Is this traffic scenario a ticketable offense?

[pool]

Ok suppose I'm stopped at a red light and a cop is behind me. The speed limit on this road is 50 mph and as soon as the light turns green I floor it, pedal all the way down, engine revving and I reach 50 miles as fast as is possible in the car an hour as fast as is possible in the car and then maintain that speed of 50 mph. Is a cop likely to give you a ticket for this?What would the offense be, wreckless driving?

[Gary T]

Unnecessary display of speed.

[gotpasswords]

Wreckless driving is a good thing. :D

Reckless driving, though, is not. The cop would most likely tag you for that, and possibly vandalism - if the city is on a neatness binge, they'll spend a fair chunk of money to clean your tire marks off the pavement and you can bet they'll want to recover some of the cost from you.

[CookingWithGas]

Depending on your jurisdiction, there might actually be a lawa against this. If not, cops have discretion to issue tickets for "reckless driving" (wreckless driving would be a good thing) for just about anything not covered by other specific statutes. (That doesn't mean it'll stand up in court.) Such behaviors which may not have specific laws might be tailgating, frequent lane changing, rounding a corner too fast even though you might be at the legal speed limit, etc.

I saw a cop ticket a guy once for "squeeling wheels" (cop's words) though I didn't see the ticket so I don't know what the actual charge was.

If the cop perceived your rapid acceleration as dangerous, or if you just pissed him off, he could find something to give you a ticket for.

[Mr. Blue Sky]

I saw a cop ticket a guy once for "squeeling wheels" (cop's words) though I didn't see the ticket so I don't know what the actual charge was.

"Laying drag" is what I've heard it called.

[Dag Otto]

One place where you can probably get away with this (unless you are just smoking the tires) is on a freeway on-ramp. In fact I wish more people did. I have some words for the idiots who attempt to merge into 70 mph traffic while driving 45 mph. I'm just too lazy to Pit them.

Anyway, you probably have quite a bit more leeway on the on-ramp.

[GorillaMan]

In fact I wish more people did. I have some words for the idiots who attempt to merge into 70 mph traffic while driving 45 mph. I'm just too lazy to Pit them.
I get angered by this, too. Happens to me a good 50% of the time at one particular junction, which happens to be a point where the idiot local drivers who've never seen a motorway meet the trunk route away from the docks. Their decision to stick at 50 and hope the 30-ton lorries slow down to let them join the fun is dangerous enough, but being stuck behind them is worse.

[Rick]

Exhibition of speed would be the charge for squealing tires, full throttle acceleration etc.
I have owned some cars that my friends claimed would get me an imitation of speed ticket. :D

[wheelie]

I saw a cop ticket a guy once for "squeeling wheels" (cop's words) though I didn't see the ticket so I don't know what the actual charge was.I've seen the words "Exhibition Of Acceleration" on a ticket before.
Yes, it was mine. :o
I just paid the damn thing, no use trying to fight it.

[Telemark]

I remember seeing a comedian (Paula Poundstone?) saying she got a ticket for "attempted speeding". Her car wouldn't go fast enough but it was clear she was trying. :)

[Uncommon Sense]

Imprudent speed,
reckless driving,
unnessecary acceleration,
excessive noise.

I asked a cop this once and he rifled off several answers.

[cher3]

My brother was ticketed for exhibition of speed for just the scenario in the OP (although it was probably more like a 35 mile an hour zone). How he managed it in my parents' Caprice Classic, I'll never know.

[groman]

I've seen the words "Exhibition Of Acceleration" on a ticket before.
Yes, it was mine. :o
I just paid the damn thing, no use trying to fight it.


In California, exhibition of speed/acceleration are typically 2-point moving violations and can lead to an arrest and a misdemeanor charge. At least that's how everybody always explained it to me.

[BobT]

In California, "exhibition of speed" means that you're having a road race of some kind. However if the contest is over 20 miles long and you don't break the speed limit, you're OK.

[Una Persson]

In the city I grew up in, "Exhibition of Acceleration" was worth more than 2 modest speeding tickets, both in terms of cost and points. Really freaking stupid, when you think about it. Two tickets in a year could in theory invalidate your license.

[Shagnasty]

I had some friends get busted for that in high school in Louisiana. I believe the charge was "careless and reckless operation". If you think about it, it is basically a one car drag race and will get charged like it. Bad news.