It's November. It could easily be snowing by now (knocking wood) and it probably will be snowing next week. So with winter coming, all I’m trying to do is get out in the cat every possible chance I get before that day comes. Once the snow lands and stays on the ground, the salt trucks go to work. And then it’s hibernation for the cat until the April rains finally wash the salt away.

Anyhow, this morning I woke up to a sunny day. An absolutely gorgeous late fall day. I called my buddies and we planned a ride to Little Italy for a cappuccino. I took a different route than usual, avoiding the expressway. I have no idea why I did that. I guess I was just taking in the scenery and happy to be back in the saddle, enjoying cruising along slowly.

Well, that didn’t last long. After 10 minutes of barely getting out of 2nd gear I was looking for any patch of open road. I came to a light. In front of me lay nothing but clear road. It was a narrow, sort of local residential street, but it ran alongside train tracks with no cross streets. “Ok, can I put the hammer down?” I asked myself. I hadn’t seen a single police car anywhere. I glanced in my mirror to make sure, but all I saw was my air cleaner and wing. I clicked on my rear view camera but the sun was directly on the screen and I could see nothing at all. “Hmmm, I better adjust the angle of the screen so I can see what’s behind, just in case,” I said to no one in particular. Anyhow, as I was trying to figure how the f%&k to change the angle of the screen without retracting it fully, the light changed to green. I slowly rolled off then gave in and hammered it – just a little. I enjoyed the expected twitching, feathering the throttle and sawing the wheel to keep it in a straight line. I grinned then decided to lift off and relax, just in case.

Weooooooo, weeoooooooo… holy shit! Red and blue flashing lights filled my side mirror as a police car screamed into view. “This is really gonna be bad,” I thought. High speed in a very low speed zone. Suddenly my subconcious took over. With an automatic function control running deep inside the brain, my body sprang to life. I pulled over quickly, my mind racing. I hurriedly unsnapped the belts, threw them aside so I could jump out of the car before my pursuers came to a stop.

I bailed out of the car and walked quickly back to meet them. I was shaking my head and using my hands was apologizing profusely, hoping to keep them busy enough so they wouldn’t say “Get back in your car, sir!”

So far so good.

I told them how sorry I was. How I just got out from under the car. How I had this electrical glitch. How it only appeared under load around 3500 RPM. How I changed several parts without any luck and was going to put the car away for the winter and needed to fix it today and thought I finally got it right. How there was no one on the street and I was just looking for a few seconds to check it out… and on and on.

“You were traveling at almost 3 times the speed limit – 150 in a 50 zone,” (kph not mph) said one of the boys in blue.

Ouch. I could see the front glass twisting then shattering as I pictured the cat being crushed as he explained how twice the speed limit is automatic street racing and… my mind blotted out the rest and I continued yabbering about MSD’s and coils.

“Show me!” said the other cop.

Awesome. This is working!

I popped open the engine bay and I could almost feel their pulse quicken. I went into a complete description of all the ignition components, pointing them out and explaining how I had changed them all one by with no luck until this morning when I changed the MSD box. The two cops were swooning over the engine bay by now. One was reading out loud the “Porsches for breakfast, Ferraris for lunch” over my license plate and laughing.

“I don’t really drive fast,” I said. “Honest. I wouldn't want to break anything on this car.”

“Yes,” they replied. “That’s a nice car and the roads here are really bad. You should be careful with a car like that.”

He asked for my licence, registration and insurance. I handed them over and pleaded, “Do you really have to give me a ticket?”

“We have to check you out first,” he replied.

I hung around as the traffic drove past this scene unfolding on quiet Sunday – police, exotic car, bad guy getting what he deserves. I could almost imagine the explanations going on inside each car. “Aha! You see, what happens when you drive fast? Good for him. Crazy hot rodder. Lock him up. Take away his fancy car.”

They came out and handed me back my papers. “No ticket?” I asked gingerly.

“Not this time,” he said. I thanked them profusely then tried to get them to pose for picture, but they waved me off. “You already took one,” he said. I guess he saw me as I tried to hide taking these fast ones with my iPhone.

Awesome good luck.

That ticket would have been a real mother to fight in court and could have led to the demise of 9203. I could say that I will drive more slowly from now on. But I know that won’t be happening. I need to make sure I always check my mirrors and cameras, though. And if I can’t see behind me, then I can’t put my foot down. It was simply a very stupid mistake that I will not make again.

Thank you officer.

...another good story.

I always enjoy reading them from this particular author.

Awesome!
Way to go David! I have to say that is very lucky, I would be in jail right now if it was me!

Lucky it was the beginning of the month and not the end when quotas need to be filled

There are now less lucky stars in the sky for the rest of us. I wasen't able to go, otherwhise we would of probably exeeded 6000 rpm together on that strech of boulevard and then they would of considered it a race... gives me hives just thinking about it... thanks for sharing your stars David

Dude, you gotta get a radar detector! What's that, you say? They're illegal in Quebec??? Man, that sucks because my V1 is a big reason why I've been able to escape the three levels of police "protection" out here in Alberta: city cops, RCMP, Sheriff - the latter being particularly nasty.

Good to hear you got out again, though. I went for a quick snort on Saturday to test out my new Momo steering wheel. It was a beautiful day (high of 17) but the pavement was obviously a lot cooler as my 335/35's were sliding all over the place. It was probably my last run of the year ... but still a good one.

EA
#3528

Cats only have nine lives You did catch a lucky break. Is it true that in Ontario and Quebec, if you are convicted of street racing one of the penalties can be having your car squished?
3 times the limit here will get you an automatic impound, automatic 3 month license suspension, enough fines to make you re morgage the house and then the insurance increase.
More or less, you would be #$%^&*. You'd have to say screw it and buy a turbo charged vespa

Doug M

Great story. Glad to hear we can catch a break on occasion.

