Time for you Kalifornians to move

[Z-train]

4/2/2008

California: Police Raid Car Enthusiast Gathering, Generate Revenue

Police raid Riverside, California parking lot to issue modified car tickets at local car enthusiast gathering.

 

Using $503,000 in federal and state gas tax revenue to pay for overtime, nine police agencies in Riverside, California sent more than one hundred police officers to surround a gathering of automotive enthusiasts. Owners of imported sport compact cars had gathered at the Canyon Crossing shopping center on Friday night to swap stories, talk about their passion for cars and show off the latest enhancements to their rides. At around 11pm police surprised participants by blocking all exits with fifty police cruisers. Officers then began a warrantless search and interrogation operation of the 150 vehicles that were present.

 

"If you're not into street racing, why would you need that?" Riverside Police Traffic Sergeant Skip Showalter asked an enthusiast during a similar crackdown last year. "Why would you want more power going to your car?"

 

Police issued a total of forty-eight tickets for "engine modifications" with police accusing the owners of the parked vehicles of being street racers. Another fifty tickets were issued for paperwork violations, dark window tinting and lack of a front license plate. The most revenue, however, will be generated from the fees imposed on twenty vehicles that were confiscated. Despite labeling the parking lot raid as taking place at a "street racing venue," Riverside Police offered no evidence that any street racing actually took place.

 

Across the state, gas tax funds are regularly used to fund similar crackdowns that generate big revenue. In 2004, the California Highway Patrol issued a total of 101,553 "modified car" citations worth $10.5 million according to CHP data obtained by TheNewspaper.

 

Other law enforcement agencies participating in Friday night's raid included the California Highway Patrol, Riverside County Sheriff's Department, and police from Baldwin Park, Fontana, Irwindale, Moreno Valley, Ontario and Mount San Jacinto Community College.

 

Link:

 

 

http://thenewspaper.com/news/23/2302.asp

[datrod]

4/2/2008

California: Police Raid Car Enthusiast Gathering, Generate Revenue

Police raid Riverside, California parking lot to issue modified car tickets at local car enthusiast gathering.

 

Using $503,000 in federal and state gas tax revenue to pay for overtime, nine police agencies in Riverside, California sent more than one hundred police officers to surround a gathering of automotive enthusiasts. Owners of imported sport compact cars had gathered at the Canyon Crossing shopping center on Friday night to swap stories, talk about their passion for cars and show off the latest enhancements to their rides. At around 11pm police surprised participants by blocking all exits with fifty police cruisers. Officers then began a warrantless search and interrogation operation of the 150 vehicles that were present.

 

"If you're not into street racing, why would you need that?" Riverside Police Traffic Sergeant Skip Showalter asked an enthusiast during a similar crackdown last year. "Why would you want more power going to your car?"

 

Police issued a total of forty-eight tickets for "engine modifications" with police accusing the owners of the parked vehicles of being street racers. Another fifty tickets were issued for paperwork violations, dark window tinting and lack of a front license plate. The most revenue, however, will be generated from the fees imposed on twenty vehicles that were confiscated. Despite labeling the parking lot raid as taking place at a "street racing venue," Riverside Police offered no evidence that any street racing actually took place.

 

Across the state, gas tax funds are regularly used to fund similar crackdowns that generate big revenue. In 2004, the California Highway Patrol issued a total of 101,553 "modified car" citations worth $10.5 million according to CHP data obtained by TheNewspaper.

 

Other law enforcement agencies participating in Friday night's raid included the California Highway Patrol, Riverside County Sheriff's Department, and police from Baldwin Park, Fontana, Irwindale, Moreno Valley, Ontario and Mount San Jacinto Community College.

 

Link:

 

 

http://thenewspaper.com/news/23/2302.asp

 

It's a sad day when you can't hang out and talk car stories, But they do go somewhere and race their little hot rods, I've been to one of them with some of the kids in the neighobrhood. Cops showed up I bailed. They have a huge problem in riverside co with street racing. But I think that was bush.

[]2eDeYe]

They should file a class action lawsuit against the state for harassment. Last I heard you had to actually be doing something wrong to get a ticket.

