bigmalc

Anyone know the laws re. speeding in the States - talking to few blokes in the pub and the general belief is that there's no points sysytem - just an on the spot fina and a revolver in your ear - occured to me that with the rash of luvly gatsos popping up everywhere, the UK could adapt a policy of fines only?

Formula1

Hello,

I will try to help with the myths of speeding in the U.S...I am from Tampa, Florida....There are points given with a fine. Each state is different, but all are similar. I will tell you of the Florida penalties....you are allowed 12 points before your driving privelages are revoked. when you are pulled you will start of with a flat moving violation fee of est. $70.00 then and additional like $5.00 for every MPH over the posted limit. If you are speeding in a construction zone, your fine will be doubled along with your points. depending on the situation you can get 3 to 4 points per moving violation! these points will be deleted after I believe 3 years.....

I hope this answers your questions!

John, Florida USA
2000 Impreza 2.5RS

Puff The Magic Wagon!

iTrader: (2)

John

Typical English question but WTF is a "Construction Zone"?

Built up area (ie Tampa) or where they're making houses? I would have thought that Tampa was already "built" so therefore why penalise for speeding in an area where they are building houses/sky-scrapers?

AKA JamesH

rsquire

Construction Zone = roadworks..

Richard

RobJenks

As far as I can recall a 50mph limit is applied everywhere in the states.
Thats where that tosser MPH learned to drive!

subverbal

I got stopped for speeding in a Chevvy Cavalier RS (2.2 litre, handled like - well, never driven anything nearly as bad to compare it with!). This was in Ohio in 1996.

I was doing 67 in a 55 and just got a caution. Poor cop couldn't make head or tail of my UK driving license !!

Lots of interstates have a 65mph limit, depending on the state. Nebraska has limits of 75 in some areas, probably so you can get across without slitting your wrists thru boredom !

Weird driving habbits over there, most ppl stick religiously to the speed limits !! Mind you, their police hide themselves well, they don't sit on nice visible 'perches'.

mutley

I live in New England and have been here for 9 months. Going home to England and a new scoobie in 3m!!!

Although the speed limits are generally lower here (65-55) in practical terms everyone drives at 75-85 just like in the UK. I was on my way to Montreal to see the GP this weekend, and got followed by a marked car at 80mph without incident.

The real problem here is the average American drivers complete lack of road awareness or lane discipline. They will drive for miles and miles on an empty highway in the outside lane, impervious to any requests to let you pass. If you finally go past them on the inside (a common if doubtful practise) they STILL don't pull in. It makes the UK middle lane drivers look like Jackie Stewart in comparison.

Basil

Hmm, well, let's see here - just add a little bit..

We do indeed use a point system here, very similar to the one described.. The weird thing is I know people with 19 points who are still allowed to drive - personally, I don't think they should be allowed to breath, but hey..

And yes, there are awful American drivers.. It's funny you mention lane discipline, because most people here haven't even heard of it.. Or turn signals, for that matter.. Are Americans the worst drivers around? Having driven in Italy, I'm gonna say no.. What kind of drivers education do you have? We essentially get sat in front of a few "blood on the highway" movies and that's it..

As to the revolver in the ear, most cops are now issued auto-loaders instead.. I still find it amusing how fixated most english seem to be about our guns.. Shall I point out that many of your policemen have MP-5's in their cars?

I do envy you with your nice twisty roads - most of the ones here are clogged with yuppies and their 6000 lb SUV's.. I was unaware, but apparently it takes a 6000 lb car to transport a 125 lb soccer mom and her 125 lbs of kids.. Ah well..

As yes, one thing Mutley forgot to mention - those people riding in the left lane are usually going all of 45 mph..

Basil

Formula1

Everyone,

I must say that the average American driver sucks! But there is one thing cool, there are many places to max out a cars speed limit!

Another: with bad driver's driving here, it is almost like practicing for the 24 hours of Lemans! Explanation: I am in the Tampa, Florida area, very busy highways, many speed differences- feels like there are 4 classes of race cars racing on the same circuit- I hit over 100+ mph everyday weaving in and out of traffic on the way to work, with four lanes to play with- it is fun and I believe it is a very good testing ground for future drivers!
Note: There are many accidents on these roads and many fatalities- not for the weak of heart!
Fun factor - 10 - as long as there are no accidents and no police!

John
MY00 2.5RS Impreza
Tampa, Florida

Paul Wilson

Basil, yeh some cops do have guns in thier car, but it is a small percentage and they cannot just whip them out, generally its where the car does 2 jobs, i.e. traffic and armed response.
The only time I've ever personally seen a policeman with a gun was at Heathrow airport.
Its all down to gun culture, you have one we don't, most people in this country haven't even SEEN a gun.

Basil

Yeah, I suppose.. It's kind of a shame, as shooting is a very enjoyable hobby. Like everything else, idiots screw it up by using them illegally.. Oh well..

