Man ticketed @ 88mph in his Delorean DMC-12 - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: boffin
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 31, 2017, 01:30:04 am
content: He drove his DeLorean at 88 mph. Instead of time traveling, he got a tickethttp://www.cnn.com/2017/05/30/us/delorean-speeding-ticket-trnd/

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2017, 01:43:15 am
content: I didn't even know those things did 88. I once heard somewhere they put a different dial on the one in the movie because the original DMC-12 didn't even go that fast.

author: TheSteve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 31, 2017, 02:12:13 am
content: Doing 88 MPH in a DeLorean isn't that tough. The original factory speedo didn't go to 88 MPH due to US government regulation which prohibited it at the time.

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2017, 06:58:33 am
content: Quote from: boffin on May 31, 2017, 01:30:04 amHe says he was out of plutonium so couldn't time travel but as a side bonus he (and I) are now on a government watch list for mentioning plutonium

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2017, 08:22:11 am
content: That guy must just not have passed the "attitude test" otherwise the police officer would had let him go.88 mph in a DeLorean is slow!

author: boffin
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 31, 2017, 01:50:02 pm
content: Quote from: TwoOfFive on May 31, 2017, 01:43:15 amIt was illegal in the USA to have a speedo that went over 85MPH at the time. The European ones had a speedo that went much higher.For the movie, they took the USA spec 0-85, and changed it to 15-95

author: skarecrow
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2017, 02:23:30 pm
content: Quote from: boffin on May 31, 2017, 01:50:02 pmI see they changed the numbers for KM too, but they're all in the wrong places.Sent from my XT1565 using Tapatalk

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 31, 2017, 03:25:55 pm
content: Quote from: skarecrow on May 31, 2017, 02:23:30 pmThey left the dots in the same place and just shifted the numbers around.Fail.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2017, 04:11:25 pm
content: Quote from: Brumby on May 31, 2017, 03:25:55 pmI supposed it made sense at the time, as they only had to drive the car at 78mph, although they might have not bothered and just doctored the speedo' movement too.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2017, 06:07:53 pm
content: That 85mph speedometer law was ridiculous, I remember a few years ago the woman who pushed that law was still insisting that she firmly believed it saved lives. I'm not sure how stupid one has to be to think that will work. Back when we were younger and dumber my friend had a car with an 85mph speedometer and he used to take pleasure in burying the needle.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2017, 06:16:00 pm
content: Quote from: james_s on May 31, 2017, 06:07:53 pmDid the silly law also mean that harsher punishments can't be given for speeds above 85mph? Here in the UK doing 85mph down the motorway (max. speed limit 70) will get you in a bit of trouble: a fine and possibly a speed awareness course but doing over 100 will most likely result in an instant ban.

author: skarecrow
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2017, 06:21:54 pm
content: Quote from: james_s on May 31, 2017, 06:07:53 pmI remember my first car would hit 85 at 3500rpm in 4th gear. My friend did the math to figure out when I passed the 2 cops that didn't even bother coming out after me at 5500rpm in 5th gear I was doing about 136mph. I can only imagine what kind of ticket I would have gotten. I don't drive that fast any more. I was lucky.Sent from my XT1565 using Tapatalk

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2017, 06:28:10 pm
content: Quote from: skarecrow on May 31, 2017, 06:21:54 pmI often find it funny when people talk about being lucking not getting caught for driving dangerously. I wonder how many people are actually lucky for being caught because it stopped them from killing themselves or having a nasty accident? Someone bitching about being stopped by the police doing 60 in a 30 could have had their life saved.

author: skarecrow
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2017, 06:29:43 pm
content: Quote from: blueskull on May 31, 2017, 06:25:38 pmWhen I was 17 I got stopped for doing 120+ on I95 in Virginia. I was so scared I'd lose my license or have to pay thousands in fines and surcharges. A year later I phoned in a credit card payment of just under $200 and it was all settled.Sent from my XT1565 using Tapatalk

author: skarecrow
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2017, 06:31:59 pm
content: Quote from: Hero999 on May 31, 2017, 06:28:10 pmI totally agree with what you're saying. After driving a tow truck and seeing the aftermath of so many accidents I have much greater respect for speed limits. As I already said, I don't drive like that any more. I was young and damn lucky. I didn't have to learn my lesson the hard way.Sent from my XT1565 using Tapatalk

author: skarecrow
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2017, 06:50:59 pm
content: Quote from: blueskull on May 31, 2017, 06:40:54 pmPretty sure those signs have been there for over 20 years. I haven't been down that way in a long time. Maybe they do patrol more now. My job keeps me on the road 12 hours a day, so I see a lot.The thing I find funny is how some insurance companies offer discounts to people who rarely drive. Those are the people with no practice and usually end up in more accidents. Someone who drives 12 hours a day should be much more experienced (not always the case) and able to get out of just about any situation without an accident. I lost count years ago how many times I've been hit in my truck. Most often it's while I'm stopped at a red light. Not once have I been the cause of the accident. Where's my discount?Sent from my XT1565 using Tapatalk

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2017, 06:56:40 pm
content: Quote from: Hero999 on May 31, 2017, 06:16:00 pmNo, it only regulated the speedometer, so we had 160mph supercars with 85MPH speedometers. When the highway speed limits were later raised, cruising on the highway had the needle way around at 3 o'clock, it just looks silly. I don't condone reckless driving but making the speedometer top out at 85 does nothing to prevent that.There is also a big difference between driving fast on a long straight section of sparsely used highway out in the middle of nowhere and speeding through traffic in a dense urban area weaving between other cars, that causes accidents. Of course these days the issue is not so much speed but distracted drivers who can't put their mobile phone down and watch the road. I see it every day, I was rear ended by an idiot using his phone, and weeks later a car cruised right through a crosswalk I was waiting at with the flashers on. I watched him looking down at his phone in his hand.

