Really scared myself in the Hellcat. Time to move on?

[SilverBillet]

I appreciate everybody's thoughts so far. I've had this car for a while now (north of 10,000 miles), so I'm really used to the size of the car, and I understand my limits in the corners. This was one of those straight line starting at highway speeds and going way north of highway speeds and not a losing control in the corner kind of thing. We're talking do not pass go, do not collect $200, go directly to jail speeds. I wasn't surprised at how fast the car was going, I was well in control of the skinny peddle. Hell at the time I wasn't scared. It was the next day when I had a chance to reflect on everything that it kind of spooked me. This isn't me searching for an excuse to get a new truck, this is me searching to see if I really need a vehicle like this in the fleet. I'm not going to do anything rash, and I'll take the car out again. I just need to do some soul searching. I love the hell out of this car, but I'm going to do some more thinking.

It does gain speed rather quickly when you kick it down just to pass a car. I dread the day I get caught at wide open throttle in a no passing zone passing granny going under the speed limit! Could happen!

 

[Magnified]

I will do dumb stuff, on occasion, but only where I am absolutely certain that I am putting no one else at risk. Seeing as the CDL is your life/income, and depending on how bad you were behaving, only you can make the call.

Here, I've gotten people off of speeding tickets where they were cruising at 110 in a 75 mph zone.

 

[ChargerChallenger]

With immense power comes immense responsibility

Can you tell that to JOHN HOLMES

 

[16GoManGoHC2]

Hey, my nickname was Johnny back in my younger live for skin years, I know what immense power can bring, unfortunately back then it wasn’t immense responsibility then either lol

 

[16GoManGoHC2]

I will do dumb stuff, on occasion, but only where I am absolutely certain that I am putting no one else at risk. Seeing as the CDL is your life/income, and depending on how bad you were behaving, only you can make the call.

Here, I've gotten people off of speeding tickets where they were cruising at 110 in a 75 mph zone.

What does 160 in a 55 net you in Pa??

 

[SilverBillet]

Go to jail. Post bond. Get an expensive lawyer. Go to court. Pay big fine. They may even impound your car? Lose your insurance.

 

[Mike L.]

Can you tell that to JOHN HOLMES

Still clinging to those 8MM tapes?

 

[Decay]

So after thinking about this a bit I realize that I do practice a bit of discretion.
For full on pulls I have a "track" with no ingress/egress and the only thing that I am concerned about is an Elk stepping out but my car has some ass kicking brakes.
Similar to a dog marking his territory I feel compelled to go down to the local Chevy speed shop and put about 200 ft of rubber on the street in front of their shop. They were all standing out front so it had to be done.
Juvenile?
Most certainly!
But no cops in sight so it had to be done!

 

[motorhead]

Face it these cars are a bad influence. Are you weak-willed?

The best way to get "it" out of your system is at the track - after you climax, you can just relax and putt on home.

 

[16GoManGoHC2]

Face it these cars are a bad influence. Are you weak-willed?

The best way to get "it" out of your system is at the track - after you climax, you can just relax and putt on home.

If this where only true for all. 11 passes at the track Sunday, on the ride home is where I did a 160 + blast, my buddy in his stang let off even, I couldn’t believe when I glanced at speedo I saw 164 and still kept on it, going up hill too boot. The sound of that blower screaming and the air rushing by with windows down is like heroin, just can’t help it at times

 

[motorhead]

If this where only true for all. 11 passes at the track Sunday, on the ride home is where I did a 160 + blast, my buddy in his stang let off even, I couldn’t believe when I glanced at speedo I saw 164 and still kept on it, going up hill too boot. The sound of that blower screaming and the air rushing by with windows down is like heroin, just can’t help it at times
View attachment 13851

There is a reason I got mine in cocaine white.

