rocket on the road

[rocketraider]

Took the Ninety-Eight out for a run to High Point NC tonight; they do a large cruise night there every Thursday. 130 mile round trip was good for the car.

Enjoyed talking with the owner of a 1938 Packard Twelve Touring Sedan that was still missing most of its interior, but was roadworthy enough to be driven about 20 miles in. Impressive machine! and the only unmodified prewar car there tonight. With the interior out, was able to see the car's (totally replaced) wooden structure including the roof grid radio antenna.

Only bad part of the night was getting pulled over and ticketed for no inspection sticker and no city license after getting back in town. Had stopped for a cold drink at Sheetz, and the city cops hang out there. Pulled the lights on me leaving the lot, and didn't wanna hear about the antique license laws. Then tried to tell me it had been changed to require the sticker and city license, which I know better. Finally signed the ticket to get rid of him, after asking twice, "are you sure of this?".

Normally I would just go downtown tomorrow morning and let the white shirts handle it as I have done several times before, but enuff'znuff. I think I'm gonna go to court with it this time.

[Dave@Moon]

Well that sucks.

I have YOM plates on my car, which I anticpate will someday give me trouble with some cop's ego along the way. Therefore I keep a copy of the Ohio Code section that permit these plates in the car at all times. It <span style="font-style: italic">should</span> stop a cop from wasting his city's tax money like this.

On the other hand....

The suburb I used to live in in Pittsburgh went through a minor fiscal crisis at one time which resulted in a number of junior grade ($6.50/hr.) police officers to be demoted from full- to part-time. They weren't happy. So they started writing patently absurd tickets that they knew would be challenged and beaten. The reason, every court appearance was 4 more hours pay.

Most of these guys were trying to start families on this kind of money, all needed Criminal Justice Degrees to get the job.

Maybe this is what happened to you.

[rocketraider]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Therefore I keep a copy of the Ohio Code section that permit these plates in the car at all times. It <span style="font-style: italic">should</span> stop a cop from wasting his city's tax money like this.</div></div>

Didn't in this case Dave. I keep current copies Of the applicable section of the Code of Virginia in each car just for this occasion! I offered it to him with the license and registration, and was told to put it away as it was irrelevant. So now it will become relevant in court.

There's a big stink going on here now about city police and esp county deputies' salaries, and the county sheriff has paid for newspaper ads saying his deputies can't make it on their current salaries, they're on WIC and food stamps to feed their kids, the county supervisors won't increase their pay etc ad nauseam. Why he didn't use that ad money to supplement their pay, I haven't figured out. It's well-known that the sheriff and two of the county supervisors do everything they can to discredit each other.

Of course they haven't helped their public image either. They just shot and killed the third mental patient in as many years, so there's an uproar from some well-financed advocacy groups there.

Police work doesn't have to be as dramatic as it is, and I'm convinced that some of these small-town departments have an insatiable itch to get their department on "Cops" or some similar show.

Anyway- I'll waste a day in court, it'll get dismissed and the cop will get scolded. Justice served.

[Guest JT]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I offered it to him with the license and registration, and was told to put it away as it was irrelevant. </div></div>

Did he offer up why he thought it was not relevant?