Uncalled for.

to one their own

 

Well if you were in WI it would've cost you less but you couldn't have done the traffic school, so it may have been more in the long run.

I basically agree with the fact 9 times out of10 it's the speeding car that gets pulled over, because it's the car that stands out, which usuallymeans you're speeding, busted headlight/taillight, expired tags, weaving etc. But if you're in a pack of cars all speedingand the officerwants to pick one, a MINI is going to stand outmore than most cars, and a really bright MINI is going to stand out even more. I remember reading one article about this topic and the VA Trooper said that basically when they're running aircraft speedtiming a black honda accord no sunroofon fresh paved asphalt road is nearly invisible.

 

As well you should!

 

Now wait a minute! I thought your grandma drove a "Brand new shiny red superstock Dodge".

 

It's all good. Just make sure you find me at MOTD next year so we can "talk" about your comment.

 

Before I ordered my PW, I looked at a used CR w/ matching red spoked 18" wheels. That thing looked like it was doing 95 as it sat in the lot.

 

Apologies. I did step over the line. So what is MOTD? My first free-association is "Ministry of Technical Details", but I doubt that's it...

 

MINIs on The Dragon.

 

Don't tell him! If he shows up there his "fashion police" head will explode!

 

My MINI is a CR/W with bonnet stripes- so, full MINI brightness. My "family hauler" is a white Altima. Around here, the cops definitely treat the MINI differently. I do not speed in the MINI - well, except in a few places, where I know there won't be police and then I'm only running over by a max of ten mph.

On my way home from pickup I was harassed down the interstate by a cop. He was on the side of the road, sitting. I drove by, behind a big rig running 65 downhill. Cop pulls out, goes along well behind. Rig slows to 60 up a hill. I signal, move over to the left lane, cop suddenly FLIES up my tailpipe! I passed the first rig at 65-68 mph. (limit is 70) The cop stays on my rear so hard that I signaled and slipped the MINI between the first rig and a second rig I had intended to pass. Then the cop s-l-o-w-l-y oozes by. Not in any hurry anymore. I was very happy when he crossed the median and went the other way a few miles on. It was not a state trooper- usually they are VERY professional and really on a completely different level.

 

It's unfortunate we run into such *********s, but they do exist.

My personal wish is that all SUVs, 18-wheelers, and pickups would suddenly vanish. Here in Texas that would eliminate about 75% of the traffic, and we could probably set speed limits and enforce them at a higher level. But, it won't happen. I've got an old Passport, but if I were to buy now, I'd get a new Valentine, bright colors or not....

I got my first ticket in many years a month ago. Not bad for a red car owned since February. I just didn't see the guy coming at me, and my detector was off (thanks to Hubby).

Just Jay, I personally like your dragon graphic! Can't see enough of the bonnet to "pass judgement," assuming I had that right. I wouldn't let the snipes discourage you.

 

No red stripes - 3 tickets...

With red stripes - 0 tickets...


I was beginning to think the cops were pulling me over just to see what kind of car I was driving. 2 out of the 3 were less than 10 mph over. Those tickets also listed the car as being a Volkswagen Mini!

The last one I got was for 60 in a 55 on a stretch of expressway nicknamed the Nonconnah Speedway due to the average car's speed being 70-75. Yes I was speeding but all the other cars were blowing past me like I was broke down in the emergency lane.... . The lovely officer proceeds to tell me that all I have to do is go to court and they will dismiss the ticket without any court charges. If I am not going to have to pay for anything why write the ticket in the first place??

 

I have gotten 2 tickets in the MINI. I was speeding. I deserved them both. I speed (slightly) a lot though & went 12 years without any tickets til I got the MINI. On the second ticket in the MINI I was in a line of speeding cars yet non of them were ticketed so I think regardless of color, the MINI will get more tickets based on the fact that it stands out from the crowd

 

Sorry to hear that Minerva Louise. You know these cops here in AR though sometimes get bored! That's one thing I've worried about since picking up my MINI. Though the colors aren't flashy by any means (and I like it that way) I'm afraid it does stick out like a sore thumb in the torrent of SUV's and Camries shooting down the interstate. I've yet to be harassed in it, but it's bound to happen at some point. And maybe not needlessly...I don't exactly follow the speed limit all the time on the desolate country roads I drive to work and back.

