Avoiding a Speeding Ticket with Fred Ashmore | Starting Strength Radio #158

[stef]

Rip and Fred Ashmore discuss how to avoid getting a speeding ticket, left lane drivers, what to do if you get pulled over, and the philosophy of speeding.

1:32 - Today’s topic
7:12 - Basics of not getting a ticket
10:42 - Ashmore’s favorite apps
18:11- Paying attention
22:24 - Left lane drivers
29:39 - Radar detectors
38:35 - Laser jammers
45:04 - Philosophy of speeding
49:03 If you get pulled over
1:00:53 Fred's story of getting pulled over

[#!bill]

22:24 - Left lane drivers

Blind spots are, generally, manageable.

Based on how most people are taught to configure their vehicle's side mirrors: there is at least one blind spot in the adjacent, passenger side lane. Depending on your vehicle and appetite for risk, this can be changed.

I first heard about this option while teaching driver's ed in the 90's but neither heard it from my co-workers nor from the curriculum itself; a guy from church mentioned it to me and I was curious enough to try it. I never taught it - primarily because I moved on to other work.

If you configure your side mirrors as follows, again, depending on your vehicle's make and model, the blind spot can be moved past the adjacent lane and into the subsequent lane. Configure the middle mirror as you normally would. The goal being: to not having to look over your should to check your blind spot (there is an exception - see below).

Driver's Side Configuration:

• Rest your head against the driver's side window, as if trying to place your eye against it
• Adjust the mirror so that a minimal amount of the car can be seen in the mirror
• Be aware of how the mirror points up and down - adjust to be able to see past the rear of your vehicle

Passenger's Side Configuration:

• Center your head in the middle of the vehicle
• Adjust the passenger's side mirror to be able to see a minimal amount of the vehicle
• Be sure to be able to see past the back of the vehicle

EFFECT
[LIST][*]As a vehicle in an adjacent lane approaches to overtake you will have an uninterrupted observation of the approaching vehicle beginning in the center mirror and into the side mirror adjacent to the lane the vehicle is passing by, next to you.[*]If your vehicle does not have a middle mirror: I don't know - I never tried it but like to hear if anyone tests this without one.

WARNING
Even when correctly configured, the blind spot has been moved: two lanes away (which only matters on a road of three or more lanes). If you do not keep this in mind, you could end up in conflict with an unseen vehicle from the far lane as you and they try to take the middle lane.

FACTORS

This might not work (to your satisfaction) on all vehicles. The mitigating factors I've seen so far:

• Size of the vehicle
• Size of the side mirrors
• Sive of rear window
• Size of the center mirror
• Are you willing to try something new?

TESTING

• Configure your side mirrors as above
• Have a friend across the mirrors' field of view
• Have your friend walk close and far from the back of the vehicle
• Test it on the road - DOUBLE CHECK YOUR WORK

FINALLY
I've been using this method for more than 20 years and it works.

Also, whether this works to your satisfaction or not, always keep track of where vehicles around you happen to be: you never know when you might have to change lanes suddenly.