I am just venting

For the last couple of months, every morning, I am passed on the freeway by guy driving what looks to be about a 1970 Plymouth Fury sedan. The guy drives the car hard, weaving in and out of traffic, flying down the freeway hitting the breaks when he encounters a slower car, and then cutting across three lanes of heavy traffic to exit the freeway. The car appears to be a very well preserved original that recently passed from the original owner to an Indy 500 driver in training.

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Two things concern me. First, this is a nice original that is quickly getting ruined. Second, when this lead-foot-driver finally exceeds the abilities of a 41 year old car and causes an accident the news will focus on “unsafe” collector cars in modern traffic.

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Now I am done venting. :mad:

Some people don't realize the effect they can have on others like us who pamper our old cars and trucks. Hopefully, someone who appreciates the car will end up with it before an unnatural disaster strikes it.

Who is to say that car has not been performance modified by the present owner or that it wasn't a basket case that has been brought back to life by the apparently very immature driver.

I have a '58 Mercury that looks 100% original inside, outside, and under the hood, buuuuut when I did the engine it got some significant internal modifications and what was a 375 hp engine is now a 650 hp engine. Gets three tire shops and gas stations to the mile if I stand on it. However, you won't see me driving it like that Fury driver.

Mark, the second issue is a huge concern - Long ago I learned if someone is bound and determined to ruin a nice original car, you are not likely to stop them. But it is unfortunate that his actions are a reflection on old cars in general.

Hopefully the inevitable mechanical faillure occurs in a way that sidelines him for a long time without an accident or damage to anyone else....

So ....

Every morning this happens .... :confused:

What you are describing is aggressive driving which carries enough

points to immediately suspend/revoke a drivers' license ....

Weaving thru traffic - speeding - tailgating ...

Why don't you get a plate number & call Highway Patrol

tomorrow or when you see him next ?

Jim

My father in law had a 70 Plymouth Fury Convertible, that thing was huge! It's hard to believe anyone wheeling that barge through traffic at high speeds. Next time it goes by, see if it has a white steering wheel, it may be an ex CHP car, which would be a real shame.

Why don't you get a plate number & call Highway Patrol

If that were to work I would have spent many moons in jail in my younger days. Unless the officer sees you breaking a traffic law there is little they can do about it.

...about a 1970 Plymouth Fury sedan. :mad:

Maybe you are in the midst of filming the new 'Nash Bridges'. Yes TV land, in order to bring the new series closer to our recessionary times, Nash has replaced the Hemi-Cuda drop-top with a plain-jane Plymouth Fury sedan with a 318 .....

I have an 81 year old neighbor with a 71 Plymouth Duster with 4 accidents, a license suspension, re-tested and re- licensed***, then got a wreckless driving citation when he mowed down two traffic signs and left the scene.

He is blind in one eye, can't turn his head to back up, can barely walk and has no power steering or brakes. But, "he needs his car" and drives with a antique tag.

When he finally has the last accident, they won't blame antique car people, they will blame old drivers. (To bad because the Duster is as original and nice as it can be, I always find a good shop to fix it)

The guy in this thread story will be blamed for being young, drunk, drugged or insane, but not for driving an old car. Old cars don't cause bad driving. In fact,

generally they have more careful driver because they love their vehicles.

Vented now.

Paul

***I went with him and privately begged th inspector to flunk him, but the old guy cried and the inspector said he reminded her of her father, and passed him. (Ah yes, Florida has old cars and older drivers, so it's bad drivers, not antique cars that are the problem)

If that were to work I would have spent many moons in jail in my younger days. Unless the officer sees you breaking a traffic law there is little they can do about it.

These days, if someone calls in on you doing something stupid in a vehicle, you get a ticket in the mail. Don't ask me how I know this. I just do...

What about a phone video and a license number?

Dallas and some other larger cities routinely put unmarked cars in high traffic times on the freeways to look for just the behaviour that was mentioned. If you can provide them with dates and times, they might orchestrate some covert actions.

It hasn't been too many years ago that police lauded the expanded use of cell phones as extending their law enforcement "reach", as citizens called in on suspect behaviour.

It should also be noted that with a 119" wheelbase, that "huge" old Plymouth was a normal, full-size vehicle when it was built. Chevy Impalas and Ford LTDs were the same size, too. Back when family cars would hold SIX people in two seats and have a rather large luggage compartment for those cross-country vacations which those cars tended to do VERY well.

As was also noted by many car magazines back then, and one reason the law enforcement people liked Chrysler products, was that they'd handle better than their similar GM and Ford counterparts. The exception was the Impala/'Caprices with the new-for-1969 Chevy F41 suspensioin package (heavier duty shocks with the addition of a rear sway bar). But if you also dig into the back of the 1970 Chrysler parts book, in tne Police section, there's a rear sway bar listed for "LAPD" use.

Just some thoughts . . .

NTX5467

These days, if someone calls in on you doing something stupid in a vehicle, you get a ticket in the mail. Don't ask me how I know this. I just do...

