Red Porsche disease -- mystery 911/930, are you out there? (a little long)
01-21-2002, 12:37 AM
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Red Porsche disease -- mystery 911/930, are you out there? (a little long)
Maybe its because I just got my red Carrera (an '89 964) that this "surprised" me but....
I was on my way back from my first PCA DE event at Sebring today (BTW -- really great local group here and a very positive initial experience!) -- this drive involves about an hour and 15 minutes of 2-lane country roads through the total "boonies" of Florida (no offense to the small communities along this route which will remain "nameless"!).
It had been real foggy on the drive over so I took it easy and didn't try to "make time" and was in the same mode on the way back; cruise control engaged as a "safety precaution" at about 68 MPH in the 60 MPH zone (in Florida, 10 MPH is pretty much an absolutely safe margin). I caught up to a couple of trucks and disengaged the cruise and brought it down to about 63-65 and followed with no intention of passing as I was with a friend and we were busy discussing his current car options (he's currently looking to buy his first Porsche).
After a little while, we passed a State Trooper who had a vehicle pulled over. We both noticed the Trooper really "eyeing" us but thought nothing of it other than maybe he probably "wished" he was not occupied so he could have had the opportunity to "zap" the Porsche instead of the "normal" vehicle he was involved with.
We get another few miles down the road to the first small community and I back down in anticipation of the reduced speed limit. Well, before I even get to the speed zone, I see a local Police Officer on the side of the road ahead pull onto the road, come by me, turn around and get behind me and turn his lights on.
My friend and I look at each other like -- what's up with this? He comes up to the window and after checking my license, registration, etc., informs me that I'm being pulled over because a State Trooper just saw me pass him doing over 100 MPH!!! After the "shock" dissipated, I "informed" him that it wasn't me and didn't he know there was a Porsche event at the track (i.e -- LOTS of red Porsches!), etc. His reply, which was "accented" by a simple, country grin, was "but you're the only red Porsche to come by here so it must be you..."! When I explained that the "guilty" car could easily have turned off somewhere in the several miles since I saw the Trooper he simply said there were few, if any places to do that (all the while we're pulled over on a side road that has at least one connecting road in front of us that runs parallel to the main highway!)
Luckily, although he didn't believe me, he was "respectful" in his disagreement (kept giving that country grin every time he said I "must" be the one that did it!) and I said I would wait for the State Trooper to come up and "I.D." me.
Well, the Trooper arrives shortly thereafter and comes hauling up behind me and stops his car in a diagonal "blocking" position behind mine -- he jumps out and hurries over to my window and says "going a little fast today, are we?..."
I give him my (honest) response and ask if he saw me following those two trucks as I passed him (at a very normal speed). He then says "well, you "looked" like you were coming down from high speed and we had a "report" of a red Porsche doing over 100 MPH.." (translation -- nobody actually saw anything!)
Well, he also was actually very nice about it as he just gave me the "required" lecture on keeping my speed down and told me he had already gotten two Porsches from that track event today.
Here's the "killer" -- we get no more than a mile down the road and turn onto the next main highway and there, parked over to the right in a little wooded parking lot (maybe "hiding"?) is a red Porsche 930!!! I was really shocked that these Police Officers were pulling me over just because a reported "phantom" speeding red Porsche just had to be me when there were obviously many others in the area today.
So...mystery red Porsche driver out there -- I almost paid your dues today!!! (I'm also posting this to the 911 Turbo board to see if that Bradenton, Florida 930 was "the one" -- it pulled back onto the road and followed us all the way to I-75 and then continued on into Bradenton...)
Anyway, sorry for the long post but this was a new one for this Porsche "newbie"...
I was on my way back from my first PCA DE event at Sebring today (BTW -- really great local group here and a very positive initial experience!) -- this drive involves about an hour and 15 minutes of 2-lane country roads through the total "boonies" of Florida (no offense to the small communities along this route which will remain "nameless"!).
It had been real foggy on the drive over so I took it easy and didn't try to "make time" and was in the same mode on the way back; cruise control engaged as a "safety precaution" at about 68 MPH in the 60 MPH zone (in Florida, 10 MPH is pretty much an absolutely safe margin). I caught up to a couple of trucks and disengaged the cruise and brought it down to about 63-65 and followed with no intention of passing as I was with a friend and we were busy discussing his current car options (he's currently looking to buy his first Porsche).
After a little while, we passed a State Trooper who had a vehicle pulled over. We both noticed the Trooper really "eyeing" us but thought nothing of it other than maybe he probably "wished" he was not occupied so he could have had the opportunity to "zap" the Porsche instead of the "normal" vehicle he was involved with.
We get another few miles down the road to the first small community and I back down in anticipation of the reduced speed limit. Well, before I even get to the speed zone, I see a local Police Officer on the side of the road ahead pull onto the road, come by me, turn around and get behind me and turn his lights on.
My friend and I look at each other like -- what's up with this? He comes up to the window and after checking my license, registration, etc., informs me that I'm being pulled over because a State Trooper just saw me pass him doing over 100 MPH!!! After the "shock" dissipated, I "informed" him that it wasn't me and didn't he know there was a Porsche event at the track (i.e -- LOTS of red Porsches!), etc. His reply, which was "accented" by a simple, country grin, was "but you're the only red Porsche to come by here so it must be you..."! When I explained that the "guilty" car could easily have turned off somewhere in the several miles since I saw the Trooper he simply said there were few, if any places to do that (all the while we're pulled over on a side road that has at least one connecting road in front of us that runs parallel to the main highway!)
