A buddy of my sent this to me. Read It!!!

California: Police Raid Car Enthusiast Gathering, Generate Revenue

California: Police Raid Car Enthusiast Gathering, Generate Revenue
Police raid Riverside, California parking lot to issue modified car tickets at local car enthusiast gathering.

Using state and federal gas tax money to pay for overtime, nine police agencies in Riverside, California sent more than one hundred police officers to surround a gathering of automotive enthusiasts. Owners of imported sport compact cars had gathered at the Canyon Crossing shopping center on Friday night to swap stories, talk about their passion for cars and show off the latest enhancements to their rides. At around 11pm police surprised participants by blocking all exits with fifty police cruisers. Officers then began a warrantless search and interrogation operation of the 150 vehicles that were present.

"If you're not into street racing, why would you need that?" Riverside Police Traffic Sergeant Skip Showalter asked an enthusiast during a similar crackdown last year. "Why would you want more power going to your car?"

Police issued a total of forty-eight tickets for "engine modifications" with police accusing the owners of the parked vehicles of being street racers. Another fifty tickets were issued for paperwork violations, dark window tinting and lack of a front license plate. The most revenue, however, will be generated from the fees imposed on twenty vehicles that were confiscated. Despite labeling the parking lot raid as taking place at a "street racing venue," Riverside Police offered no evidence that any street racing actually took place.

Across the state, gas tax funds are regularly used to fund similar crackdowns that generate big revenue. In 2004, the California Highway Patrol issued a total of 101,553 "modified car" citations worth $10.5 million according to CHP data obtained by TheNewspaper.

Other law enforcement agencies participating in Friday night's raid included the California Highway Patrol, Riverside County Sheriff's Department, and police from Baldwin Park, Fontana, Irwindale, Moreno Valley, Ontario and Mount San Jacinto Community College.

 

what the hell? "If you're not into street racing, why would you need that?" Riverside Police Traffic Sergeant Skip Showalter asked an enthusiast during a similar crackdown last year. "Why would you want more power going to your car?"

umm.... how about a race track? Just for owning JDM shit? Sentimental Value? god... cops are stupid.

 

this is why i dont go to weekly meets anymore... theyre scoped.

 

this is absolutely crazy!!! I wonder of the victims could take any action toward this...

 

That comment is profiling, someone should sue.

 

I hope nobody pays those tickets. They COULD have sighted them for loitering, but it's completely unlawful and illegal profiling and their asses should be sued to high heaven. They didn't even have a warrant for the search. What most people don't realize is, if a cop doesn't have a warrant and asks to search your car, you absolutely have the right to say no. When you get out of your vehicle, lock the car. They can't do anything about it and you don't have to answer any of their questions. If they ask you a question and you answer it, they'll keep asking questions until they get the information they want or until you can't produce a justified answer.

That's bullsh**.

 

This is the reason why I'm hesitant about installing CAI. I wanted to do it initially, but the weird part is...when I first got the fit, cops were staring me down even though I was driving under 3K RPM and everything stocked. They stopped doing it when they learned that it's only 109 HP stocked. But when I put on my 17's, I once saw a cop drive by just to look at my car. They can't really accuse you of street racing when the car is parked, can they? lol...that's kinda rediculious to say you're racing the car next to you, which is parked. For a racing ticket to occur, I think the cops have to have the location, the cars, and prove that there was speed contest involved between the two cars. Well, cops finally got bored of me cuz I drive in "granny mode." All I can say is, just be careful if you have engine mods. That's the excuse they use to give you a ticket most of the time.

My Answer: It's only 109 HP stocked.... lol... (I'd prob get arrested.)

 

Riverside Police Traffic Sergeant Skip Showalter sounds to be a real d*ck. "If you're not Mexican, why would you eat Mexican food?" ha.

Let's not jump the gun and say "cops are dumb" just because of this guy and fraction of his colleagues though.

 

And the useable gene pool shrinks yet again....

 

Okay, okay...

This guy and a fraction of his colleagues are dumb.

How's that? Never trust a cop named "Skip". lol

 

Are you guys sure this isn't an aprils fools joke?

 

It no April Fool....and also they did a so call DUI check point too but really only pulling over car that have some kind mod. I'm trying to find the video about...will post when i find it..

 

^ true on the whole dui checkpoint that's actually to ticket modded cars.I usedd to go to a junior college and the local cops would set up a checkpoint and pull over modded cars cause it's easy money.I heard that they raided some of the Porter Ranch area meets a while ago.

 

that is unbelievable. warrantless search and what for being an enthusiast? they didnt race so why bother with them (F#*K the pigs) and also i agree...they can probably have those parts for the track

 

i swear to god that has happen to me. although i didnt get a ticket, ill have to find it in the articles.

it was the north county times. it was located in san marcos....

we were all chilling when bam ...left and right cops came out of nowhere.

people got pulled over as they got off the freeway, got onto the freeway...and of course parked in the parking lot.


it was nuts, 30 cars got towed that night and a shit load of tickets were handed out.


if they were to pull me over, i swear i would say "what kind of street racer gets freakin over 35 miles per gallon average!"

 

Alright I find the video:

YouTube - Riverside Police Target Street Racing

All I can say now is dam the F****king street racer and spoiling the fun for the rest

What Next Hot Rod Meet get raided too.

 

No, there only anti import. IMO.
Fu*king nazi bastards, spending our hard earned money just to try and scare us.

 

lmaoo i love how they kept zooming in into the stock D15 with an ebay CAI and strut bar loll. Oh can't forget the missing plastic cam cover! I miss my old D series haha.

 

great video pete

 

Cops do realize that intakes give like 4whp right? They should crack down on like 15psi turbos but i dont see why small mods like an intake proposes such a problem...