 

A fixit ticket for a plate or tint is easy enough to take care of. As far as 'engine modifications' if it passes emisions...you can do what you like...

 

F'n KKKalifornia anyways.....

[Pacific coast Datsun]

They did a similar thing down here a few years back @ the ONLY hang out spot left at a huge beach parking lot. The cops blocked off all the exits & proceeded to walk car by car inspecting them & writing fix it tickets & impounding some for "engine mods". I even got a ticket for my K&N filter on my HB,was told it was a emissions mod & c'mon now i told the officer that it has NOTHING to do w/ emissions but he wasnt hearing that...acted like he was pulled away from his easy chair to do this raid & it was MY fault!!! You werent allowe dto leave before your vehicle was "inspected" !!! 90% of th epeople there were & still are mini truckers not interested in peeling out or driving fast...& for gods sake everything is parked!!! how the F can they say we race??? The 10% of the "kids" who like to peel out & endanger others safety got tickets they deserved but IMO the mini truckers shouldve been excluded. One day id like an officer to tell me that my dual SU's & flowmaster are illegal & ill simply say...umm yeah im smog exempt so go on your way :cool:

[]2eDeYe]

Not too mention your SU's are 'stock' Nissan carbs :)

[Pacific coast Datsun]

;) yes occifer....i bought it this way :lol:

[BEEBANI]

I'd love for a pig to tell me my ka isn't legal!!! Not like he'd know that they didn't offer that motor in 1976!;)

 

I think most of us ratto owners don't have much to worry about, none of our rigs look like they could go above 55 mph let alone street race.:P

[hang_510]

the cops have always done sh!t like this. dont think it wont happen in your town, it doesnt just happen in CA. theyve been hassling cruisers since the 50's here.

:cursing: cops!

 

when parked, dont open the hood in these circumstances, they CANT make you open the hood unless its a moving violation. good excuse for hood locks...uuhh i lost the key :fu:

they will crush your ride if caught in an illegal race.

 

 

IDIOTS!!! if the ricers had a legal place to assemble have show off there fart cans, people wouldnt die in illegal street races. until then :fu:

i cant figure out why they dont take this revenue and build/open a legal place to race??? would genrate city revenue from a sanctioned location. i would go.

 

 

i got 11 tickets in a 4 hour period for loud exhaust on my MC. took it to the local doughnut shop a few miles away and had them all signed off as within legal limits. didnt cost me a penny...other than the frustration time and gas money.

was nothing more than a way to minimize the canyon races going on=hassle em till they stop. never worked either.

 

i aint leaving! :fu:

[fiveNdime]

HORSE SHIT! I don't get the police some times, with there ideas of how to stop something or at least prevent it. I used to be one of those street racer guys who would meet at a place then drive around till we got a good spot to race only to be scattered off to find another. It was a stupid thing to do but fun. I would bet some of those cops didn't want to do that though. Just don't hate the police...don't call them pigs you idiots...cause when you need them your not gonna be calling them that. I hate people that call them names. Last time I checked if your doing something illegal assume the risk you tards. I am not saying this is right it is very much wrong but respect them cause they do allot to keep us safe.

[Rusty]

My friend lives there... what they dont say in that article is that they were actually try'n to catch a well known meth dealer that had his fancy new Z parked to show off. Lesson #1 realize who you are hangin with! ...dont let cops kill two birds with one stone.

 

[djlotus]

i got 11 tickets in a 4 hour period for loud exhaust on my MC. took it to the local doughnut shop a few miles away and had them all signed off as within legal limits. didnt cost me a penny...other than the frustration time and gas money.

was nothing more than a way to minimize the canyon races going on=hassle em till they stop. never worked either.

 

i aint leaving! :fu:

 

You know, you should get a sticker that says the exhaust is legal. I don't remember everything, but it was something along the lines like this: take it to an inspection place, have them test the noise and when it passes, they give you a sticker that goes under the hood or in the door jamb. So if anybody tries to hassles you, just show them that thing and you are good to go.

 

 

As for the original post, I knew Cali was fucked for car guys, but that right there is just plain wrong.

