The story of a VW impounded for 50 over... from vwvortex [Archive]

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Jeff-TheBiz

11-23-2007, 02:15 PM

Whole story here: http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3542017

Yes, it's true. I lost the R to the popo in Canada this weekend.

You ready for the story of how my leadfoot finally did me in?
Well, crack a beer, grab a smoke of your choice and sit right back and hear a tale of a fateful trip Gilligan....

It starts after a beautiful weekend visiting my family in Ottawa. As some of you know, I go often, (maybe you followed my 'R in Canada' thread.) Anywho, I get on the highway from Ottawa and start my journey back to New York. OK, I drive way too fast, but my 'highly-illegal-radar detector-in-Ontario' always saves my a$$ here in NY and up there as well. After saving my butt twice, I start to accelerate. I'm about a half an hour and 23 miles from the freedom of the U.S. border when an unmarked Ontario Provincial Police car car hits me with 'instant-on' K band radar going in the opposite direction. This is one of the few times a radar detector is vulnerable no matter how good it is. My K-Band signal starts going absolutely nuts, so I know he got me. I look back to see him swing a quick U-turn and floor it after me.

"Oh sh*t, I'm dead. Maybe he nailed someone else and I just caught a reflection" me thinks... http://www.vwvortex.com/vwbb/rolleyes.gif NOT!

I jumped into the right lane and slowed to a legal speed. Well, lo and behold, he flies right up my a$$ and pulls me over. http://www.vortexmediagroup.com/images/banghead.gif

-"Do you know why I pulled you over..eh?" (Eh= A Canadian term of endearment)

-"Not exactly Sir."

-"I have you on radar going 154 Kph in a 100 Kph zone" (For those who aren't Mike Solo, that's 95 Mph in a 62 Mph)

-"Really? I honestly don't think I was going that fast. Humph."

-"I have it on the display in my car. You can see it if you'd like"
*being that gadget freak that I am, I figured...*

-"Sure."

-"We have some new laws about that which I'll explain, but do you also have a radar detector in this vehicle?"

-"Yes sir, and it is off." *blatant lie*

-"May I have it sir."

-"I can't. It's permanently installed in the car."

-"Please remove the display. If you don't have something to cut it, I do."
*snips display from my car*

-"Could you please open the hood for me and remove the eye in the grill."

-"Ummm, OK." http://www.vortexmediagroup.com/images/banghead.gif
*tears front eye from the vehicle* (Oh well...So much for that $1500 radar detector. http://www.vwvortex.com/vwbb/sly.gif )

-"OK, now please wait in your car for the flatbed."
At that point, I heard Kyle from South Parks' mom in my head saying,
"What, what, WHAT???" http://www.vwvortex.com/vwbb/frown.gif

This is also the time I started think.. "Man, I would totally flash him my t*ts right about now if I had some", but I had to settle for asking him if my NYPD leutenants' badge or the fact my brother is Canadian Special Forces would help. (Monday was Veteran's Day there too, but's it's a little bigger of a holiday meaning to Canada than it is for us)

-"Nope. Sorry, that won't help you today."
*Cue the Spicoli line in my head* "You dick!"

