It isn't uncommon for automotive enthusiast groups to organize gatherings in large commercial parking lots. Quite often the local businesses even support the groups due to increased sales generated by the crowds. Such is apparently not the case in
The funds for the crackdown, and others like it, get drained from the
[Source: theNewspaper.com]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
Brian @ Apr 4th 2008 10:35AM
is that a hummer police vehicle? ----- give me an f***ing break! in California too! hahahahaaha
Mel. R @ Apr 4th 2008 11:00AM
Yep, talk about "do as I say, not as I do".
California whinges on about how they can't set their own higher emissions standards in regards to CAFE, but they apparently (thanks to this photo) have no problem giving their police officers a vehicle with one of the largest carbon footprints out there.
F**king hypocrites.
Matt @ Apr 4th 2008 11:24AM
The Hummer H2 and H3 actually have gas mileage comparable to the ancient, decrepit old Crown Victoria police cruiser, believe it or not, so they really aren't losing much by using them.
Matt @ Apr 4th 2008 11:24AM
I'm really questioning the legality of this.
The vehicles were gathered in a non-public parking lot (the company that owns the shopping center/mall has the rights to the ground), presumeably with permission from the company that owns it, to form a peaceful gathering.
The police went in under the assumption they would find something illegal, which could be considered some sort of descrimination or profiling of a group of people, particularly considering the police really didn't seem to have any kind of reasonable doubt on the whole matter.
If this group of one hundred plus drivers got together and hired a lawyer, I'm quite confident they would probably win a case against the county or state government.
Even though I hate ricers, I hope they persue such a case.
why not the LS2LS7? @ Apr 4th 2008 11:47AM
Mel. R:
You're making a common logical error. You assume the same people who are complaining about the emissions standards are also pro-HUMMER. You're wrong.
California is a state composed of a lot of people and a lot of government agencies. They don't all agree. This is natural.
Hell, our governor drives an H1 HUMMER.
kenanator @ Apr 4th 2008 12:06PM
The police here do not have hummers. This is obviously a poster or stock photo.
Stuff like this happens all the time around here though. In the town I live in, La Verne, a suburb of L.A. The have random drivers license checkpoints and DUI checkpoints at 8am on weekday mornings. Who drives to work hammered on a Tues morning? Nobody. It is all a shakedown. There are lines of tow trucks loading up cars for impound. It is ridiculous...
DarthLost @ Apr 4th 2008 4:08PM
In the question of legality, in sacramento I was doing dohnuts in my friends mustang. I was cited by a cop. My dads best friend is a layer. He scowered the books, you cant cite someone for violations on private property. The owners MUST press charges. This means the cops need to wait for those cars to enter the public streets. I got out of a 1500 ticket and 2 points on my license because of that clause.
Good thing I knew the owners.
Luis @ Apr 4th 2008 12:11PM
What I don't get is how come this doesn't happen at Hot Rod meets? (Which I also like) There were no citations for illegal racing; so that wasn't the motive/probable cause. Don't they have to have a warrant of some type to get you to open the hood? And by blocking the parking lot access, aren't they creating a safety issue? Not to mention entrapment. I guess this could go on forever. Just seems like these resources could be spent elsewhere. B.S. I tell you!
Guenther @ Apr 4th 2008 12:13PM
Matt- 1st, thats an H1 in the pic. It got between 7 and 11mpg. Police CV's will average 10-18 mpg, depending on use. H2s and 3s CAN achieve those numbers in highway cruising, but if used the same, would return numbers closer to 7 and 10, respectively.
As for the legality. It would be very presumptuous to presume that anyone there got permission from the management of a shopping center to gather there by the hundreds after closing hours. Police are often encouraged by business owners to "roll through" large properties during night time hours. Many of the citations listed are primary infracrions, which warrant being pulled over by themselves.
Is it wrong to ticket for revenue? sure it is. Is it legal? right again. Show of hands from anyone here who has written their state rep./senator with regards to laws protecting you from selective taxation?
Duncan @ Apr 4th 2008 12:49PM
It's an H1, some of the State Parks Rangers drive H1s. There's a couple at the Grover/Oceano/Pismo Dunes. However, that's not a photo of a State Park vehicle, that's not a ranger, and those aren't offroad tires. So it's likely a stock photo from somewhere.
I'd love to see the cops show up at a Hot August Nights event and start ticketing for similar offenses. "Why do you need a supercharger on your Studebaker unless you were going to street race it?"
Americans, white, yellow, brown and black have been modifying and, yes, street racing cars since before laws regarding cars even existed. Picking on the import tuner group is just xenophobia.
Dan @ Apr 4th 2008 1:01PM
I had a 2000 P71. It got 24-25 on the highway at 75. In town it would get 12 or so.
If you think a Hummer with much more frontal area, the aerodynamics of a brick, and another 2000 lbs is going to get the same mileage just because the CV is "old and decrepit", you're stuck on stupid.
A H2 is hard pressed to break 15 on the highway.
Stephen @ Apr 4th 2008 1:25PM
Yea this is not a picture from the event. Im not even sure that its in California. I know the guy driving the Skyline and if i remember correctly it is from a photo shoot for a police dept some time ago. Just to clear things up.
Todd @ Apr 4th 2008 3:03PM
That photo was on the cover of Sport Compact Car magazine a few years ago. They did a story about the legality of modifications and it was written by Dave Coleman of my memory serves me right.
tina @ Apr 5th 2008 9:36PM
F*CK THE POLICE!
Repeatedly. And from behind. Hard.
Menice @ Apr 4th 2008 10:40AM
ah loser cops with nothing better to do then be douchebags.
go bust a crack dealer or kid abuser ....
much better uses for $503,000 tax dollars.
chirst thats a HALF MILLION bucks to hassel car enthusists that are parked...
Brian @ Apr 4th 2008 10:51AM
This is just ridiculous. Now they're harassing people in public gatherings based on the assumption that they gathered to organize street racing?
geo.stewart @ Apr 4th 2008 11:43AM
they might as well position themselves at Autozone or Advance Auto on a Saturday and get even more folks.
Since they dont, something is amiss.
Me Too @ Apr 4th 2008 10:43AM
Let me get it straight, it is suggested that the state funds should not be spend on prosecuting illegal car modification and buyers/sellers/users of the stolen property? Isn't it a good opportunity to nab a 10s of "Fast and Furious" at once instead of chasing them individually all over the place?
Sean Morris @ Apr 4th 2008 11:05AM
And with that mentality, the police should stand outside your local bar, and give you a DUI when you walk out the door. No matter even if you are actually going to drive home.
Drinking is not illegal. Modifying your car is not illegal if done in accordance with the law. Drinking and driving is illegal. Street Racing is illegal. Gathering to talk about cars is not illegal.
Jason @ Apr 4th 2008 11:18AM
nab a 10s of "Fast and Furious"
With a comment like that you immediately know that this guy's insight in to the matter is about as worthless as his life... completely. The question isn't whether or not you agree with what types of cars they are, it's if the police were in the wrong. What if it was a Camaro/Firebird/Corvette meet and the cops did this? Something tells me you'd be singing a different tune.