[datrod]

HORSE SHIT! I don't get the police some times, with there ideas of how to stop something or at least prevent it. I used to be one of those street racer guys who would meet at a place then drive around till we got a good spot to race only to be scattered off to find another. It was a stupid thing to do but fun. I would bet some of those cops didn't want to do that though. Just don't hate the police...don't call them pigs you idiots...cause when you need them your not gonna be calling them that. I hate people that call them names. Last time I checked if your doing something illegal assume the risk you tards. I am not saying this is right it is very much wrong but respect them cause they do allot to keep us safe.

 

Thank you, I have a couple of cop friends, They also happen to have race cars. But they don't street race they go to the track.

 

Also for mods on your 620 Mark YOU ARE NOT smog exempt, You just don't have to smog it. If your in that situation you will get a ticket. But most cops won't know what to look for on a car that old.

If you happen upon one of the road side smog machines the state is putting on fwy on ramps and your putting out to many emissions they will send you a notice to buy your car. For far less than it's worth.

It really sucks for the kids, But people do die far to often from silly ass kids street racing.

 

If that parking lot were full of vetts and hot rods. The cops would do nothing. That's the sad part, (Talk about profiling)

[Z-train]

Ya'll are missing something here-They were on private property.None of those"violations" were citable untill they hit the street.

 

 

The Academys aren't turning out cops these days,they're producing assholes with badges.:fu:

[RB_Shaggs]

fuck i am glad i moved it was bad when i was younger, granted i did street race on occassion. although if i was driving my 67 dart i got thumbs up and talked to by the cops about how they had or know someone who had one, they would want to know what was under the hood ect.. but as soon as i was driving one of my friends civics or integra's i could not even got to the store for cigarettes with out getting pulled over.. hawaii has some fucked up laws as well "RECON" i will tell you getting a recon permit is a bitch and if you don't have one you are f*cked..

[datsun65]

Reminds me of this silly episode when I lived in the San Francisco Area.

 

Too fast, too furious? Too busted, police say Owners of souped-up cars, beware.

 

Oakland Tribune, Jun 8, 2006 by Christine Morente, STAFF WRITER

 

For the first time in the county, three teams of officers from San Mateo County law enforcement agencies will be out Friday night, searching for illegal street racers and inspecting cars.

 

"We just want to make sure people understand it's not OK to have cars illegally modified in San Mateo County," said Timothy Birch, a Daly City police management analyst. "We can impound cars or do whatever it takes to get the message across."

 

Inspections will be from 6 p.m. to midnight. Birch said he does not anticipate traffic issues during the operation hosted by the Burlingame Police Department. A California Office of Traffic Safety grant will pay for the inspection operation.

 

This will be the first such inspection operation in the county.

 

Birch said a second inspection will occur June 16, because of the movie release of "Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift," the third installment in the popular street-racing series.

 

Birch said he doesn't believe the county is a hotbed for street racing and sideshows, where drivers perform stunts such as donuts. But officers will likely visit parking lots of fast-food places like In-N-Out Burger in Millbrae or Nations Burger in Daly City, he said. There, Birch added, some people meet and set up sideshows, or go following a race.

 

Friday afternoon, police will learn during a four-hour training session in Burlingame how to spot illegally modified cars. Birch said police officers will look out for cars that arebrightly colored or have lettering and graphics.

 

"Obviously, there's nothing illegal about that ... but sometimes, when a car is painted that way, it's tied with illegal modifications," he said. "If a car is too loud, or doesn't meet emissions requirements -- because it's a violation -- it allows an officer to pull a car over and gives police the right to go underneath the hood to see if anything has been modified."

 

Officers will also look for stolen parts. Birch said law enforcement agencies aren't in a position to deal with the vendors.

 

"We're not equipped to do it," he said. "In San Mateo County, there's very few shops that overtly sell stuff that's illegal. We can only deal with what we're seeing after it's installed."

 

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4176/is_20060608/ai_n16484090

[Fineline]

Ya'll are missing something here-They were on private property.None of those"violations" were citable untill they hit the street.

