[visualguy]

Originally Posted by northtorque

It is a tragedy and sad for the families left behind.

A good reminder that this car has a hell of a lot of inertia - "spirited driving" vs. bombing along at 250+ kph are two completely different animals. The manual emphasizes that for high speed driving you are supposed to run higher tire pressures (obviously) and only two people in the car. In reality, only frequent track and race drivers have any meaningful competent experience at high speed decision making and the reflexes honed by experience - I believe at the top-end (m drivers pack) with 305+ kph the m5 is going to be looking at almost a 1000ft to stop and that is only if your reflexes are spot on. I passed on ordering the m-drivers pack for the main reason that I will always, at least once (allegedly), "see what it will do" despite telling myself I should know better. Public roads at night obviously don't fit the bill. I'm old so i'll just take to a drag strip lol.

All true, but it does raise the question of why buy this car... You pay a lot of money for performance that you can't really use safely. Seems like a waste. I don't know the answer. For me, buying it is just one of those irrational things that I know make no sense, but I do it anyway. The critical thing is not to let it lead to a life-threatening irrationality where I'm actually tempted to do something unsafe with it!

[northtorque]

Originally Posted by visualguy

All true, but it does raise the question of why buy this car... You pay a lot of money for performance that you can't really use safely. Seems like a waste. I don't know the answer. For me, buying it is just one of those irrational things that I know make no sense, but I do it anyway. The critical thing is not to let it lead to a life-threatening irrationality where I'm actually tempted to do something unsafe with it!

Yes, I certainly agree with your perspective. This is an irrational love - automotive that is. I guess what I’m saying is it’s the high speed stuff that can bite you in the ass before you know it. I have been sideways in triple digits when I was younger and luckily escaped with only wisdom. The farther we move out of our zone of common well practiced (key) experience, the greater the potential for miscalculation. Like you said - “irrationally where l’m actually tempted to do something unsafe” - that is what we all need to be on guard against. So back to your question why buy this car? Acceleration, exclusivity and comfort. Perfect daily driver. No law against acceleration either - yet.

[Elanderholm]

Originally Posted by visualguy

All true, but it does raise the question of why buy this car... You pay a lot of money for performance that you can't really use safely. Seems like a waste. I don't know the answer. For me, buying it is just one of those irrational things that I know make no sense, but I do it anyway. The critical thing is not to let it lead to a life-threatening irrationality where I'm actually tempted to do something unsafe with it!

I use the performance every day. I just don’t try to ever top out a car...well anywhere. No tracks support that and the public roads sure as hell don’t, but it still gets to any speed under 100 like a bullet...i find it useful all the time.

[Elanderholm]

Originally Posted by northtorque

Perfect daily driver. No law against acceleration either - yet.

Yet? Uh like never. With electrics becoming more common all cars will only become quicker.

[northtorque]

Originally Posted by Elanderholm

Yet? Uh like never. With electrics becoming more common all cars will only become quicker.

The acceleration comment was meant to be tongue in cheek - they can legislate the road speed but thank god not how fast we can get up to it said speed... But seriously, with pervasive gps and sensor integrated safety nannies set to take over the world and save us from ourselves; how long do you think it will be until “maximum 0.5 G accel zone” becomes a thing? Merging onto mind numbing autonomous highway daisy chains in mind numbing autonomous cars. This will come to pass and it will seem dystopian to all of us car aficionados whom are on this forum. The initial electric revolution will be great of course - awesome torque biting at the limits of the coefficient of friction get me all excited as well. But nothing that fun ever lasts unrestricted for long.... Beware the future! Lol

[visualguy]

Originally Posted by northtorque

No law against acceleration either - yet.

There are actually laws prohibiting excessive acceleration in many parts of the US, and people do get tickets occasionally based on those laws or based on illegal exhibition of speed laws...

From a safety perspective, very fast acceleration can be problematic on public roads. At a light, it increases the chances of hitting someone who is running a red light. In my area, it's common for people to enter an intersection to turn left for a while after the left turn light already turns red, and people run red lights on other occasions as well. On the highway, it's dangerous as well because others don't expect it, and someone may move into your lane at the wrong time - it's truly difficult for people to deal with cars that suddenly accelerate fast and appear seemingly from nowhere.

Not saying there are zero occasions to enjoy the fast acceleration safely, but it's not really that common to get truly safe opportunities.

[northtorque]

Originally Posted by visualguy

There are actually laws prohibiting excessive acceleration in many parts of the US, and people do get tickets occasionally based on those laws or based on illegal exhibition of speed laws...

From a safety perspective, very fast acceleration can be problematic on public roads. At a light, it increases the chances of hitting someone who is running a red light. In my area, it's common for people to enter an intersection to turn left for a while after the left turn light already turns red, and people run red lights on other occasions as well. On the highway, it's dangerous as well because others don't expect it, and someone may move into your lane at the wrong time - it's truly difficult for people to deal with cars that suddenly accelerate fast and appear seemingly from nowhere.

Not saying there are zero occasions to enjoy the fast acceleration safely, but it's not really that common to get truly safe opportunities.

Agree entirely - and we all live for those moments of safe opportunity to let it hang and be a hooligan

I was not aware of any law regarding acceleration in some parts of the US as you stated - albeit I anticipated it’s emergence in my rant on the earlier post. I would be interested regarding any info you have on that. How is a violation determined? Very subjective I would imagine unless radar/lidar are calculating peak delta d/t^2 but I haven’t heard of that.... yet. Lol.

[2011zx10R]

Originally Posted by visualguy

There are actually laws prohibiting excessive acceleration in many parts of the US, and people do get tickets occasionally based on those laws or based on illegal exhibition of speed laws...

From a safety perspective, very fast acceleration can be problematic on public roads. At a light, it increases the chances of hitting someone who is running a red light. In my area, it's common for people to enter an intersection to turn left for a while after the left turn light already turns red, and people run red lights on other occasions as well. On the highway, it's dangerous as well because others don't expect it, and someone may move into your lane at the wrong time - it's truly difficult for people to deal with cars that suddenly accelerate fast and appear seemingly from nowhere.

Not saying there are zero occasions to enjoy the fast acceleration safely, but it's not really that common to get truly safe opportunities.

Originally Posted by visualguy

There are actually laws prohibiting excessive acceleration in many parts of the US, and people do get tickets occasionally based on those laws or based on illegal exhibition of speed laws...

From a safety perspective, very fast acceleration can be problematic on public roads. At a light, it increases the chances of hitting someone who is running a red light. In my area, it's common for people to enter an intersection to turn left for a while after the left turn light already turns red, and people run red lights on other occasions as well. On the highway, it's dangerous as well because others don't expect it, and someone may move into your lane at the wrong time - it's truly difficult for people to deal with cars that suddenly accelerate fast and appear seemingly from nowhere.

Not saying there are zero occasions to enjoy the fast acceleration safely, but it's not really that common to get truly safe opportunities.

Red = GO

GREEN = STOP

I don't trust other drivers to obey any traffic signs or laws.

I'm not perfect but I try to be safe and not abuse the public roads.

[positiveions]

This is when ego supersedes a mature judgement. Sad...

[TrevorM3]

some judgements being passed on these dudes, i suppose it is warranted.


They were just having fun, that's all. nothing more nothing less, i'm sorry his mistake cost him his life, along with his 3 friends. But lets be honest, if you didn't take some risks at that age in a powerful machine such as that, did you really have a youth? I know i was hauling ass everywhere i could at 18 in my e46m3. Rip to those kids.