History Cops vs. Hot Rodders? Not Anymore...

A lot of cops are car guys, hell they spend enough time in cars. Maybe its due to our certifcation process, im not sure, but my small countries police are pretty good with hot rods. Several outstanding hot rods have been built by kiwi cops. Haha, theyre proberbly reading this, and ill get pulled up now. (im all legal!)

 

i always get a little uneasy when i walk out of a store to see cops standing around my car, having the only chopped, straight piped car running around this small area i know they have all heard it wound out, besides the 30 other visible fix it tickets that could be written. but all just tell me how much the admire it. one of them asked if i had air bags underneath and i said no, it just sits that low, i know its not exactly street legal he replied "fuck it, it looks cool". my favorite thing a cop has said to me.

 

Okay anymore pictures of that car???????

Also, apparently you guys aren't doing your duty as hoodlums well enough, otherwise the cops would still be on you

 

I think the thing to remember here is that cops are people, and just like anyone else you meet most are pretty cool, but there will be a complete asshole now and then. I'm always polite but I've had different experiences for sure. The worst one didn't happen to me but at a car club meeting I was at. One of the guys has a model A roadster. No hood, no fenders. A police car pulls him over The guy proceeds to tell him all the equipment violations and that there's no way he will allow him to drive away after he writes the tickets. He calls for a truck and has the car impounded. I still can't believe it happened. Totally over the top.

 

Until this Summer I had only been pulled over two times in the hot rod since March 2008. I deserved both of them and they both happened within six months of getting the car on the road. I've been driving with open headers since day one and the cops around here don't even bat an eye. But this Summer I got pulled over and I had no idea why? I wasn't speeding, used hand signals to turn, even came to a complete stop.

I informed the sheriff that I have a CPL and had a pistol on me. He said okay and told me to sit tight. A minute later told me to step out and this is what I saw. Two Sheriff patrol cruisers and three cops watching me. He then informed me that I stopped too far over the white line at a light and that's why he pulled me over. Really? That's why you stopped me? And that warranted this kind of police presence? He let me go, and the whole stop took less than five minutes. I wasn't too mad but it was stupid, and I'm sure the cop just wanted to see if I had insurance and the car was registered. Still, it didn't need to happen.

 

I think it most likely had something to do with the fact you told him you were packing heat. With or with out the concealed weapons permit. In Tacoma every time there is a weapon in the car they call for back-up. Legally with a c.w.p. or not!

 

Years ago i was one of those trouble makers and got pulled over alot (did a lot of street racing on bikes got clocked at 135 and got it threw out of court because cop wrote it up wrong) left court and that cops roommate pulled me over, huge hassle Bassicly i had to tell the chief of police i would stop messing around if they would stop hassling me . i was 23 then now 54 and still in same town never get pulled over in any of my cars but i dont do stupid stuff (to much) anymore

 

Yeah, I know three cops who are active hot-rodders. Must be a New Zealand thing!

 

As I said (in another thread) when I was still a rookie, my training officer told
me "every body has one, you don't have to be one"

 

Guys with a CPL go crazy too. They were just being cautious, but you're right. The stop didn't need to happen in the first place.

 

You hit the nail on the head there I'm 32 and when I was in high school it was all third gen camaros and foxbodys. Now it's all rice burners, which helps us it takes the heat off. But then again once you get old enough to realize that the four teens in a car are suspect, even though it makes you feel old, chances are your not roasting the tires on every corner just cause you can. Cops see the difference usually

The funny thing is those times make the best stories though

 

I'm not going to cob up the car with fenders just to make 1 cop happy. I can see that putting exhaust on it is within play, but I'm not going to ruin the look of the car with bumpers and fenders. I would much rather let someone else enjoy it in its intended form anyway.

 

I can remember a time when the police targeted and ticketed hot rods on Friday & Saturday nights,,loud mufflers were a guaranteed ticket,reviving your engine and side stepping the clutch a spinning a tire,,ticket.