There has to be more to this story NO law enforcement agency will send you a ticket in the mail on someones say so. It is in direct violation of the confrontation clause of the sixth amendment. You have a right to face your accuser, who is either the cop who wrote the ticket or the witness, who is the anonymous phone snitch. This is exactly why the red light cameras were shut off in Los Angeles

There has to be more to this story NO law enforcement agency will send you a ticket in the mail on someones say so. It is in direct violation of the confrontation clause of the sixth amendment. You have a right to face your accuser, who is either the cop who wrote the ticket or the witness, who is the anonymous phone snitch. This is exactly why the red light cameras were shut off in Los Angeles

There is more. I was spotted by someone when my brakes locked up from grease on the drum. I ended up in the middle of an intersection. The guy/gal called in my license number and reported my "erratic" driving. I admitted everything EXCEPT the erratic driving. Got a ticket in the mail. Beat it.

There is someone here in my town that runs a beat up late 70's Firebird year round with antique plates. Hate to see it being used in winter and obviously he is taking advantage of the antique plate.

Who is to say that car has not been performance modified by the present owner or that it wasn't a basket case that has been brought back to life by the apparently very immature driver.

I have a '58 Mercury that looks 100% original inside, outside, and under the hood, buuuuut when I did the engine it got some significant internal modifications and what was a 375 hp engine is now a 650 hp engine. Gets three tire shops and gas stations to the mile if I stand on it. However, you won't see me driving it like that Fury driver.

What "significant internal modifications" could get 650 hp from a 375 hp engine and still look original under the hood?

There has to be more to this story NO law enforcement agency will send you a ticket in the mail on someones say so. It is in direct violation of the confrontation clause of the sixth amendment. You have a right to face your accuser, who is either the cop who wrote the ticket or the witness, who is the anonymous phone snitch. This is exactly why the red light cameras were shut off in Los Angeles

Red light cameras are legal in many jurisdictions.

Red light cameras are legal in many jurisdictions.

Bluff City, TN is one of them.

Red light cameras are legal in many jurisdictions.

They should be outlawed, period. As long as the company that operates them gets the lion's share of the revenue generated, they should be outlawed. That entity has a vested interest in making sure they generate as many fines as possible.

Mark, what age is the guy in the Plymouth?

I see the same thing every morning on the two-lanes I drive to work. Just before the turn onto the plant road, there is a 3/8 mile straight stretch. There is generally a line of 8-10 cars slowing to turn left onto the plant road and there is this Lexus that invariably will pull out to pass that line of cars waiting to turn left. Idiot has nearly t-boned more than one (including me).

You'd think he'd anticipate this every morning, but no. Calling in his license got him pulled over three times in three weeks about a year ago, but it hasn't slowed him down.

A little shaming worked on one of the young bucks at work. He rides a crotch-rocket on warm days and the kid admittedly gets off on speed. He passed me on that straight stretch Tuesday morning at about 90 mph and then had to nearly lay it down to make his turn onto the plant road. I went in their crew area a little later that morning and asked one of the guys for a tape measure, then I stood beside him while he was talking to someone and measured him. He says "You're up to something. Why are you measuring me?"

"To know what size paddle to get to scrape your tail off the pavement when you wreck that bike again!"

He wouldn't speak to me the rest of the day.

I'm pretty sure MD has road signs along I-83 N & S between the Beltway and Cockeysville with a phone number to "report aggressive driving".

If this bozo in the Fury is regular in his habits, that's too bad for the car, but he is being menace to those around him...

If a civic-minded person were to report this information matter-of-factly ( " I have observed this vehicle doing x, y, and z, on Highway so&so, etc. on a regular basis, etc " ) to the appropriate police agency, and they decide to spot a patrol car, then they will / may catch the culprit in the act... the police then have observed and confronted the offender... not you, John Q. Public...

Why should reckless driving be any less reportable than "suspected driving under the influence" or "distracted driving" (texting, etc.) ?

Why should reckless driving be any less reportable than "suspected driving under the influence" or "distracted driving" (texting, etc.) ?

Flavor of the month? Politics?

I'm sure Matt Hinson can tell us more about that.

Just so you guys know, I received a "mailing" after Hershey week, with a fine and wonderful night/early morning pictures of my pickup speeding through a work zone on I-695 around Baltimore. I was the only vehicle out there, and only living body in the zone???

There were no points involved and the fine was half what you'd expect. :confused:

A trucker friend of mine had a red light picture and ticket of his truck from out of state mailed to him. He ignored the ticket. He's not in jail, so maybe they don't persue out of staters???

Wayne

Aggressive driving aside, the WORST thing you can to do an old car is to NOT drive it. Frankly, the fact that the car is being driven hard is not ruining it (other than possibly wearing out brakes faster). Most drivers only use a small fraction of the capabilities of their cars, which is why most drivers simply run into accidents rather than avoiding them.

Red light cameras are legal in many jurisdictions.

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We have those red light cameras in the city next to us ( central Ca. coast ) and I know for sure they have cameras for speeders on the 10 FWY just getting into Phoenix Az.

