[Xcommuter]

The Florida Legislature made changes to the statutes regarding driving and
operating motor vehicles. The best source I have found so far is an article by
Bob Arndorfer at Gainesville.com

The House Bill 1697 is loaded with new wording and new statues. I am still trying to read thru all the legalize and have been talking to local law enforcement on what they are aware of. So I'll start this Thread and maybe we Floridians will be better prepared to be good citizens. So I'll try to summarize what I read and hear...

1) You must use a turn signal when overtaking another vehicle or lane change (previous lanquage was vaque ,now it's specific) .
2) Min speed on interstate goes up from 45 to 50.
3) under 18 driver gets a primary offense for no seat-belt and the under 18
driver gets tickets for any passenger (f/R) not buckled up.For drivers over
18 it remains a secondary offense (i.e. must pull ya for something other
than seatbelt. IMO kinda dumb not to buckle up as a habit ...
also how does an 18 year look different than a 19 year old ?
4) Boom Box distance from 100 to 25 feet.
5) The license plate must show the "FLORIDA" ; the decal ; and the number.
Some frames I have seen block out parts.
6) Red light fines go from $60 to $125 (effective 10/1/05)
7) There are some other changes effecting motorcycles ; railroad crossings ;
your mug shot on the driver's license, etc...

I'm still hunting for the wording but I seem to remember something about
LEFT-LANE only drivers...

Regarding Reckless Driving and Operating in a safe manner there are changes that will allow different enforcement . I'm still looking for the wording in the statutes (shame the process of finding out what our laws are is so difficult) that reflect what I'm hearing but I'll mention them ...

Tire Chirping and Smoking is ticketable ; Tint reflectability wording has changed ; exhaust tone/sound must remain close to stock for the vehicle ; and finally this one was on the books but I was never aware : Excessive speed over 30 mph above the posted speed is a felony and a jailable offense. (61 in a 30 and you could go to jail with a felony) and the price of violations has been "inflation adjusted"...

As we all know the law enforcement officer has the option to use his discretion regarding any violation of a FL statute , but it sure helps if
the citizens know the laws before we get ticketed for violating them.
IMHO : I kinda feel that "hot rodding is part of our heritage" but the laws and their Taxation effect are moving us off the Street and onto the Track...

Anyway talk to your friends/ police buddies and maybe we can all be fully informed and then make our decisions accordingly with our 350+ torque.

 

[HTRDLNCN]

good info

1) You must use a turn signal when overtaking another vehicle or lane change (previous lanquage was vaque ,now it's specific) .

AMEN


4) Boom Box distance from 100 to 25 feet.

DOUBLE AMEN

and finally this one was on the books but I was never aware : Excessive speed over 30 mph above the posted speed is a felony and a jailable offense. (61 in a 30 and you could go to jail with a felony) and the price of violations has been "inflation adjusted"...

It used to be 15 over they "could" jail you 30 over mandatory ,,I had one for 100 over on Dixie (135 in 35,20 years ago,very young,very stupid)) so I know first hand..


I would be very intrested how the tint law has changed,,all my vehicles are just over (illegal) on the darkness factor but I have never been stopped for it in 20+ years thankfully.

 

[fergyflyer]

The Florida Legislature made changes to the statutes regarding driving and
operating motor vehicles. The best source I have found so far is an article by
Bob Arndorfer at Gainesville.com

The House Bill 1697 is loaded with new wording and new statues. I am still trying to read thru all the legalize and have been talking to local law enforcement on what they are aware of. So I'll start this Thread and maybe we Floridians will be better prepared to be good citizens. So I'll try to summarize what I read and hear...

1) You must use a turn signal when overtaking another vehicle or lane change (previous lanquage was vaque ,now it's specific) .
2) Min speed on interstate goes up from 45 to 50.
3) under 18 driver gets a primary offense for no seat-belt and the under 18
driver gets tickets for any passenger (f/R) not buckled up.For drivers over
18 it remains a secondary offense (i.e. must pull ya for something other
than seatbelt. IMO kinda dumb not to buckle up as a habit ...
also how does an 18 year look different than a 19 year old ?
4) Boom Box distance from 100 to 25 feet.
5) The license plate must show the "FLORIDA" ; the decal ; and the number.
Some frames I have seen block out parts.
6) Red light fines go from $60 to $125 (effective 10/1/05)
7) There are some other changes effecting motorcycles ; railroad crossings ;
your mug shot on the driver's license, etc...

I'm still hunting for the wording but I seem to remember something about
LEFT-LANE only drivers...

Regarding Reckless Driving and Operating in a safe manner there are changes that will allow different enforcement . I'm still looking for the wording in the statutes (shame the process of finding out what our laws are is so difficult) that reflect what I'm hearing but I'll mention them ...

