How inaccurate is your Smiths speedo, got me a ticket today
How inaccurate is your Smiths speedo, got me a ticket today
Author
Discussion

benebob

Original Poster:

365 posts

211 months

Sunday 13th June 2010
quotequote all
Clocked at 106mph in a 65mph zone. Speedo was between 85 and 90. Of course I probably would have still gotten a ticket but might have gotten a better break. Cop was quick and professional about it. No lecture or PITA questioning. Did lower it to 91mph which helps with points. I guess I need to see if this is just normal with the gauge or if I got an issue. Shouldn't be more than 1% off with the 16 inch tires I have on there (came with 14s)

Waynester

6,532 posts

280 months

Sunday 13th June 2010
quotequote all
65 zone? NSL signed 60 or 70,
just not seen a 65mph zone?
It's early & not finking strate so I may be suffering wally-itus

How many points do you have currently?

16" wheels you mean? What tyres are fitted? If the rolling radius is larger then speedo would under read...I think?

Edited by Waynester on Sunday 13th June 05:41

alex290568

271 posts

244 months

Sunday 13th June 2010
quotequote all
Yep you need to wake up a little Wayne,OP is from over the pond smile

Alex

grahamw48

9,944 posts

268 months

Sunday 13th June 2010
quotequote all
I always use my (Garmin) satnav in conjunction with the speedo'.

It's easier to see, and though it has a problem keeping up when accelerating,
it does give accurate speed when cruising along.

Engineer1

10,486 posts

239 months

Sunday 13th June 2010
quotequote all
I'd get that checked out, that far out could drop you in the ste back over here, especially in specs controlled areas.

jmorgan

36,010 posts

314 months

Sunday 13th June 2010
quotequote all
Well, I know 30, 40, 50 ,60, and 70 are not in the realms of getting tickets. Enough talivans around here to have passed them at all the main speeds. I don't have sat nav to check. I reckon all our speedos are out at that speed.

Wife was following me in a van with a tacho and she reckoned I was speeding at around 85. Tacho was calibrated, my speedo showing 70.

simonwedge

763 posts

210 months

Sunday 13th June 2010
quotequote all
Don't wish to brag but mines spot on when checked against satnavsmile

Waynester

6,532 posts

280 months

Sunday 13th June 2010
quotequote all
alex290568 said:
Yep you need to wake up a little Wayne,OP is from over the pond smile

Alex
Ahh....that would be it then! wobble

benebob

Original Poster:

365 posts

211 months

Sunday 13th June 2010
quotequote all
I haven't had a ticket in 7 or so years so I'm guessing I got 5 points for this infraction. Yeah as was stated I'm in the US. Tires are 215/45 16s vs the stock 205/60 14s.

Grady

1,233 posts

290 months

Sunday 13th June 2010
quotequote all
It all about "revenue enhancement" here although an honest 40+ over will get you in trouble!

What kind of rims are those? Grady

benebob

Original Poster:

365 posts

211 months

Sunday 13th June 2010
quotequote all
Vonx MGs. They were cheap, look like they belong on a late 80s car so they almost look right and fit almost perfectly.

HOTTY

669 posts

204 months

Sunday 13th June 2010
quotequote all
bad luck Bob

5 points steep (12 points for us and you're in court)

but does this mean you have got your tiv back on the road ?

Stephen

benebob

Original Poster:

365 posts

211 months

Sunday 13th June 2010
quotequote all
Yey hotty its been up and running with new paint since March. Next year it gets a v8. Still haven't gotten the dash veneer on yet though.

Solitude

1,902 posts

205 months

Sunday 13th June 2010
quotequote all
A fine and a few point is a result out there sometimes.
Livin in Denver a few years ago i head south to colorado springs in the full size Bronco (350 windsor)
Get radared at 89mph (was doing 95...... flat out for that thing............. and slowed as i saw him)
Get to court and plea bargain down from $600 and six points to $300 and four points.
I protest (as i was hoping to get it down to 3 points) and the assistant D.A. says "No....and count yourself lucky as 90mph here in Douglas county automatically gets you 10 days in the state pen. eek

N.B. I'm too pretty to go inside an be someones beeeeaaaaattttcccchhhh.