 

Priceless!

(Could you use that as a defense? I got off on one years ago because they spelled my name wrong--Kinh, rather than King. Don't know how he could do that, but it sure was a fun court session! )

 

RVExotics--You lucky dog, living in Arkansas. I SO want to move there when my husband retires in 2 1/2 years. I've been working on him for a long time, and I think I'm making progress. Between the MINI, our BMW, and a classic Porsche, it's only natural that I'd like to abandon the H-E-double hockey sticks that is labeled Houston!

 

Wow, you WANT to move to AR? Kidding. It's a decent state, gorgeous natural beauty and lots of places to hike and, of course, motor. We don't have any crazy traffic laws that I know of. We can even have Euro plates on our cars legally. We could use a bit of improvement in our economy, education (working on that one), and socio-political climate

 

Yeah but do you still have people using phrases like Uncle-Dad and Aunt-Mom?

 

Yeah, some friends of ours (our age) say they grew up with outhouses and corn cobs. I thought they were kidding about it--and maybe they were about the cobs--but it was quite startling.

 

is it just me or is that an implied threat from an admin.

not that this will influence your decision at all...
06 chili red mini with black wheels tinted windows and HUGE brakes. I live just shy of the heart of nascar (10 minutes from bristol). And I've been pulled over so many times in the last 8 months I can barely count them.

Actually I can... 7 times.

Granted I drive quite fast but typically i'll only do so when flying solo endangering myself and not other drivers. Regardless i've gotten 2 speeders this last year. 2 of those 7 were on the dragon during the intense leo period. 1 was on the dragon at midnight during motd07. and the other... well i don't talk about that one.

Short answer is, yes. Being in a car that stands out in an area with very few of them and having them look fairly racer'ish is going to get you extra attention. Every police officer i drive past in east tn stares me down salivating. Heck... the first time I got pulled over after living in my new town for 7 months the cop told me that he and all the other local leo's have talked about me. Not for my driving antics but just about how recognizable my car is. He let me off with a warning.

 

Come on over! Arkansas is actually rather better than many people try to make it. I've traveled a fair bit in my time and always come back. What part of the state are you looking at locating to?

 

Re: unusual cars being "watched:"

This is NOT an account of a paranoid driver--I promise! I used to have a rare car--'69 SAAB Sonett--back in the day. We lived southwest of St. Louis where the roads are primo, and my drive to and from work took me on a particularly curvy, but mostly uninhabited, stretch. I used to take it "at speed" every day, but from time to time I would see the polizei. They never could get the goods on me, because it was always at a place where I could see them first. It became more and more frequent, until it was a few times a week. This was pre-radar, when they had to tail you to give you a ticket.

As an example, one time I was behind a Porsche 356 (remember, this was back in the early 70's). We were motionless at an intersection, along with lots of other traffic, waiting for a light. A cop came across the intersection when his light changed, turned around, and put on his flashing lights to get through the traffic. All this to get behind me--as if I could even TRY to play with the Porsche. I wouldn't have even considered it because he was in front, traffic was on all sides, and the road narrowed to 2 lanes shortly after the light. Even so, the cop followed us out to the city limits--close behind me!

I gradually became aware that every time I drove this blah colored gold Sonett I would get tailed. It never happened with my pumpkin orange BMW 2002--also pretty rare in the area at that time.

One day, as I parked at my house, I saw a helicopter overhead. During the night I got a parking ticket--totally rare in my subdivision, but there it was. And I NEVER was harassed again. I swear that's a true story!

If they want you, they will get you.

 

Probably outside of Hot Springs, because of the old-people amenities--medical, shopping, etc. We ARE at that age, unfortunately.

 

Not sure about tickets... but, all else equal, a conspicuous color is good for your safety...

 

You know, when I got a fire-engine red car I figured that would stop the people who pull out in front of me. Didn't help. The only thing that did was a couple of bright Xenons--any time of day, any weather.