Can you get a ticket if......

[EarlyAdopter]

Whether you get a ticket really depends on the officer, check this video out. It is amazing that he got a warning!??!

Heh. Wow. As has been said here before, don't race on public roads. It's stupid and dangerous, called "contest of speed" and is a big ticket. There are drag strips everywhere. Do it there. Amazing the cop said he knew that if he confiscated the camera there'd be evidence of racing, yet let the guy go with a warning. Perhaps he thought the video getting posted to Youtube would have more impact on cutting down on street racing than giving out a single ticket. Probably some truth to that.

But spirited acceleration off the line by yourself up to the speed limit is a different matter. I think I heard the cop saying "The speed limit on that road is 45. I could hear you and the motorcycle coming from the other way, which is why I turned my lights on." Had it been a Model S by itself (or two racing - but don't do that!), the cop probably wouldn't have noticed. Go stealth!

 

[TommyBoy]

As a competitive cyclist living in Southern California I can agree with the no street racing. I lost one of my good friends last year in LA to two yahoos street racing. He was hit training on his bike as purely collateral damage.

But when I do get a Tesla there's no way I'll control myself at redlights. Turn green, look both ways, step on it up to the speed limit!

 

[NoMoGas]

Yes you can get a ticket for this, but the officer would have to prove that you intended to show off for someone, or were unsafe.

I am going to respectively disagree. The key to most of these is SPEEDING, not acceleration. If you launch to 35 MPH or so that isn't speeding, however it could be deemed as wreckless driving. Rest assured you would probably be stopped and get a stern talking to as if you were 16 again (don't you just looooooooove that?)

As for the reckless driving, Id be a bit concerned is someone or something jumped out so no, I never ever ever rapidly accelerate my MS (lies, lies and more lies) :biggrin:

 

[AmpedRealtor]

I believe a police officer would have a very difficult time proving to a judge that someone's above average acceleration from a stop light - without actually speeding - constituted any kind of danger or threat. The officer would also have to prove that you were racing or trying to show off, which would require some type of interaction or public display from you as the driver. If I were cited for "launching" from a red light in the absence of smoking tires and a racing partner, I would gladly take it in front of a judge.

 

[brianman]

Related:
Acceleration Laws?

 

[xray]

This brings up a question: Can you get a ticket for doing that?

All over my city we have these 50mph speed limit corridors with stoplights. It would be a blast to launch on a green light and hit 50 mph! There is something called exhibition of speed and you can be fined for it but I believe it stems from "burning rubber" or screeching the tires or basically drawing attention to yourself.

I had also heard about being stopped for exhibition of speed and last week it happened. Not sure if one of the "corridors" you're referring to is Culver drive but that's exactly where Irvine police stopped me for that. It was at nighttime with very little traffic. I made a right turn and accelerated fast (but did not floor it), up to basically the speed limit and I set cruise control to 53 (speed limit 55). Police came up from behind after about a mile from the original acceleration and stopped me. I was unsure initially why I was being stopped and he didn't believe me when I said I was going the speed limit. That's when he mentioned that my acceleration had been too fast and that he had trouble catching up. He let me go with a warning but, if you're driving through Irvine, you can definitely get a ticket if...

 

[NoMoGas]

Related:
Acceleration Laws?

VERY interesting

- - - Updated - - -

I had also heard about being stopped for exhibition of speed and last week it happened. Not sure if one of the "corridors" you're referring to is Culver drive but that's exactly where Irvine police stopped me for that. It was at nighttime with very little traffic. I made a right turn and accelerated fast (but did not floor it), up to basically the speed limit and I set cruise control to 53 (speed limit 55). Police came up from behind after about a mile from the original acceleration and stopped me. I was unsure initially why I was being stopped and he didn't believe me when I said I was going the speed limit. That's when he mentioned that my acceleration had been too fast and that he had trouble catching up. He let me go with a warning but, if you're driving through Irvine, you can definitely get a ticket if...

If you have a phone capable of doing this, I would record any traffic stop. If an officer tells you he can't believe you weren't speeding that ticket would go out the window in court. They need to observe you breaking the law to stop you and to the best of my knowledge rapid but safe acceleration is not against the law in most states. Id still need a really good reason to do it (blonde in the passenger seat for example) and wouldn't try it deliberately in front of a police officer as they tend to take it personally. Give em a break, their stuck in a gas guzzling Crown Vic that has the acceleration of a Bradley Armored Vehicle (and about the gas mileage of one) :biggrin: