Easier to avoid speeding tickets in Tesla?

[VT_EE]

Reckless driving is not speed specific though

Define "reckless driving" and what rate of acceleration is reckless. If you drive in a straight line and aren't about to hit anybody, I have a hard time seeing a ticket hold up in court.

 

[holmgang]

Define "reckless driving" and what rate of acceleration is reckless. If you drive in a straight line and aren't about to hit anybody, I have a hard time seeing a ticket hold up in court.

The definition varies from state to state. Accelerating quickly can get you anything from a reckless driving charge, or exhibition of speed.

They don't need to define it in m/s to a 3 digit precision. Just like the speed "limit" depends on actual condition - theres not going to be a table with a sliding speed scale based on wind speed, daylight intensity, and rain concentation. If a cop is determined to charge you for such, you're going to have a tougher time arguing to the judge than the cop will.

 

[OCR1]

Does anyone know a person who was charged with accelerating too fast while not breaking a speed limit? I’ve never heard of that. This just sounds silly.

 

[Evoforce]

Sad to say I got a ticket just the other day. I was passing someone who was going ten under on the freeway and low and behold there was a cop on the side of the road with a LiDAR gun. Needless to say, the P3D can go from ten under to let's just say tens of mph over the speed limit in short order. Luckily he gave me a break and only wrote it for twenty something over.

In AZ 20 mph over is considered felony speed. Big trouble here for 20+.

 

[holmgang]

Does anyone know a person who was charged with accelerating too fast while not breaking a speed limit? I’ve never heard of that. This just sounds silly.

What do you think happens if you do a burnout in front of a cop while your forward speed is <1mph?

 

[mmiketa]

Does anyone know a person who was charged with accelerating too fast while not breaking a speed limit? I’ve never heard of that. This just sounds silly.

Yes, I know people who have gotten a ticket for this. And more people who were pulled over, but didn't get a ticket.

 

[cwerdna]

He gave you a warning because you didn’t do anything to get a ticket for. Without squealing tires and erratic motions, there is no crime, and police have no way to measure acceleration. In court, the officer would have to explain what exactly you did wrong. Telling the judge you accelerated too fast without providing any evidence would likely result in a good outcome for you.

I’m not aware of any law in California dictating a maximum rate of acceleration. If the speed limit is 60mph and you reach that speed in 3 seconds you are not breaking any laws as long as you are not impacting other drivers on the road in doing so.

Nope. See CVC 23109. If there are other drivers, then there's a greater chance of conviction.

I've posted about my own experience w/being pulled over for "taking off too fast" from a stop sign over a decade ago in a 140ish hp V6 FWD Dodge Caravan at Cops don't like losing to a Model S! and numerous other places before.

Law section
Exhibition of Speed - 4 critical things to know - Vehicle Code 23109c VC

 

[JeffK]

In AZ 20 mph over is considered felony speed. Big trouble here for 20+.

I hear a lot of old people retire to Arizona.

 

[⚡️ELECTROMAN⚡️]

I just have to add to my last post, that I am a 77-year-old gear head that has worked on ice cars since I was 12 years old, and my father owned his own repair garage as a part-time business. So the transition from ice to ev, was a great leap of faith to which I have no regrets. The different issues that are posted here have been a great help for me getting adjusted to the ev world. So I thank everybody who posts here for helping me giving me the information I need, to enjoy the pleasures of driving my Model 3.

I would think gear heads would appreciate electric vehicles more than the average car owner. I've also done most of my own car repairs, maintenance and have rebuilt an engine. I've had good luck with gasoline cars and kind of enjoyed working on them. I also use to think I enjoyed doing yard work. Anyway my point is after experiencing the complexity and dirtiness of gasoline cars up close and personal, I think I appreciate the simplicity and cleanliness of electric cars more than someone who doesn't work on cars.

 

[JasonR67]

Does anyone know a person who was charged with accelerating too fast while not breaking a speed limit? I’ve never heard of that. This just sounds silly.

"Excessive noise, to whit, rapid acceleration" ~1988 in MA..
(A friend of mine.. to be fair.. he was driving recklessly, and there were many other charges. He did calm down considerably after this.).

 

[VT_EE]

In AZ 20 mph over is considered felony speed. Big trouble here for 20+.

Felony for 20 over? That does sound like some craziness AZ would come up with. Totally absurd.