Still, I think the "gun culture" is a bit overblown. Yes, we do have a great deal of guns, but our police rarely "whip them out" without good cause - traffic stops usually aren't - but I do understand your point that your police are more restricted in their use of weapons. The media here, and to some extent, the worldwide media, tends portray gun owners here as psychos.. Ah well - neither the time nor the place for this sort of thing, really.

Anywho - what kinda of testing is required for your driver's licensing?

Basil

Swiss Steve

..never miss an opportunity to take a pot at the Yanks !!

Working for a Large American company in Europe (and loving it !) I go into Detroit quite often...

Lane discipline - everything you've just read is true. You wait behind them.. and wait.. and wait.. you try the German trick of using your indicator.. you wait some more.. Then you overtake (undertake ?) on the inside lane watching them like a hawk in case the git starts to finally move over to where s/he should be. I wonder whether this comes from years of driving at 55 mph (since the 70's oil crisis) where all lanes tend to move at the same speed.. now the limits are higher they haven't 'twigged' yet.

American cars are crap - absolutely god damn right. Besides them all being auto's, often with column shifts and some still with bench front seats (mmmmmm, I remember that Oldsmobile I got from AVIS one time..). Working for a US company there's a good chance of working over there for a year or two, so I always keep myself occupied looking on the opposite lane of the highway to see what i might drive. Well, it wouldn't be one of those clunkers it would have to be a European or Jap one. (Mind you the new Mustand doesn't look too bad.. I said 'look')

American cars are tasteless - even more true than the previous statement. Where else would you still see a vinyl roof - and a half-vinyl roof, at that ! If I mentioned the model names, it wouldn't mean anything to you, so suffice to say - they're all crap. (Especially Buicks & Cadillacs).

Paul Wilson

Test is theory test plus 25 mins? on real roads with examiner, fail for driving too slow as well as too fast, not all that easy

subverbal

Driving in the states I've always ignored lane discipline and passed on either side - seems to be the done thing. I find it easier than waiting behind someone to pull over, because they won't !

Driving around US cities is far easier than here - 25mph speed limits help !! You get about 30 minutes to plan your next left turn ! I feel sorry for Americans hiring a car in London (not to mention Paris!), must seem like madness.

As for guns, the only ones I've seen over here belonged to Portsmouth Naval Base security bods. Quite a novelty factor !

Pete Croney

I've just come back from the good ol USA. (Hi, how are you today? I'm sunburnt and hung over, but thank you for asking)

New York... A 5 lane GP from every set of lights and a mad bout of lane changing on the approach to the next red light. Huge fun in a taxi, but a game for hero's if you are in a rental car. Every car in New York, from 10 year old wrecks to brand new Limo's, has a dent.

Nantucket... A small island 30 miles off Cape Cod 13x2.5 miles in size. Some absolutely fantastic roads although the fastest parts are limited to 45mph. Most are 25 or 30mph. But, most of the island is unmade sand roads. Need I say more? The downside was that I had a Dodge Durrango. V8 selectable 4wd etc, etc. It could not pull the side off a wet paper bag, did about 8mpg and felt very dangerous on a twisty bit of tarmac. Give me an Isuzu Trouper any day.

Interesting thing about US driving...

The whole country is in uproar, as fuel has just hit $1.60 a gallon. Yes, read that again!!!! Thats about 24p per litre. You will be heartened to know that Congress has put pressure on OPEC and the refiners, and some downward price movement is expected soon. Fuel was $2.30/gal on Nantucket, but it is an island.

No speeding tickets, as the cops are so busy writing parking tickets, they don't leave Nantucket town.

A great country and lovely people, apart from the incessant questioning about how I was on that particular day.

Travis R

Speeding laws definitely vary from state to state. Esspecially the way they are enforced. In Texas there is no fine for going 0-10mph over the speed limit, just the penalty for your insurance company. So the police will usually leave you alone if you are in that range because there isn't any money in it for the state. 10-20 mph over the posted limits is a few hundred dollars, and so on up the scale. There is some point where if you are going too fast they will just haul your butt right to jail.
One of the neat things about Texas (believe me there are many) is that you are essentially allowed one speeding ticket a year with no penalty to your liscence if you take "defensive driving". That is a class in which you waste 8 hours of your life listening to some excruciatingly boring troglodyte talk about how speeding is dangerous and how you aren't supposed to try to drive over flooded bridges, etc (you have to stay awake to get credit).
"Gun culture" Ha Ha Ha. There is a "Gun and Knife" show at least three times a year in my city. You can walk in off the street, prove that you are of legal age (18 yrs old, younger with a parent) and buy a hunting rifle and a high powered scope capable of sniper work. And pistols galore. All cops are armed and where very expensive pullet proof vests.

boxst

Travis:

Mmm .. Texas is an interesting place certainly. It's legal to carry a concealed weapon (almost required!) and ladies handbags have an extra pocket for the little handgun....

Steve.