- Robert

quote:

Originally posted by INZOWHO:
Cats only have nine lives You did catch a lucky break. Is it true that in Ontario and Quebec, if you are convicted of street racing one of the penalties can be having your car squished?
Doug M

Only in Ontario, where we follow California's lead as an emerging fascist state. David lives in Quebec (Le wild west) where you can still have fun occasionally and get away with it.

The Actual Ontario legislation:

quote:

Definition, “race” and “contest”
2. (1) For the purposes of section 172 of the Act, “race” and “contest” include any activity where one or more persons engage in any of the following driving behaviours:
1. Driving two or more motor vehicles at a rate of speed that is a marked departure from the lawful rate of speed and in a manner that indicates the drivers of the motor vehicles are engaged in a competition.
2. Driving a motor vehicle in a manner that indicates an intention to chase another motor vehicle.
3. Driving a motor vehicle without due care and attention, without reasonable consideration for other persons using the highway or in a manner that may endanger any person by,
i. driving a motor vehicle at a rate of speed that is a marked departure from the lawful rate of speed,
ii. outdistancing or attempting to outdistance one or more other motor vehicles while driving at a rate of speed that is a marked departure from the lawful rate of speed, or
iii. repeatedly changing lanes in close proximity to other vehicles so as to advance through the ordinary flow of traffic while driving at a rate of speed that is a marked departure from the lawful rate of speed. O. Reg. 455/07, s. 2 (1).
(2) In this section,
“marked departure from the lawful rate of speed” means a rate of speed that may limit the ability of a driver of a motor vehicle to prudently adjust to changing circumstances on the highway. O. Reg. 455/07, s. 2 (2).
Definition, “stunt”
3. For the purposes of section 172 of the Act, “stunt” includes any activity where one or more persons engage in any of the following driving behaviours:
1. Driving a motor vehicle in a manner that indicates an intention to lift some or all of its tires from the surface of the highway, including driving a motorcycle with only one wheel in contact with the ground, but not including the use of lift axles on commercial motor vehicles.
2. Driving a motor vehicle in a manner that indicates an intention to cause some or all of its tires to lose traction with the surface of the highway while turning.
3. Driving a motor vehicle in a manner that indicates an intention to spin it or cause it to circle, without maintaining control over it.
4. Driving two or more motor vehicles side by side or in proximity to each other, where one of the motor vehicles occupies a lane of traffic or other portion of the highway intended for use by oncoming traffic for a period of time that is longer than is reasonably required to pass another motor vehicle.
5. Driving a motor vehicle with a person in the trunk of the motor vehicle.
6. Driving a motor vehicle while the driver is not sitting in the driver’s seat.
7. Driving a motor vehicle at a rate of speed that is 50 kilometres per hour or more over the speed limit.
8. Driving a motor vehicle without due care and attention, without reasonable consideration for other persons using the highway or in a manner that may endanger any person by,
i. driving a motor vehicle in a manner that indicates an intention to prevent another vehicle from passing,
ii. stopping or slowing down a motor vehicle in a manner that indicates the driver’s sole intention in stopping or slowing down is to interfere with the movement of another vehicle by cutting off its passage on the highway or to cause another vehicle to stop or slow down in circumstances where the other vehicle would not ordinarily do so,
iii. driving a motor vehicle in a manner that indicates an intention to drive, without justification, as close as possible to another vehicle, pedestrian or fixed object on or near the highway, or
iv. making a left turn where,
(A) the driver is stopped at an intersection controlled by a traffic control signal system in response to a circular red indication;
(B) at least one vehicle facing the opposite direction is similarly stopped in response to a circular red indication; and
(C) the driver executes the left turn immediately before or after the system shows only a circular green indication in both directions and in a manner that indicates an intention to complete or attempt to complete the left turn before the vehicle facing the opposite direction is able to proceed straight through the intersection in response to the circular green indication facing that vehicle. O. Reg. 455/07, s. 3.

Basically, they can use any of the above subjective reasons to impound your car and fine you a lot of $$. Apparently the first MONTH Ontario saw fine revenues from this law of over $2,000,000.00! Since most of the legislation is based on subjective observations by a cop who may or may not be having a bad day, the likelihood of getting off is slim. Fortunately, there is a group that is raising a challenge that the law may be unconstitutional, but that will probably die.

And on the crushing issue:

quote:

The Attorney General of Ontario, Michael Bryant, is taking the battle against illegal street racers one step further. Like California, Bryant intends to demolish any car confiscated by police for street racing. As qouted in the Canadian press Bryant said of the cars impounded, "we will seize it and you will never see it again. We will crush your car, we will crush the parts." Attorney General Bryant went on to elaborate by saying, “If we can establish someone has parts and they’re juicing up their cars obviously for the purpose of street racing then we can seize those vehicles”

The latest Ontario traffic laws being proposed entitle a random stop of ANY vehicle to check for sobriety — without ANY indication of impropriety on the part of the driver. Yup, pretty soon we'll all be living in Maricopa County.

It's a brave new world. Maybe it is time to get a Buick (or a Vespa...).

Mark

Fantastic story once again David. I enjoyed the read.

Luck shines on you once again. If it was me ... well, I just get the chills thinking about it.

Just one more irony to add ...

Michael Bryant, the former Attorney General of Ontario and Author of the law quoted by Mark, is currently charged with dangerous driving causing death, reckless endangerment etc. as a result of an altercation between his SAAB and a cyclist in Toronto. The cyclist, as you can gather, died at the scene.

I am not judging Mr. Bryant on what happened. It is, nevertheless, as I say, "Ironic".

B.G.