Tire Chirping and Smoking is ticketable ; Tint reflectability wording has changed ; exhaust tone/sound must remain close to stock for the vehicle ; and finally this one was on the books but I was never aware : Excessive speed over 30 mph above the posted speed is a felony and a jailable offense. (61 in a 30 and you could go to jail with a felony) and the price of violations has been "inflation adjusted"...

As we all know the law enforcement officer has the option to use his discretion regarding any violation of a FL statute , but it sure helps if
the citizens know the laws before we get ticketed for violating them.
IMHO : I kinda feel that "hot rodding is part of our heritage" but the laws and their Taxation effect are moving us off the Street and onto the Track...

Anyway talk to your friends/ police buddies and maybe we can all be fully informed and then make our decisions accordingly with our 350+ torque.

I'll see you at the track then. Wed. the 6th or sat the 9th.???

I believe the left lane law also passed. It stated that the left lane was to be used for overtaking another vehicle. If you cruise in the left lane without passing an officer could ticket you. The only exception is if there is a left lane exit within 2 miles. This is for interstates also.
I would argue that a loudmouth exhaust sounds stock in tone, just not loudness.
Now what they should have done something about is all the pickups that have 12" to 15" lifts and the headlights blind you. Also if one of those hits a car there is no bumper protection for the car, it just rides up over the other vehicle turning minor accidents deadly. That is the reason 18 wheelers have the "D.O.T." bumpers and low front fascias and bumpers.
Oh well just my .02

 

[silvergoat05]

The left lane law wasn't signed. Bush felt it would increase speeders. But you can go to a restaurant and drink wine, then take the unfinished bottle with you. And that won't increase the possibility of drinking and driving.

One important law you forgot, if you are caught racing on the streets, they can take your car. Kind of like 'Pinks', but you don't get to barter your position.

 

[silvergoat05]

Now what they should have done something about is all the pickups that have 12" to 15" lifts and the headlights blind you.

They do, they just choose not to enforce it. Back when some counties had emissions testing, if a car pulled up for testing and it was smoking, they where to fail the car w/o testing. Never happened. Cops are also supposed to issue 'defective equipment' citations for that stuff, but they don't.

 

[HTRDLNCN]

I live way out west in palm beach and around here everyone drives lifted diesel pickemups with massive exhausts you can hear inside your house as they roar by a block away. Only thing more annoying is the steady stream of riced out Harleys zooming by with their open pipe exhausts on the weekends. Its like a competition to see who is slowest and loudest at the same time.. Cops dont care..

 

[RiceEater]

I have to say I'm really glad for some of these things now... because there are a lot of people here in FL that drive like complete IDIOTS.

We can still "unofficially drag" as long as we don't peel out or speed and keep our vehicle under control or anything like that...

At least the min speed on the highways is now 50, in a way it means officers will enforce the whole left lane speeding at 80mph thing even less.

 

[HTRDLNCN]

I have to say I'm really glad for some of these things now... because there are a lot of people here in FL that drive like complete IDIOTS.
.

And that idiot factor gets worse the farther south you go,,its not quite as bad here as it was when I lived in Miami..

 

[Xcommuter]

Driving skills are going downhill all over the state. In North Florida you have to
use defensive skills 90 % and offensive skills 10 % . We all like speed or we wouldn't be on this forum , but I find it's hard to travel point A - Point B without yelling at some crazy move daily much less finding space to be aggressive. I-95 and I-75 can be madness with packs acting like Nascar in vehicles that are in need of repairs. The fun challenge is to find a GAP and cruise in it. Birds are old school and L is better (for LOOSER).

Back in the 70's you could see driver's that had the skills when hauling A but now I rarely see ANY car hauling A with some skill and coolness , except Goats...

Law enforcement has a tough job and they aren't compensated very well at that , just wish they would ticket for something other than speeding. Have you ever noticed how the FHP drive the speed limit when crusing , but rarely see that with DOT , Sheriff's , and local police ...

Still researching the Words and enforcement ideas on the New laws .

 

[RiceEater]

I really don't mind people who speed... I don't really consider them the idiots. It's the people who speed while swerving in and out of all 3 lanes of traffic and coming a foot to even inches from clipping the cars they're going by.

It's kind of funny though, where I live in the state with certain cities (Maitland, Sanford, Altamonte Springs) the police departments have very good, smart, and observant officers. Three quarters of the time they won't pull you over if you're going 15 maybe 20 mph over the speed limit as long as you appear to be "responsible" and safe while doing it. They instead wait for that one guy to go hauling ass down the road - driving like a freakin moron - before they take out and grab someone.

