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Sun Apr 13, 2008 1:47 pm

Sport Compact crowd I know, but it is still relevant to everone that drives a car. I seriously doubt 75% of these officers don't have some kind of supped-up, blown, hot rodded vehicle of some kind.
I can understand passing out tickets for illegal engine modifications. But if Department of Transpotation has deemed parts "legal for Ca. Highways" then you should be able to put it on if you want and can afford it, no matter the reason.
http://thenewspaper.com/news/23/2302.asp

Quote: California: Police Raid Car Enthusiast Gathering, Generate Revenue
Police raid Riverside, California parking lot to issue modified car tickets at local car enthusiast gathering.

Parking lot raidNine 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.

In 2005, the California Office of Traffic Safety handed Riverside Police $400,000 in state and federal gas tax revenue for the "establishment of a regional task force to conduct enforcement operations targeting street racing, modified vehicles and speed contests," according to the Riverside Police Department's June 2007 Chief's Report. The department received another $503,268 grant for selective enforcement efforts in 2008. The other agencies that participated in the raid include 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.

Sun Apr 13, 2008 1:57 pm

Yet, no "stock-nazi's" were affected. :-k

Sun Apr 13, 2008 1:57 pm

When I was growing up the local cops would do that every week at the local unofficial car show/gear head meeting. It was muscle cars instead of sport compacts but it sounds like nothing else has changed. They'd swarm the area with dozens of squad cars and the occasional helicopter- you'd think someone had just robbed a bank- and start handing out tickets/towing cars away. It has nothing to do with laws or safety and everything to do with revenue.

Sun Apr 13, 2008 2:32 pm

mine is stock, so what do I have to worry about, Hmmm?

Sun Apr 13, 2008 3:02 pm

It's illegal in California to modify your engine? :shock:

What kind of engine mod would be considered illegal? Thats crazy...

Sun Apr 13, 2008 3:15 pm

Quote: At around 11pm police surprised participants by blocking all exits with fifty police cruisers.

:shock: Jeezus...how many cops you guys got down there?

Ah, Kalifornia...land of progressives.

Sun Apr 13, 2008 3:35 pm

It sounds like the FatF crowd is getting the attention the so very much desire? Where's the problem?

Sun Apr 13, 2008 3:43 pm

I am one for personal liberty so long as it doesn't infringe the rights of others. These sorts of police tactics are disgusting whether or not you support that newer crowd, for codoning one unconstitutional practice only assures us no defense when we expect our particular rights to be respected. I think it sucks.

Sun Apr 13, 2008 3:45 pm

localboy wrote: Quote: At around 11pm police surprised participants by blocking all exits with fifty police cruisers.

:shock: Jeezus...how many cops you guys got down there?

Ah, Kalifornia...land of progressives.

Quote: Nine police agencies in Riverside, California

Sun Apr 13, 2008 5:32 pm

I will stay in the midwest where the cops don't bother you.
My neighbor is a IHP Sargent, and races cars on the local dirt tracks. I should complain about the noise when he is working on the engines.

Sun Apr 13, 2008 5:45 pm

mrshotglass wrote: It's illegal in California to modify your engine? :shock:

What kind of engine mod would be considered illegal? Thats crazy...

Depends on the year.........but in a word: YES.

Sun Apr 13, 2008 5:54 pm

that really sucks. I really don't like fried rice, but it's bullshit to be hastled before it's proven that you did anything.

IMO, if you are actually street racing, or getting pulled over doing 110 on the freeway, or ghost riding the whip and you get caught, sure look at the car for illegal modifications. write 'em up.

but to block off exits where everybody is just hanging out, being peaceful, just sucks. I hope SEMA execs read about this, and can help reccomend a good attorney to fight this the right way.

Sun Apr 13, 2008 8:20 pm

It's illegal to modify the engines. These guys did. End of story.

Sun Apr 13, 2008 8:41 pm

notchback wrote: It's illegal to modify the engines. These guys did. End of story.
This statement very vague and completely untrue!

Sun Apr 13, 2008 9:12 pm

notchback wrote: It's illegal to modify the engines. These guys did. End of story.

The policemen in the state of California are only REVENUE COLLECTORS :wink:

Sun Apr 13, 2008 9:48 pm

Russ Wolfe wrote: I will stay in the midwest where the cops don't bother you.
My neighbor is a IHP Sargent, and races cars on the local dirt tracks. I should complain about the noise when he is working on the engines.

X2

A guy who lives about a half mile from my house has a race car, and he really likes to tune the engine at about 10 at night. By tune, I mean rev the shit out of it and do huge burnouts.

Sun Apr 13, 2008 9:54 pm

Terry Cloyd wrote: notchback wrote: It's illegal to modify the engines. These guys did. End of story.

The policemen in the state of California are only REVENUE COLLECTORS :wink:

Finally we're on the same page Terry! 8)

Sun Apr 13, 2008 10:06 pm

One more reason NOT to live in Kalifornyuh. As if we needed another.

The cops were probably bored. Its not like there's any other crime in CA...

Sun Apr 13, 2008 10:15 pm

notchback wrote: It's illegal to modify the engines. These guys did. End of story.

where did you get that from? attempted logic?

Sun Apr 13, 2008 10:37 pm

Cheapo wrote: One more reason NOT to live in Kalifornyuh. As if we needed another.

The cops were probably bored. Its not like there's any other crime in CA...

Sometimes I think that the cops spend more time on things like this than fighting the real crime. Someone was trying to steal one of my neighbors cars and I called 911 . It took 3 hours for the cops to show up..... They said it wasent an emergency.