I think I can only remember one time in my driving life when I didn't have any tickets on my record. Very fortunate for me it was when a job at UPS had just opened up and a friend's dad at UPS got me an interview. I was a Next Day Driver for the last two years of school. Perfect college job!

I can't lecture you about simply slowing down. I speed all the time myself. Coincidentaly, I was pulled over last week doing 81 on the Capital Beltway (55 max.) It was late at night with little traffic. Lucky for me the cop had given out his 25 tickets for the day and I was the 26th person he pulled over, so I received only a warning.

Here's some advice: take the ticket to court and plead guilty with an explaination. (Based on how the system works in VA.) You may get lucky with a judge in a good mood. I once saw a person say they were speading because they had a bad stomach ache and wanted to get home. The judge dismissed the ticket citing "faulty equipment-- being your stomach" !!

You may get even luckier if the cop doesn't show up. In that case it'll get dismissed automatically.

Good luck!

PS If I had just slowed down a bit more in the past, I would have saved literally hundreds, maybe thousands, of dollars in high insurance premiums. Food for thought...

Your lucky, not only to get out with just a little ticket, but have the smarts to inquire here on this board. The advice so far is correct. If you learn something we will feel good. Sounds like you respect your dad, that's another good sign. Just let it go, do what ya have to do, and if you learned by it, you are one step closer to being good human being. The world is in bad need of people like you, the CHP Officer knew you were frightened, thats why he let you off easy, he cared for you as well. Nice to see the CHP doing their intended job, the window tint, lights, etc. he was just seeing what your made of, you passed his test. But he still had to give you that little spanking! It's his job! You would probably do the same thing if you were in his shoes.

Hey when did they put in the Big 5, my Aunt lives in Chico and I have been on that road many times....oh well!

PoloBenz, you are still very young, what drives you, to your choice of education, you seem to be so proud of?

As for me, I have a PHD, from Pepperdine University 1979, Human Technolegey, So big deal, learn about life, it's easy to do if you if you keep good people around you.


Some people still address me as Doctor, I hate that, at least people won't address you as Master.....Lucky Guy You!

Keep smiling

__________________
Tim
300CE
280SE 4.5
Sandals (size 11)

Stefano-
Thanks for the advice. I do plan on going to court and talking to the judge. I will tell him what happened to me and ask him what fines are due. I will not ask to take the issue to court and contest the tickets with the CHP Officer. I admit my fault, and as a responsible adult, I will take the consequences. I am not quite sure about the legal infrastructure behind taking care of the issue because it is the first time I have to deal with law enforcement. I searched the Marin County website for information, and from what I comprehend, I can simply go to the clerk at the local Civic Center and pay the fines as well as obtain a paper to get the one point taken off my license if I choose to attend a traffic safety school. I also read that I can make an appointment to talk to one of the judges handling the case(s) at that time—something I defiantly plan on doing. Food for thought taken J I have analyzed the costs of increase premiums that would occur from speeding—it is quite simple, driving slowly and safely leads to a gradual decrease of insurance premiums after the age of 25, and prevents an increase due to points on one’s record. However, it is easier said than done—and practically impossible for the spirited driver.