I never get tired of seeing a ricer go flying down I-4 flashing through all the lanes and then 5 miles down the road I see a FHP or Sheriff's Deputy with him on the side of the road.

 

[Xcommuter]

RiceEater-
My home town is Winter Park and the Police used to hang with us at Steak and Shake on Colonial and we used 436 as test and tune. But that was many many years ago (pre Mouse). Glad to hear Central Fl still has friendly Law enforcement.

I commute thru 2+ speed traps and they only pull speeders . Waldo and Lawdy have 65-55-45-55-65 zones and they are monitored. Of course they also use the fake dummy officer with radar on so ya never know , but they are not the friendly law enforcement you mention.

Regarding your Ricers - never seen a good driver in one up here but then again lots of students with cell phones in their ear up here so local law enforcement can have their choice of what car is speeding. Students are great they keep the area young just driving skills need work. (Saw a Mustang GT today with a Toyota "R" metal decal on the back- fooled me...:lol: ) Looked silly.

I'm working with some engineering Friends on a time travel gun that when you shoot a bad driver with it they return to location where they initially got into their car. Back to the beginning , do not pass go , you must start again... :confused

 

[Troy Roberts]

exhaust tone/sound must remain close to stock for the vehicle

This is a scary one. There are a lot of cars out there, including mine, that do not sound at all close to stock anymore.

 

[RiceEater]

This is a scary one. There are a lot of cars out there, including mine, that do not sound at all close to stock anymore.

I wouldn't worry too much Troy... cause I think they're talking about those people that get mufflers the drastically increase the decibal level of the sound. You know, the ones who when they go by make you want to shout at them "GET A NEW ****ING MUFFLER DUMBASS!"


Xcommuter - that's awesome, my home town in Altamonte Springs but I've been living in Maitland for the past 15 some years, so I had been right next to ya for awhile.

 

[Xcommuter]

I hung out at the local speedo cert shop this Friday and this is what I hear from the six FHP officers than came in for service. Local and county could differ...

The turn signal issue is going to be aggressively enforced. The statue also says that the signal must be maintained for 100 feet . Of course at 80 mph that is one blink , but around city corners that could be longer than you think.

I should say that the statues read one-way while most officers will use their discretion. One even told me he stopped a Black GTO on I-75 after doing 100 but wrote it for less...(excuse was didn't know they were going that fast)

The exhaust sound/tone reads the it must be stock for the vehicle in question. We are somewhat better off because the Goat comes with a deep exhaust stock and the appearance package does change the exhaust tips. Just beware - they have the ability to write up the exhaust. Tint we all know about... Almost all disagreed with me that rapid lane changes can be done without being reckless...

They know about the GTO and most of them were impressed. One officer mentioned that the Packs of cars on I-75 that bunch up are also violating the distance between vehicles while also speeding. Also buckle up as they love to see speeders not waring seatbelts ($$$)... Another officer mentioned pulling a semi that was in a convoy for being less than one semi apart. The statue says 300' but that's kinda crazy on the interstate ...

I saw a demo of the latest Laser detector and it is deadly. First its portable and hand held. I convinced one FHP officer to test it with my V1. From 200 feet the V1 would go off fine , problem was he had my distance (or speed if I can been moving) . Only way I see lucking out with Laser is if you get a reading while another car is being beemed.

I did hear the comment that most will not pursue if the reading has any doubt and I could see the hand/eye question being a lawyer special. I also got a look at the "DAVID" system and the response time on background checks is much faster- actually impressive the info they can pull up on ya - must be the offshoot of the Patriot Act.

Other stuff came up , like the cost of tickets going up and some "PIT" stories.
I bring all this up not to cause overly concern as most GH's are drivers with skills but just to inform. Finally off topic - As I read the owners manual I did see that the breakin period is 500 miles at 55 mph or less wihile varying RPM.
That's kinda hard to do - I have been keeping it under 55 alot and It's ackward to do 55 in a 65 in a Goat while 90% of the traffic pass ya . But the temp tag might show informed drivers why... 450 miles now.

Have Fun ; be Careful and hope Hurricane Dennis misses all readers...

 

[RiceEater]

First off I seriously doubt any officer is going to pull you over for having the SAP exhaust on. They're really only going to pull over those people who when they're going by, you know they don't have a stock exhaust because you literally have to shout to someone next to you to be heard. The SAP exhaust doesn't really make the sound of the goat too much louder, it just makes it deeper.

Within the next week I'm going to be sedning in my application for either the Florida Highway Patrol, the Orange County Sheriff's Dept., or the Orlando PD... I'll let ya know more info on the laws soon as I'm accepted and find out more

EDIT - I may be the first cop in FL to drive a GTO