-"So waht do you mean, 'Wait for the flatbed.'?"
As explained to me, as of October 1st, anyone caught going 50 Kph over the speed limit can be considered wreckless driving, or as they word it, 'Stunt driving' in their law. It gets the same classification as racing, motorcycle wheelies, burn outs, donuts, etc...
It also means that there is a mandatory, on the spot suspension of your license for 7 days as well as the vehicle getting impounded for 7 days.
http://www.vortexmediagroup.com/images/banghead.gif http://www.vortexmediagroup.com/images/banghead.gif
Now those of you thinking to yourself, 'Wait, they can't do that to someone from outside the country, or maybe they targeted you for being from NY/USA', ...think again. They can, and they don't target people from the U.S. in particular. This happens to ANYONE driving in Ontario, Canadian, American, or whomever you might be.
OK, so now you're thinking, 'well that sucks, but at least it won't go on your license abstract.' ....aaaand you'd be wrong again.
It turns out, Ontario and New York have agreements to share info and records. Anything that one gets convicted for there goes on your NY abstract.
http://www.vortexmediagroup.com/images/banghead.gif http://www.vortexmediagroup.com/images/banghead.gif http://www.vortexmediagroup.com/images/banghead.gif
...and oh, the fine for this infraction by itself is just ludacris. Wait 'till you hear this in a minute...
http://www.vortexmediagroup.com/images/banghead.gif http://www.vortexmediagroup.com/images/banghead.gif http://www.vortexmediagroup.com/images/banghead.gif http://www.vortexmediagroup.com/images/banghead.gif
*my final plea for mercy*
-Sir, please don't do this. What do I do with my dogs? I have a ton of extremly important things I need to do that I need to get back for! Please!"
-"No, sorry. I know it's inconvenient. I can't help you.".
Great! Sso now I'm going to be stuck on the side of the highway, with the entire contents of my car and my two little dogs. (Yep, Sandy and Buddy were with me as usual) WTF now?!
At that moment, the flatbed pulled up and as I help the driver get the car up the cop takes off. Having no clue what to do, I asked the driver to just bring me to the impound yard so I can make arrangements to do something. What, I don't know, but something.
The only thing for me to do was to get a cab to the nearest rent-a-car place. The problem with that is;

#1- my license is now suspended in Ontario
and (as I had found out)...

#2-a rental car can't go from Canada to the US, only the other way around. ???

The driver and I happened to see a cab and flagged him down. Yes, he'll take me, my stuff and the dogs over the border to the nearest rental place. 'OK, cool'. Now the next problem; Just over the NY border there, only the Amish exist, (No really, I'm not kidding, Amish. No phone, no lights, no motorcars. Not a single luxury Amish.) Could someone please explain these people to me? Who the hell wants to party like it's 1699? But I digress... It turns out the only national car rental chain is miles away in Pottsdam. A fairly expensive cab ride and an hour and a half later we get to Enterprise. Sheeze.

Along the way the cab driver says to me;

-"Did the cop tell you what the fine for this is?

-*sheepishly* "Do I really want to know?"

-"It's a minimum of $2000 and up to $10000.
Nice. http://www.vwvortex.com/vwbb/sly.gif
I was lucky (if that's what you want to call it) that Enterprise had one lone, final vehicle sitting in it's lot. A plain white cargo van. WOOT!
My only problem is that Enterprise will only accept that van back at that office, so it's back off to Pottsdam next week before I go back to pick up the car in Canada. Oh well. http://www.vwvortex.com/vwbb/frown.gif
So now the the fun really begins in dealing with this mess and trying to pay for it all. I have to drive back up next Monday to go get the car. I also need to return again on December 4 for a court appearance. Now that just plain sucks a$$.
I've contacted a 'lawyer' in Canada to assist on this one. At first, I wasn't going to, but I finally just figured it's silly not to. Up there, the legal system's a bit different. For traffic tickets, an attorney doesn't have to represent you. Paralegals can represent you. There are multiple agencies filled with ex-Royal Canadian Mounted Police and O.P.P. who become paralegals who one can hire fairly inexpensively to deal with the case and from what I understand, they're pretty effective. Let's see if it helps get me reduction. Anything will help. Right now, the cost of this looks like;
$1500 radar detector
$2000-$10000 fines for 'stunt driving'
$350 fine for the radar detector ticket
$500 impound and towing fees
$200 in cab rides
$350 weekly van rental
$600 attorney fee
...walking away with my health and not getting arrested,
Priceless. http://www.vwvortex.com/vwbb/rolleyes.gif http://www.vwvortex.com/zeroforum_graphics/biggrin_upper.gif

Sooooo, the lesson from this story is, when in Ontario, put your friggin' cruise control on 100 KPH and don't move from that for the love of God!
And now some bonus 'dirty R' shots in front of the Parliment building and the Hard Rock just minutes before it was hauled off to jail. http://www.vwvortex.com/vwbb/sly.gif http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v217/gomobiler32/DSC01222.jpg

Jeff-TheBiz

11-23-2007, 02:16 PM

Update here : http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3551509&uid=130886&dir=1&postid=43503217#43503217

Didn't read the whole thing yet, but I am surprised to hear that he got his car back... WTF!

cwp_sedan

11-23-2007, 02:34 PM

I wonder how his insurance company would look at that since it was in another country...?

