Interesting story from
sympatico
Quote:Mini convoy pulled over by OPP
May 3rd 2010,
Ontario Provincial Police recently pulled over an entire convoy of Minis on an annual spring cruise.
Just over a week ago, approximately 50 Mini owners gathered for a drive near Barrie, Ontario. Just north of the city, cruisers caught up with and pulled over some members of the convoy, much to the surprise of the drivers.
Though organizers says the cruise had been prearranged and the OPP informed, police still laid charges. While initial reports included dozens of infractions and the involvement of the Children's Aid Society with concerns for the juvenile passengers, in reality just four vehicles were pulled over.
Three were charged with speeding at 30 km/h over the limit, as police caught up with the group as the posted speed dropped from 100 to 90km/h. One other was caught with radar detection equipment, which was confiscated and the owner fined.
What's more, reportedly, the OPP also contacted a local news station beforehand so it could film the operation. The channel's initial report was apparently inaccurate and has since been since retracted at the request of the Mini owners.
The cruise's organizers also said they've contacted the OPP since the incident in hopes of working together to avoid a repeat in the future. However, they are still awaiting a reply.
f**k the OPP. They even tried to pull over 20+ cars infront of me and my buddy's group during the Spring tour this past Saturday. But they proceeded at the speed limit and just went around the OPP SUV. They were later stopped by a couple OPP cars down the ways but still. We were driving at the speed limit, in the right lane and obeying the rules of the road. Just because some hillbilly never seen a sup'd up subby before or in this case a mini doesn't mean it's a distraction and the OPP should never be concerend about a cruise unless you plan on needing some roads or intersections blocked off.
Currently cops just piss me off in general right now. (Family Issues that are on going)
Thing is that there is in fact more to that story than meets the eye.
One of the key points not made clear is that the Minis were doing approximately 120km/h when the speed limit transitioned from 100km/h to 90km/h.
Was it a dick move by the OPP to lay in wait for the cars in the 90km/h zone? Probably, but the drivers have no one but themselves to blame if they didn't pay attention to the signs indicating that the speed limit was going from 100km/h to 90km/h. Or better yet since they knew the route that they were running in advance, pre scout the route and notify those people driving it of the "surprise"
Secretary at work got caught doing 70km/h in a 50km/h zone because she was in a 60km/h zone that transitioned down to 50km/h as there was a school along the route. I didn't feel sorry for her either in the least. Pay attention to the road signs
NefCanuck
(05-05-2010, 04:57 AM)NefCanuck Wrote: [ -> ]Thing is that there is in fact more to that story than meets the eye.
One of the key points not made clear is that the Minis were doing approximately 120km/h when the speed limit transitioned from 100km/h to 90km/h.
Was it a dick move by the OPP to lay in wait for the cars in the 90km/h zone? Probably, but the drivers have no one but themselves to blame if they didn't pay attention to the signs indicating that the speed limit was going from 100km/h to 90km/h. Or better yet since they knew the route that they were running in advance, pre scout the route and notify those people driving it of the "surprise"
Secretary at work got caught doing 70km/h in a 50km/h zone because she was in a 60km/h zone that transitioned down to 50km/h as there was a school along the route. I didn't feel sorry for her either in the least. Pay attention to the road signs
NefCanuck
it's stupid though. I let my car decelerate on it's own. I would have been busted too. I bet the club is going to claim discrimination/prejudice because they were targeted.
Lesson: don't tell the OPP you're going for a cruise.
(05-06-2010, 12:22 AM)Mystake Wrote: [ -> ] (05-05-2010, 04:57 AM)NefCanuck Wrote: [ -> ]One of the key points not made clear is that the Minis were doing approximately 120km/h when the speed limit transitioned from 100km/h to 90km/h.
Was it a dick move by the OPP to lay in wait for the cars in the 90km/h zone? Probably, but the drivers have no one but themselves to blame if they didn't pay attention to the signs indicating that the speed limit was going from 100km/h to 90km/h. Or better yet since they knew the route that they were running in advance, pre scout the route and notify those people driving it of the "surprise"
it's stupid though. I let my car decelerate on it's own. I would have been busted too. I bet the club is going to claim discrimination/prejudice because they were targeted.
Lesson: don't tell the OPP you're going for a cruise.
I'd be a lot more likely to sympathize with the club if there weren't transition signs warning the group of the 100 to 90 drop but there were such.
Personally I'm always braking down to the reduced speed when I see the sign warning of the slower speed because I have seen people getting busted for this time & time again in the lower speed zone.
