Three years ago, I was racing to get back to Winston before a BIG thunderstorm hit just after sunset. I was followed by Crown Vic headlights as I drove, but since they weren't coming up fast behind me, I didn't get worried.
There was very little traffic on I-40 (4-lane new concrete highway) between Greensboro and Winston, so I opened it up and started driving like it was the autobahn (long sweeping passes of slower cars, flash to pass from 10-25 car-lengths back, etc.) -- very smooth, but VERY fast (more than 25 over the limit).
Yes, the Crown Vic headlights were cop car headlights, as I found out after about 4-5 miles. (I knew what I'd done -- I was off the road and stopped before he even got to me.) The undercover state trooper said he'd followed me for about 2-3 miles and asked me what my hurry was. I told him I really don't like storms (true!) and said I was trying to get back to Winston before the one developing almost over our heads hit.
Upshot? He gave me a WARNING for 92 in a 65 zone (keep in mind that in NC, police can take your license if you're going more than 15 over the limit and leave you stranded there on the side of the road) and told me the only reasons he did that were (1) I was driving very well, just fast; (2) there was very little traffic on the road and I was not tailgating or displaying any other aggressive behaviors; and (3) my last ticket had been 11 years ago.
Hehe. I said "Thanks!" quite cheerfully and drove off at 10 above the limit (the speed at which they begin writing tickets in NC). And yes, I was able to get home before the big thunderstorm dropped buckets of rain on the city.
NCbear (who really loves driving fast when conditions are good)
There was very little traffic on I-40 (4-lane new concrete highway) between Greensboro and Winston, so I opened it up and started driving like it was the autobahn (long sweeping passes of slower cars, flash to pass from 10-25 car-lengths back, etc.) -- very smooth, but VERY fast (more than 25 over the limit).
Yes, the Crown Vic headlights were cop car headlights, as I found out after about 4-5 miles. (I knew what I'd done -- I was off the road and stopped before he even got to me.) The undercover state trooper said he'd followed me for about 2-3 miles and asked me what my hurry was. I told him I really don't like storms (true!) and said I was trying to get back to Winston before the one developing almost over our heads hit.
Upshot? He gave me a WARNING for 92 in a 65 zone (keep in mind that in NC, police can take your license if you're going more than 15 over the limit and leave you stranded there on the side of the road) and told me the only reasons he did that were (1) I was driving very well, just fast; (2) there was very little traffic on the road and I was not tailgating or displaying any other aggressive behaviors; and (3) my last ticket had been 11 years ago.
Hehe. I said "Thanks!" quite cheerfully and drove off at 10 above the limit (the speed at which they begin writing tickets in NC). And yes, I was able to get home before the big thunderstorm dropped buckets of rain on the city.
NCbear (who really loves driving fast when conditions are good)