OT: drive across the US in less than 28 hours

[rallizes]

Originally Posted by Tickdoc

Massive amount of luck and planning involved here. Stupid? Hell yes, but we can go any number of ways and what a way to go! FWIW I almost perished and/or killed someone yesterday evening crossing a highway with a median. Opposing car was also crossing, but they were turning with no blinker and we both ventured across at the same time. I was honked at as they narrowly turned in front of me. I was in our old Ranch truck and they were in a little ricebox. Gotta love the audacity to honk at me when I clearly had the right of way. I can only imagine if these hooligans happened across the highway at this time....and they crossed thousands of those highway intersection scenarios on this little more than a day long trip.

I guess being run over by these idiots would be one way

oh and "ricebox"? really?

[benb]

Who says they're good drivers? Good drivers don't engage in behaviors that result in a loss of license and jail time. There's no mention that they actually have "good driver" credentials as in racing experience.

More like self entitled rich guys with little respect for others looking for some fame.

Not sure how we think that M-B is safe for this kind of behavior either.

The article also makes explicit mention the car didn't have:
- A Roll cage
- Upgraded brakes
- Upgraded suspension

They didn't wear helmets or other items that responsible racers would wear.

They got lucky. And I salute their ingenuity at evading the police. That's the impressive part here.

Flagrant speeders always claim they are better drivers than everyone else. But then they seem to have catastrophic crashes eventually. Usually the flagrant speeders on the roads spend little time at the track where they'd get a wake up call about their actual skill level.

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by benb

Who says they're good drivers? Good drivers don't engage in behaviors that result in a loss of license and jail time. There's no mention that they actually have "good driver" credentials as in racing experience.

More like self entitled rich guys with little respect for others looking for some fame.

Not sure how we think that M-B is safe for this kind of behavior either.

The article also makes explicit mention the car didn't have:
- A Roll cage
- Upgraded brakes
- Upgraded suspension

They didn't wear helmets or other items that responsible racers would wear.

They got lucky. And I salute their ingenuity at evading the police. That's the impressive part here.

Flagrant speeders always claim they are better drivers than everyone else. But then they seem to have catastrophic crashes eventually. Usually the flagrant speeders on the roads spend little time at the track where they'd get a wake up call about their actual skill level.

Thanks Dad!

Me, I think they are good drivers.

[redir]

Originally Posted by cash05458

I get your point Greg...but via responsibility just being lost...well, we have more laws regulating pretty much everything in the states...3 guys going over the speed limit by about 30 miles an hour ain't anything to get your panties in an uproar about the "moral" state of a culture...faux outrage as far as I am concerned of the get off my lawn you kids sort...fact is is that folks break laws every day...I think I remember reading that if followed to the "letter " of perfect behavior most americans somehow break the law numerous times per day without even knowing it...even at a felony level...you want perfect law abiding citizens? check out Singapore...there they give public beatings for spitting out chewing gum on a sidewalk...but you can bet the trains run on time for sure...the folks here hoping that these guys now get tossed in prison are pretty over the top...yeah, by the letter of the law those kids shouldn't be on your lawn, but maybe have a drink and let them play and let it go...

193MPH is well just a little bit more then 30MPH over the limit. Driving is a privilege not a right. The roads are public spaces. A license to drive is essentially a contract. Clearly they broke that. Should they not be met with consequences for their actions? My guess is your attitude would be a lot different if a friend or family member was killed by someone doing 193MPH down the highway becasue he was exercising his freedumb. I'd dare say you might even be a bit outraged

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by rallizes

I guess being run over by these idiots would be one way

oh and "ricebox"? really?

Gonna have to agree.

[benb]

They clearly have the money to go to the track to prove to the world that they're good drivers.

[sipmeister]

Originally Posted by Blue Jays

Not for nothing, yet as a cyclist, I am far more concerned about distracted and pot-smoking 18 y.o. kids, driving their clapped-out 1988 Ford Taurus, with three bald tires and a donut spare, making Facebook updates at 40 mph...than I am about the drivers in the article.