At least he got his car back in the end, even though he got raped for it.

Junior

11-23-2007, 02:42 PM

He got his car back but also got a headache to go with it.

It's a really dumb law. I totally agree that they should ream people for doing 50 over. Besides the obvious, that it's dangerous... there really is no need to get that high in speed.

But to impound and take your license away ON THE SPOT. That blows my mind. What ever happened to the old addage: Innocent until proven guilty?

I think the fact that he had a radar detector helped to dig his hole though. Maybe the officer was waiting for a confession (and then it could have went two ways) ... Either easier to convict, or could have let him go. Seems like a stretch, but with NY plates who knows.

He played the 'oblivious' card and (i feel) triggered the rest.

b3GS

11-23-2007, 02:49 PM

i don't know about you guys, but whenever I drive in the U.S. i'm soo careful about not speeding, and this guy was over here do 50 over!?!?!!

the way the guy tells the story though... doesn't seem like he was too bothered by how much this was all costing him. Not that there was anything he could really do about it I guess.

crazy

WLS ZMZM

11-23-2007, 02:55 PM

unfortunately that no longer plays... I really do feel that being guilty automatically is unfair as the police aren't perfect, but we dont have the ability to argue or it's another fine. Talk about got us by the balls!!!

Cardinal Fang

11-23-2007, 02:59 PM

But to impound and take your license away ON THE SPOT. That blows my mind. What ever happened to the old addage: Innocent until proven guilty?

This is really no different than when an officer suspends your license because you blew over the legal limit during a breathalyser test. The law states that an automatic suspension is required. A court case would then ascertain guilt or innocence to the charge. Nobody really fights this because getting drunk people off the road is generally considered for the public good and everyone agrees. Getting reckless drivers off the road should be the same. The problem is we all speed to some degree. And whether we like to admit it or not I think there are more reckless drivers than drunks on the road.

I'm sorry but when I'm in another country I wouldn't venture to break a "j-walking" law.

Junior

11-23-2007, 03:09 PM

Good points but something like being impaired is easily distinguishably from someone suspected as stunt-driving. An officer can make a judgement based on the tests done at the side of the road or a measuring device such as a breathalyser.

For the story above, he had something on radar as proof. That's great! ... but what about the times when the law is based solely on judgement.

If I recall correctly, I believe there was something in there that states "if the driver is suspected of stunt-driving or street racing" they would lose their license based on a officers discretion. (That's where I have the problem with the law)

Because the law states something, doesn't mean that it's right. (I guess was my point).

WLS ZMZM

11-23-2007, 03:23 PM

I am in full agreement with Cardi... when I'm in another country I don't break any laws!! let alone speed i set the cruise and stay with it!!! a few months ago I was heading down the I90 across pensylvania, and was doing about 15mph over the limit saw the state trooper spin around so I pulled off into the next rest stop and watched him pull over and wait for me.... so I do whatever I can to stay within the legal limits... :chuckle

Cardinal Fang

11-23-2007, 03:24 PM

Good points but something like being impaired is easily distinguishably from someone suspected as stunt-driving. An officer can make a judgement based on the tests done at the side of the road or a measuring device such as a breathalyser.

Many people have had their licensed suspended being right on the limit of legally drunk although they show no signs of being drunk. In these cases the officer asks if they've had anything to drink if they respond yes they can be tested. The breathalyser isin't perfect either. Calibration has been a major issue with these devices but again nobody raises any issue with this because the cause is getting drunks off the road. If a few people get caught in the net well then that's the price society is willing to pay.

That's great! ... but what about the times when the law is based solely on judgement.

