I was watching Top Gear and as they were testing some high performance cars I had a question or two that I thought "interesting"
Suppose I was in a "supercar" with a 0 to 60 time of say 3.5 seconds and I was at a set of traffic lights with a police car next to me and the road in front was a 60mph limit, clear road etc etc.
The lights change and I floor the throttle and accelerate as fast as I could up until I reached 60 and then back off, would I be breaking the law.
Also, a cop is pointing a speed gun at me and another at a much slower car, both accelarating up to 60, bearing in mind the vastly different accellaration times and the constantly changing speed, would the gun show the speed of both cars accurately ?
If one car is accelarating so much faster than the other, at a particular snapshot in time, would the speed gun over read on the faster car.
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I suppose you could easily get done for dangerious driving even if you're not going over the speed limit. If you're focusing on getting to 60 in 3.5 seconds you're not looking at the road properly.
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I floor the throttle and accelerate as fast as I could up until I reached 60 and then back off, would I be breaking the law?
Attracting attention yes, breaking the law no.
After a display like that in front of the police you'd probably get a tug anyway though, just to check all docs in order, supercar not just been stolen, etc etc.
Edited by Dave_TD {P} on 05/10/2009 at 23:47
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Maybe, but my supercar has a speed limiter set to 60mph so I don't have to look anywhere but the road.
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I am sure the police would love to throw 'dangerous driving' or 'driving without due care and attention' to anyone accelerating fast (but within the speed limit).
maybe even a good telling off for driving like that given the road conditions at the time (even on a perfectly sunny day with a dry road).
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Where do the police draw the line then.
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As police are human I guess it would depends on the exact circumstances, the road, the mood of the copper, weather etc etc.
If I was a copper though and saw somebody speeding from 0-60 in 3.5 seconds I would pull them! The roads are not for racing on and the speed limits are only apart of the laws you have to follow when you use the roads.
Edited by Rattle on 06/10/2009 at 00:00
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Why, what law would I have broken ?
As a policeman, it is your job to uphold the law, not pull me because you don't like it.
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Well I assume that sort of speed would produce a lot of tyre marks, so crinimal damage for one.
It would make a real racket so I could do you for anti social behaviour (even if you're in a dessert).
Of course all the above highlights why I am not a copper but I am pretty sure if I tried it in front of a policeman I would get into quite a lot of trouble!
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I ampretty sure if I tried it in front of a policeman I would get into quite a lot of trouble!
Not at all Rattle me old mate, but he'd be very interested to have a poke nose under the Corsa (it is still a Corsa isn't it) bonnet..;)
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Haha but if it was in my Corsa you would have to times 3.5 seconds by ten and then divide it by two. There are several people that have put 2.0 16v engines in them from a Cavilier but even then I reckon it would still take 8 seconds.
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Rattle, you could always try it down a 1 in 3 hill and see how that helps. ;-)
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There's no law against rapid acceleration, just speed limits. If you accelerate at startling speed but only up to the speed limit the old bill are going to applaud you, provided of course you haven't upset or endangered anyone in the process.
That said, though, I note that deliberate wheelspin, a widespread casual pastime in the Antipodes, is now illegal in New Zealand. First victim of the new law against 'deliberate loss of traction under accleration' or whatever they call it was a motorbike, oddly I thought.
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I may have mentioned before that in many European countries it is an offence to 'Lose control' of a vehicle. This may or may not include wheelspin, wheelies and doughnuts but certainly does include skidding or crashing generally.
I suppose it would be ok to out-accelerate a Plod car without spinning the driving wheels but I would expect to be pulled for it. I was once pulled for having the audacity to overtake one up a steep hill. 'Why the hurry, sir?' Simple fact was I was cruising up it at 50 and his car was struggling to do 35. I'll think before doing that again........
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>>deliberate wheelspin, ... is now illegal in New Zealand.
Thou jesteth, Shirley? Can't be long before we have a Wheelspin Tsar then.
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There's no law against rapid acceleration, just speed limits <<
Wrong - you can be charged with excessively revving your engine, spinning the wheels, handbrake turns, etc.
www.moray.gov.uk/moray_news/news_58372.html
Wouldn't be surprised if there is similar legislation darn sarf.
Edited by Lygonos on 06/10/2009 at 02:04
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>>It would make a real racket so I could do you for anti social behaviour (even if you're in a dessert).
Wrong course Rattle. He'd be in the soup, not in the dessert!
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The thread seems to be drifting towards the making of lots of noise and wheelspin being a "pulling" point.
My "Supercar" is as quiet as a rustling leaf, say a V12, and is semi automatic with all the traction gizmos known to man.
I want to enjoy the performance of my car but not break speed limits.
Why should I not be able to accelarate as fast as I can assumming it is safe to do so.
OR
Is the brainwashing nearly complete.
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I heard someone trying out a Lamborghini in Manc: quite as a leaf my eye! More like WW3. I believe some "supercars" have an arrangement to bypass most of the silencing when giving it welly. Ergo, giving it welly alongside a policecar is going to risk nicking for various breaches, including noise and inconsiderate driving.
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For years now I have wondered why the 0-60 time is regarded as important. If you have any performance at all the wheels will be spinning upt to 40 or more so the time for that part of the run is as much a matter of luck as anything. Why not quote the 40-100 time. Below 40 wheelspin rules and how often is anyone going to drive above 100 on a public road?
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ISTR you can still be done for "driving furiously".
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Is the brainwashing nearly complete.
It was over and done years ago my friend.
Cyclists are the next target for "cycling furiously", yes people are really convicted of this.
After cyclists are brow beaten into going far too slowly, next up will be runners/joggers and finally regular pedestrians in busy streets.
Prosecutions for walking too quick, you heard it here first... :)
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The lights change and I floor the throttle and accelerate as fast as I could up until I reached 60 and then back off would I be breaking the law.
Not simply because of your acceleration, no.
Also a cop is pointing a speed gun at me and another at a much slower car both accelarating up to 60 bearing in mind the vastly different accellaration times and the constantly changing speed would the gun show the speed of both cars accurately ?
Not both at the same time AFAIK.
If one car is accelarating so much faster than the other at a particular snapshot in time would the speed gun over read on the faster car.
No.
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