Just a hot rod cruising the main drag was asking to be pulled over and cited for a multitude of trumped up reasons.

Here in this very same town some of the kids that got tickets for all the above mentioned violations are now public figures,lawyers and policeman,,times have defiantly changed and driving a hot rod doesn't ever raise a eyebrow today unless the drive is being stupid. HRP

 

HRP I think you might have misunderstood what I meant by GFY...

If you are offended by me telling that guy to go f himself I am sorry.

 

Kevin,,By now you know what I thought,,I appreciate your clearing it up for me.

 

About 15 years ago I was a mini trucker. Had the slammed out Toyota with the modded tails, shaved body panels and the whole 9 yards... I got pulled over about three times a week for something, anything. The CHP officer who wrote off fix-it tickets knew me by name. Fast forward 15 years and I drive a slammed to the ground 62 Ford Falcon. I was driving it down a street notorious for cruising and street racing and I come to a stop. The following conversation ensued.

Cops pull up next to me.
Cop: Nice Car!
Me: Thank You!
Cop: How's your back? (Both laughing)
Me: I'm sorry?
Cop: We've been following you for about 6 miles, you've been bouncing all over the place!
Me: Ohhh....Yeah (Thinking I'm getting a ticket) I'm fixing that tomorrow!
Cop: GOOD! You need to! (Both laughing again)
Cops: Have a nice night!
Me: You too gentlemen! (Nodded and smiled)

I think a lot of it has to do with your age and how you present yourself.

 

Yep. Google- How not to get your ass kicked by the police, by Chris Rock.

 

Around here it seems they go in mood swings, A Lot of guys hide their cars especially sunday night cruise night. People used to line the main drag with lawn chairs for blocks to watch the cars go by and this went all summer on sunday nights. Now with road side inspections and hassle from the fuzz, cars are fewer. They say they are not targeting classic cars but i beg to differ. Yet they show up on display at one of our largest shows in the fall of about 1000 cars with the mascot car of the Fabulous Fiftys car club who is one of our most active clubs with charity involvments. The new retro fed car pictured here with the clubs mascot car is used as a regular cruiser on duty but it's the city cops we fear.

 

I know for a fact luck has a lot to do with it.I have been working on my Falcon for a while now and I'm like you if She starts it's going to make a trip around the block.Guess What yep got stopped No inspection sticker No tags No insurance Plus my Glasses and billfold was on the tool box back in the shop and HE told me to take it to the House and for it not to leave the House till it was Legal and HE said His Grandmother had one just like it when He was a kid PURE LUCK

 

I am of the opinion that the difference is that "back in the day" hot rods were the fastest (most dangerous) cars on the road. Today that is simply not the case. The traditional hot rod is slower and usually driven by a more mature crowd compared to what a teenager is driving today.
I am also a believer that hot rods back then were driven by younger guys just like rice burners are driven by younger guys today. Point being is that regardless of the vehicle. The young and full of cum young man will attract the the attention of traffic cops by the manner in which he drives. Not the burnt out tail light or straight pipes.







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Cops rule. Support your local fuzz!

 

In Southern California at the Donut Derelicts car show in Huntington Beach, drivers are always lighting up their tires when they leave, making a tremendous noise on Saturday mornings but the police stay away.
On the other hand......
A few miles South at the Cars and Coffee car show in Irvine, the police park just outside the parking lot, just challenging anyone to "chirp" their tires when they leave.

 

I think a few things play into what kind of attention you're getting. Your age, attitude, ride, and location. I drove the '23 with un-baffled zoomies in parts of Anaheim, but if I crossed over into Orange, I know the attention wouldn't be welcomed. Had to drive it to a friends house around 9 pm and spend the night there to "sneak" it in line (2 blocks away) for the Circle car show at 4am. Had to drive right past the OPD station, too.

 

Complaint Department

 

Its just that cops dont really want to screw around with guys that are old and well-off.

 

Sport bikers are the new hot rodders.