Luckily, although he didn't believe me, he was "respectful" in his disagreement (kept giving that country grin every time he said I "must" be the one that did it!) and I said I would wait for the State Trooper to come up and "I.D." me.
Well, the Trooper arrives shortly thereafter and comes hauling up behind me and stops his car in a diagonal "blocking" position behind mine -- he jumps out and hurries over to my window and says "going a little fast today, are we?..."
I give him my (honest) response and ask if he saw me following those two trucks as I passed him (at a very normal speed). He then says "well, you "looked" like you were coming down from high speed and we had a "report" of a red Porsche doing over 100 MPH.." (translation -- nobody actually saw anything!)
Well, he also was actually very nice about it as he just gave me the "required" lecture on keeping my speed down and told me he had already gotten two Porsches from that track event today.
Here's the "killer" -- we get no more than a mile down the road and turn onto the next main highway and there, parked over to the right in a little wooded parking lot (maybe "hiding"?) is a red Porsche 930!!! I was really shocked that these Police Officers were pulling me over just because a reported "phantom" speeding red Porsche just had to be me when there were obviously many others in the area today.
So...mystery red Porsche driver out there -- I almost paid your dues today!!! (I'm also posting this to the 911 Turbo board to see if that Bradenton, Florida 930 was "the one" -- it pulled back onto the road and followed us all the way to I-75 and then continued on into Bradenton...)
Anyway, sorry for the long post but this was a new one for this Porsche "newbie"...
01-21-2002, 10:27 AM
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You might as well get used to that. I had the samething happen to me the other day except there wasn't another Porsche involved just people that didn't like being passed by a Porsche. I mean these people were doing 45 mph in a 55 mph zone, so when I passed them they called the local police station that was 10 miles ahead [not even there jursidiction]and reported that a black Porsche was driving crazy and passing everybody on the highway. Needless to say he didn't give me a ticket because as he said "I didn't see you do anything".
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01-21-2002, 11:00 AM
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Yes -- I realized as soon as the Trooper said it had been "reported" to him that a ticket would not be a problem here; although I'm sure he would have written me up for anything else he might have found on my car (my friend made the comment about a stereo-typical country cop -- "Well, it looks like you got a tail-light missing back here"...CRACK with the night-stick!) 
I know both of these guys were just doing their job but, in this case, I hadn't even passed anyone so I was REALLY shocked by this "accusation"...
I know both of these guys were just doing their job but, in this case, I hadn't even passed anyone so I was REALLY shocked by this "accusation"...
01-21-2002, 12:36 PM
#4
It appears that were several factors contributing to this event, but as you may know, a red Porsche (or any red car) can act as a police magnet anyway when it comes to "alleged" speeding. Its simply a visibility statement, but when the color is coupled with what is commonly considered a high performance car (Porsche, BMW, Corvette, etc) the discrimination problem is compounded.
At any rate, in yor case, heresay or visual "clocking" are not a basis for substantiating speeding violations (even radar is a questionable method of speeding evidence, due to all of the equipment, environmental and operator variables that can occur during use), but would you really want to deal with a court of law in a small rural area where the the officer and the judge (or JP) might be related??
At any rate, in yor case, heresay or visual "clocking" are not a basis for substantiating speeding violations (even radar is a questionable method of speeding evidence, due to all of the equipment, environmental and operator variables that can occur during use), but would you really want to deal with a court of law in a small rural area where the the officer and the judge (or JP) might be related??
01-21-2002, 09:13 PM
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Yes. The red color is surely trouble. I had my first encounter with the law in my 67 911S. He claimed 20 mph over the speed limit, with other cars passing me on both sides. I quote" your honor, I only reason I caught up to this gentlemen was that he was slowing down for the tollbooth". My attorney pleaded with me not to sell the car, and give in to these tactics. I now have a gran prix white 911 SC.
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01-22-2002, 10:06 AM
#9
It's not the color it's the car.
One of my previous company cars was a Mercury Grand Marquis - it is nearly impossible to get a speeding ticket in one of those ( they think you are one of them or that you know their parents).
Someday I'd like to take the Merc and my Carrera past the same cop at 75mph and see what happens. what do you think.
One of my previous company cars was a Mercury Grand Marquis - it is nearly impossible to get a speeding ticket in one of those ( they think you are one of them or that you know their parents).
Someday I'd like to take the Merc and my Carrera past the same cop at 75mph and see what happens. what do you think.
01-22-2002, 01:57 PM
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Problem solved. Get a blacked-out Ford Crown Vic, and throw a Carrera GT V-10 in the engine bay. Put a little search light on the drivers' side A-pillar, and you're good to go -- Clock 140 MPH runs on the LIE, no one will care.
Personally, I just think that people get bitter when their cars have real back seats, child-proof locks, flashing lights, etc.
Or, we should start a lobby and pass the following law -- If you outrun the cops for a mile or more, no ticket.
Personally, I just think that people get bitter when their cars have real back seats, child-proof locks, flashing lights, etc.
Or, we should start a lobby and pass the following law -- If you outrun the cops for a mile or more, no ticket.
