California: Police Raid Car Enthusiast Gathering, 'Generate Revenue'

Man, what a disgusting mis-use of resources. I agree 100% with the other posters who are questioning why these resources weren't spent on more "pressing" issues, like, I don't know? Speeders? Red light runners? Persons ACTUALLY racing? Or maybe gang violence? Drug dealers? Rapists, etc.

I'm with Blu on this. Back when I was in my twenties, I was part of a truck club. We all had the lowered mini-trucks going on. I can't tell you how many times I got pulled over for being too low, tinted windows, you name it. Whatever the cops could think up, they used it. You bet your ass it was profiling. It finally got to the point where I spent the time printing out law statutes and keeping them in my glove box so that when I did get pulled over, I could show then that my car was indeed within the law. Boy, talk about pissing the cops off! My favorite was when they said I was under 3" and I'd take out a box of smokes and just have it fit under the frame. No officer, it's NOT too low. Now go find the red light runner or the speeders will ya?

Originally posted by Maxmars

Originally posted by matt the rat
reply to post by DimensionalDetective

 

Wouldn't that mean having such a car automatically makes the owner guilty? Isn't there some legal 'due process' that needs to take place before 'punishment' is inflicted? After all, we don't presume all gun-owners are guilty of gun crimes, do we? Or do you?

Also, shouldn't we expect that the punishment 'fit' the crime? They were 'parked.' Shouldn't they have received 'parking tickets? (sorry - not funny)

I can't image what criminal activity this prevented. Also, shouldn't they wait for the crime to be 'committed' before creating the criminal? There just going to get kicked out of court for 'technicalities' thus wasting even MORE money on this 'bust'.

What criminal activity did this prevent? Apparently nobody had anything to say regarding innocent bystanders that get killed when a street race goes bad. What if a cop swarm prevented something like that?
maybe the cops are looking for stolen property, checking warrants, drugs, etc.
What better place to start? Got all of these high quality citizens in one place. If they've got nothing to hide, what's the problem then?
The cops can search my vehicle anytime they want. These "bolt on parts geniuses" act like freedom fighters and they are not much more than general punks.
Maybe the cops are doing a little bit of EPA enforcement? You can't tell me that all of these fart cars running around are street legal anymore.
I don't know. When I see a fart/thug car with all four windows tinted then you can't help but wonder what they are trying to hide. Profiling...duh.
Me personally, I'm going to get mirror tint and put it on the inside, facing in.
Cool.

What exactly constitutes an illegal engine modification anyways?
Since this is CA, I assume catalytic convertor mods, bypassing smog protection and the like, but any other modifications should be ok, things such as intake mods, injector mods should be fine but what would be illegal?

This is about innocent unit proven guilt, not the other way around. One post is seriously alluding to import tuners are drug dealing thieves with warrants.
Its amazing to me that folks like that can even walk upright, or use an opposable thumb.
Here is another fine waste of our money. The cops could have been trying to get meth out of the neighborhoods, or making sure women are not raped, or making sure people are not getting murdered, maybe helping someone who was broken down, maybe busting a red light runner? But instead, the cops are at a car show checking out the hardware, more pissed off high school drop out cops I bet. I hope the owners are lawyered up its time for a lawsuit.
If you’ve got nothing to hide then let them record every conversation you have on your phone, in your email, let em’ come into your house and turn it upside down for weekly inspection, let em’come on in. It will come to that just let these cops keep acting like gastpo- they are just making up their own rules. It’s a very bad joke. Eventually the people will not stand for this nonsense.

And modifying/removing catalytic converter is illegal.

[edit on 9-4-2008 by someone226]

reply to post by matt the rat



Guilty until proven innocent? Where is the proof they were even street racing, or were going to street race? Car clubs meet up ALL the time without any racing going on what so ever. Maybe if they arrested and impounded cars at a race, about to race, or in the middle of a race i'd feel differently.

I responded to your earlier post, maybe you decided not to respond to it?

I am beginning to get offended by your demeanor. "High quality citizens" what are you inferring pal?

My tinted windows are to keep the peeping toms like yourself from looking into my vehicle while I am on the road, what I am doing in my car is none of your business, nor the police officers.

The cops can search my vehicle anytime I want, or anytime they have probable cause.

My old man has window tints on his pathfinder, wonder what he is hiding? A briefcase? A laptop? Drugs? Guns? Warrants? Its not a "fart car" so he must be a thug...

Ridiculous.

