I have had a lot of issues with local law enforcement lately. I had a butt green Geo Metro for 6 years, and never got pulled over once. The red MINI? 3 times this year. How does this happen?

1. Red car. The cops love to look past all the dull cars, and pick mine out. This morning, while traveling BEHIND a crappy minivan, my car gets nailed. We were both exceeding the speed limit (70 in a 55), why didn't he get nailed too? I mean who the heck drives 55 on I-270? I think it's time to hang up the flashy car and get a silver one. But, Snopes says otherwise.

http://www.snopes.com/autos/law/redcars.asp

DAMNIT.

2. Cops are pulling us over more and more because of the economic downturn and are extracting money out of us regular folk to make the budget so we can keep people employed. I got pulled over in Alma, right next to the 65 MPH sign, it seems that it goes from 30 to 65, not 45 to 60. But, it seems that Alma got taken out of the Speed Trap Status from a few years ago so they would seem "friendlier" to us sucker visitors wanting to spend a couple of bucks on some stupid T-Shirt.

http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/10/1004.asp

Do you think that the downturn made them think about getting that trap status back? I do. I paid WAY more than the listed $65. BTW, I encourage you to NOT drive through Alma in any shape or form. The speed limits are all over the place depending on how you come in or out. Fight the man. Let them struggle without making thier budget off of speeding (check the Fairplay figure in that article, amazing huh?)

Don't EVEN get me started on the new Senate Bill 09-108 that requires a manadatory increase in fees EVERY year according to weight, or the BS fees if you are late paying your registration (which if called on is now referred to ownership fees, see it's ok to pay tax on things you own, but we don't like paying registration fees, so they changed the name)

Here's my take at this. Let me stop squabbling over getting caught amongst the masses. I have a decision to make. Get rid of my red MINI (guess I can't get a silver one either) and get a gutless Oldsmobile or drive in the slow lane.

Here's an alternate theory. Tell me where I can send my $100 to keep Bob the cop employed, let me "speed" through Alma and keep it off my record. I'd do it. My new goal is to BUST the speed limit, one of those, if you're going to get caught, do so with vigor. I'm shooting for a doubling of the speed limit. A 110 in a 55MPH. Yeah!! The MINI speedometer goes to 150, why should we live in the lower half?!!

Maybe, I should just drive in the slow lane...

 

Yep driving a red mini is sorta like painting a "bull eye" on our butts.

I got a ticket in my Mini loaner while waiting for delivery of my car -- I new right then, it was time to rein it in a little and choose my spots of Mini fun very carefully.

The Oldsmobile idea just is not appealing to me.

 

Been pulled over once in my chili red...but I WAS speeding. No ticket though, just a warning. I still LOVE my red MINI.

 

See No. 5 in the Site Guidlines...

Don't hate your MINI for doing what you instructed it to do.

 

No matter how nice I am, or innocent it was, I've NEVER had a warning...

 

My kids bought me a radar detector - haven't had a ticket since though lord knows I try.

 

RUDEBOX nice, innocent? Never...

 

Two words....Valentine One

 

I have only had 1 ticket and color had nothing to do with it. Otherwise I havent had any problems. It sounds like you are just getting caught. Radar detector (valetine 1) or you need to slow down. I passed a Greenwood Village police officer the other day with half a header on my car (beyond loud) and he just watched me drive casually by. In my opinion our cars get attention but not bad attention.

 

OK... I know this is all in fun but as a NON MINI owner..... how about being grateful you have such a great car! I'll trade you my blah colored 1996 Ford Taurus!! What can I say... it's Monday morning & I'm feeling ...... great actually!

 

 

Or to go with his Red MINI there is the new Escort REDLine, that would keep it in the RED family!

 

Well my FIRST ticket was in 1998... I was driving a boring beige 4 door sedan. BOO! Myth busted.

In my previous years I always got "warnings"... could always talk my way out of a ticket. Ahhh... the days of being young, single and "cute".

In 2007 I got my first ticket in my Chili RED MINI! My first RED car. It was a speed trap by air... so even with a radar detector I would have been toast. ( Surprised that I hadn't gotten one before that though since I bought it in 2005... just lucky I guess.)

Haven't gotten anything in the Pepper White yet... I know it's probably only a matter of time. I do have a radar detector now though.

I would love to blame this on the car or the color... but I know that I am a VERY "spirited" driver.

DON'T hate the RED MINI!

I do think that due to the economy there are more chances of getting tickets these days.