 

[Matt someone with an SRT]

Here’s the golden rule that applies most of the time my dad has always said to me. “Keep it Under 100” . Pretty much if I’m on any public road unless it’s real early and I have a huge wide open stretch with no other vehicles around... 100 sometimes is hard. But definitely 99% of the time keep it under 120. I know even 120 is a bit absurd for the street.. but thats kinda my golden rule... the best feeling imo is 40-120. There’s really no need 99% of the time exceeding that. If your an experienced driver and know the cars limits and know the roads you drive.. it’s pretty easy. My driving level is pretty high, so I constantly feel like I’m never getting past 3/4 of the limit of my capabilities. For instance I do this 35mph turn in the morning constantly near my house at excessive speed for practice early In mornings on nice days on the weekend... I took it at 65 the other day in the Charger like it was literally nothing. I know that because I’ve taken it to the limit at the corner before at about 88mph. At that speed on the tight corner you power slide it a little coming through the apex. When I did that the one day I was like ok. That was a little too fast.. drifting a little into an oncoming lane.. so I knew from then on
Okay 70mph or less for me as a driver and that corner is effortless. Any faster there is a slight risk. So for my own experience.. I kinda test the limits slowly in places then pick up speed little by little until I know where the limit is then I just typically stay 2/3 or 3/4 of that limit most of the time driving so there is much less risk involved.

 

[Matt someone with an SRT]

Another trick I use... Is I always keep the car in Manual mode (98% of time) and use paddle shifters. I know the shift points very well. So I know in the Charger 3rd gear redlines at 96mph. So typically I think ok at the end of 3rd gear I’m letting off.

 

[JRabq]

Another trick I use... Is I always keep the car in Manual mode (98% of time) and use paddle shifters. I know the shift points very well. So I know in the Charger 3rd gear redlines at 96mph. So typically I think ok at the end of 3rd gear I’m letting off.

Excellent trick with M6 too...1st, 2nd, 3rd...60, 90, 120.

 

[Magnified]

If this where only true for all. 11 passes at the track Sunday, on the ride home is where I did a 160 + blast, my buddy in his stang let off even, I couldn’t believe when I glanced at speedo I saw 164 and still kept on it, going up hill too boot. The sound of that blower screaming and the air rushing by with windows down is like heroin, just can’t help it at times
View attachment 13851

The windows down is the best part. If you're a real man, stick you head out and squint.

 

[Magnified]

[

Here’s the golden rule that applies most of the time my dad has always said to me. “Keep it Under 100” . ..........

In my GTO I set my "over speed warning" at 100. In the Charger HC its at 85. And goes off a lot.

Another trick I use... Is I always keep the car in Manual mode (98% of time) and use paddle shifters. I know the shift points very well. So I know in the Charger 3rd gear redlines at 96mph. So typically I think ok at the end of 3rd gear I’m letting off.

My trick is that I keep a deputy sheriff in the back seat and he says keep it under 80 or you go to jail.

 

[Decay]

A radar detector is handy as well...

 

[Troytbo10]

A radar detector is handy as well...

Thats the first thing I bought for my car! Its saved me a couple times already.

 

[04Ram2500Hemi]

So thank you again for all your comments (some were pretty funny). My wife has accused me of overthinking things, and this situation is no different. The weather is supposed to turn crappy tomorrow through the weekend (single digit temps on Saturday) so after work I came home, grabbed the red key, and headed for one of my favorite roads. With the car set in my custom settings I went through some of my favorite corners, then on the way home set it to street mode, set the cruise, and turned up the tunes.

I always focus on doing the right thing, and wanting to make the right choices for my family. As I’ve mentioned in my build thread, I have MS (almost 10 years now) so it’s a balancing act of living for today and trying to focus on the future. The only time I forget I have MS is when I drive the Hellcat.

I apologize for overthinking things, but again I appreciate all the thoughts of my Hellcat Family. For now, the car stays in my family fleet!

 

[Mike L.]

You will never get that feeling again if you sell the Cat. That's a fact.