RE: Suspended Licenses

[Iain Mannix <mannix@privatei.com>]

On Tue, 12 Aug 1997, Gies, John wrote:

> i haven't lost my license...but have gotten enough $200+ Connecticut
> speeding tickets to fund a second scirocco (hmm....:-)
> 
> in CT, if you plead nolo contendre to 3 moving violations (ie just pay
> the fine via mail, no court appearance) within 2 years, you have to (i
> had to...) go to driver retraining which is a 4 hour course that you get
> the privilege of paying $50 to attend.  then, if you get another ticket
> within one year of retraining, you go to the remedial course for 8 hours
> and $100.

You'd think they'd be happy to just get their money, eh?  I've always
looked at speeding in a "potential cost" light, as it might cost me $xx to
go this fast.  


Anyhow, writing to say that YOU ALL NEED TO START AUTOCROSSING!  It has an
amazing effect on those of us who like to drive fast - all of a sudden,
you start slowing down on the streets, speeding up on Sunday.  Let me tell
you, it is strange when people congratulate you on going fast for the
first time.  I'm one of the younger autocrossers in our region - Solo is a
fairly old sport - I'm 27 now, started attending regularly in the summer
of 95.  I went to one in New England when I was 20ish, a BMWCCA event, but
I was into Jeeps at the time - thought it was cool, but it did not really
sink in.  Anyhow, I remember these fatherlike figures telling me I did a
good job, but I could go faster if I did X, Y, and Z.  Huh?  Faster?
Hmmmm.  I still drive fast on the street occasionally, but nowhere near as
much.  Last ticket I got was in the winter of 93, 1-2 hours west of
Steamboat, CO on Route 40 at 1 a.m.  For those that don't know, Route 40
is a 2 lane, speed limits of 55ish, except in towns, where a bit of
revenue collecting goes on.  Basically, it goes through the middle of
nowhere - miles of nothing interrupted by tiny towns.  I was on my way to
Snowbird, Utah, the best skiing in the lower 48.  I was going 64 in a 55
or 54 in a 45 - 9 over, saw the cop, did not think a thing about it.  He
turned around and gave me a ticket.  Those are the tickets I'd typically
get - stupid ones.  Now, I get none.  I could, I guess, I was out
"testing" a couple of days ago, desolate highway, saw 100+ a couple of
times, but those trips are few and far between.  Autocrossing has really
taken the go fast itch out of me - if you're getting tickets, autocross is
a great way to curb them.  I believe Kevin has slowed down on the street
also.  There seems to be a period right after you start autocrossing where
you drive faster, trying to put to use your newfound skills, but for me,
there's no fun in going fast without a clock to tell you if you really
went faster.  I still use offramps for their true purpose, but that's not
speeding, that's simply not slowing down;).  I'll partake in a stoplight
war here and there.  Somehow, I don't get tickets.  Not sure how that
works.  For those on the east coast, there is a big SoloI program going on
back there - SoloI being basically one car lapping sessions.  That's going
fast.  I'd love to run some hotlaps at Watkins Glen or Lime Rock.
Seriously, put aside the $40 for an autocross if you have not yet - $20 in
entries, $10 in gas, $10 in food/incidentals.  It is SO much more
rewarding than going fast on the street.  You can really make them pull
their hair out on the street, too - decimate faster cars based on exit
speed, but you're not really speeding as much, you're driving better.
Sure, it is fun to smoke your friends, but to me, it is MUCH more fun to
do it legally and have times to look at.  You become a better driver.  I
remember one incident with a Porshce 944, we both sorta raced from a
light to an onramp.  He got to the onramp first.  I think I could have
outbraked him onto the onramp, but I had bigger plans - tucked in behind
him, got set up for the corner, braked early, took a better line,
absolutely annhiliated him getting on the highway.  Took it to 65 or so,
got in the right lane, had 4-5 car lengths on him, he went screaming by at
who knows how fast.  He was not happy.  Snicker.  Nabbed a listmember
recently on the way to a Trials event, too, names withheld to protect the
innocent:).  I think he was still asleep.  So, enough lecturing from me,
but wow, you should really start autocrossing if you're getting tickets!
It is cheaper than getting speedometer verification certificates, and much
more fun, IMHO.

Mannix(keep in mind that my car is LOUD, has BFG/SCCA stickers all over
it, it is arrest me red, IE, a coptarget, and I still don't get tickets,
not even noise awards) 

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