FCar and the Police

You need to hit the track to vent your need for speed/exhaust sound!

 

With all due respect, the car is not getting you into trouble. You are getting yourself into trouble.

If I understood you correctly, you made a left hand turn on a green light ahead of oncoming traffic. That is just not right.

Also by your own admission you have received X number of tickets in a relatively short period of time. Are all the cops out to get you or are you driving just a bit recklessly?

 

1. Yes you seem to be driving a bit reckless. I am not a cop, so as long as I dont have to slam on the brakes to avoid your fun, its fine in my book.

2. The louder your vehicle the closer you have to follow traffic laws. Case-in-point; On a motorcycle I once passed a stationary cop on one tire, no ticket since he did not see me because I had a quiet stock exhaust. Same situation with a loud exhaust would have been ticket and/or hand cuffs.

3. I rarely follow traffic recommendations and have not had a ticket in a Ferrari in 18 years of ownership. I do however selectively violate traffic rectangles and save the fun for when almost no other cars are around.

4. Be loud and slow or fast and quiet.

5. Dont let your fun be at the expense of disrespecting other vehicles.

Do sports cars get discriminated against unfairly; Yes. I once got a ticket in a Porsche 928 because my headlights were not 22 inches off of the ground. The low beams are in the bumper in Euro cars, just a few inches below DOT, but it was converted to USA specs by a "reputable" importer.

 

rule of thumb, only speed where you know it's necessary. my car is thunderously loud and i just put around town. no need to accelerate to get anyone's attention it gets enough attention anyway. i don't enjoy quick bursts of acceleration, i like hammering it when getting on the highway or on a back road where i know it's safe and no one is around.

Sounds like you are inviting trouble by your driving habits. I've actually found the police to be more tolerant of ferrari's than other cars, probably because they like the cars.

 

If I had money for a 360, I'd buy a 308 and use the rest for a retainer.

 

I never get pulled over, never once in either ferrari. Only time I've been cited in the last decade, was in my Cayenne, I took it to court and cleaned their clock.

 

Reread Post #3-6.

+1.

Slow down. You are already the center of attention and you have a loud exhaust. No need to make it worse by driving recklessly and not obeying traffic laws.

Sorry to be a prude.

 

Awesome!

 

Love it!

A carb'd GTB I hope.

 

I have a red 360 with tubi exhaust and kinetix cats (read: loud), and in having it 2 years in SW Florida, have not been even stopped once by Buford T. Justice, much less getting a ticket.

My advice: Google satellite maps, and a Valentine One, are your best friends. I used the former to find the best empty or near-empty roads in my area. Then, when I do get on it away from the crowds (and cops), the latter helps me stay safe.

That said, every time I am out in the car in FL, I long for that one month in Malibu that I had the car when I first bought it. Every day driving on Mullholland, Latigo Canyon, Encinal Canyon, etc., etc., it was heaven. You Fchatters who live in that area are so fortunate to have those roads nearby; there is nothing at all like them in FL.

 

I concur with the masses about the custom exhaust. It is an immediate alert to any officer that you do NOT conform to the rules. They will take upon themselves to cite you for anything remotely close to what actually happened.

Sadly several laws are written that can be applied to most any situation. What the intent of the law was (public safety for example) will not be taken into consideration. You will be handed a citation for whatever fits for being the non-conformist and for making yourself visible to those with the authority to squelch your exuberance.

I by no means condone unsafe driving with traffic but I find a citation for aggressive driving or even speeding to be somewhat misplaced if you are on a lonely road with little to harm but the wind.

I suggest you keep the car as is - adjust your in town style - and adapt a calm nature until you are out of earshot of all but rustling grass and prevailing winds.

 

You need to keep the car for two more years, take very good care of it and then sell it to me. Sounds like a good plan!!

 

Another factor could be where you live. If there are few exotics, you will attract more attention. If there are many, it's more of a ho-hummer for cops.

