I thought this article was mildly humorous.

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/...b-3eea25ddc999


Cheers!
-matt

 

stupid law. Jim Kenzie wrote a good article in wheels on the weekend

 

Of course drivers of modified cars are stereotyped, but giving the police an excuse (in the case of the kid in the article, driving with expired tags, 4 bald tires, and using no headlights at night...duh) is just, well, stupid.

 

Oh ya, it was stupid what he did and he did deserve to get his car towed. I hate drivers with unsafe vehicles. I just find it funny how their speed blitz nabbed something ordinary which wasn't targeted. Hell, lump ride checks with vehicle checks and now you have something.

 

I was talking with a cop-friend the other night (city police, not OPP) and he said he's personally had 2 cars impounded. Neither were for speeding, they were for ridiculously aggressive driving, such as tailgating someone while laying on the horn for several blocks because they were upset with how slow the person in front was going.

I do still think this law will fall with its first charter challenge, because I can't see how punishment without fair trial can possibly be tolerated under the charter, however in some cases it's easy to agree with...

 

What scares me about this is not the punishment, but putting this much power in the hands of the police. They have been appointed judge, jury and in some cases executioner (of cars) and personally think this is a slippery slope when we can be found guilty without a trial.

As mentioned, the first Charter challenge should bring the law down, but they will regroup and continuing enacting other asinine laws until the other side runs out of steam. They have all the time in the world and an endless source of funding, our taxes.

 

hey remember a year ago when they would wreck the guys car if he actually was racing? that was enough of a deterrent. and what now in after a week he gets his car back? they should bring that law back and yank the current street racing law which affects many outside of street racing.

 

Or Julian "Rambo" Fantino gets sacked.

The OPP used to be a service - they policed what needed policing. Now they just hand out speeding taxes and shoot Indians.

 

What about if you are found not guilty you had a civil case against the cop?
Ya, I watch too much American TV.

 

Fantino needs to be impounded and sent to the crusher.

 

I don't think there is a crusher big enough to fit his big fat head.

-matt

 

A bit of a sidebar.
Cam Wooley is retiring from the OPP on Sep. 1st and will be the new CP24 Traffic Specialist complete with a black and white Wooley mobile.
The story was in Saturday's Star.

 

The guy is lucky he was not tasered when he was complaining loudly on his cellphone call.

 

Just a side note: Where are all these "race tracks" that they keep telling people to go to?

Seriously. According to Trackepedia's list of race tracks, there are no where enough of these facilities to accomodate every driver that exceeds 100kph or has "green rims".

Considering all the grief that current track owners endure from their neighbours, I highly doubt many more will be built.

 

Not to mention the cost of driving at the track.

There are 5 tracks in all of Ontario, 3 of which are within an hour of Toronto. I've heard suggestions of building a drag strip at Downsview airport and running legalized "street racing" competitions there, which I think is a fabulous idea.

When I was a kid I used to love to skateboard. And of course we got hassled by the cops for skating on private property, sidewalks, leaving marks on curbs, etc. It took a long time, but finally municipal gov'ts realized that if they gave us a place to go and do it legally and safely, everybody would be happy.