5 ms·

Cannonball Record Broken: 25 Hours, 39 Minutes from NYC to LA

26 points by devy 6y ago

mikenew 6y ago
Yeah, sorry, 175mph on the freeway is not something I'm okay with. For other cars on the road going 65mph that's a relative speed of 110mph. I'd like to see them in jail.
- viraptor 6y ago
  > 175mph on the freeway That's also 175mph driven by a person who as a professional wouldn't legally be allowed to drive that long in many places (even if they're swapping, that's 12.7h of driving each). It's not a good state to be driving even at normal speeds. > I'd like to see them in jail. Given the drivers publish their names and various proofs... why aren't more of them arrested?
  - snerbles 6y ago
    The new record holders wait until after statutes of limitations have elapsed in the various jurisdictions they traveled through.
    - viraptor 6y ago
      Is there really no cooperation in enforcement at interstate level? I thought the police cars stopping at the state line was an 80s movie trope. Also, the way I understand the statute of limitations in the US is that the time limit only applies to getting the charged filed. If the person is known (like in this case) they could be charged right now.
      - mikhailt 6y ago
        Each state is its own sovereign, state officials in one state is not recognized as such in another state (it doesn't mean they can't work together, they can be deputized or whatever the state laws say about another state officials, it just means by default, they can't be involved in another state's affairs and if they do, they'd be breaking the laws themselves even with good intentions). Only the federal government can be involved in the interstate affairs but the constitution itself does not allow the federal government to be involved in police matters, only the states. In addition, if someone breaks the law and cross the state line, the federal agencies can only be involved if the crime was being committed at the federal level. If no federal law exists, then there's nothing they can do. Status of limitations is different in each state, it's not federal level. So, in some state, it can be from when the crime was committed. You can get the details here: https://www.lawinfo.com/resources/criminal-defense/criminal-statute-limitations-time-limits.html https://www.lawinfo.com/resources/criminal-defense/criminal-...
- flutterdude420 6y ago
  But the guys said safety is their #1 priority!
- manigandham 6y ago
  Attentiveness and preparation increase safety dramatically. These guys are not driving full out in the middle of traffic. What's more interesting is that the owner of the Audi previously had an S63 and while helping others on another run, his car was rear-ended by a semi-truck while parked on the shoulder. The driver of the truck was falling asleep due to truck driving regulations being lifted because of covid. Safe to say that safety isn't that simple. Those trucking rule changes created more damage than the entire Cannonball history.
MentallyRetired 6y ago
I've heard of this happening again and again lately because of the lack of traffic due to Covid.
- dvcrn 6y ago
  That’s what it says in the article as well
- 9nGQluzmnq3M 6y ago
  The article says this is the 6th new record since Nov 2019.
reustle 6y ago
Here's a great video from 2 days ago explaining the recent record attempts during COVID https://youtu.be/GOWn1WSYhVQ https://youtu.be/GOWn1WSYhVQ
Zhenya 6y ago
It's interesting that they took the Audi and made a few small mods to make it look like it's a ford police interceptor from the front. Is there a possibility this would fool other police? Or just people to get out of their way.
- wyclif 6y ago
  Both. I think it lends just enough plausible deniability if they did get stopped by police, but provides a certain amount of cover by creating some hesitation to identify it as either a private vehicle or a cop car (i.e., creating uncertainty) and prevent stoppage and other slowdowns. A friend of mine used to drive a Ford Crown Vic with a whip antenna on the rear that was actually an unmarked ex-cop car. When he would get in the passing lane, he'd never get blocked—US drivers recognize white or dark blue Ford Crown Vics and Taurus models as common police vehicles and usually change to the right (non-passing) lane immediately.
stareatgoats 6y ago
As far as I can tell, this is an illegal race that puts innocent peoples lives at unnecessary risk. Nothing to glorify IMO.
- ghthor 6y ago
  Pull the stick out your ass, this is America.
  - loco5niner 6y ago
    I don't understand this selfish attitude. 'Being America' justifies putting innocent lives at risk? If they want to risk their own lives on a closed course, they are free to make that decision for themselves, but (America being America) freedom works both ways.
dang 6y ago
Three significant threads in the last year: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23206216 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23206216 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22842110 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22842110 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21701917 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21701917
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
vecinu 6y ago
I wonder if the records set now during the reduced traffic COVID era will be able to be beaten once regular (or accelerated traffic begins due to reduced public transit use) resumes. If we defund the police completely then maybe new records will be set (I'm being facetious of course). Alex Roy has a very interesting talk he gave at Google 12 years ago (Wow!) on the subject of Cannonball runs. I highly recommend it: https://youtu.be/IQpg0tvap4A https://youtu.be/IQpg0tvap4A
yosito 6y ago
Did they put a GoPro on the front and release a time lapse video of the trip?
jml7c5 6y ago
Has anyone seen anything about attempts to charge/prosecute people who attempt this? I haven't seen any reporting on it, but it seems like it would make for a good long-form article.
WizardAustralis 6y ago
While I do not approve of the cannonball run in anyway due to the horrendous disregard for others safety, I am a little impressed at the speed they achieve and the optimization they do to achieve this. Wish it was more an opennly organized even with safety regulation, safety provisions and road closures rather than acting like road thieves, ignoring the rules for glory.
adwi 6y ago
Arrest these people.
panda21 6y ago
I'd be curious to hear more about the scouting system they have. The fact they can make it so far with such a big target on themselves (their speed) and not get stopped once does not bode well for officers trying to stop trafficking of any kind.
- MrMember 6y ago
  Previous record holders have used people in planes to scout for police. I'd imagine they did something similar. GPS systems that let people report speed traps probably help a lot too.

