Yahoo!!

I hope everyone is greasing their trailer bearings and getting things ready for a road trip to Fort Walton Beach. We had a fantastic weekend on the bay and have it all ready to go. The same PRO that ran the GYA event is also running the race course for the NAs. There are a few 20s and F17s already secured out back on the grass. Everything is in place except YOU! Looking forward to seeing everybody; safe journeys.

Bob

Only ONE MORE WEEK to go!!!

BC

Wahoo!!

Only 4 more days to the NA event! . I know some teams are saddling up today to make the drive. I wish everyone a safe journey and we will see you out back on the point at the FWYC over the weekend. Everything is in place for a great week of sailing!

Drive carefully,
Bob

Ditto on the "Drive Carefully" part. Florida is really hurting for tax money due to all the foreclosures. One revenue generating answer they have come up with is a massive state wide speeding ticket program. AND...to further enhance the value of each ticket, they are writing them as "...in a 55 zone." even if you were in a posted 65 zone.

I know this because I sat through 3 hours of traffic court on Monday and case after case was there to argue the tickets not being written correctly, all were claimed to be in 55 zones, as was mine. I was doing 75 in a posted 65, got the pictures to prove it, but $265 later I still lost my case. Not a single defendant won, a few like me who could prove the wrong 55 speed on the ticket, had their tickets reduced by...a whopping $30. On a $300 ticket. BFD.

So as you saddle up to hit the highway be aware, the Florida Highway Patrol is out there and they will be looking for you. They will write "in a 55 zone" no matter where you were, then you have to go spend a day in court to prove them wrong. But you will still pay.

WOw... thanks Timbo.. i am driving to Miami this weekend and that is valuable data...

Hope all enjoy the Nacra NAs !

I think the best strategy is to set your cruise control at 65 and only touch the brakes, not the gas! I was being tailgated by 2 large semi-trucks so I sped up to get by the cars to my right, so I could get over and out of the way of the large trucks, and sure enough, there was the cop up ahead.

No, she did not also stop the two trucks who were both going as fast as I was, and tailgating...

I was going to say, i have a secret weapon with me, a very attractive Blondie.. but your statement "No, she did not..." makes my secret weapon much less effective... (usually)

Make sure you check for traps along your route. I just stroked a $485 check to the Highway Patrol for doing 65 in a 65 zone... because trailers have a 55 limit. I was fortunate that I keep my trailer up - he checked all lights and chains while he had me stopped.

$500 beans for a damn speeding ticket?

Holy

Like Tim said, there's a drive underway to make up some lost revenue. There's plenty of people out there breaking the law. Fish in a barrel.

does that trailer law apply in FL as well as California?

I don't recall anything like that, although I do see different speeds for trucks at night (they post both signs together) for some roads.

I know that there are truck and trailer limits in Florida. Check your route. Anyone going the Chiefland, espesh. Best drive into the Panhandle, but crazy speed traps all over the place. I remember a 100-yard 35-mph zone in particular. Don't ask me how I know.

Just two general observations from spending some time on the other side of the pond:

Your speeding fees are pretty low.
You have a lot of cops.

Neither thing is bad.

What's the typical fine ($$$) for going 10-20 (kph?) over the limit over there Rolf?

Depends on the limit, fees are differentiated. Going 80km/h in a 60km/h zone earns you a US$750 fee.

Not sure if still relevant or not but...
When i spent 40+ days in Norway (20 years ago) a slice of pizza was about $7 (us) and a pack of smokes was about $8.00

the costs (with exchange rates) were insane compared to US dollar

Cup-o'-joe in Paris is 5 Euro.

I watched a program about autobahn and if I remember right the ticket cost is based on your wealth. Tickets could be in the thousands.

So the morale is not to speed, but do get your butt to the NAs.