Destiny

Hi

I live in Belgium and love to speed from time to time... speeding tickets here are from ? 50 (when going 10kmh too fast) till ? 200 (when going 40kmh too fast). Over 40kmh will suspend your license. Driving on highways for over an hour gives you a 25% chance of passing an officer in a stationed car trying to catch you. Radar detectors are not allowed but the since the pope is a catholic

Now I'm planning on moving to California and since I love the speed I'm so worried I will get in trouble over there.
Since a lot of people on this forum live in the States I would like their input on my case.

I checked some websites for CA and they always talk about higher risks when speeding but having driven on the German Autobahn a few times I can assure you that driving 200kmh (equals 125mph) can be perfectly safe when keeping distance and staying alert. I did 260kmh (162mph) when I starting feeling unsafe.
Having said that I can assure you that looking forward to speed limits of 65mph on superwide highways makes me kind'o sick.

Or are there ways to speed legally in CA on tracks?

TIA

JSpira

Unless you can account for all of the drivers around you, it is still a higher risk. Driver training in the U.S. is a joke compared to most European countries (I can only vouch for Germany and Austria having extensive training before you can get your license) plus there are uninsured unlicensed drivers on the road (which happens much less frequently in Europe).

So be careful.

gwf545

Welcome to California? It's a big state, what city / metro area are going to move to?

As for speeding, I have lived here for 23 years, never had a ticket and occasionally break 100 MPH in short bursts, mostly inadvertently. I could just be lucky, but I suspect ther is more to it. For one, the traffic enforcement police are terribly overworked here. Also, I believe the rules here for the Highway Patrol (rural, freeway & limited access highway traffic enforcement) are quite strict about using radar / lidar, so they mostly have to pace you to assess your speed. If you are alert, you USUALLY won't get caught. Speeding on urban or suburban streets is enforced by local police and they seem to have more leeway in use of technology to nail you. However, most people seem to trave 10-20MPH faster than posted limits without care. I recall some time ago that the police had to publicize in advance where & when they would be using radar / lidar, but I don't know if that is the case currently.

Destiny

I noticed you live in the San Diego area... well... I'll be moving to San Diego in June.

Your reply comforts me since I have the impression that the situation is not much different from the Belgian one... only, we can drive 78mph on the highways without even risking a ticket since perfectly within legal boundaries. Speeding tickets are rarely issued for speeds below 85mph.

Doesn't it feel too slow driving 70 or even 65? If people would drive that slow over here they would risk falling asleep

Destiny

Here in Belgium a couple of radio stations anounce all police speed checks every 30 minutes. The station that started this, Q-music, calls them 'falling stars'.
When driving on highways and tuning into one of these radio stations you can speed with a very limited risk of getting caught.
Installing a radar detector is for sure the best way to avoid any ticket... setting the cruise control to 100mph can worst case get you a fine but you will be able to keep your license, even when you get caught 10 times a day... they don't keep any record of speeding tickets below 100mph.

gwf545

When the traffic is light enough, you can easily cruise at 85MPH here and probably not get noticed. The problem is that it isn't light enough very often. The best run is between here and Las Vegas. 90 MPH on Interstate 15 is not uncommon on all but Friday and Sunday.

Bimmer32

The only fast driving you can do in the States is on the Interstate highway (major city to major city) and from 12:00 am to about 5:00 am in the city highways. Outside that, you'll get use to driving near or close to the speed limit of 65/75 mph.

Destiny

Since I love a poker game from time to time you can expect to see me often on the I15

I'm also considering of buying a convertible... that can give me the same fun at lower speeds... I noticed a 997 Carrera 2S Convertible in the US is about $40,000 cheaper compared to Belgium... guess I'll be in the market for that one.

Thanks for the comforting, I'll be able to sleep now.

Freewilly

There is a new law in California. If you pass 100mph, you go to jail.

Iceman

And don't forget that the roads in the US are mostly not in European conditions.
The surface is very often other than what we have over here, and there is a lot of stuff on the road that isn't supposed to be there. A blown tire happens very often in the US, but over here...