26 points by devy 6y ago

Yeah, sorry, 175mph on the freeway is not something I'm okay with. For other cars on the road going 65mph that's a relative speed of 110mph. I'd like to see them in jail.

viraptor 6y ago
> 175mph on the freeway That's also 175mph driven by a person who as a professional wouldn't legally be allowed to drive that long in many places (even if they're swapping, that's 12.7h of driving each). It's not a good state to be driving even at normal speeds. > I'd like to see them in jail. Given the drivers publish their names and various proofs... why aren't more of them arrested?
- snerbles 6y ago
  The new record holders wait until after statutes of limitations have elapsed in the various jurisdictions they traveled through.
  - viraptor 6y ago
    Is there really no cooperation in enforcement at interstate level? I thought the police cars stopping at the state line was an 80s movie trope. Also, the way I understand the statute of limitations in the US is that the time limit only applies to getting the charged filed. If the person is known (like in this case) they could be charged right now.
    - mikhailt 6y ago
      Each state is its own sovereign, state officials in one state is not recognized as such in another state (it doesn't mean they can't work together, they can be deputized or whatever the state laws say about another state officials, it just means by default, they can't be involved in another state's affairs and if they do, they'd be breaking the laws themselves even with good intentions). Only the federal government can be involved in the interstate affairs but the constitution itself does not allow the federal government to be involved in police matters, only the states. In addition, if someone breaks the law and cross the state line, the federal agencies can only be involved if the crime was being committed at the federal level. If no federal law exists, then there's nothing they can do. Status of limitations is different in each state, it's not federal level. So, in some state, it can be from when the crime was committed. You can get the details here: https://www.lawinfo.com/resources/criminal-defense/criminal-statute-limitations-time-limits.html https://www.lawinfo.com/resources/criminal-defense/criminal-...
flutterdude420 6y ago
But the guys said safety is their #1 priority!
manigandham 6y ago
Attentiveness and preparation increase safety dramatically. These guys are not driving full out in the middle of traffic. What's more interesting is that the owner of the Audi previously had an S63 and while helping others on another run, his car was rear-ended by a semi-truck while parked on the shoulder. The driver of the truck was falling asleep due to truck driving regulations being lifted because of covid. Safe to say that safety isn't that simple. Those trucking rule changes created more damage than the entire Cannonball history.

MentallyRetired 6y ago

I've heard of this happening again and again lately because of the lack of traffic due to Covid.

dvcrn 6y ago
That’s what it says in the article as well
9nGQluzmnq3M 6y ago
The article says this is the 6th new record since Nov 2019.

reustle 6y ago

Here's a great video from 2 days ago explaining the recent record attempts during COVID https://youtu.be/GOWn1WSYhVQ https://youtu.be/GOWn1WSYhVQ

Zhenya 6y ago

It's interesting that they took the Audi and made a few small mods to make it look like it's a ford police interceptor from the front. Is there a possibility this would fool other police? Or just people to get out of their way.

wyclif 6y ago
Both. I think it lends just enough plausible deniability if they did get stopped by police, but provides a certain amount of cover by creating some hesitation to identify it as either a private vehicle or a cop car (i.e., creating uncertainty) and prevent stoppage and other slowdowns. A friend of mine used to drive a Ford Crown Vic with a whip antenna on the rear that was actually an unmarked ex-cop car. When he would get in the passing lane, he'd never get blocked—US drivers recognize white or dark blue Ford Crown Vics and Taurus models as common police vehicles and usually change to the right (non-passing) lane immediately.

stareatgoats 6y ago

As far as I can tell, this is an illegal race that puts innocent peoples lives at unnecessary risk. Nothing to glorify IMO.

ghthor 6y ago
Pull the stick out your ass, this is America.
- loco5niner 6y ago
  I don't understand this selfish attitude. 'Being America' justifies putting innocent lives at risk? If they want to risk their own lives on a closed course, they are free to make that decision for themselves, but (America being America) freedom works both ways.

dang 6y ago

Three significant threads in the last year: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23206216 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23206216 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22842110 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22842110 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21701917 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21701917

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]

vecinu 6y ago

I wonder if the records set now during the reduced traffic COVID era will be able to be beaten once regular (or accelerated traffic begins due to reduced public transit use) resumes. If we defund the police completely then maybe new records will be set (I'm being facetious of course). Alex Roy has a very interesting talk he gave at Google 12 years ago (Wow!) on the subject of Cannonball runs. I highly recommend it: https://youtu.be/IQpg0tvap4A https://youtu.be/IQpg0tvap4A

yosito 6y ago

Did they put a GoPro on the front and release a time lapse video of the trip?

jml7c5 6y ago

Has anyone seen anything about attempts to charge/prosecute people who attempt this? I haven't seen any reporting on it, but it seems like it would make for a good long-form article.

WizardAustralis 6y ago

While I do not approve of the cannonball run in anyway due to the horrendous disregard for others safety, I am a little impressed at the speed they achieve and the optimization they do to achieve this. Wish it was more an opennly organized even with safety regulation, safety provisions and road closures rather than acting like road thieves, ignoring the rules for glory.

adwi 6y ago

Arrest these people.

panda21 6y ago

I'd be curious to hear more about the scouting system they have. The fact they can make it so far with such a big target on themselves (their speed) and not get stopped once does not bode well for officers trying to stop trafficking of any kind.

MrMember 6y ago
Previous record holders have used people in planes to scout for police. I'd imagine they did something similar. GPS systems that let people report speed traps probably help a lot too.