The best advice I can give is in line with some of the others. Drive conservatively when you are in traffic situations. They will eventually get used to you being around and ignore you. Save your more aggressive driving for where there is little traffic or the track. There are fewer cops and they are more apt to give you some lanyap if there is no traffic around. Years ago I was churning 110 on a back road. A cop caught up to me and told me how fast I was going, but then he told me that he saw that I waited to pass a car so as not to cross a double line. He did cite me but only 59 in a 50. Get the idea?

 

Think about it, you're generating lots of revenue for the municipalities who are most likely totally broke. Red, loud exhaust and darting around and you're a perfect target. Sounds like you'll have to change something there? It does sound like they're ticketing for just about anything as long as you look like you've got money.

 

Honestly, I'd be stoked with any 308 variant. They're so small and nimble compared to today's cars. The new stuff has so much refined power, and more nannies than an upper class Long Island suburb. The older, classic Ferraris have zero electronic aids and two speeds: charming, and visceral. But unless I was getting a fiberglass car, I'd be hard pressed to get a GTS.

 

I also echo what the others are saying, you need to slow down. If your need for speed is that uncontrollable, then you should pay for track time. In my opinion, you are currently endagering the lives of others as well as your own. With the number of movers you've received, you are lucky that you haven't killed someone.

Keep something else in mind, if you are going 110 mph and pass a cop that is pulled over in park, do you know how fast he has to go to catch up with you, just to pull you over? He will also have to weave between lanes of traffic and use his lights and sirens to navigate the roadway just to be within distance of doing a car stop. There are plenty of drivers who panic when they see those turret lights, some of them brake hard immediately instead of pulling over to the next lane. Tell me something, if you were that cop and you had a family, do you think you would be a little pissed if you ran that person's license and you see that he has a plethora of speeders in a very short period of time?

There is nothing wrong with a cop using discretion when someone gets pulled over once in a while. He gives them a warning to take it easy instead of a ticket. The problem comes when you have a repeat flagrant disregard for safety. It's called acting with a depraved indifference. You see the risk of causing harm and the possibilty of serious physical injury or death but you do it anyway.

One last thing. Google P.O. John Kelly NYPD

http://www.nypdangels.com/cop/cop.php?id=26

Police Officer John Kelly, a 31year old eight year veteran and father of two, lost his life when the car he was driving struck a utility pole while he was chasing a fugitive on a motorcycle. He was the second NYPD Officer killed in an RMP accident that year. Guido Tritto, a 43 year old career criminal, was apprehended and charged with manslaughter, reckless endangerment, leaving the scene of an accident, criminal possession of stolen property and driving with a suspended license.

John Kelly was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor during the Annual Medal Day ceremony on December 4, 2001. The New York City Police Department Medal of Honor is the highest award that may be bestowed upon a member of the service.

You don't need a radar detector, you need to change your habits. I am sure that there are many people who love you and want you around for a long time. Please think about it.

 

dude, it's not just the car... while I agree that most people can barely drive their econoboxes between the lines and a man that knows how to drive his car can find most roads frustrating... cops have to know that you will respect others safety. I've had mine for over a year and *knock knock* havent been pulled over. Granted when they see me I'm driving the speed limit or the speed of traffic. Just wield the power wisely grasshopper, resist the reckless temptation...

 

Stop driving like an *******. It is not good for the rest of us. If you really want to go fast take it to the track. What I love most about guys like you is that when you show up to the track to "go fast" they usually are the guys getting passed by the spec miata's. So make sure that you pick a Ferrari only day.

 

+1. Was my daily commute route for the last 12 years!!

 

Mine doesn't get me in trouble and it's a red 430 with open valves. Follow the speed limit, don't weave, and try to enjoy shifting and cruising more. I know just as well as anybody that the cars want to be unleashed. But the truth is you cannot do it on public roads and highways. The risks aren't worth the rewards. And if you think about it, it only takes about 15 seconds to get thrown in jail. (0-130mph)

 

The trick is knowing when and were to plant the foot, time and place for everything just play it smart...