 

 

The Academys aren't turning out cops these days,they're producing assholes with badges.:fu:

 

Your correct to a certain degree. Cops cannot "cite" or act on private property unless they have probable cause to believe a crime is being comitted or the owner invites them onto said property. I would be willing to bet there were "no loitering" signs posted throughout those parking lots. They will tell you they were there to check for a "permit" or written permission for the cars to be there and when no document was produced bam.....unlawful gathering. All this well within sight of the cops so they have a right to breakup and cite the participating parties.

 

As was said above wether you like it or not you have to respect tho job of law enforcement but not necisarily the cop. Make no mistake about it, they have the upper hand in these situations and a majority of cops are good guys that have sworn to protect YOU! I worked in Oakland during the hayday of the "Sideshows" and have seen firsthand why these illegal gatherings are stopped. We couldent go a weekend shift without picking up some dumbass that got shot, hit, beatup, or some other nasty injury at a sideshow. Most of the time the arrests were on charges unrelated to the cars. Charges like Murder, rape, robbery. You know minor infractions.

 

Theres a reason we have car shows, drag strips, laws, and such. Its because gatherings like this get out of controll and people are hurt and die!

[]2eDeYe]

Ya'll are missing something here-They were on private property.None of those"violations" were citable untill they hit the street.

 

 

The Academys aren't turning out cops these days,they're producing assholes with badges.:fu:

 

I was once told by an officer of the law that there are two types of people in this world... Cops and assholes... :blink:

[72 327]

This totally sucks but it happens. Here they will hang out down the street of something going on like a group meeting. When people leave they will randomly select somebody to pull over. Since the owner of the property we are on didn't complain they don't have a right to come and harass parked cars but as soon as you get on the street fair game.

 

My truck well its stupid and has everything Illegal about it (no cat, no smog equipment, headers, 300 more Hp than it should) but the only thing that saves me is the pre '75 smog law. They cant even question what motor I have because of that. In fact I have been pulled over here in Fresno, Ca 3 times so far in the truck, Once by CHP and twice by Fresno PD. The only thing I get asked is "what ya got under the hood it sounds good." Never a ticket I guess its a hotrod thing here with the cops. I have even smoked the tires in front of a cop all he did was nod his head.

 

Now I told you that to tell you this. I get into my 90' Honda civic lowered to legal limits no front plate. I have a 95' D16Z6 SOHC Vtec motor in the car LEGAL B.A.R.(board of air resource) with a Greddy Turbo kit, C.A.R.B (California air resource board) approved no mods done to the turbo just stock as Greddy had got it passed by C.A.R.B. I have gotten 5 tickets in the last year with it for modified engine or speed parts. Even though it 100% legal. I have won all the tickets with a $10 admin fee but still total BS. Its profiling and its just wrong.

 

Now with one vehicle I can pretty much do a dounght int he middle of the police parking lot and they will clap. I drive one vehicle 20 blocks from that same parking lot and I will get a ticket for somethign stupid.

 

It messed up here hince my reson from going north in the next 2 years. OREGON my new home.

[Bleach]

You know, you should get a sticker that says the exhaust is legal.

In Washington, the law is available online. Any modification from what was installed from the factory is illegal.

If you can put on a larger diameter exhuast and maintain the factory db settings you might get away with it. Otherwise, its illegal

[808DA6]

....hawaii has some fucked up laws as well "RECON" i will tell you getting a recon permit is a bitch and if you don't have one you are f*cked..

 

Hahahahaha!!! How you know about RECON? Yup, we don't have emission laws there, but "reconstruction" tags are hard as hell the get. My Integra in STOCK form barely passes their criteria. Most people just fly w/o recon and put up w/ paying the tickets when/if they get pulled over. Its happened to me. :)

 

-Brian

[Z-train]

Your correct to a certain degree. Cops cannot "cite" or act on private property unless they have probable cause to believe a crime is being comitted or the owner invites them onto said property. I would be willing to bet there were "no loitering" signs posted throughout those parking lots. They will tell you they were there to check for a "permit" or written permission for the cars to be there and when no document was produced bam.....unlawful gathering. All this well within sight of the cops so they have a right to breakup and cite the participating parties.

