Last fall just after installing my Velleman electronic ignition I took my 230SL out at 12:30 AM down a big stretch of a State highway that crosses the County line. I never see cops there, so I decided to open it up and see how the ignition worked. There was a car way back, but the cops always turn off before the County line. So I thought it was just fine. I was going along watching the speed, I hit 97MPH and was still gaining speed and on come the lights, the red flashing ones. The Sherriff pulled me over and asked me why I thought he was pulling me over. I always wanted to say, "well, if you don't know why you pulled me over how am I supposed to know, but I just laughed and said we don't have to play any games, I was speeding. He asked how fast? I said "at least 85, he agreed as he couldn't keep up in his Tahoe. I got my ticket for 70MPH in a 55 zone. Went to court, my friend the judge gave me no fine with an $85.00 court cost and a reduced charge. Got away lucky on that one.
Not so lucky years ago with my Triumph TR250 though, 17 years old, drunk as a skunk, I put that Triumph sideways into a tree on the drivers side at 90MPH, wrapped right around the tree, trapped in the car for hours while fireman as drunk as me cut and yanked at that car and finally brought in a circular gas powered construction saw and cut me out. Got to see my leg bones sticking out and my new Red Wing boots saved my life by acting like a bandage over the compound fracture for the long period stuck in that car.
Oh the 70's, back when nobody cared and everybody partied. I can still hear my good friend and next door neighbor,the first responder, a Deputy Sheriff climbing over the back of my car pulling the rag top back saying, "What have you gone and done now". I only got a ticket for driving after dark on a junior operators license, he came and visited me in the hospital and said he had to at least give me that ticket. Now you would have a felony charge for sure. The laws have saved many lives, and probably mine.
That Triumph held up incredibly, the headlights shot out about 50 yards into the field I hit so hard. The tree hit right at the lead edge of the drivers door. Luckily my family doctor lived in the house next door to the tree. He came out and gave me some Morphine to help with my alcohol buzz while I waited to be rescued, got my last rights read to me while in the car and learned a valuable lesson about drinking and driving that night.
Not long after a drunk driver hit my wife's car and killed her and seriously injured my 4 year old daughter. Hard lessons in drinking and driving. I have never had another serious car accident since.
I do like to go fast, but not so much anymore, just every now and then, and not with such great luck lately. I can't afford another ticket now. So my speed testing days are over for awhile.