author: rob77
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2017, 07:29:16 pm
content: 88mph is 141.622 km/h , if you go that fast on a highway over here then cops will not even start considering to stop you because the speed limit is 130km/h and for that 11km/s over they would fine you for approx 30Euros. the cops will rather wait for someone doing 30+ over the limit and fine him handsomelyin short... "delorean" speeds are safe on highways over herebut if you would go those 141 km/h on a regular road (90km/h limit )then you would be 51km/h over the limit and that could cost you 600+ Euros and losing your driver's license as a bonus.

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2017, 01:22:20 am
content: Where I grew up there was a law that basically said if you go more than 25 mph over the limit it's no longer speeding but reckless driving. There were significantly higher penalties for reckless driving vs. just speeding. I know because I got caught once.

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2017, 08:35:07 am
content: Quote from: Hero999 on May 31, 2017, 06:28:10 pmOr worse, I've had two incidents where pedestrians were involved (no injuries and neither my fault, one of them I was stationary and a very drunk pedestrian ran into my car causing £1100 damage) and both shook me up, a lot, I suspect the guilt of having killed someone else would be far reaching in addition to the damage on other people's lives.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 01, 2017, 12:35:22 pm
content: Quote from: rob77 on May 31, 2017, 07:29:16 pmThe fastest speed limit here is 110kmh whith the exception of some unlimited speed roads in the Northern Territory.

author: skarecrow
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2017, 12:38:12 pm
content: Years back when the states started raising the speed limits New Jersey police joked that the speed limit signs should have a question mark, because people drive as fast as they want anyway.Sent from my XT1565 using Tapatalk

author: Dielectric
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2017, 02:04:28 pm
content: Adherence to speed limits seems to vary a lot from state to state in the US. I grew up in Ohio, and you'd better start worrying at 10mph over the limit, very strict pretty much everywhere but notorious on the "Turnpike". Chicago? Total joke, just go! Michigan drivers are pretty quick even on surface streets. Crossing South Dakota the limit was something like 75mph, so I did 80-85 and still got passed pretty frequently. They routinely go 100mph in Texas and don't seem to think much about it.

author: skarecrow
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2017, 02:15:59 pm
content: Quote from: Dielectric on June 01, 2017, 02:04:28 pmEven side roads in Michigan have higher speed limits than most other states I've been to. Every time I'm there (a few times a year, whenever possible) I have to adjust myself to the much faster average driving than NJ/NY. I did, however, get my first speeding ticket in at least 10 years about a year and a half ago in Michigan. Cop said I was doing about 83 (in a 70) at 3am coming back from a club on a pretty much empty highway. His main concern was if I was sober. Haven't had a drop in over 16 years, so I knew I was good on that. Well, didn't actually get a speeding ticket. I forgot what the ticket was actually for, but it was a pretty small fine and no points.Sent from my XT1565 using Tapatalk

author: skarecrow
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2017, 02:17:22 pm
content: Quote from: Hero999 on May 31, 2017, 04:11:25 pmBut do you really think they got it up to even 78 in the Twin Pines mall parking lot? Sent from my XT1565 using Tapatalk

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2017, 05:56:11 pm
content: I've been to that mall, it's not actually called Twin Pines, I forget what the name of the mall is but the parking lot still looks pretty similar to the way it looked in the movie. No I didn't try hitting 88 in the parking lot.

author: skarecrow
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2017, 06:10:05 pm
content: Quote from: james_s on June 01, 2017, 05:56:11 pmOf course it's not. Now it's Lone Pines! Sent from my XT1565 using Tapatalk

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2017, 06:21:33 pm
content: You can skip ahead to about 4:00 if you want.

author: skarecrow
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2017, 06:49:42 pm
content: Quote from: rdl on June 01, 2017, 06:21:33 pmThat was awesome! The only thing that could have made it better is if they were consistent with showing the movie clip first every time, and if they tried a little harder to get the same angles. Still a awesome vid.Sent from my XT1565 using Tapatalk

author: Nusa
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2017, 07:15:31 pm
content: Pre-1973, before the federal government got involved, some states had speed limit signs that read "Reasonable & Prudent" or similar phrases on the freeways. Which basically meant you only got stopped if the cops thought you were going too fast for conditions (weather/traffic/etc). Cars travelling over 100 were common on those interstates.Then there was 13 years of the 55 speed limit, which was widely ignored, both by drivers and cops. But it did get average traffic to slow down to 70 on freeways. That sort of set current practice where everyone goes at least 10 miles over the posted limit on freeways. So long as you're not going faster than the rest of the traffic, you're not likely to get stopped.

author: timothyaag
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2017, 07:49:56 pm
content: Quote from: skarecrow on May 31, 2017, 06:29:43 pmVirginia has, at least for a couple years now, a law that says anything above 80MPH is reckless driving. Or 20MPH over posted speed.

author: skarecrow
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2017, 07:55:19 pm
content: Quote from: timothyaag on June 01, 2017, 07:49:56 pmGlad I got that ticket out of the way back then. Can't afford ANY tickets when driving a commercial truck for a living.But on the other hand, doesn't reckless driving sound like something you would WANT on your record? Makes it sound like you've never had a wreck! Sent from my XT1565 using Tapatalk