Where can I find one of those "Your speed:" radar signs?

Submitted by i_need_a_lift t3_10pecea in rva

I bought a used car recently and it seems like I'm being tailgated a lot more than I did in my other car. I'm driving the same speeds I always do, so I want to find out if the car's speedo is reading high. Can anyone direct me to one of those radar signs that tells you your speed as you drive by? I've seen permanent ones around before, but am drawing a blank on where.

Near Northside, preferably.

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Pragmatologist t1_j6jwx3a wrote

Can't answer your specific question, but here is another idea.

Use Waze/Google maps --> just make sure you have speedometer turned on. That will give you another measure of speed. I've found both to be accurate.

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getfast37 t1_j6jzw8b wrote

+1, the speedo inside the Waze app on any recent smartphone with location services/GPS enabled will be at least as accurate as one of those "your speed is" signs. Have used it to 'calibrate' cruise control speeds to actual speeds many times...

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a_cycle_addict t1_j6jxyod wrote

Waze has one built into phone gps. It's dead on accurate.

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stickynohte t1_j6jzw4z wrote

Mine is always off by 1mph, but close enough!

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a_cycle_addict t1_j6k8xhz wrote

Or is your car off by 1mph??

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stickynohte t1_j6khbwo wrote

When I pass the speed limit signs (that I believe OP is referring to) they’re accurate to what my car is clocking. BUT maybe car + signs are wrong and waze is the correct one. The world will never know.

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Hiltson87 t1_j6ksz3z wrote

It's just dumb luck if you're exactly calibrated because tires can vary in actual size vs the numbered size. More common in lifted trucks, but the bigger the tire the more your speedometer will be off and most people don't bother to change their speedometer gear to match the new tire size. It's not unusual for a regular car to be off by 1-2 mph though.

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CoffeePeddlerRVA t1_j6k0kdr wrote

Hahaha, can’t believe we’re proposing some of the most complicated solutions. Hop on 64W and set your cruise control to 60MPH. Watch the mile markers and measure the seconds to go exactly 1 mile. Should be 60 seconds

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3FoxInATrenchcoat t1_j6n7wl9 wrote

Now OP is really going to get tailgated lol

(But no, seriously, very good suggestion!)

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BobbyFuckingB t1_j6jwoo0 wrote

The tolls on Powhite once you cross the river have one, but I’m drawing a blank regarding another permanent one.

Alternatively, if you have a buddy who can go the same speed as you can compare and see if you’re matched

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in_casino_0ut t1_j6jxf2i wrote

By the airport. There's two on airport Dr. between Rt. 60 and Charles city rd. Turn into the airport off rt. 60 and there is one on the right.

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i_need_a_lift OP t1_j6k7oif wrote

Haha, shit, I went to the airport just two weeks ago and passed one of those on the way in, but totally forgot it until I read your post. ty

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cmyk412 t1_j6jzff1 wrote

Could it be as simple as your rear window is higher up than your old car’s? It may seem like people behind you are closer when they really aren’t.

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FFracer22 t1_j6k3an7 wrote

Agreed, when I bought my first pickup truck I felt like everyone was tailgating me. They weren’t. In a vehicle with a higher rear you see less of the vehicle behind you even though the distance is the same.

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Ultimatethies t1_j6jxs9b wrote

I think there’s one on North ave near Brookland PKWY

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Kineda77 t1_j6mo8mg wrote

(As of last Friday) Headed northbound on North Ave, very (very) roughly near the intersection with E. Norwood Ave.

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i_need_a_lift OP t1_j6kf0zr wrote

Thanks for all the suggestions! Waze was the easiest, and I just got back from checking with it and it reads about 4mph high at speeds from 40mph to 70mph.

I confirmed the tires are the OE size so I'm not sure what's going on, but I think I'll be fine just compensating for it in my head.

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rabbiferret t1_j6kh1xp wrote

so, it looks like you found the quick and dirty solution, but I wanted to let you know that some auto shops offer speedometer calibration for $75-100. They set your car up on a set of rollers (a dynamometer) and can verify the actual vs. speedometer readout and adjust accordingly.

This helped me in my earlier life with speeding tickets (and it was cheaper back then) but it will undoubtedly help you now if you need a calibration.

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getfast37 t1_j6ki4ex wrote

Yep! Southern Electronics off Midlo Tnpk near Ch'field Town Center has been the go-to for this in the greater RVA area for decades. But iirc for that price they're just telling you how far off your speedo is, not necessarily fixing anything...

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i_need_a_lift OP t1_j6lbklv wrote

Oh cool, thanks, if I do end up deciding to get it fixed, that's a great lead on the place to have it done. Never heard of them before now.

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m0arpepper t1_j6ki9mb wrote

Is it a German car? BMW speedometers read higher than you’re going. Stupid thing is, there’s a hidden setting that shows the actual speed.

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10698 t1_j6k56e4 wrote

As of this afternoon there's one sitting in the median on Cowardin just south of Semmes.

But it's probably not your speedometer. Too many people are just impatient assholes these days.

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KDRadio1 t1_j6kiutb wrote

This made me laugh. I’ve been using GPS and phone navigation apps for decades, even professionally. I can’t tell you how many times I have forgotten my phone is a speedometer.

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lunar_unit t1_j6k7qpc wrote

As others have said, Google maps has a speedometer, but there are also lots of standalone GPS speedometer apps that display your speed in full screen and are very accurate.

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Diet_Coke t1_j6jy9nk wrote

If you use Google Maps, it'll tell you how fast you're going. Get into cruise control and check it out. It's usually off by about 1 mph but should give you a good idea

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miqcie t1_j6k93sb wrote

Take it to a mechanic and ensure the speedometer is working accurately

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I_Lust_Euro_Women t1_j6k9kqg wrote

Open your door and see tire size. Verify tires are right size. GPS will tell you the speed.

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miller_time t1_j6lyetg wrote

Just passed one on brook around 5:30 tonight, heading east from laburnum

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FiveTicketRide t1_j6mzvzu wrote

There’s one in front of Veritas on Brook this morning

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sleevieb t1_j6k35dy wrote

Eastbound on forest hill just east of Westover hills BLVD

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longhairedcountryboy t1_j6kjvps wrote

I usually see them around schools. NOT in Richmond so take that for what it's worth.

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Gothmom85 t1_j6myxzt wrote

Is the car a different height maybe changing perspective? That's the only thing else I could think of, save for unless the car has some attribute associated with something that enrages people, if your speed is fine.

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