Ticket for an "improper acceleration?"

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: Eeezee

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: Eeezee
Were you actually accelerating very quickly? Frankly, it's a big waste of fuel and needlessly dumps extra pollution into the air if you always accelerate like that. This is the feel-good reason for giving you a ticket; the actual reason is the city can earn money off of you for not driving like everyone else.

You can fight it, but I hope you lose, frankly. If you want to be a racer, go do that on a closed track. Better yet, go hit the freeway; you can reasonably have a high acceleration on the on-ramp.

Actually, an engine is most efficient at wide-open-throttle (WOT). By and large, the gains in efficiency from WOT operation negate the losses from higher RPM from not short-shifting. The most efficient way to accelerate though is WOT and short-shifting. So WOT to 2,000-3,000 RPM (depending on the engine and how widely spaced the gearing is), then upshift.

That said, if the OP broke the tires loose at all then it's a slam-dunk win for the prosecutor. You just don't get to chirp the tires on the street.

ZV

The engine is most efficient at that point, but overall you still consume more fuel. Higher speed = higher drag = more fuel spent. Higher acceleration = more fuel spent. You do accelerate for less time, but now you've murdered your efficiency via more drag over the distance you travel. Even assuming significantly less efficiency at lower accelerations, to second order you will come out ahead in fuel economy overall. I took a thermodynamics course where we calculated the overall difference in fuel consumption between the exact cases we are describing now.

Run the simulation yourself, or hell, do it empirically, I don't care. If you're going to rely in theory, at least recognize that there's more to this than engine efficiency.

You've taken into account a second-order factor that boost fuel economy and ignored the dominating terms that significantly reduce fuel economy.

In all likelihood, your thermodynamics class made some assumptions in your calculations in order to make the problem simple to handle. IIRC, drag is an insignificant effect until 30 mph or so. (I can't remember the exact speed, but IIRC, it was at least 30mph)

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: KLin
It could also be considered street racing in some areas.

In CA that's called "Exhibition of Speed" which is a violation.

 

[sourceninja]

These go with the "driving too fast for conditions" tickets. I have beaten a lot of those by just going to court, and pleading not guilty. Most were dropped before the court date, one made it to court and I simply said I did not break the post speed limit, and that I felt I was in perfect control of my car at the time. (I was given a ticket for doing 40 in a 55 during a snow storm in my 4WD pickup.) I passed a car in a valid passing lane, and a cop sitting on the side of the road gave me a ticket for driving too fast for conditions.

I won that case and the judge told the cop off.

 

[Modeps]

What kind of car were you driving? Did you peel out/burn rubber/squeek your tires at all?

 

[Cstefan]

It was a sexy vette. They always look like they are going too fast. Even when standing still.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Originally posted by: Modeps
What kind of car were you driving? Did you peel out/burn rubber/squeek your tires at all?

It's in his sig.

 

[manowar821]

That's fucking stupid.

What about people who are still learning how to drive a stick? You know what, who cares. You can drive however you like, as long as it's not dangerous, and accelerating faster than other people is not dangerous. Man, if cops did that around here, I'd get a ticket every week.

 

[Modeps]

Originally posted by: Capt Caveman

Originally posted by: Modeps
What kind of car were you driving? Did you peel out/burn rubber/squeek your tires at all?

It's in his sig.

I didnt click the link... I figured it was just the name of his computer. In any event, driving a bright yellow corvette all the time draws unwanted attention by the cops.

 

[911paramedic]

Funniest story ever regarding this law and getting cited for it.

Around 1970, or so, my father stopped at a 7-11 (may have been ShortStop back then) which was on a four way stop intersection on the edge of town. He was picking up something at about 2AM on his way home from work. The city had about 10K back then.

He leaves the intersection on the way home and gets pulled over for that very offense. The policeman explained it to him, in which my Dad replied:

"It's 2AM, there is nobody within miles of us, and I am driving a VW Bus. How exactly did I accelerate too quickly?"

True story.

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: Modeps
What kind of car were you driving? Did you peel out/burn rubber/squeek your tires at all?

His sig has a C6 Corvette it has the same, if not updated, Active Handling/Traction Control system my C5 Vette has. With that said the only way he "burn rubber" is if he turned both systems off. If they were on he just here a bing sound and the AH/TC active signal would pop up on his dash.


But yea I would fight it. Even under light throttle my C5 takes off pretty good let alone the extra 50Hp his car has over mine. Also I would like to see how a cop could prove you speed up to fast? Its all opinion and i think the OP can win this. Most cops/cities know most will not fight them so its easy money for them.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Naustica
Cops can ticket you for accelerating too fast from a stop position at the light even if you didn't break the speed limit?