If I recall correctly, I believe there was something in there that states "if the driver is suspected of stunt-driving or street racing" they would lose their license based on a officers discretion. (That's where I have the problem with the law)

But there are many instances where a cop has to make a judgment call and we accept it on faith. Cops give evidence regularly all the time. They stop you for traffic tickets based on judgment. You can be arrested based on judgment. Sometimes people are killed or hurt based on judgment. If we have a problem with that then we can take it to court and fight it. That's our system. It isn't perfect but if the alternative is that an officer must provide proof of a crime before he can arrest someone then I think the inmates will finally run the asylum.

nicker

11-23-2007, 04:13 PM

WoW , his story is somwhat ammusing in the way he tells it. So calm etc. Id be ****ing pissed!!!!!!!!!!!! I mean I know is wrong and I know the law but still he has one HEFTY bill to pay and will continue to pay that bill for ALONG time to come. Thats allot of money wasted. I will say this LAW sucks and its only a matter of time before its gone. The concept of this law is ok but its flawed in so many ways! Welcome to Ontario!

Broli

11-23-2007, 04:34 PM

damn, that is a sad story!

stupid law that over punishes!

SP33D 3

11-23-2007, 04:37 PM

i think he went the wrong way with handling it by getting a paralegal... they dont help that much

Broli

11-23-2007, 04:41 PM

he will get it down to 139 or 149

Jeff-TheBiz

11-23-2007, 11:50 PM

I was under the impression that if you are caught, you don't get your car back...

Why did this guy get it back?

S.F.W.

11-23-2007, 11:52 PM

The law is the car is impounded for one week. But you have to pay towing costs, storage costs, and other fees.

mEtH

11-24-2007, 12:04 AM

Wow imagine the chaos if they gave you back a cube of what was your car!

PlatMS6

11-24-2007, 07:22 AM

This law wouldnt be half bad if the limit was 130... so technically you would have to be going 180 to get in this mess... I would think that that would be more inline to our roadways and what people actually do. But that wouldn't bring the money in...

While driving in the afternoon, everyone goes 130, when you pass, you don't even need to downshift from sixth and by the time all said and done, you are as bad as a terrorist in a couple of seconds. Then you get to deal with a cowboy on a powertrip...

Jeff-TheBiz

11-24-2007, 09:20 AM

The law is the car is impounded for one week. But you have to pay towing costs, storage costs, and other fees.

Okay, so let me get this straight... you lose your car for a week? That's it? It is like your parents are grounding you...

WTF kind of law is that. I thought the whole reason for it was to get these kind of drivers off the road.

Now before this get blown out of proportion, I do not like the idea of a cop that might have had a bad morning has the ultimate decison of whether or not you are walking home.. but I think that 150 is too fast. and there as to be a line drawn,

< 150 you are risking a ticket.

> 150 you lose your car.

I am sure since this law came out there are people who have decided to not cross the 150kph mark..

bluntman

11-24-2007, 10:20 AM

Basically, this law has increased the speed limit from 100km/h to 149km/h.

Unoriginalusername

11-24-2007, 11:58 AM

Basically, this law has increased the speed limit from 100km/h to 149km/h.

you pay alot and points for 49 over

azn_outlaw

11-24-2007, 02:10 PM

Xerox

11-24-2007, 04:08 PM

What that is surprising....

but I guess the twist is that the person who was charged, was an American...

yet I wonder how the story would go if it was a Canadian who got charged..hummm???

none the less, I wonder where this impound yard is, cause with a nice V-dub like that, I am so amazed it did not get all his shit stolen and he was going to find his car on bricks, rims stolen, interior gone and well you get the story from there...

in conclusion, lucky American...

I am sure if it was a fellow Canadian the story would be, my new ride for the 08 Season is the TTC Bus...

I don't understand your comments about American/Canadian. Other than the extra inconvenience of travel distance and having to deal with the courts system in a foreign country, I don't see how anything would have been different had he been Canadian. And I don't understand why you say he's lucky.

And all impound lots that I've seen are secured (private property surrounded by fence). Only employment personnel and other people picking up their cars are allowed access. So in contrast to your statement, I would actually be surprised had his car been stripped.

bubba1983

11-25-2007, 10:40 AM

my thing is..if you speed, especially 50 over...you deserve whatever u get

dentinger

11-25-2007, 12:31 PM

i'd be the most happy about getting my car back.
vw only made about ~10,000 R32's iirc.