I'd have to agree. I see folks every day driving around looking at the interior of their car (phones, gadgets, shaving, whatever) than at the exterior of the car, at the actual traffic around them. That's who needs to be arrested if ya really wanna arrest somebody (which sounds extreme by the way). Or better yet, yank their license for a year and make em walk. Make em take public trans and see how they like it. Driving isn't a right, ya earn it or you lose it. Most people in Europe can't afford or have room to store a car. That's the background I come from, so having this privilege in the US to actually drive, that's not something to be taken for granted.
I'm sensing a fallacy here that there are drivers out there who expect everybody around them to be super safe, alert and experienced. You're essentially expecting other people to watch out for you. That's a dangerous mindset to be in.
Back on topic thought, I'm thinking once they open up the left lane of the freeways we see this record come down closer to 24 hrs. It'll also flush people off the road who shouldn't be there anyway. And yes, I have sped a time or two.

[Tickdoc]

Originally Posted by rallizes

oh and "ricebox"? really?

sorry, wrong term....rice-burner.

[cash05458]

Originally Posted by redir

193MPH is well just a little bit more then 30MPH over the limit. Driving is a privilege not a right. The roads are public spaces. A license to drive is essentially a contract. Clearly they broke that. Should they not be met with consequences for their actions? My guess is your attitude would be a lot different if a friend or family member was killed by someone doing 193MPH down the highway becasue he was exercising his freedumb. I'd dare say you might even be a bit outraged

maybe...but things happen all the time over this nation...for all sorts of reasons...terrible stuff of course...but I do think this country has a freakish fetish for law and a neurosis via every one of these threads about anyone doing anything interesting that somehow "might, but didn't hurt anyone" and the faux outrage......but you go ahead a wear a helmet if you like while walking...never know, it could save your ass...

[Ozz]

Originally Posted by cash05458

maybe......but I do think this country has a freakish fetish for law...

yeah, civilization is funny that way.....

[echappist]

Originally Posted by GregL

This is the part of US culture that is so frustrating to me. I support everyone's right to expression. I don't support your rights causing danger to others. If you want to drive fast, there are many legal ways to do so that don't put the lives and safety of non-participants at risk. Autocross, track time trials, SCCA regional racing, drag racing, dirt track racing, etc... Same thing applies to many other life activities. I like to race my bike. I do so in race events with other people who also accept the risks associated with the sport. I don't and won't take the same risks on a group ride on public roads. With great freedom comes great responsibility. Our culture seems to have missed/lost the responsibility part...

Greg

well said

Originally Posted by Tickdoc

sorry, wrong term....rice-burner.

you sure mastered the art of the non-apology apology...

also, the irony of a Volvo XC90 owner saying that is probably lost on you

[cash05458]

Originally Posted by Ozz

yeah, civilization is funny that way.....

and what happens with that? getting and feeling better? feeling safer? uh huh...

[Ozz]

Originally Posted by cash05458

and what happens with that? getting and feeling better? feeling safer? uh huh...

Knowing that my neighbor is not going to come into my house and rob me, because he knows that it is against the law? Yeah, I do feel better and safer.

You may have missed my "winking face" meant to convey that I get your point about "freakish fetish" with the law....lots of stupid laws out there...but laws that protect me from the stupidity of others....those are good ones.

[choke]

I applaud their effort.....that was a Hell of a drive.

Since everyone is talking about laws, I think speed limits should be illegal outside of urban areas. I remember driving in Montana when the speed limit was "reasonable and prudent" with fondness.

[GregL]

Originally Posted by redir

193MPH is well just a little bit more then 30MPH over the limit. Driving is a privilege not a right. The roads are public spaces. A license to drive is essentially a contract. Clearly they broke that. Should they not be met with consequences for their actions? My guess is your attitude would be a lot different if a friend or family member was killed by someone doing 193MPH down the highway becasue he was exercising his freedumb. I'd dare say you might even be a bit outraged

Thanks, you said it much better than I did. To average 104 for 27+ hours means that you spent a lot of time well above that number. 193 on public roads? Permanent revocation of driving privileges in my book.

Greg