Yes, they can. They can also get you for street racing or exhibition of speed which is far worse.

 

[Linflas]

Originally posted by: 911paramedic
Funniest story ever regarding this law and getting cited for it.

Around 1970, or so, my father stopped at a 7-11 (may have been ShortStop back then) which was on a four way stop intersection on the edge of town. He was picking up something at about 2AM on his way home from work. The city had about 10K back then.

He leaves the intersection on the way home and gets pulled over for that very offense. The policeman explained it to him, in which my Dad replied:

"It's 2AM, there is nobody within miles of us, and I am driving a VW Bus. How exactly did I accelerate too quickly?"

True story.

lol, those VW's were fast off the line in 1st gear. Problem was 2nd, 3rd, and 4th where the bug would top out at 86MPH.

 

[adairusmc]

Originally posted by: JD50
Don't drive like an asshole and maybe you won't get a ticket.

:thumbsup:

 

[BurnItDwn]

Fight it.
It's probably just a "revenue generation" ticket rather than a real "safety" ticket. I hate cities/counties/states using traffic violations for revenue generation.

 

[pstylesss]

Originally posted by: thepd7

Originally posted by: ZeroIQ

Originally posted by: zerocool84

Originally posted by: ZeroIQ

Originally posted by: zerocool84
You were accelerating fast, eat the ticket, cops word against yours. Just be careful where you play with your car next time.

Fortunately, thats not the way our judicial system works, genius. :roll:

Unless he can prove he wasn't accelerating fast (very difficult to do) and the cop says he was, well then you can figure it out from there

The cop needs to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that he is guilty of what he is accused of. Innocent until proven guilty, not guilty until you can prove your innocence. This is the US we live in, didn't you get the memo?

Really? So I don't have to pay speeding ticket I got saturday night unless the cop has a picture of the radar with my car and the speed on it? Frikin awesome.

The cops word is considered evidence, so if thats all that is presented then good luck, but A little knowledge of the law can get you off the ticket though. If you ask him to prove the radar gun was serviced and able to be used, had no problems, etc, and he can't then you won your case. If 2 cops were in the car and 1 was holding the gun and the other wrote the ticket, and only one of them show up to court then you can also get off because both officers must appear to give you a fair trial... but you'd need to call them out on it.

I'm not a lawyer nor will I pretend to be one, but just accepting a ticket because a cop gave it to you isn't a very American thing for you to do

 

[mrSHEiK124]

Originally posted by: Yossarian
Was there a sign nearby saying "ACCELERATION LIMIT 25 FEET/SEC^2"? If so the cop may have a point.

:laugh:

10/10

 

[FoBoT]

you are guilty, pay the fine

 

[Saint Nick]

at least you didn't get a ticket for skateboarding like i did. that cost me 65 bucks. what a load of shit.

 

[OutHouse]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
you are guilty, pay the fine

yip, OP is just mad because he got spanked like a bad little boy. take your punishment like a man and pay the fine.

 

[Krazy4Real]

Fight the ticket!

 

[manowar821]

Originally posted by: Citrix

Originally posted by: FoBoT
you are guilty, pay the fine

yip, OP is just mad because he got spanked like a bad little boy. take your punishment like a man and pay the fine.

Yeah, because we all know cops are infallible and 100% correct!

 

[Homerboy]

We have not heard exactly what the OP did... so until then who knows.
Did he light them up and smoke em for 20ft? if so ticket seems OK to me.

 

[Homerboy]

Originally posted by: jndietz
at least you didn't get a ticket for skateboarding like i did. that cost me 65 bucks. what a load of shit.

Been there. Using it to get to store downtown. (years ago) Cop pulled his cruiser up ONTO THE CURB to pull me over. Confiscated board too... had to go to court to get it back. What a pain.

 

[hanoverphist]

Originally posted by: Naustica
Cops can ticket you for accelerating too fast from a stop position at the light even if you didn't break the speed limit?

yup, i got one of these in scottsdale about 10 yrs ago on my motorcycle. the cop said i took off too fast, an was speeding. of course, with no radar or real way to prove i was speeding, he changed it to improper acceleration. it stuck, i paid and went on with life. it was 1am on a thursday, zero traffic and he was worried about me causing an accident... he also kept me there for almost 1.5 hours searching body panels and tool bags on my bike, as well as my leather jacket and boots. what a jackhole.

 

[DrPizza]

Technically, if your tires are squeeling as you're leaving, that actually means that your acceleration is lower than it could have been. You could try the "I'm new to driving a standard" defense.