Ferrari Mailing List: Speeding close call......

[Hans E. Hansen (FList]

OK, looks like a few of us aren't doing anything worthwhile on a Sunday
afternoon.  (Actually, I'm quasi-working - waiting for the financial markets
to open the evening session.)  I'll relate a *very* embarrassing story....

A couple of weeks ago I was travelling from home (Roseburg, OR) to
Eugene to pick up sister-in-law.  I was cruising at my usual 80-85mph.
Note that I very rarely pass on the right and I try to acknowledge that
others may not realize that I am catching them at a greater than normal
rate.

So...  Coming to a hill is a car that is near identical to the one that I
left in my driveway - a late model Chev Impala.  Mine is the SS, but
I could see from the skinnier tires that this one wasn't.  As I approached,
the car moved over from the left to the right lane.  I sped up a bit, as
there was some truck traffic on this hill and I wanted to get in front
of this car before he pulled back left.  I crested the hill - which also
was on a corner - going maybe 85.  80 down the hill to where it leveled
out.  Then 80-85 for a few miles.  The guy that I passed on the hill
tucked right at my bumper, sometimes dangerously close.  I would
pull over right to let him re-pass, but he would hang right there on
my left rear corner.  After 10 miles or so, I had a semi pull out right
in front of me and I had to dog the brakes hard.  I blew the horn to
let him know he cut me off.  As soon as the truck pulled back into
the right lane, I passed.

Well.....  The guy following me tucked right back in behind and
turned on some hidden reds and blues.  I about crapped my pants.
Turns out he was a plain clothes detective and said that if he wasn't
going to a meeting that he would haul me in for Class 1 wreckless
driving - 1 year in jail and $10,000 fine.  He had radio'd for a
patrol car to cite me, but after a while he thought enough was
enough and pulled me over.  He claimed that I was going 95 at
times, but that number was at least 5 higher than any I saw.

I got a loooooong lecture.  My car wasn't suited for high speed
driving,  as my suspension wasn't up to it and my tires could have
simply folded under on the rims on some of the high speed corners.
I didn't tell him that I used to sell cop cars and that what I was
driving had a much superior suspension than his.  Nor did I mention
that I was riding on some quality Z-rated tires.  Also, at his
insinuation that his training made him more qualified than I,
I conveniently didn't mention all the race schools that I had
been to.  (And I really was not going that fast around corners,
etc.)  Nope, kept my mouth shut and ate crow.

He let me off...........

Hans.