Now I'm a freedom fighter and a punk because I like to modify cars.....

Maybe your just a bitter old man who has a warped view because of a past experience with street racers..... deny ignorance.


Is every person that works in the mortgage industry a criminal because of the behavior of a few mortgage companies?


[edit on 9-4-2008 by BluByWho]

reply to post by battlestargalactica



I know for a fact you can be ticketed in california if your headlights arent a certain number of inches off the ground.

After reading this thread through I have come to the conclusion that the cops busted this group of car buffs because they didn't want to face down any real criminals.Real criminals usually make them wet thier panties anyway.Although it doesn't show through thier village people uniforms.

Originally posted by daddyroo45
After reading this thread through I have come to the conclusion that the cops busted this group of car buffs because they didn't want to face down any real criminals.Real criminals usually make them wet thier panties anyway.Although it doesn't show through thier village people uniforms.

No, most likely some brass decided it would be a large amount of seizures for auction...brass had to organize a raid of this scale. Besides that point your statment shows your imaturity.


PS "brass" refers to Lieutenants, Captains, Majors, etc.

Oh, I can see the headlines now:

"FBI Sets up Fake Street Racing Links That if Clicked Trigger Armed Raids on People Who Modify Their Cars"

Sorry for the one liner folks, but I don't think any more than that needs to be said.

disgusting....police just get worse and worse. I would assume That aftermarket mods for cars are one of the largest businesses in the US. Next step theyll ban it. They take any freedoms they can get. i hope one of the many auto groups out there file a suit against the PD for harrasement on behalf of the victims

Originally posted by sputniksteve My windows are tinted because I like the look and I like to blaze, so I don't like people staring at me.

Buahahaha! I'd be the same when I get my next car

What are the cops like with crotch rockets over there? (edit: and what do you ride?? I'm on a reasonably breathed on 06 zx10r) .Here we really don't get bothered for mods at all (no emissions testing, noise restrictions mainly for fart can cars) and the few serious riders with serious bikes like myself will do runners in most 'you'll be walking' situations.

At the drags bikes don't get bothered by the cops infact I usually get comments like 'wow a real vehicle unlike those pieces of # out there' ahahaha.. plenty of cops are bikers in their spare time and will have a chat if they're not too busy and checking out the drags.

Plenty of cars here at the drags are pieces of crap, lowered too much, dodgy, fartcans and not too many serious cars which would be mostly legal. That's what attracts the cops, not so much the nice cars. They very rarely will block everything off and use the 'gathering for street racing etc' law and tow plenty of cars. When parked up legally and not dragging they'll come and harass people but won't block off everything, and they certainly don't have the resources to get 100 cars out there... hahaha. Usually 5-6.

An operation like what happens in cali is just stupid. Come on! They're parked up... that many cars is just a waste of taxpayers money.

[edit on 11-4-2008 by GhostR1der]

Probably looking for Dominic Teretto and those stolen dvd players.

Typical cop mentality at work. Us verses them, all people are criminals just to different degrees. They are their own worst enemy.

I used to drive hot looking vehicles and can't count the times I was singled out for bogus tickets because I "looked like a racer". I never raced in my life.

I've never had a "criminal" stop me at gunpoint and take my money or threaten me with violence. I've had cops do that too many times to have any respect for them or the system.

Given the choice I'd choose to live without police. With few exceptions they're a worthless drain on societal resources and a larger threat to the people they "serve and protect" than to real criminals.

Anyone who has witnessed Riverside police isn't surprised by this.

I find this disturbing. It would seem a right to peaceably assemble is being stepped on. Who put these hundred cars in motion? That's what I want to know. And what was their rationale?

If we learn to accept this behavior from our police...we can kiss another right goodbye.

Originally posted by matt the rat
What criminal activity did this prevent? Apparently nobody had anything to say regarding innocent bystanders that get killed when a street race goes bad. What if a cop swarm prevented something like that?

Huh!?! You think it's ok to harass a peaceable assembly because you MIGHT prevent an issue? Like the cops couldn't look around and see that nothing was amiss with parked cars and guys hanging out shooting the breeze?

You would JUSTIFY this behavior?

maybe the cops are looking for stolen property, checking warrants, drugs, etc.

If they were rightfully doing so they would have a warrant. THIS cannot be condoned.

What better place to start? Got all of these high quality citizens in one place. If they've got nothing to hide, what's the problem then?

