[DeTomaso] Gentlemen, Start Your Engines

[boyd casey]

It may seem like to much trouble for some but after several incidents
involving tickets received in high profile sports cars I came up with the
idea of using available technology to assist me.   The incident that pushed
me over the edge occurred when I was driving my 911. A new York State
trooper was coming toward me from the opposite direction. Around 100 yards
before we met a guy in a Mitsubishi eclipse passed me going in the same
direction as I was. ( I was doing around 35 mph) After the trooper and I
passed each other he made a U turn lit up his lights and flew passed me
after the Mitsubishi.  You can imagine my surprise when a half a mile later
( it took him some time to catch up to the Eclipse)  as I approached the now
pulled over trooper and Mitsubishi , the trooper istanding in the middle of
the road and waves me over.  I will skip the dialogue and get to the end
result , a ticket for doing 77 in a 35!
Besides the fact that I wasn't speeding the other problem with this officers
citation is that legally when a person is ticketed for speeding as a result
of evidence provided by RADAR the radar gun has to be calibrated before a
citation is issued and then re calibrated before another ticket is issued.
You can't ticket two cars on one radar reading. ( besides the fact that at
least in NY this is the Law ,logic and Physics would tell you you can't
clock two vehicles traveling at two different rates of speed at the same
time in the same place with one radar gun ( especially when the RADAR is in
a moving vehicle ). Anyway the point of my story is that by installing a GPS
tracking unit in your car you can record your speed , location , direction
of travel etc. just like a aircraft cockpit data recorder. This won't help
with tickets for signaling but it can provide evidence concerning your speed
and your exact location at any given time. It can even show if you stopped
at a stop sign. It may seem like an extreme step to take but most often
violations boil down to your word against the officer and we all know how
that ends. With the advent of micro cameras I have even considered
installing a video recorder with a time stamp. With the advances made in
digital electronics you can install a small computer with camera lenses so
small they would go unnoticed by most casual observers and you could produce
video evidence of events  ( like tickets and accidents) when the recorded
events were in your favor. This can be a double edged sword if you are
actually in the wrong and your technology records your violations or errors.
As a matter of fact in serious accidents involving newer cars the police now
impound the cars computer because it DOES RECORD SPEED, BRAKING, and other
important information that can be used to determine fault in an accident. It
is in fact a data recorder that will show not only speed and braking but
will show all the major systems and their status prior to and up to the
moment of impact. So people who in the past had an accident as the result of
speeding or reckless driving and then claimed that the car suffered some
type of "mechanical failure" that caused the accident are now out of luck.
In conclusion the authorities use every available technology to their
advantage ( RADAR, LASER, Video speed traps etc.) so in my opinion it's best
to fight fire with fire.  I have also found that many police officers
scrutinize the Pantera out of curiosity, so sometimes it's best to just pull
over before they can fabricate an offence and then if they stop show them
the car! I have had this happen several times. Spending allot of time
driving in the same suburban area when those same cops see me I now wave and
they wave back , usually with a big smile on their face. They are Human
Beings ( for the most part) and some of them have the same interests we do
in nice cars and motorcycles but they can't pull you over and say " I just
wanted to look at your car ".

Boyd

On Wed, Dec 31, 2008 at 11:17 PM, Trevor Fougere <trevor at fougere.com> wrote:

> Happy New Year...
>
>
>
> Sometimes it may just be better to rev it in the garage, than to actually
> be
> seen in public.
>
>
>
> This afternoon, taking a leisurely (for me) drive to do a couple of errands
> in the Pantera..
>
>
>
> Halfway down the 6 minute drive to the freeway I passed one of Novato's
> "finest" writing up a Jeep.  Downshifted
>
> and went up the hill. A little loud maybe, but at the speed limit. One stop
> sign and on red light later, leaving the red light
>
> I slipped between two cars and got the free lane ahead. Swooping in behind
> me at velocity was this same officer
>
> I had passed two minutes before.
>
>
>
> She followed me to the freeway.
>
> She followed me onto the freeway.
>
> She followed me down the freeway.
>
> I'm doing 60-65 (legal) and signaling the occasional lane change.
>
> She makes all the same lane changes.
>
> I'm in the slow lane doing 55.  5 miles later.  She's still on my ass.
>
> So.I see  a commercial van doing about 50 in the next lane.  I thought I
> signaled, and moved into his lane at a slightly higher
>
> speed, cutting it a little closer than usual.
>
> Sure enough, she squeezes in behind me and lights up.
>
> Then she bangs me for not only "failing to signal", but also for an "unsafe
> lane change".  And took at least 15 minutes to write it up.
>
> Color me livid.
>
> I was driving slower than I ever drive it, and not doing jack shit.  She
> tailed me for 10 minutes over about 6 miles, waiting for any
>
> excuse to pop me.
>
>
>
> California is bankrupt.
>
> They are on a revenue crusade.
>
>
>
> But hell..my Pantera rolls, and I'm gonna drive it.
>
>
>
> I don't mind getting popped for speeding.  Hey, it's all part of the game.
>
>
>
> But getting stalked like this guarantees my attorney is going to get some
> business in January.
>
>
>
> And the police wonder why they get shot periodically.
>
>
>
> Happy New Year..get out there and drive. no matter what!
>
>
>
> Trevor
>
> #3797
>
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