turbojimmy
Supporting Member
- Joined
- May 26, 2001
Well, yesterday was the first really nice day of the year so I dusted off the GN and headed for the grocery store to pick up some steaks to throw on the grill. My 2 year-old son heard the car fire up and wanted to come. I threw the baby seat in the back and away we went. He loves the acceleration and turbo noise so I get on it a little when the opportunity presents itself.
Therein lies the problem.
So I'm cruising along the highway going 45 in a 45. After a few miles the road gets flat and long with good visibility and no traffic. I nailed it for about 3 seconds, the kid screams with delight, and I let off and started braking to get down to a more reasonable speed. At the very moment I got out of it a cop appears from around an upcoming bend. Not good. He brakes hard, throws on the overhead lights and swings a U-turn. I kept going toward the grocery store which requires taking a jug-handle to cross the highway. I knew he was after me, but there was no sense in pulling to the side of the busy highway and waiting. By the time he caught up I figured I'd be to the supermarket anyway where there's a place to pull over.
As fate would have it, I caught the light at the jug-handle and he rolled up behind me. He shut off the light bar, but I knew I was dead. Talk about a LONG 45-seconds. As soon as we got moving again, he lit me up and I pulled into a vacant part of the lot. Another cop showed up.
My car is tinted really dark so I knew he couldn't see me never mind the kid. Despite the fact that I didn't find anything reckless about my little spurt of speed I was sure he would. I put the windows down on both sides so he could see my brother (passenger) and I. The two cops approached cautiously but relaxed once they realized that we posed no threat.
The cop that walked up to my side said I was going 74 in the 45. I wasn't really surprised. I didn't bother with an explanation - he'd never buy that he clocked me at precisely the worst moment. He took my info and went back to his car. I was short a valid insurance card (evidently I threw away the new one and kept the expired one). He wrote me up for the 74 in the 45 and a failure to exhibit documents. He reminded me that he could take the car until I could provide proof of insurance, so I guess I'm glad it didn't get impounded. Unless I'm able to pull some strings it'll be 4 points and about $300 in fines. A court appearance is required, too, for the egregious speed.
Turns out he did see the kid and said there was no excuse for going that fast with a kid in the car. I guess I agree - no excuse kid or not. I mean how do you justify it at all? The wife was horrified as was anyone else I told when I mentioned the kid was with me. I'm starting to wonder about my perception of right and wrong. While clearly my actions showed a momentary lapse of judgment, I really didn't think it was that big a deal. Evidently it is. My lawyer says it's going to be tough getting any sympathy from a judge because of the fact I had the kid with me. I can see that, I guess, because all he sees is someone traveling 74 in a 45 - like I do it all the time and was doing it during my entire trip to the store. I have (had) a totally clean record.
I'm still not convinced that an occasional wringing-out of the car is such a crime when conditions warrant, but from now on I should do it when the kid isn't in it. I built the car myself, I keep it in top mechanical shape, I know its limits under all circumstances. But I guess the argument is why tempt fate with the kid in the car (or at all for that matter).
Just venting.......
Therein lies the problem.
So I'm cruising along the highway going 45 in a 45. After a few miles the road gets flat and long with good visibility and no traffic. I nailed it for about 3 seconds, the kid screams with delight, and I let off and started braking to get down to a more reasonable speed. At the very moment I got out of it a cop appears from around an upcoming bend. Not good. He brakes hard, throws on the overhead lights and swings a U-turn. I kept going toward the grocery store which requires taking a jug-handle to cross the highway. I knew he was after me, but there was no sense in pulling to the side of the busy highway and waiting. By the time he caught up I figured I'd be to the supermarket anyway where there's a place to pull over.
As fate would have it, I caught the light at the jug-handle and he rolled up behind me. He shut off the light bar, but I knew I was dead. Talk about a LONG 45-seconds. As soon as we got moving again, he lit me up and I pulled into a vacant part of the lot. Another cop showed up.
My car is tinted really dark so I knew he couldn't see me never mind the kid. Despite the fact that I didn't find anything reckless about my little spurt of speed I was sure he would. I put the windows down on both sides so he could see my brother (passenger) and I. The two cops approached cautiously but relaxed once they realized that we posed no threat.
The cop that walked up to my side said I was going 74 in the 45. I wasn't really surprised. I didn't bother with an explanation - he'd never buy that he clocked me at precisely the worst moment. He took my info and went back to his car. I was short a valid insurance card (evidently I threw away the new one and kept the expired one). He wrote me up for the 74 in the 45 and a failure to exhibit documents. He reminded me that he could take the car until I could provide proof of insurance, so I guess I'm glad it didn't get impounded. Unless I'm able to pull some strings it'll be 4 points and about $300 in fines. A court appearance is required, too, for the egregious speed.
Turns out he did see the kid and said there was no excuse for going that fast with a kid in the car. I guess I agree - no excuse kid or not. I mean how do you justify it at all? The wife was horrified as was anyone else I told when I mentioned the kid was with me. I'm starting to wonder about my perception of right and wrong. While clearly my actions showed a momentary lapse of judgment, I really didn't think it was that big a deal. Evidently it is. My lawyer says it's going to be tough getting any sympathy from a judge because of the fact I had the kid with me. I can see that, I guess, because all he sees is someone traveling 74 in a 45 - like I do it all the time and was doing it during my entire trip to the store. I have (had) a totally clean record.
I'm still not convinced that an occasional wringing-out of the car is such a crime when conditions warrant, but from now on I should do it when the kid isn't in it. I built the car myself, I keep it in top mechanical shape, I know its limits under all circumstances. But I guess the argument is why tempt fate with the kid in the car (or at all for that matter).
Just venting.......
They pull up to my car and are loooking and i told the wife lets walk the mall, do not go near the car. I waited about a half hour until they were gone then drove home like grandma. Geezzz cannot have any fun anymore. I guess when you are stupid big brother is always there. 
