Speeding

Speeding - Right or wrong we all do it. Being owners of BMW 7 Series machines, we all know that these cars are designed and built to cruise on the autobahn, not sputter along at 55MPH or 65MPH here in the states. The BMW 7 Series has recently been rev limited to 128MPH. In the days before 1994 (I think that is when the change happened) it was limited to 155MPH. I am not exactly sure where or how these limits are determined, but they seem arbitrary. Personally, I have done some rough calculations and by tachometer and redline ratios I have calculated the 1992 750iL could in theory get to 180MPH. When crusing at 90MPH the tach is at exactly 3,000 so with a 6,000RPM redline I should get to 180MPH. It may have trouble with wind resistance, since it is not a straight linear equation, and while somewhat aerodynamic, I think we all have to admit that the big sedan is not quite a slippery eel through the air. So, with all that for background I think it is safe to say that most of us do not always obey the posted speed limits. One additional note on the big-7, remember to be appreciative of your 7 Series for one feature in particular. Our big sedans, typically in non-flashy colors, do not stand out as prime targets like our brethren in the Cop-Catcher Red M3s, Mustangs and Camaros, even though we all know we are more than a match for these mighty mites, especially when we actually have to shift into high gear somewhere in the neighborhood of 120MPH or so. I will say that I do have a tendency to exceed, click here to read about some of my escapades. If you are planning to spend time above the limit, buy a radar detector. I don't want to speak for particular models, however I have heard nothing but good things about Valentine One detectors, I personally own a Whistler-880, it has saved me from a few scrapes. Please do be aware that there are several states where they are illegal, Virginia is amongst them. I know people who have been stopped for having them, if you think the police can't detect your detector you are wrong. I don't know very much about laser, other than it is not yet approved for use in Pennsylvania. Here are some general rules I like to follow. We've all heard it said but it really is true, don't be the fastest car on the road. I have been on the road on several occasions when people that have passed me have been pulled over while I drove on by. Be aware of your surroundings, this is actually a good thing even if you aren't speeding, but watch the on-ramps, bends and rises, police are notorious for hanging out just out of sight. Don't just camp in the left lane and push people out of the way, change lanes occasionally and let others pass. Since one of my incidents mentioned above involved an off duty I am always careful when I see cars too close behind me or gaining too quickly. I simply pull over and let them by. Watch the tail lights in front of you, they can indicate a predator ahead. I personally used this technique to impress my father-in-law during one recent outing to a NASCAR event. We were coming home late and it was quite dark. I had the radar detector on, but had only gotten a whisper of signal as I descended a long hill. I looked up the other side of the hill and I noticed that just as all of the cars reached the top of the hill they were braking. Now, why would they brake just as they reached the top of the hill, of course there was a patrol car there. I slowed to the speed limit as I climbed the hill and rolled past him nice and legal. My father-in-law asked, "How did you know he was there, the detector went off so long ago". I said: "Because every car hit the brakes as they reached the top of the hill". Basic rule, if you can see no brake lights for one half mile or more there probably aren't any police between you and the lead car. It's simply human nature, see a cop, hit the brakes, even if you are doing the legal limit. Another rule I follow is to know the roads I travel, I can tell you to the yard where the cops between my office and my house are likely to be. Sure, they move around a little but they have set places and simply go there. I watched a guy get pulled over in front of me because he was silly enough to go whizzing past the state police barracks at 75+ in a 55 zone. We had been tooling along at 85 or so, and as we approached the barracks I slowed and pulled into the right lane, he continued on and rolled right through the speed trap, what a knuckle-head. Most importantly, again as evident by the item referenced above, if you do get stopped do not argue with the police. My dad was a New York City patrolman, he always told me that nothing irritated him more than people arguing with him. I have talked my way out of several tickets. Rule one when addressing an officer, "Yes, sir/ma'am", "No sir/ma'am", go a long way towards showing your respect for their authority. If you truly feel you are being unduly ticketed, save it for the judge, you simply are not going to win an argument with an officer of the law on the highway, it simply doesn't happen. In the book "A Speeder's Guide to Avoiding Tickets" (I highly recommend this book, it is informative and a good read) James Eagan states that one of the officer's primary goals is to ensure safety, yours as well as theirs. If you quickly begin to argue with them, and make them feel as though they are unsure of what you might do, they are very defensive. When the police are defensive they aren't listening to whatever it is you are saying, they are watching you closely to ensure you don't make any threathening moves, so your words are simply going into the air, save your breath. Speak load enough to be heard but don't shout, just talk. On one particular occasion I was stopped for speeding, after pulling me over the officer said: "You were going a little fast for the neighborhood weren't you sir?" I said: "I'm sorry officer I probably was going faster than I should have been, I was a little lost, and I was talking on the phone trying to get directions and probably was not watching my speed as much as I should have been." Now that sounds like a ticket for sure, nope, just a warning. I had showed him respect, made it clear I knew he was right and I was wrong. Sure, I had to swallow my pride for a little while, but my wallet felt great afterwards. P.S. This is really from 1998 but the post factory won't handle 1998.