Ferrari Mailing List: Tips on Quick Trips[NFC] - by request

[ken rentiers (rentiers]

My passion has always been long road trips in fast cars. Over the  
years I have collected a number of tips and tricks, you probably know  
most of these, If anyone else has some, please pass them along.  I  
can learn too.

I believe it is still possible to drive fast cars on public roads  
without undue interference, but it takes some dedication to avoid   
tickets. My average block speed (portal to portal including pit  
stops) averages 89 MPH. I haven't had a ticket in over 10 years.

In no particular order:

1. Pay attention. If you want to go fast turn off the music.
2. Pick your time. Good times are spring and fall, when school is in  
session. Avoid weekends and holidays. Start early - the road fills up  
after 9:00 AM.
3. Know how fast you are going. The cops have to calibrate their  
radar. Use GPS or the Interstate mile markers to check the  
speedometer. Minimum speed set to posted limit plus whatever fudge  
factor you think you can get away with on cruise control.
4. Use a demographic map. Avoid the dark blue stuff - Fellippe,  
there's you problem right there!

5. Forget the speedometer: once you have set minimum speed, watch the  
road. Look for possible places that would conceal a cop. Underpasses,  
tops of hills, foliage in the median and so on. Check the mirror  
every few seconds - when things are clear go for it. Otherwise don't.
6. Do everything to avoid attracting attention. Stay in the slow lane  
except to pass. Your apparent speed is lower to oncoming radar (Law  
of Tangents). Slow down when passing trucks and other cars - if you  
blow their doors off it is easy for an oncoming trooper to spot your  
speed. Speed up once you are back in the R hand lane and clear.
7. There are lists of speed cameras and red light cameras on the web  
that can be downloaded into your Garmin. Valentine makes the best  
radar detector imho. Believe it. http://www.gps-poi-us.com/
8. Never ever speed in small towns or school zones. In traffic cars  
bunch up into groups. Between the groups you can roll. Then work  
slowly and safely through the mobile chicane before accelerating again.
9. They can't get you on a bridge with Armco barriers, they will hide  
at the exits. Rain does not block radar enough to save you.
10. LIDAR - best you can hope for is to decrease your car's  
reflectance to the point where the trap becomes obvious. Black cars  
are best, dirty cars are better. No front plate. Tape the headlights.  
Apparently the LIDAR jammers work - I have no experience with them.
11. Co-pilots help. You can only concentrate for a couple of hours.  
When flying solo hit the cruise control for a few minutes and enjoy  
the scenery.
12.If someone with local plates goes whipping by let him run out half  
a mile and then follow. When your radar detector goes off hit the  
brakes. I got across Az once at 110 MPH doing this all the way from  
Winslow to Flagstaff.
13.  http://www.speedtrap.org/speedtraps/stetlist.asp
14. know the opposition http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ 
Texas_Highway_Patrol
15.no one is lucky all the time