BTW...No insurance in this country should get you 3-6 months in my opinion (Hard labour)
Repeat it and wave goodbye to liberty for a year (and so on and so forth)

GV

2,366 posts

254 months

Sunday 13th June 2010
quotequote all
I thought about dumping my speedo and going for an electronic conversion. I've done some reading on it and it looks do-able to have a sensor plate mounted on to a prop flange with a magnetic senors on the gearbox or diff. You will need an electronic speedo that has to be calibrated over a known distance etc. This would be a good upgrade IMO and is something I will sort out later in the year....

Vipers

33,514 posts

258 months

Sunday 13th June 2010
quotequote all
Grady said:
It all about "revenue enhancement" here although an honest 40+ over will get you in trouble!

What kind of rims are those? Grady
Revenue Enhancement, a good one. Easy to avoide though? Srange how many get caught exceeding speed limits and try to think of every exuse why they shouldnt have been.



smile

Wedg1e

27,040 posts

295 months

Monday 14th June 2010
quotequote all
I have the VDO speedo and was staggered to find that it's within 2mph all the way to 80 according to Mr. Garmin; reads 103 when the satnav says 100.

I've had the car off the clock (at 160 eek) but that was before I got the satnav so I'd be interested to repeat the test (on the same private road biggrin) and find out what the non-linearity is like. Must be pretty bad as the 390 was only ever supposed to be good for 146...

However..... the tacho reading at speeds up to 100mph disagrees with the claimed mph/1000rpm, so either the tacho is out or Mr Garmin is telling porkies.... scratchchin

grahamw48

9,944 posts

268 months

Monday 14th June 2010
quotequote all
Vipers said:
Grady said:
It all about "revenue enhancement" here although an honest 40+ over will get you in trouble!

What kind of rims are those? Grady
Revenue Enhancement, a good one. Easy to avoide though? Srange how many get caught exceeding speed limits and try to think of every exuse why they shouldnt have been.



smile
Thanks for looking, but maybe a hooligan Wedge is just not for you. scratchchin

Trickie Dickie

2,399 posts

264 months

Monday 14th June 2010
quotequote all
Wedg1e said:
I have the VDO speedo and was staggered to find that it's within 2mph all the way to 80 according to Mr. Garmin; reads 103 when the satnav says 100.

I've had the car off the clock (at 160 eek) but that was before I got the satnav so I'd be interested to repeat the test (on the same private road biggrin) and find out what the non-linearity is like. Must be pretty bad as the 390 was only ever supposed to be good for 146...

However..... the tacho reading at speeds up to 100mph disagrees with the claimed mph/1000rpm, so either the tacho is out or Mr Garmin is telling porkies.... scratchchin
Mine is the same as Ian's when compared to my Tom Tom (but not at 160!!!!)

Re "revenue enhancement" - I was out with a Police Inspector friend of mine yesterday
and he was "gunned" and stopped by a fellow collegue from the traffic dept (and in the middle of nowhere)
who then issued him with a fixed penalty speeding ticket

Times must be hard in the Police Force when you have to nick "your own" to raise "taxes"
and flashing your Warrant Card doesn't work anymore!!!!!!

Cheers
Richard

JR

14,332 posts

288 months

Monday 14th June 2010
quotequote all
Wedg1e said:
I've had the car off the clock (at 160 eek) but that was before I got the satnav so I'd be interested to repeat the test (on the same private road biggrin) and find out what the non-linearity is like. Must be pretty bad as the 390 was only ever supposed to be good for 146...
That's what I would expect but for bob's to be under reading by so much is a surprise. I think that his change in tyre size is not an issue at all for rolling dia and wonder whether it is worth disconnecting the speedo at the dash and pouring some thin oil down in case it's sticking.