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NOHOME
NOHOME SuperDork
5/21/14 1:23 p.m.

Picture if you will, a world where speedometers are not part of the vehicle package? Perhaps even prohibited by law!

Sounds silly at first, but think of it, what useful data does the speedometer bring to the driving experience?

Between driving MGs where speedometer absence is the norm, having speedometers in Km and living in Mile zones and vice-versa, I have become a non consumer of speedometer data. Cant say as I miss it much. Also can't say as I have turned into a raving speed demon. I don't have a ton of speeding tickets. I watch where I am going and attempt to reach my destination in a timely manner. I advocate that speedometers be banned from cars in the name of safety. Every driving enthusiast should be behind this movement.

Think about it, for "safety reasons", speed has been identified as the most lucrative form of automobile taxation after the gas pump. One result is a paranoid driving public who spends too much time looking at a speedometer in order to avoid a fine. People glancing away from the road tend to run into the ass end of other people if and when they have to stop quickly. On the other hand, nobody has ever run into a speedometer, so stop looking at the damn thing!

N Sperlo
N Sperlo MegaDork
5/21/14 1:28 p.m.
NOHOME wrote: People glancing away from the road tend to run into the ass end of other people if and when they have to stop quickly.

Peripheral Vision

I do like the Twilight Zone reference, though.

pjbgravely
pjbgravely Reader
5/21/14 2:51 p.m.

In reply to stuart in mn:

You would think bikes would be more careful but the opposite seems true.

I forgot I almost recently got T-boned at a school traffic light by a truck , good thing I always look both ways before going on green.

SVreX
SVreX MegaDork
5/21/14 3:32 p.m.

In reply to pjbgravely:

The mindset of the average person who wants to strap a crotchet rocket between their thighs and flirt with the prospect of being a hood ornament for a semi is a little different than the mindset of the average soccer mom wanting to tuck her cherubs into their airbag surrounded mini van cacoon and teleport them to play practice.

Derick Freese
Derick Freese UltraDork
5/22/14 5:28 a.m.
SVreX wrote:
Derick Freese wrote: Dude, I use my real name here. Do you think I'm going to post my hooning on the internet? BTW, closed industrial parks are fun. I came up on cops DOING donuts one day.
That's awesome.

Even better is that my mom used to have a car that would outrun everything the local agencies had. She knew because they went out on an empty straight road and would drag race. For the longest time, I used to think this was a BS story, but I met one of the officers one day and confirmed the story of "The Blue Streak", which is what everyone called her car.

Probably shouldn't be sharing stories of cops drag racing, but drag racing squad cars is always worth mentioning.

TeamEvil
TeamEvil HalfDork
5/22/14 10:45 a.m.

"It reads; "You Can't Fix Stupid!"

I have one that reads, "Ask Me About My Grand Children."

Have no kids OR grand kids, but it's the perfect disguise as I speed ALL of the time . . . also have an AARP sticker and one of those stupid fish symbols, gonna put them on this Summer when Speeding Season begins in earnest.

My buddy is a plumber and I'm hoping that he can get me one of those, "I Support the Local (insert union designation here)" window stickers. That will complete the camouflage.

What cop is gonna stop am elderly, Christian, AARP member, who's also a union man with grand children waiting at home?

"No Sir, I did NOT know that I was speeding. Why, WAS I?" If you admit to the crime you WILL be ticketed, it's the law. ALWAYS say that you were unaware of your speed, but simply enjoying the drive, then fake a hacking cough . . .

Kenny_McCormic
Kenny_McCormic UberDork
5/22/14 11:02 a.m.
NOHOME wrote: Picture if you will, a world where speedometers are not part of the vehicle package? Perhaps even prohibited by law! Sounds silly at first, but think of it, what useful data does the speedometer bring to the driving experience? Between driving MGs where speedometer absence is the norm, having speedometers in Km and living in Mile zones and vice-versa, I have become a non consumer of speedometer data. Cant say as I miss it much. Also can't say as I have turned into a raving speed demon. I don't have a ton of speeding tickets. I watch where I am going and attempt to reach my destination in a timely manner. I advocate that speedometers be banned from cars in the name of safety. Every driving enthusiast should be behind this movement. Think about it, for "safety reasons", speed has been identified as the most lucrative form of automobile taxation after the gas pump. One result is a paranoid driving public who spends too much time looking at a speedometer in order to avoid a fine. People glancing away from the road tend to run into the ass end of other people if and when they have to stop quickly. On the other hand, nobody has ever run into a speedometer, so stop looking at the damn thing!

This reminds me of a traffic study I read about, on some crazy busy street in London they ripped out all the street signs, lights, and most of the lane markers to see what would happen. Not only were there less accidents, there was less congestion/higher average traffic speed too.

EDIT: found it http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/controlled-chaos-european-cities-do-away-with-traffic-signs-a-448747.html

yamaha
yamaha UltimaDork
5/22/14 11:03 a.m.

In reply to TeamEvil:

I was chatting with a friend(state trooper) the other day in a parking lot along side a 25mph limit road, a midget on a Honda Grom zipped past at 58. He asked what I slipped in his coffee.

carbon
carbon HalfDork
5/22/14 8:13 p.m.

Wow, this went nuts while I was away for a couple days!

BlueInGreen44
BlueInGreen44 New Reader
5/22/14 8:24 p.m.

I mean, I rev the nuts off my Escort through the first three gears at least three times every day...

...that usually is enough to get me to the speed limit.

Here's one vote for, "It's more fun to drive a slow car on the street."

carbon
carbon HalfDork
5/22/14 8:44 p.m.

And one vote for "it's more fun to drive a horrifyingly fast car on the street"

corytate
corytate UltraDork
5/22/14 9:03 p.m.

I can neither confirm nor deny that the rear end of a genesis coupe breaks loose slightly turning onto an industrial road by my old apartment.
Nor can i confirm or deny that I shift at 3k in order to hear the twin scroll spool up to full boost, no matter the speed limit.
This is city traffic, though, everyone drives like a maniac. lol

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