 

As was said above wether you like it or not you have to respect tho job of law enforcement but not necisarily the cop. Make no mistake about it, they have the upper hand in these situations and a majority of cops are good guys that have sworn to protect YOU! I worked in Oakland during the hayday of the "Sideshows" and have seen firsthand why these illegal gatherings are stopped. We couldent go a weekend shift without picking up some dumbass that got shot, hit, beatup, or some other nasty injury at a sideshow. Most of the time the arrests were on charges unrelated to the cars. Charges like Murder, rape, robbery. You know minor infractions.

 

Theres a reason we have car shows, drag strips, laws, and such. Its because gatherings like this get out of controll and people are hurt and die!

 

Bull$hit."Illegal gatherings"?PA-lease.Ordinances enacted soley for the purpose of F^&KING with people.If there was signage to that extent,they(the cops) were just using the ordinance to jam them them.If there wasn't signage,then it's even worse.:mad:

 

I haven't a clue how you extrapolate murder,rape & robbery from guys hanging out with their cars.:confused:

 

 

 

If a bunch of guys are hanging out in a corner of a lot and no overt stupidity is going on-LEAVE THEM THE F*&K ALONE.

[RB_Shaggs]

Hahahahaha!!! How you know about RECON? Yup, we don't have emission laws there, but "reconstruction" tags are hard as hell the get. My Integra in STOCK form barely passes their criteria. Most people just fly w/o recon and put up w/ paying the tickets when/if they get pulled over. Its happened to me. :)

 

-Brian

 

 

i lived on O'hau for 3 1/2 years and i got about 4 recon tickets in various cars.. i hated recon.. my buddy got a recon ticket in his stock car for having rims.. (:fu: RECON)

[Fineline]

Im not saying by any means that the guys should have been screwed with but theres usually a reason. These stories only took me a few minutes to find and I couldent find the one about the two girls on their way home from a friends house that were killed by a guy running from the cops at a side show. These are not just local either. Was there not a story a few weeks ago about a few people killed at an illegal streetrace in Florida. As with anything theres usually one asshole that ruins it for the many. This goes for citizens as well as cops. "A bunch of guys" is not 150 strangers. It is a gathering and if there are not permits its illegal plain and simple. Permits are there to make sure small little things like Uniform fire codes, health and safety codes, and such are followed. Lets not forget these codes are usually reactionary and written because people are mamed or killed! You need to be aware your actions will solicit a response. It is not the fault of the cops. They are just normal guys like you and I trying to provide for their families and go home to them at the end of their shift. If you really feel this is bullshit might I suggest involvement in associations like the NHRA that push for legal forums for events such as these?

 

http://cbs5.com/seenon/Oakland.sideshow.car.2.436075.html

http://www.foxreno.com/news/4540779/detail.html

[moparvwfreak]

i guess i am glad all my engine mods (what little there are) are all emissions legal. my passat has a neuspeed P-flow intake (C.A.R.B. Certified) and thats it. and it passed emissions jsut fine. my jetta, K&N filter and Techtonics chip and exhaust also passed with flying colors. everything else is pretty much stock except for K&N filters. i would love to see some cop try to get me on illegal modification to the datto. all i have done to it is drop the front end a little. oha nd replace teh rotten broken tailgate for a white one.

 

as for what happened in kali..... i feel its BS. i guess thats why i wont EVER live down there. or drive one of MY cars there either. except maybe my caprice. they wouldn't F with that supertanker!

[thisismatt]

"If you're not into street racing, why would you need that?" Riverside Police Traffic Sergeant Skip Showalter asked an enthusiast during a similar crackdown last year. "Why would you want more power going to your car?"

Okay, this guy has obviously reached his level of incompetence. :lol: I have no problem with cops. All the times when I've been pulled over I was breaking the law and admit to that, except for one where the cop was wrong and it was just his word vs mine (entered an intersection during a yellow and it turned red while I was passing through and the light has no switching delay). But frankly, this type of activity and "enforcement" is based upon two things - ignorance and profit. Take a look at any of the CARB regulations and it's easy to see that they don't make any sense other than to make it difficult to modernize your car = easier to just buy a newer car = profit for the state & industry.