rets

Today I’m stunned with this car’s fuel burning efficiency on the highway. Previously my 5AT runs 25-29 MPG. Below was my car’s info and today's environmental factors,

70% oil life with Honda 5w-20 and Honda oil filter
85 Fahrenheit
I-80 West, from Pennsylvania to Ohio
Speed between 60-80 mph
Car mileage is around 11k
Gonna-be-recalled tranny
39/35 tires pressure

I floored 507 miles with only 15.780 gallons, which is 32.13 MPG. Wow, this included two trips to rest areas and one to the local restaurant. (This baby has incredible EPA on the highway although my city’s in NYC is only average 16 MPG)

Meanwhile, I saw another 3 04TLs today, 1 NBP in the gas station, 1 AM on the highway, 1 AM was pulled over by police. Unfortunately, as well as I was caught by PA cop, I drove 71 mph where the allowed speed limit is 65 mph, this is my first ticket with 04TL and the first speeding in 50 months…

Got to save some money to buy the clear bra… :o



Will my MPG be better if I drive around 50-60 mph? Absolutely...

need4spd

Rets, sorry to hear about the ticket.

TL-Rocket

They pulled you over for 71 in a 65?

How much was your ticket?

TL-Rocket

Aegir

71 in a 65? That sucks! Must be an end-of-quarter revenue quota to reach.

GaleForce

Argue that. 71 in a 65 is rediculous to get pulled over. If you go 71 on the LIE and parkways around here on Long Island you would be tailgated and honked off the road.

neuronbob

Hey, neighbor (now that you're in Ohio), sorry to hear about the ticket. We should have advised you to buy a radar detector. I, myself, have a battery-powered BEL that I only use on long trips. Travel safely!

Road Rage

Pennsylvania and Ohio suck when it comes to dipwad speed enforcement - I would not drive to the mailbox without my Valentine 1. Fight the ticket - ask for a reschedule - I have only had 1 speeding ticket since 1975, and I made a good defense and beat it.

Ron A

Condolences on your ticket.

EmuMessenger

Sorry about the ticket. In TN, you get pulled over for 32 in a 30.

Aquineas

I thought I read once that there was a 5mph margin of error in radar guns?

caball88

"F" the police. the only reason he gave you that ticket was because you had NY plates on. they know you are not going to come back and fight it.

rets

The main point of this thread is how great EPA stuff my 5AT has provided to me... but my ticket issue seemed more attention-grabbing to you guys.

Well, I have to confess, in fact I drove 80 mph at that time while this PA :cop: caught me. When his radar hit me, my BEL 855 STi radar detector did warn me by illustrating the full strength of Ka band signal. (#1) I got no time to slow down, but immediately pulled over myself. He only took my driver license without the insurance card and issued me 71 instead of 80. In the end, I signed the citation. (Another AM 04TL could be driving fast... he passed me with 90+ and flashed me three times, and was pulled over 2 minutes later)

Fine: $44.5
Emergency Medical Services Act.: $10
Catastrophic Loss Benefits Continuation Fund: $30
Cost: $30
Judicial Computer Project/Access to Justice: $10

Total: $124.5

If this point isn’t forwarded to NYS, I may just pay it… (If I have to be there, no way... the only problem is I wasn't the only one speeding, but I was the one pulled over... because of my shining 04TL with black full nose mask???)



#1: Today I was followed by one Michigan :cop: at 55 mph speed zone, my radar detector kept on/off, this :cop: seemed to only turn the radar gun ON when necessary. In the following 5 miles and he continued ON/OFF his gun at least 30 times, nor did I slow down & let him go or he's interested in passing me. Until he caught his targets, I’d been used as his shield to block opposite drivers’ view. I guess that PA :cop: catching me apparently turned on/off his radar gun too. Thus, it’s over when his radar shot me.

Another scenario is the sensitivity of my BEL 855 STi isn’t too good to detect all of radar guns… it’s not true, because so far my device has found at least 5 :cop: hidden behind tree or bridge, their radar signal strength was always from 1 to 8 (max). Two of them in OH are even using laser gun. Plenty of time for me to react. I guess that PA :cop: used this trick to get ppl???

SidS1045

There's no error in a properly calibrated radar gun, but there is an error (ALWAYS in the target motorist's favor) due to the angle between the radar beam and the car being clocked. The speed that displays on the radar is equal to the true speed times the cosine of the angle. If you're clocked dead straight on, however, there's no error (cosine of 0 or 180 degrees = 1).

alexscoupe

When researching to buy my radar detector, I remember reading that half of the Laser units in service in America are in Ohio. I have one ticket and one warning that were done by State Patrol with Laser. The lasers are harder to detect, and the cops almost always 'zap' you with the lasers, meaning they turn it on right before they clock you. You have to hope that the cop is clocking people before you get there. Even then, it's not 100% that you will pickup a laser up ahead, but any of the other radar guns should set off an alarm with any good detector when it is fired.

Neogeek

heh congrats on the mpg! sux though for that speeding ticket... well two TL's driving long distances w/ full masks on, and two speeding tickets (heh mom got on in kansas for going 91 in a 70... shes not gunna fight it though)...

You should definatly fight for it, it was nice of the cop to make it 6 miles over because i dont think he would be present if you fought it, making it seem to the judge that you driving 6 miles over isnt that bad. 6 miles over?

there are so many sources of error to be accounted for like radar angle as sid said, size of wheels (bigger then stock rims could equal spedometer inacuracy), inadequate radar calibration... the list goes on....

JoganJani

Wow! That's a great mpg you are getting rets. Sorry to hear about your ticket. I still cannot makeup my mind between V1 and Blue 8500. It's gonna be a while before I make a decision.

Sherlock

Emu: funny about the TN cop thing.. I got harrassed by a pig for doing 21 in a 20. I asked him for his name and badge # and he wouldn't give it to me so I told him to screw off and f himself and that he was just harrassing and I called his boss the next day.

Who can hold 20mph manually w/o ever hitting 21.. gimme a break. It was a Chattanooga pig.

neuronbob

Lucky you got off. Dang....as a Black guy, if I did that I would end up more than harassed...likely jailed, or worse. Yes, this can happen even in the early 21st century. It would be easier for me to be polite, take the ticket, and go on with life.

I'm in the same situation as you, jog. I'm trying to decide between V1 and the BEL RX65 (which is really just an Escort 8500) too, you can witness my angst here-click. I have to make my decision in the next week or so, otherwise I might not receive it in time for my own upcoming trip.