One hundred and twenty-five years ago in December, the first Mercedes was delivered.

In 1896, three German engineers made the world's first four-wheeled vehicle that was powered by a four-stroke engine. Shortly thereafter, Emil Jellinek appeared at the factory and asked for the best car the company could make. The initial result was the Phoenix: an 8 hp car that could reach the staggering speed of 25 mph. Mr. Jellinek was impressed, and told the engineers that if they could make a better car, he would buy 36 of them. The first Mercedes (named after Mr. Jellinek's daughter) was much faster, had advanced features, and could convert from a racecar to a family car.

The company registered the name in 1902; in 1903, Mr. Jellinek legally changed his name to Emil Jellinek-Mercedes.

Super Speeders

The racing spirit lives on in motorists throughout Kern County, at least as far as the CHP is concerned. If you are caught driving more than 100 mph, you may get a super speeder ticket. The penalty for a first-time violation of VC 22348(b) in Kern County, when considering the fine and penalty assessment, is normally $859, but can go up for every 5 MPH over 100 MPH. The penalty increases substantially for each subsequent violation.

Your license can also be suspended for 30 days upon a first-time conviction. The suspension period goes up for each conviction thereafter, and it can reach as high as six months in some cases. A 22348(b) violation also counts two points against your license. An attorney regularly practicing in Mojave may be able to get your charges reduced to simple speeding, dismissed, or even traffic school sometimes, which saves you money and saves you from a suspension.