MattC

11-25-2007, 01:42 PM

the only reason for this law, is to make money for the government, as of now its made close to 3 million dollars in 2 months.

they dont care about the safety of drivers, they dont care about the safety of the roads, they dont care about preventing street racing, they just want money.

this law will soon be abolished, or atleast toned down to a level that agreed upon by people who know how to exercise common sense. I agree going 50 over is stupid. but the penalty does not match the crime, as you can get off with less for distributing marijuana in ontario. driving fast is worse than dealing drugs? according to ontario it is.

3GFX

11-25-2007, 02:02 PM

Basically, this law has increased the speed limit from 100km/h to 149km/h.

Nope, people should be aware that you can risk impounding your car at speeds under 150. My cousin was doing 147 on the 427 north and risked having her car impounded. She was under the 150 mark. They are going to try her under this new law despite the fact she was under 150. The province is saying she was "racing".

I agree with this law full heartedly. What I don't agree with is the fact that these punishments are not progressive enough. You pay a fine and points that gets higher as does the speed and then boom you jump over the 150 high jump pole and your car is impounded?

I'm suprised his K-Band didn't give him more of a warning, that a waste of 1500$ right there. He shouldn't have risked it.

The plain and simple thing is, there is no reason to speed that much.

I drive a lot on the 401, and 427 and traffic (when not dead stopped) is generally travelling at 120 which is already over the limit and fast enough. Sometimes the flow of traffic is even quicker. But to single yourself out, and weave and speed is just pointless and dangerous, especially now with the freezing temperatures.

Junior

11-25-2007, 07:55 PM

dentinger

11-25-2007, 07:56 PM

well you didnt actually think the gov't was nice giving us the 1% tax drop did you? lol

crazycanuck

11-26-2007, 12:43 AM

It was the GST, not the PST

well you didnt actually think the gov't was nice giving us the 1% tax drop did you? lol

EvilDeadFan

11-26-2007, 06:54 AM

Okay, so let me get this straight... you lose your car for a week? That's it? It is like your parents are grounding you...

WTF kind of law is that. I thought the whole reason for it was to get these kind of drivers off the road.

Now before this get blown out of proportion, I do not like the idea of a cop that might have had a bad morning has the ultimate decison of whether or not you are walking home.. but I think that 150 is too fast. and there as to be a line drawn,

< 150 you are risking a ticket.

> 150 you lose your car.

I am sure since this law came out there are people who have decided to not cross the 150kph mark..

Holy shit, do you parents also charge you 5-10k?

-RJ3-

11-26-2007, 06:59 AM

Bingo!

Maybe now the police force can buy that chopper.

Or technology disabling the electronics of the vehicle... (I know I know too much 2F2F)

What I don't understand is many americans on the road have Radar detectors, and yes by law you shouldn't have it on in Ontario.

Did this cop know it was on?, The R owner said he had one but wasn't on.. The officer did not have the right to remove it.. Or did he?

I'm confused with this.. To me other than his vehicle impounded, he was harassed with more counts.

3GFX

11-26-2007, 09:06 AM

Did this cop know it was on?, The R owner said he had one but wasn't on.. The officer did not have the right to remove it.. Or did he?

I'm confused with this.. To me other than his vehicle impounded, he was harassed with more counts.

Here is the downside of Radar Detectors.

Essentially if you can detect the cop the cop can detect you. You are both putting out signals from each others technology.

There is always the war of which car has the better cloaking device, in which if you drop a ton of money you usually will because you are one car and the police are a fleet so to upgrade often would be pricey.

This individual had his on. The thing is that the police here usually us the K or Ka bands. Most of the time you don't get a strength of signal warning just a full on OMG SH*T MY PANTS type of alarm. So essentially the cop is either 200 - 500 ft in front or behind you. Its a complicated thing.

-RJ3-

11-26-2007, 09:22 AM

Ah... IC... hence Radar detector detector LOL!!

3GFX

11-26-2007, 09:27 AM

Exactly. It almost like playing Tag.

bubba1983

11-26-2007, 04:38 PM

^^ your it!

3GFX

11-26-2007, 06:50 PM

Pfft, you wish. I called no tag back so you're still it!

bubba1983

11-26-2007, 08:10 PM

pffffft, but i black stamped it!