Sometimes you can get the plate # give it to authorities and they will deliver a message to the drivers house. Also if this is as regular occurring demonstration sometime the police will stake the place out.

Don

Mark, what age is the guy in the Plymouth?

The driver appears to be in his late 30s or early 40s.

I have never reported the drive for reckless driving because he goes by in a flash, I have not been able to get his license number.

The driver appears to be in his late 30s or early 40s.

I have never reported the drive for reckless driving because he goes by in a flash, I have not been able to get his license number.

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OK Mark, it's time to do your civic duty and get that plate, just follow at a safe distance at his off ramp I'm sure traffic will slow him enough for you to get a look. If you have a hands off phone you can 911 this guy. Who knows, you might save someones life.

Don

When I got into this hobby a 30 year old car was a 1930 and people would cut around your car and pull in quick to see the radiator badge so they would know what kind it was. Today I drive my 50ish year old cars and if you don't recognize it in your rear view mirror you won't know what is was after I blow by you with my 400+ cubic inches working at half throttle.

I was behind a car today that had an emblem saying 3.7. Why would someone put that anemic number on a car? I felt like pulling up along side and giving the guy a buck if he was saving to buy a real engine.

As far as the guy on the freeway, I usually follow drivers like that at about 500 feet. that way I can play and they can get the ticket (pay).

Bernie

The driver appears to be in his late 30s or early 40s.

I have never reported the drive for reckless driving because he goes by in a flash, I have not been able to get his license number.

While a plate number would be helpful, just being able to furnish the approximate year, make, body-style and color should be enough for Smokey Bear to spot him... chances are this will be the only early '70's Fury being driven recklessly on the highway at any given time...

Maybe I'm an idealist or optimist as far tipping-off the law... but this knucklehead is going to hurt someone...

Yeah, go ahead waste your time. It is your word against his and you have no witnesses. Even if you did, it still isnt worth the effort, they arent Sherlock Holmes ya know... They have their hands full already with people that THEY witness driving recklessly.

The Cops will humor, then ignore you. They have better things to do then to track down some that "YOU" think was driving recklessly.

It isnt like you witnessed a Murder... I listen to the Police Scanner all the time and know very well how much weight these reports have, Almost zero. What do you expect them to do? go to his house? accuse him of driving recklessly when they didnt even see it? All he has to do is deny it. Case closed. They have no legal right to do anything at that point except apologize. They are smart enuf to know better.

In the future, just avoid them. Somplace is a tree with their his name on it.

I was behind a car today that had an emblem saying 3.7. Why would someone put that anemic number on a car? I felt like pulling up along side and giving the guy a buck if he was saving to buy a real engine.

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MY former boss has a 2,200 pound car that has a 3.0 on the sides. We had that car on our dyno and with 27lbs. of boost out of the turbos gave us a 572 REAR WHEEL HORSEPOWER-------AND this car goes around corners.

Don

OK, I was trying to stay out of this one.

Any crime that occurs on a regular basis is appropriate to report to a law enforcement agency. Any driving that is dangerous is appropriate to report to a law enforcement agency.

In the United States almost all law enforcement is handled by individual local law enforcement agencies. There are city, county, and state law enforcement agencies. We don't have the types of federal police departments like some countries have. The people that enforce the laws, and the many agencies that they work for, and the local and state laws that they enforce, while similar, are different everywhere.

For someone in New York to attempt to describe how law enforcement officers are going to respond to a report of a dangerous driver in California is pointless at best.

Anyone, anywhere, who witnesses a dangerous driver should report it to law enforcement. Law Enforcement agencies tend to respond appropriately to most reports of repeated dangerous driving when a pattern of behaviour is established. Many times in my 30 year law enforcement career I have deployed officers in response to similar complaints and they have caught the violator.

(I didn't look to see where the alleged offense took place) BUT now that we know it's happening in CA . . . just call some television station and have them check it out with their helicopter news team. Then, during "sweeps", they can do a story about flaky driving on the CA freeways, with a tape of this guy in the Fury doing his thing. "This guy is driving like he's committed a crime or 'stole it', so lets get some footage of him." NOT unlike what they show on COPS, but without (hopefully) the crash at the end.

As for the 3.7 emblem, it might look better than 225 CID, and probably costs less too.

Regards,

NTX5467

Matt,

Thanks for your input !

Frank

I'm with Matt here. While the police will probably NOT make an arrest based on your say so alone, They will be watching the area for a repeat of the offense. And, I have it on good authority that they keep an advisory of people who "don't get a break" when they are caught. Those guys get the full penalty the first time. That list IS based on those pieces of information that they get from good citizens like you who don't lack the courage to get involved and try to make the situation better instead of putting their heads in the sand and hoping!!!

As a paramedic, I am grateful for anyone that tries to prevent an accident by reporting erratic drivers. I, personally have reported dozens from the front seat of an ambulance over the past 25 years. In most cases the local police in the area watch for the car and if they observe the same behavior, pull it over. I know I have prevented many potential drunk driving accidents by just picking up the phone.

Perhaps he feels "Fury" is not just the car's model, it's the attitude in which to

drive it.