Actually, this reminds me... on the Blue Ridge Parkway tour in June we had about 40+ MINIs and out of all the pretty vibrant colors... the Pepper White Cabrio was the one that got pulled over. (Thankfully it wasn't me.)

 

i dunno. I drove a bright red 1990 Mustang GT for years and never got a ticket in it. I had gotten more in my black GT...even a maroon/grey Blazer lol

 

You probably never got pulled over in the geo metro because the cop thought no court would believe his statement that a geo metro somehow exceeded the speed limit.

This is what happens when you buy a fast car. You think the cops are out to get you, but really your just enjoying the car more, and going faster.

 

That thought crossed my mind as well.

 

UPDATE: Been watching my speed, and driving in the slow lane, getting passed by everyone. I even got a beep when doing 5 over the speed limit and in the right lane. Well, today, late for a "Genius Bar" meeting that I was about to be late and miss (Apple sucks for this forced delay in support, no wonder PC's are kicking thier hippy butts in the commercial space. Dead hardware....BTW), decided that the I-25 traffic would slow me down and I'd take the HOV. BAM. 71 in a 55. That makes it 2 in 5 days. I have a black cloud around me or something. I understand it's not the color, and it's my foot, but I'd like a break. Not enough time for the radar detector to arrive.

Shelly, I might take you up on the 1996 taurus, this is ridiculous.

 

I traveled by Harley from Boulder to Philadelphia and back earlier this month, and while I never once got pulled over, I maintain that Colorado has some of the most speed-ticket-happy cops I've ever seen. That, and there are more patrol cars on Colorado interstates than I saw ANYWHERE ELSE. Had me freaked out so much. I got through the spring flying between Boulder and Greeley three times a week and never once got tagged...but that was then, and the po-po seems to be out in force.

Sorry to hear about getting tagged. Maybe just a new paint job rather than abandoning the MINI...?

 

I would have to agree with Wandrur, when I was based out of Denver and doing the run to Fort Collins and Greely you did not dare go more then 2 Miles over the limit, I learned the hard way and it really did not matter the car you were in. Since I have had the Mini alittle over 15 Months I have been pulled over no less then 8 times, some for speeding, some for the tint on the front windows that I have since removed. The latest now is they follow me for 5 or 6 miles at 2 Am in the morning and tail gate me. So needless to say that prompted a phone call and a letter to the local Police department. I have recieved back 2 letters from the Police, 1 from the Captain saying they followed all correct procedures when they ran my plate and basically harrassed me, the next letter was from the Internal affairs division saying they were looking deeper into the charges I made. Bottom line in my opinion, I have owned over 30 cars in my lifetime, a few much faster then the Mini, and I dont claim to drive slow, but this car draws out the Troopers and local law inforcement like I have never seen.

 

[QUOTE= Not enough time for the radar detector to arrive.
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You can pick up a used Valentine One on eBay and have it by next week. Cheaper than those tickets and the increased insurance, for sure. You have no idea how many cops are out there until you get one of these. Until then, not more than 9 over the limit, my friend.

 

Yeah, Ebay was NOT soon enough. I'm really not bitching, just venting, no one likes to get pulled over and no one likes to hassle with local law enforcement. But it was nice (?) to hear that I'm not the only one. Check out JRoca, 8 times!!! HOLY CRAP!! MIsery does love company. Needless to say, I'm in the slow lane with you. Let's hit the track!!

 

The track is the safest place for serious speed. Enjoy!

 

3 in less than a year. i was just thinking of trading in my 08 ps/b jac , (for a s) maybe not a good idea ?

 

They Don't Call It "Arrest Me Red "For Nothing

 

Well you can make my count 9 now, but only 2 tickets, 1 for the Window tint which I have removed, and 1 for not using the hands free on the cell phone.
Part of the problem I have is I report to work at 2 Am and the local police enjoy stopping people at that hour for anything they are in the mood for. That prompted a call and a letter to the locals here and hence I seem to get pulled over even more. Normally once they see me in uniform and I flash my creds they just let me go, every now and then they want the license reg and insurance, and some friday nights they make me get out of the car. Its actually funny these days, when I see them sitting on one of the main roads at 2 Am now i flash my high beams at them, you know like Hey Good Morning to ya. I grew up in NYC actually lived there for 30 years and the Police were nothing like these local guys, so I tend to really justlaugh at it. As i said earlier the Police in Colorado were pretty tough, and Georgia is right behind them, I remember one trip down there 5 years ago, when I had to stay there for a month of training I had a red Focus and I still can here the State Trooper "SON that car is Drop Dead I am giving you a ticket red", 85 in a 70 I kept my mouth shut for a change