Tim-
I am lucky to have come out of that situation with little punishment. Although I do not post often, I have read almost every post since I joined the board, giving me the impression that many of the members here on MercedesShop.com are intelligent, rational, well-informed, and most of all, helpful. I am relatively new to driving; I lack the experience that most of the members here have. I respect people’s opinions and advice, and knowing that, I am sure that posting about what happened to me would only bring about a positive outcome.
The Big Five has been there for as long as I can remember. It is hard to see it going north–bound on Highway 101. Going south, it is right after the small bridge over the Corta Madera Creek before it connects to San Pablo Bay (Greater San Francisco Bay).
Receiving a PHD in any field, regardless of its difficulty level, is very respectable, you deserve the reverence in being called doctor.
I plan on furthering my education by getting a doctorate—although I am not sure in what field. What drives me? Good question. I do not know. I have a very high level of self-motivation when it comes to work and school. It started when I was five years old, when I began to save up for a car. My family was not financially stable, and I knew it would be difficult for my father to afford purchasing a car for me. At five, I began saving up with a bank account that my mother opened up for me at Bank Of America (where she works). I saved up all my Christmas money, all my birthday money, and increased my income by supplementing work at my father’s coffee shop with working around the neighborhood doing anything I can, whether it be helping out neighbors with computer problems, or mowing lawns. I have worked many jobs, from retail positions at Baskin Robins 31 Flavors, to working at a couple of law offices doing secretarial work. I have been working at See’s Candies for the last 4 years. I saved up enough for a Mercedes, which I bought two weeks before I turned 16. It was a joyous day, indeed!
Anyway, my passion is for physics, chemistry, and other sciences. I am majoring in accounting and marketing because I seem to understand the principles of business and mathematics quite easily. I was never able to excel in science. I was a B to A- student in high school (Physics, Chemistry, Marine Biology, Natural Science 1 and 2). When it comes to mathematics and business principles, I do very well. The only way I’m still at USF is because of the help of my parents when it comes to tuition. They “bend-over backwards” working as hard as they can to pay for my tuition. I pay them back by giving as much effort as I can in school; although I am not a 4.0 student, I have managed to maintain a 3.8 GPA on top of working.
I’m proud of my education because I am proud of all things I have worked hard to attain; my car being the concrete example. Education is an on-going thing, and I plan on working hard and hoping my work-ethics and determination will allow me to live a financially secure life and (I know this is a tad eXtreme) I hope to retire around thirty-five. Even though Horatio Alger-like stories (rags to riches) have died down after the acute rise in e-businesses, I hope I will be” in the right place at the right time.” Either way, I can live a happy and successful life by knowing that I put in one hundred percent effort on my behalf, regardless of the conditions I am subjected to.

Again, I really appreciate all you guys helping me out by giving me a different perspective. Experience does breed helpful knowledge.

Regards,

Tony J. instead of , it now is

Especially since you drive a fine Mercedes automobile!! At the ripe ol' age of 37, I still find it impossible not to speed. As G. Gordon Liddy has put it many times on his radio show, the speed limits were established way back when cars weren't nearly as developed (safe) as they are nowadays. People drive 65-70 on our Capital Beltway all the time. It's almost unsafe to drive at 55 because you'd hold up traffic! At least the speed limit has been increased on highways in more rural areas.

When I5 first opened it was like an american autobahn, but then in the fuel crisis of the seventies, they established the 55mph speedlimit for the cars to get better fuel economy. But now the cars get good fuel economy at 75mph. It doesnt matter what the speed limit is, you have to drive in a safe enough manner, meaning posted could be 75, but its only save to do 50 because of circumstances beyond your control.

__________________
Current Stable:
1994 S500 v140, 210k miles, white with grey.

Former Mercedes in the Stable:
1983 300CD Turbo diesel 515k mi sold (rumor has it, that it has 750k miles on it now)
1984 300CD Turbo Diesel 150 k mi sold
1982 300D Turbo Diesel 225 sold
1987 300D Turbo Diesel 255k mi sold
1988 300 CE AMG Hammer 15k mi sold
1986 "300E" Amg Hammer 88k mi sold (it was really a 200, not even an E (124.020)
1992 500E 156k mi sold
etc.

Tony, you have such a great attitude. But I think your vision about retiring early and getting a doctorate may be a little at odds with each other. My wife got her doctorate at the age of 32. This is quite young by many standards. Unless you plan on working or owning your own business during this time, you might find it a little rough!

Kuan

Tony, sounds like you will be a self made man, good job!

Just one word of advice....NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER get married!

You will find that life and people change all the time, you are still young with a bright future.

__________________
Tim
300CE
280SE 4.5
Sandals (size 11)

Well, that can be debated. If you get married, STAY married. Divorce has a way of halving one's wealth

Kuan

Quote from Neal Boortz.....

"Divorce is damned expensive. It's just cheaper to find a woman you hate and buy her a house."