The extortion (tickets must be paid), the harassment, the illegality of the search, the lack of an attempt to determine whether the group was peaceably assembled as is their right... That's where the problem is. And you ask, "What better place to start?" To start WHAT? Inculcating an acceptance of a police state?

I don't know if you have thought much about the fact that the police, in that number, are seldom required except for maybe a riot. Also, to characterize these, that accepted orders to take out a peaceably assembled group of citizens, as "high quality citizens" rather turns my stomach, sir.

The cops can search my vehicle anytime they want. These "bolt on parts geniuses" act like freedom fighters and they are not much more than general punks.

We will keep in mind that you have relinquished your right to privacy. But please understand that some of us would prefer the protection of our laws. And maybe some of us ARE fighting for our freedoms. Just because you're happy with the direction things are going doesn't mean all of us are.

And no offense to you, but your views are a big part of the problem in this country, and they will get us to accept 1984 police state end results..

Maybe the cops are doing a little bit of EPA enforcement?

Not if they don't have a warrant.

You can't tell me that all of these fart cars running around are street legal anymore.

I presume your derogatory term is referring to the type of car at the show, and not specifically to these parked vehicles, since they were parked and not running around anywhere. But just because you dislike them gives you no right to justify a breach of fundamental rights, upon which this country was built, against others. Someday it will be you against whom rights are breached.

I don't know.

Seemingly a true statement.

When I see a fart/thug car with all four windows tinted then you can't help but wonder what they are trying to hide.

When you see these, *I* can't help wonder...? Mmmm. I don't think so. I would believe that when you see these, YOU wonder. But your seeing them does not cause that in me.

Seriously, so what? You would sacrifice the principles this country was built on because you're "suspicious?" Child, you need help.

Profiling...duh.

Most likely.

[edit on 4/13/2008 by Amaterasu]

The Rights to freedom of assembly no longer apply to private property?

What kind of scam is that they are running?
If the cars they sieze are not street legal,then how can they then justify selling them off at auction to the public?
Surely the registrations of such vehicles siezed, could be removed from the books , leaving only the possibility of track use?

Police are rapidy becomming more militarised everywhere.Any day i expect to see the news that they will be armed with sub-machine guns like their European counterparts......
( not that they dont shoot enough people with the guns they have...)

The police however, are just lackeys to the corrupt politicians, and get orders to do things they probably disagree with too at times.
I wonder how many officers are driving around with illegally modified vehicles?
Perhaps it may be an interesting project to check out whats in their parking lots too.
'

Originally posted by bergle
The police however, are just lackeys to the corrupt politicians, and get orders to do things they probably disagree with too at times.

Yes, and we should hold them accountable for acting against the law, regardless what their orders are.

If we do not punish abuses of our law by any and all who abuse them, they become meaningless.

I know what it is. There's not a doubt in my mind what really happened here.

A bunch of stuffy old people got mad because the "good old days" where kids should "be seen and not heard" are gone. They saw those flashy new cars that weren't built to appeal to their old Cadillac and Lincoln and Buick loving tastes. So, they whined and complained to the right people, and the elected officials in that community catered to the old people because they have more money and more of them vote.

Plain and simple.

The solution? These young people should send their elected officials a message by organizing an effort to vote out the incumbents in their next election. Even if they failed, it would tell those officials that they need to act for EVERYONE they represent, and not just the old fogies that hate everything "newfangled" and the "young hooligans" that use it.

For the record, not all car modifications are illegal. Neither is parking in a parking lot, unless the lot's owner doesn't want you there.

Originally posted by mattifikation
I know what it is. There's not a doubt in my mind what really happened here.

A bunch of stuffy old people got mad because the "good old days" where kids should "be seen and not heard" are gone. They saw those flashy new cars that weren't built to appeal to their old Cadillac and Lincoln and Buick loving tastes. So, they whined and complained to the right people, and the elected officials in that community catered to the old people because they have more money and more of them vote.

If they do their civic duty, they reap the rewards... But do you really think a few complaints from elderly people would prompt a 50-car response??? Dude, I'm telling you. Arranging for 50 cars to converge takes more effort than just calling them all that way. This was coordinated. This was planned.

The solution? These young people should send their elected officials a message by organizing an effort to vote out the incumbents in their next election. Even if they failed, it would tell those officials that they need to act for EVERYONE they represent, and not just the old fogies that hate everything "newfangled" and the "young hooligans" that use it.

I'm all for people of all ages performing their civic duty. Let the majority (of voters) prevail.