob... where was the V1? Isn't a V1 a requirement for driving a Ferrari these days? =D
Tim N (Timn88)
Intermediate Member
Username: Timn88

Post Number: 1966
Registered: 6-2001
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 12:10 pm:   

You can be almost positive that all state troopers and county police are up to date in certification and have calibrated guns. In the cars they keep calibrating tuning forks, which they can strike and hold up to the radar gun. a different fork will give a different speed. one of the village cops showed me once. you are better off postponing it as many times as you can and hope that a loophole develops, or you could try to plea it down to a no points or reduced points fine.
DES (Sickspeed)
Intermediate Member
Username: Sickspeed

Post Number: 1200
Registered: 8-2002
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 12:00 pm:   

Hutch, but the idiot judge will look at your original speed and still base your license points on that... Trust me, i learned the hard way...


What do you call a lawyer with an IQ of 75...?
Your Honor.
:-)
DHutchison (Hutch308)
Junior Member
Username: Hutch308

Post Number: 146
Registered: 1-2002
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 11:58 am:   

I got pinched by a CT statey twoopa a couple of weeks ago when returning from Vermont in my Cherokee. Cop picked me out of a sh*tload of cars on the highway, that night and wrote me a $200 money order for allegedly doing 75 in a 55. First ticket in 2 1/2 - 3 years in either vehicle. I'll plead not guilty, and get the $$$ fine reduced. That's what the courts usually do here in CT.
DES (Sickspeed)
Intermediate Member
Username: Sickspeed

Post Number: 1199
Registered: 8-2002
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 11:22 am:   

Good question, Bruno, i can't wait 'til i have a few minutes to really answer that... :-)


Rob, seriously, you should fight it... ask them when the last time was that the radar gun was calibrated- tell them you want to see the certification papers... If officers need to be repeatedly trained to use them, find out when the last time was that officer took the course and get a copy of his certification papers... If there were other cars around, that'll help... Any cars around with alot of chrome trim help even more... i mentioned these things in another thread, but i can't remember which one... You should definitely fight it...
Bruno (Originalsinner)
Member
Username: Originalsinner

Post Number: 896
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 11:13 am:   

thats about my average .I get a ticket every 2 years.For the past 20.Considering I am always in some of the finest sportcars ever built.Not bad.
Be a good thread "How often do you get speeding tickets".
The Ferrari King (Theferrariking)
New member
Username: Theferrariking

Post Number: 29
Registered: 1-2003
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 11:08 am:   

Laser or instant on?

King
Jim E (Jimpo1)
Intermediate Member
Username: Jimpo1

Post Number: 1159
Registered: 7-2001
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 10:50 am:   

Rob, it wasn't enough for you to beat 13 other drivers at the cart track?

Wes saved me from a fate similar to yours on my drive home last night.
Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator
Username: Rob328gts

Post Number: 3205
Registered: 12-2000
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 10:49 am:   

Oh, I will still pay the fine, I deserve it, but we have several options in Texas to keep it off my record.

$206 plus defensive driving and it won't go on my record if I go 4 months without another ticket.

$251 and it won't go on my record if I go 4 months without another ticket.

Has anyone noticed the increase in traffic patrols and writing tickets, maybe it's just the new place I live, but there's always 2-3 people pulled over on the 10 mile stretch I commute. I think in this economy even the municipalities are struggling a little and need a little income. Maybe if Bush wants an economic stimulus he'll force lower national ticket rates. $251 is a bunch of beer! Think of the poor waitress that's trying to support her family as a single mom and won't get as big of tip! ;) At least my grandfather will get breaks on his dividends. He's 87 and maybe inputs about a whopping $1,000 a month into the economy, oh that will stimulate the economy. As long as Ma buys him his salted peanuts he's happy. I guess he might start buying two cans a week now.

The ticket will make a good addition to the wall next to the Enzo autograph. He would be proud of me, although he would probably say "ONLY 86!, I built these cars to go 150 plus!!!".
The Ferrari King (Theferrariking)
New member
Username: Theferrariking

Post Number: 27
Registered: 1-2003
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 10:32 am:   

Sorry to hear that Rob. How much $$$?

FORZA AUTOBAHN

King
DES (Sickspeed)
Intermediate Member
Username: Sickspeed

Post Number: 1194
Registered: 8-2002
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 10:31 am:   

Fight it, Rob... email me, i'll tell you everything you need to know to evade paying the fine and points on your license...


FIGHT THE POWER...!
Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator
Username: Rob328gts

Post Number: 3203
Registered: 12-2000
Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 10:29 am:   

I have proof, caught doing 86 when it was pegged at about 85.

Cop didn't find it amusing when I told him my "friends" had told me the Ferrari speedometers always read fast.

Two and half years of Ferrari ownership and my first ticket. That's not too bad, 7500 miles mostly a wee above the posted limit.

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