[aspiring335]

Originally Posted by Majikthese42

I think if you gave 100 US drivers a driving test on a car with a 6-speed manual transmission, 78 probably wouldn't be able to move it out of the parking space. Seriously.

I thought that some countries required manual transmission cars for driver's license tests.

Yes, in the UK (where I learned to drive) if you take your test in an automatic, you get an automatic-only driver's license.

I had to take my test in Canada, I think because I left it too long after moving here to get my British Columbia driver's license, and I was just appalled at how pathetically easy it was.

Driving a standard is the only real way to understand how to control a car.

[SteanLV]

LOL this is funny because 1st day I got my car (coming from 90hp jetta) I was going 120mph on the freeway and I loved the pull from 4th to 5th gear lol but then I calmed down after 2 days

[sixspeedsam]

Originally Posted by liverpool

Despite my reservations, I am glad I posted because I am learning a lot from you all. Great advice here.

To all those who don't live in Northern Virginia and feel there's more to this story, all I can say is, you don't know what it's like here. The cop who pulls you over can do whatever he wants. My wife was driving to the airport to pick me up 3-4 years ago and was pulled over for driving "fast" - I believe she was driving in excess of 20mph over the limit. She was with a lady friend of hers and she was let off with a warning.

I am definitely going to try to plead this down and hope the RD doesn't stick. The problem is, my organization has three sites in DC metro area that I have to travel frequently and it really would be difficult without the car, as two sites aren't metro accessible.

Believe me, I've slowed down considerably. But, it ain't any fun if you know this car. I should consider a radar detector even though it is illegal here. Someone mentioned under the dash. I should check that out.

Cheers everyone!

Any decent lawyer should be able to lower this ticket and not get your license suspended (assuming of course, your record is fairly clean...). You'll have to fork over some $$$, but given your situation it seems like a no brainer.

I've had friends with much worse tickets that ended up paying fines and going to school, etc. after getting a lawyer -- but no suspended licesenses.

[0asis]

Originally Posted by MWM

That scares the hell outta me. I can't recall a single time of having fired up my E90 335i and not gone at least 82. I don't even shift into 6th until north of that speed. My car regularly sees triple digits on the speedo.

Some of you may think it's nuts, but I don't consider that reckless driving. I have enough track experience to be in the advanced solo run group now. I drive more like a German than an American -- both hands on wheel, elbows bent, focused on the task at hand, scanning ahead and behind for 5-0 and for clueless drivers, radio off, etc. etc.

i agree with the other posters.. you may be the king on the track but you share the road with everyone else. An awesome track time doesn't translate to invinsibility in the real world when there's a parent on the road trying to calm their kids in the back seat 'cause they're being rowdy.

RE: liverpool's ticket. i feel your pain haha.. i've been ticketed twice and although i was angry there's no sense in complaining. it's no one's fault but our own.

[leftcoastman]

Haha - I've only read the first two pages, but I noticed that generally the 335 owners are sympathetic while here are some choice quotes from non-335 owners (you are correct, it's a non-representative sample):

325 owner: thats what you get for acting like a child in a grown up's car

325 owner #2: There must be more to this story for a reckless fine than excessive speed. I have no sympathy for you.

335 owner: I gotta be honest. A cop can pull you over just because he wants to, and that's the charge he will use. It's one of those blanket charges that doesn't need much evidence in court and it certainly stings.

Not to be an a$$, but all of you who have never test driven a 335i, do it and you will see how easy it is to accidentally hit 80mph. In 5th gear, at 60mph you can floor it and you will be past 82 before you can release the throttle. Put an Procede on it and you'll be hard pressed to react fast enough to get off the throttle before xxx!

To the OP: Sorry to hear that dude. I worked on a few consulting assignments in DC back in the day and I know how some of your 4lane freeways have absurdly low speed limits that no one obeys. I have gone 80-85 in that area and been passed by more than 50% of drivers.

[E91AWD]

The question is if you are going too fast to see the cop, what else didn't you see?

[Grumpy514]

You must have not comprehended wreckless in the past if you on the verge of getting your license suspended.

Ever has any previous occurances like this?

Speeding etc?


Yah our area has some of the worst drivers in the US due to the fact of how we have so many embassays near by and peope from all over the world are in Northern VA.

[SteveRa]

It is Easter time but I still can't believe the over-abundance of preaching on this subject on a site named m3post. Every story is different and mine has left me resentful. Throughout the last few years, I have been given three speeding tickets while driving in the slow lane on highways while people were passing me by in the faster lanes??? That hardly instills respect for law enforcement. I had to go to traffic schools next to habitual DUI offenders and a girl that was on a such a misfiring cocktail of drugs that she did not even know she was in a car while speeding at 120mph. The speed limit is designed with an average car and person in mind and overcorrects for many of us. After my last questionable ticket, I vouched to myself never to be caught again because of laser/radar underprotection of my car.

[fragadellic]

Originally Posted by Hawkshaw

Life sucks? My best friend's mother will be dead from cancer before the weekend is out...getting a ticket for wreckless driving while driving wrecklessly?

Sorry, I don't usually flame, I'm just hit with a dose of perspective today

For the record, that's not even close to a flame.

Cudos for putting the original post into perspective. Most people have a lot bigger issues to deal with. No apologies to the OP. Not being able to drive for 6 months sucks, but you can't possibly be looking for sympathy from everyone that you got caught. Put your right foot down (especially in a 335i) and you take your chances. Reminds me of the "guns don't kill people, people kill people" saying...

Yeah the speed limits in the U.S. are rediculous and 90%+ of the people on the road have never been to a real driving school, but those are the people for whom the speed limits are designed. We're stuck with that.

As one response said, get a good lawyer ASAP.

[335xi]

82mph is only 130kph. I can't believe people are giving you a hardtime for that speed. That is nothing, on many of the highways around Toronto that speed is about the average flow of faster traffic. Go past a cop at that speed and many times you won't even get pulled over.

There have been many times outside of the city where I have been driving in a group of cars averaging around 140kph on highway 400 or the 401.

Frankly anyone who considers that speed on the highway to be wreckless or dangerous makes me a lot more nervous then someone going that fast. I can't believe anyone who drives a BMW would make those kind of comments, maybe they should trade them in for a Kia.

[Scarabeo]

All dressed up with no place to go - if you were here in Italy the speed limit is 90 mph on the autostrada...when you get into the left lane you do it carefully...a Lambo just about sucked my e90 up his tailpipe the other day...no cops patrolling the highways here..gas is too expensive...

[thedean786]

Originally Posted by liverpool

I just picked up my new 335i sedan a few days and I already got ticketed for reckless driving. Was going pretty fast. And now will probably get my license suspended for 6 months. Does life suck or what? :mad:

Anyway, it's a Montego Blue with beige leather, premium and cold packages, and Sat/Nav. At least it was fun driving for a few days. I'll try to take some pictures soon and post. That's all I'll have to show for it.

It's an awesome car. Intoxicating! I moved up from a 2003 325i to this.

Wow, go cry me a fucking river. What are you 17? Wait till school is over and life bitch slaps you intro reality then come talk to me about how life sucks....