Stefano, as Snibble said, “woooooooord” hehe . I find it remarkably difficult to drive at the posted speed limits. I wish that the speed limits on California highways would be increased; however, when one sits down and thinks about it, it is a determent to society, even now with moderate speed limits, there are countless accidents every day. Also, what Austin said is totally true: “it doesn’t matter what the speed limit is, you have to drive in a safe enough manner...” Technology is constantly changing, and I am sure through the course of history, there will come a day where the speed limit will be abolished because all methods of transportation (on public roads) would be electronically governed. The idea of integrating Global Positioning Satellites with a cars computer, through the boundaries of electronic devices implanted on public roads, is awesome. Advances in technology will lead to a safer driving environment.
Kuan you are right, they may be at odds with each other; however, it is all the more challenging to me. If I am not constantly being challenged, I loose all interest what so ever (one of the main reasons I love physics and chemistry…they are quite challenging). I figure I’m 18 now; I will graduate in the spring of ’05, making me 21. I plan on working for a CPA in the Bay Area starting this coming January, giving me ample time to meet the five-hundred hour requirement for the CPA exam, which I plan on taking as soon as I graduate. Once out of undergraduate studies, I would go strait to graduate school for three to four years at either the University of San Francisco, or Stanford, to work on a double masters. During these four years I would be taking night courses and working part time at an accounting firm. Hopefully once I turn twenty-four, or twenty-five, I would have climbed the corporate ladder to a point where I’m financially stable and in good means to work on a doctorate. I figure I can go to school part time and work part time for a good four years, which would hopefully allow me to complete a doctorate. This plan leaves me at being between twenty-eight and twenty-nine with ten years experience in the accounting field, as well as a doctorate. I hope to have accumulated a good nest egg in a broad range of investments so that I can concentrate on working in either my own firm, or for a private firm for around six years. And, if all goes well, I should hope to retire at thirty-five! I still plan to work the rest of my life; however, not on a fulltime basis. I want to devote my time to my family. I want to be there for the sporting events, go to all their school-events, and help them out with anything. I grew up with my parents right by my side, and hope to do the same with my children. I saw the derogatory effects of parents not being there for their children in elementary school and high school because many of my friends became entangled in a mess of problems mostly because their parents were never there for them.
The issue(s) regarding marriage and divorce are numerous for both sides of the argument. My parents have been married for twenty years with out any problems, while their parents were married for life. No one in my immediate family has undergone a divorce. I believe the reason for it is our culture. I am 100% Lebanese, as are my parents, uncles, aunts, and relatives. I am not saying that I will indubitably marry a Lebanese woman (although while I was in Beirut this past summer, the women there were stunningly beautiful, intelligent, classy, sophisticated, and well mannered ). Rather, the culture and beliefs instilled in me by my parents has positively affected my perception on life, and I am sure that a prosperous future lies ahead in the endeavors I undergo, whether it is in my career, or family life.

Again, thanks guys, I really appreciate all your advice, kind words, and different perspectives.

Regards,

Tony

Haha! One thing's for sure. You will have no problem writing your dissertation! Keep posting... good luck, and don't forget to make a reservation for the French Laundry for when you graduate. (yes the waiting list is that long!)

Kuan

Kuan-
I’ll keep it short this time, hehe :p . Yep, I will not have a problem with the dissertation(s) for doctorate studies. The long and patient wait for the French Laundry is worth it, right? The end result is enticing. It isn’t that bad, a couple of months in advance most times of the year.
Cheers,
-Tony

Actually I think the wait is either EXACTLY 2 or 3 months. Reservations open every morning at a certain time in the morning and are taken for only one day exactly 2 or three months in advance. They have to do this so people don't call in the middle of the night!

Kuan

PoloBenz,

He really let you off light. When you posted this thread, I think you expected support for your position. What you got was feedback from older more patient drivers. I have to commend you though on accepting the criticism and advice like a gentleman. About the tint, RGs (revenue generators)can spot non factory tint by wearing polarized glasses. The windows have big blue spots on them. To legally have tint on the front windows, you get a signed document from the installer. To stay legal the installer will end up putting clear tint on. I agree that the specs are too tight. Totally dark tint is dangerouse at night, but I don't have a problem with a mild tint. The cars look better and the sun rays are blocked. As someone pointed out there are more annoying violators:Motor cycle exhaust noises over 90db. Blinding driving lights which are illegal on low beams. Jacked up trucks which do not meet minimum distance from chassis to frame. You can check all these out in Division 12 California Vehicle Code. Why is a jacked up truck dangerous? For starters they are easy to roll, and you could be in the car they hit. Bumpers are supposed to match up. Let's say you are stopped at a light with your loved ones in the back seat. The driver of a jacked up truck isn't paying attention and slams ito the back of your car. The bumpers don't match so he goes through your trunk and back glass taking off the heads of your back seat passengers. My point is there are more important violations out there, and we get pulled over for a dangling license plate. Go figure.


Peter

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