Why Hankook tires suck

[Casey]

Is that within the speed limit ?

over here there's no way we would be allowed to go that fast on a road like that

Built up roads like that are 50km/h or ~31mph

Usually the speed limit in town is 30 - 35 mph, but in most smaller communities there are no police.  In most states, speed cameras and fixed police traps are either illegal, or so unpopular it just isn't done.  Our Sheriffs are all elected officials, after all - and they are the only law on county roads and small towns.

The speed limit there is 35mph.  The norm is that people generally drive up to 10mph over the speed limit without much worry about getting any ticket.  If you're just feeling relaxed and drive the actual speed limit, everyone will pass you, or get pissed off.  On an interstate, if you're the one guy driving the actual speed limit, you're more likely to be pulled over than anybody else because you look suspicious and they'll want to check if you're drunk or have piles of drugs being transported sitting out on the back seat.  Anyways in that first video, I doubt I was doing more than 45.  However, I didn't slow down appropriately for the corner, where the limit abruptly drops to 15.  I was probably doing 30.

In the countryside of the United States there are thousands and thousands of miles of beautifully paved secondary roads that were supplanted, first by the old State and National Routes (Route 66 for example), and then by the interstate highway system.

Interstate driving is amazingly dull.

But some areas are really lousy to drive in.  Maryland, for instance.  We have police all over the place, even perusing small towns and roads.  They move around and catch you by surprise.  In the more suburban areas, there are speed and red light cameras (which again respect the 10mph buffer, but ignore when it's rainy and wet and you have Hankook tires and the light turns red after you're halfway through the intersection) everywhere.  They are a pretty cheap ticket though, and don't put any points on your license, plus you learn where they are quickly.  I've heard that there are ones in California where the fine is much much higher - nearly $500!!

In a few states, driving off the road by accident or hitting an object is a punishable offence, usually 3 points (out of 12 or so) off your license and about a $200 USD fine.  Most states have no problem with accidents, as long as you or your insurance company pays for any damages.

When I wrecked my 1986 300D, I proceeded to drive it to the next exit before calling a tow truck.  It was an NSA-only exit, which was a bad idea, because federal police swarmed me right away, but it wasn't any real issue ultimately.  The tow truck driver was clearly very very uncomfortable to be there, and I've never seen somebody running around so fast to get a car loaded.  He told me I was wise to drive away from where the accident was though, because apparently in this state the police will give you a ticket for losing control of your vehicle, plus fine you for damage to the guardrail.

Even chronic drunks can drive around here - up to three times over .08 is only a 2 year suspension (6 months 1st, 12 months 2nd, 24 months 3rd).  However, if you can afford a lawyer, you can stretch that to 8 or 10 incidents.

These are what really bother me.  It's pretty obvious sometimes when you see one on the road, as they're going all over the place.  I try to pass them with a wide berth and get far ahead of them as soon as possible.

I'd say at least 60% of the vehicles operated in this state would not pass any form of safety inspection.  And I mean ANY form of rational inspection.

Hah!  A somewhat popular thing here is that a lot of people have highly-modified pick-up trucks, with 8-inch diameter smokestack exhaust pipes coming off both sides of their tuned V-8.  Strong-smelling smoke will come out of these whenever they hit the gas, and these large, heavy trucks will easily outperform any car I've ever driven, including a 6.9.  Yet I'll see regular Maryland license plates indicating that they "passed" a mandatory inspection.  I suspect heavy bribery is involved, but wonder how they manage to evade the police.  Perhaps bribery is involved there too, but that must get expensive after a while.