Speeding Tickets Over 100MPH Have Jumped 87% in California

Peter Holderith

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Any of you guys been outside lately? Not a lot of people driving despite gas being so cheap. This combination, despite the pandemic, is apparently giving people ideas. Along with the recent new cannonball record, speeding tickets in California are rising rapidly.

On the face of it, this makes plenty of sense. You’re driving down an arrow-straight section of highway, you don’t see anybody else (even if the cop sees you) so you figure why not. It’s certainly risky and irresponsible–considering that you may be taking vital emergency services away from somebody who may need it more–but that isn’t stopping an additional 1,158 people from getting tickets exceeding 100MPH so far this year.

The LA Times reports that one driver was ticketed for driving 165MPH down Interstate 5 in his Camaro. I haven’t seen something like that since I was on the Autobahn. Germans seem to like American cars for some reason–and Harleys–which is weird. I guess I’m veering a little off topic here.

I guess If you live in California and you’re driving on the Interstate a lot, stay in the right lane as much as you can. That’s one thing I learned from the Autobahn. If you aren’t doing 120, get the hell out of the way. Just because these people may be speeding excessively doesn’t mean they have to endanger other people besides themselves. Stay safe out there.

 

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Peter Holderith

Peter Holderith

East coast writer of car satire. Slightly more serious things written sometimes as well. Interested in most forms of transportation.

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15 responses to “Speeding Tickets Over 100MPH Have Jumped 87% in California”

  1. Sjalabais Avatar
    Sjalabais

    Germans seem to like American cars for some reason

    I grew up in Germany and the notion of going 200 kph on the Autobahn was once the bedrock of German identity – as well as some…eh…poets? Anyway, even though a country as populated as Germany will have a few who will like almost anything, the general mood towards American cars is that these cars are shoddily made, fuel guzzling dinosaurs with cream cake as suspensions. It’s funny how that stereotype hasn’t changed despite notable efforts – looking at you, Cadillac – but, instead, “free speed” is no longer an undisputable point in Deutschland.

    Reply
  2. 0A5599 Avatar
    0A5599

    People can afford to speed in California now that gas is under $6/gallon.

    Reply
    1. Zentropy Avatar
      Zentropy

      I had accrued a $1.00-per-gallon discount at my grocery store because we haven’t been using as much fuel lately. When I finally needed to fill up the minivan, it cost me $0.60 per gallon. It reminded me of the sub-$1/gal prices of my youth.

      Reply
      1. 0A5599 Avatar
        0A5599

        I remember when the stations sold gas by the liter because gas got above a buck per gallon and the mechanical pumps would only price as high as 0.999. I have bought sub-$1/gal gas in the 21st century, though.

        Reply
        1. Wayne Moyer Avatar
          Wayne Moyer

          The last time I bought sub dollar a gallon gas was 1997 back in New Jersey at the PA Turnpike exit when a Super Wawa opened. That was twenty cents the station across the street to encourage people to go there.
          Oh man the thought of 1997 when I drove 60,000 miles for work. The idea of when there were Wawa’s and Super Wawa’s. I’m so old. This is what the old Wawa’s looked like before they became the things they are now.
          https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/447fdf6b82120510fb8ba1613768c015a113c7f2c78fd4fe854613e3b76d1bd0.jpg

          Reply
          1. Vairship Avatar
            Vairship

            I am saddened to know that Wawa was NOT named for the sad trombone.

  3. Fuhrman16 Avatar
    Fuhrman16

    The problem with staying in the right lane, at least from my last experience driving in California, is that all the trucks pulling trailers, who are only allowed to do 55. And when the rest of the cars are normally doing 80, you basically have to stay in the right lane simply due to the speed differential.

    Reply
  4. Lokki Avatar
    Lokki

    Citizens of the Hooniverse! We all must die someday! Would you die staring at the hospital ceiling and listening to the slowing beep of your heart monitor, or die like a Hoon!- Accelerating through the shimmy and loss of steering from your worn-out ball-joints as your old Camaro threatens the demons who guard The Sound Barrier?

    Reply
    1. Wayne Moyer Avatar
      Wayne Moyer

      That or if you are going the aviation route how about pouring one out for the first pilot to break the sound barrier. I mean this is most likely myth but one hell of a story. The Bachem Ba349 Natter pilot had a wild ride. The cockpit opened while the rockets were firing. These were going to take him to 20,000 feet automatically. He tried like hell to close it but his arm got stuck outside the aircraft. It is designed to separate into three parts to save the rocket engine and allow the pilot to parachute to earth. It didn’t separate. It broke the speed of sound on the way down.
      They know about the arm because that’s all that was left of the pilot.
      He knew a sense of speed that no man on earth knew before his time and for about three years afterwards.

      https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/24c11737f9a027d015034d6dfc18bb6980faaef076d0547a1a5901a43ba1ad9f.png

      Reply
    2. Batshitbox Avatar
      Batshitbox

      Coincidentally, I just watched The Right Stuff last night.

      But seriously, my definition of “Hoon Responsibly” excludes doing anything that would endanger, primarily, secondarily, tertiarily or at any other remove, the health & safety of poor dumb bastards other than myself; and I’m just high and mighty enough to scold and stink-eye anyone who does. Don’t distract first responders from helping the helpless just cause you want to “see what it’ll do.”

      Reply
    3. Wayne Moyer Avatar
      Wayne Moyer

      That or if you are going the aviation route how about pouring one out for the first pilot to break the sound barrier. I mean this is most likely myth but one hell of a story. The Bachem Ba349 Natter pilot had a wild ride. The cockpit opened while the rockets were firing. These were going to take him to 20,000 feet automatically. He tried like hell to close it but his arm got stuck outside the aircraft. It is designed to separate into three parts to save the rocket engine and allow the pilot to parachute to earth. It didn’t separate. It broke the speed of sound on the way down.
      They know about the arm because that’s all that was left of the pilot.
      He knew a sense of speed that no man on earth knew before his time and for about three years afterwards.

      https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/24c11737f9a027d015034d6dfc18bb6980faaef076d0547a1a5901a43ba1ad9f.png

      Reply
  5. Batshitbox Avatar
    Batshitbox

    “California superspeeders are racking up 100 mph tickets”
    https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Coronavirus-shutdown-means-fewer-crashes-study-15217895.php

    We have to call them superspeeders because we’re California and we’re so insecure we have to make sure everybody knows we’re superlative at everything! Neo-Ultra-Hyper-Speeders! And we mustn’t call them scofflaws or offenders or anything negative because we can’t ever be in any way negative about anything at all; even if it’s someone bound to kill a tow truck driver or Highway Patrol, “just seein’ what it’ll do!” California uber alles!!!

    (“I was superspeeding up the Grapevine to catch the superbloom under the supermoon. Radical!”)

    Reply
    1. Vairship Avatar
      Vairship

      Make sure to do so in your hyper-GT…

      Reply
  6. crank_case Avatar
    crank_case

    In Ireland, any thoughts of high speed hoons were rapidly shut down as the police actually had increased presence on the roads, with lots of checkpoints. The idea is less about catching people speeding and more about strongly discouraging people from travelling. Plenty of people who decided they were going on an easter roadtrip were turned around and told to go home for example.

    Reply
  7. salguod Avatar
    salguod

    Every time I have gone out traffic has been about as heavy as normal l. Plus I’ve generally been driving my 4 cylinder Ranger, no excessive speed hijinks advisable or even possible really.

    Reply