 

[MightyHawk]

In AZ 20 mph over is considered felony speed. Big trouble here for 20+

In parts of Massachusetts, going that slow on the non-congested highways can get you rear-ended.

I am kidding, but only a bit. My average commuting speed is 80mph in a 55, and I am just keeping up with left lane traffic.

 

[JeffK]

My average commuting speed is 80mph in a 55, and I am just keeping up with left lane traffic.

Same situation here

 

[Evoforce]

I hear a lot of old people retire to Arizona.

Yeah, pretty much a police State. But we do have some speed limits up to 75 mph.

 

[carl_o]

Reckless driving is not speed specific though

Hawaii has my favorite Rechless Driving law.

Statute HRS Section 291-2: Reckless Driving [10]
Whoever operates any vehicle or rides any animal recklessly in disregard of the safety of persons or property is guilty of reckless driving of vehicle or reckless riding of an animal, as appropriate, and shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both.

 

[SlimJim]

I'm not saying easier to avoid speeding tickets in Tesla like getting away with it and speed.

But I mean like for those who had a lead foot, is a Tesla easier to keep at legal speed limit than a gas sports car? When I had the BMW M3, it was very tempting to speed in that thing when roads were clear. Just because that kind of car only seems to perform well when going at higher speed, and any lower speed it feels sluggish. And when you feel sluggish, you want to speed.

But for the Tesla Model 3, it seems I can still enjoy the acceleration but keep it at a legal speed limit once it reaches it. So I can still have my fun without speeding. It seems with gas cars, you can't simply accelerate and feel good, you like have to go to like 80-90 mph to feel satisfied if you have a super empty freeway.

I actually got pulled over when I picked up my Tesla Model 3. Mainly for accelerating too fast. But thankfully the cop didn't write me a ticket, he just gave me a warning, and let me off for something I thought I was gonna get a ticket for. I think it was because I slowed down once I reached the legal speed limit, I was simply testing out the acceleration. But still, I was ready to accept another speeding ticket because I knew I was playing around with the car.

But now, it's much easier to keep myself under control but still have fun with the car. I can choose autopilot when the roads are empty so I can set the speed limit rather than mindlessly go 85-95 mph without knowing. Which helped alot for toll roads because toll roads in So Cal are the most tempting places to speed and get a ticket, and cops know that, so they take advantage of that. So when I go on toll roads, I usually put autopilot on so I don't speed. And I passed cop cars trying to catch speeders, knowing that because I had autopilot on I may have prevented a speeding ticket.

Now I feel more confident that Tesla will be less tempting to wanna speed. At the same time, Tesla are still very fast and constantly accelerating here and there may be considered wreckless driving depending on the cop. And Tesla can still go fast, but I think because electric cars excel at acceleration, but not at top speed, it makes it easier to not go over the speed limit, because gas cars seem to do better when at their top speed, not lower speeds.

I got pulled over tonight as I merged on a freeway. It was 60mph and I got clocked at 75mph which is consistent with what I saw on the monitor.
These things accelerate very fast. I love it.
Fortunately, the cop let me go with a verbal warning. I will have to watch my speed closely again. I have been laxed for the last year or so..

 

[SoManyM3s]

Depends on what car you’re coming from, I find myself speeding more coming from a civic. I love zig zagging past traffic in this car since it’s so responsive. But also have found myself going 80 when I thought I’m doing 60

 

[DopeGhoti]

Between the "hey dummy you're speeding" chime and Autopilot, my worries about speeding tickets are long behind me. Now if only it were better at vacating the left lane when not passing when on NoA...

 

[emailrob]

I've actually been slower on the freeway with FSD. Maybe it's that little less stressful and I don't feel the need to 'make up' for time when I got cut up 100 times in LA and OC traffic.

 

[iwannam3]

He gave you a warning because you didn’t do anything to get a ticket for. Without squealing tires and erratic motions, there is no crime, and police have no way to measure acceleration. In court, the officer would have to explain what exactly you did wrong. Telling the judge you accelerated too fast without providing any evidence would likely result in a good outcome for you.

In Oregon there is an "exhibitionist speeding" charge that does not require exceeding the speed limit, but accelerating rapidly even if it is from 0 mph to 25 mph, no burning rubber required. No excess db required, just "getting on it". Probably written for Cars and Coffee.