Perfect example, take King City Sideroad off the 400 and go east, it transitions from a 60km/h zone to a 50km/h zone going
downhill because there is a school at the bottom of the hill. Plenty of warning for folks to slow down with the appropriate signage but it's literally a 50/50 chance I witness somebody getting busted because they were going 70+ into the 50km/h zone and they'll all argue "unfair" and "I was coasting down to the limit"
Brakes are cheap, tickets aren't
NefCanuck
(05-06-2010, 12:40 AM)NefCanuck Wrote: [ -> ] (05-06-2010, 12:22 AM)Mystake Wrote: [ -> ] (05-05-2010, 04:57 AM)NefCanuck Wrote: [ -> ]One of the key points not made clear is that the Minis were doing approximately 120km/h when the speed limit transitioned from 100km/h to 90km/h.
Was it a dick move by the OPP to lay in wait for the cars in the 90km/h zone? Probably, but the drivers have no one but themselves to blame if they didn't pay attention to the signs indicating that the speed limit was going from 100km/h to 90km/h. Or better yet since they knew the route that they were running in advance, pre scout the route and notify those people driving it of the "surprise"
it's stupid though. I let my car decelerate on it's own. I would have been busted too. I bet the club is going to claim discrimination/prejudice because they were targeted.
Lesson: don't tell the OPP you're going for a cruise.
I'd be a lot more likely to sympathize with the club if there weren't transition signs warning the group of the 100 to 90 drop but there were such.
Personally I'm always braking down to the reduced speed when I see the sign warning of the slower speed because I have seen people getting busted for this time & time again in the lower speed zone.
Perfect example, take King City Sideroad off the 400 and go east, it transitions from a 60km/h zone to a 50km/h zone going downhill because there is a school at the bottom of the hill. Plenty of warning for folks to slow down with the appropriate signage but it's literally a 50/50 chance I witness somebody getting busted because they were going 70+ into the 50km/h zone and they'll all argue "unfair" and "I was coasting down to the limit"
Brakes are cheap, tickets aren't
NefCanuck
fair enuff. On that note im a ticket waiting to happen then.
(05-06-2010, 12:22 AM)Mystake Wrote: [ -> ]it's stupid though. I let my car decelerate on it's own. I would have been busted too. I bet the club is going to claim discrimination/prejudice because they were targeted.
Lesson: don't tell the OPP you're going for a cruise.
Better Lesson: Give the cops the wrong route and waste their resources.
sucks to hear about this....definitly ruins a day for a club's day out
(05-06-2010, 02:39 AM)Oscar The Grouch Wrote: [ -> ] (05-06-2010, 12:22 AM)Mystake Wrote: [ -> ]it's stupid though. I let my car decelerate on it's own. I would have been busted too. I bet the club is going to claim discrimination/prejudice because they were targeted.
Lesson: don't tell the OPP you're going for a cruise.
Better Lesson: Give the cops the wrong route and waste their resources.
ahahahahaha
I remember when we were in Woodstock at the SHM day (yes, that was ages ago). I remember being at an intersection and it started to rain a little bit, and SVTdean jumped out of his car in front of me, and started videotaping us headed to the Kelsey's (or whatever it was), and I ended up roasting my tires in 1st entering the intersection. There were a decent number of us around, and we ended up getting some positive attention later on when we pulled into the restaurant, almost every Focus being modified to some extent.
Yeah, it was dumb of me to showboat at the time, but it did make for some decent footage, and we did behave for the most part on the drive back east (though I do remember passing Paul and at least 1 other member on the 403 back towards Brantford...hehehe).
Anyways, it's too bad that these people got jacked like that...
(05-07-2010, 03:45 AM)Drivesthebeast Wrote: [ -> ]I remember when we were in Woodstock at the SHM day (yes, that was ages ago). I remember being at an intersection and it started to rain a little bit, and SVTdean jumped out of his car in front of me, and started videotaping us headed to the Kelsey's (or whatever it was), and I ended up roasting my tires in 1st entering the intersection. There were a decent number of us around, and we ended up getting some positive attention later on when we pulled into the restaurant, almost every Focus being modified to some extent.
Yeah, it was dumb of me to showboat at the time, but it did make for some decent footage, and we did behave for the most part on the drive back east (though I do remember passing Paul and at least 1 other member on the 403 back towards Brantford...hehehe).
Anyways, it's too bad that these people got jacked like that...
I remember that G2G
it's better to read their own thread on their own website......lots of facts that were hidden by media
Read the story, still think the drivers who actually got caught were idiots (Esp. the tool with the radar detector, those have been illegal almost as long as I've been alive) but yeah the cops really were on a power trip there.
Makes me kinda leery on going on cruises in general if that's the attitude the cops have now
No reply and ambushing drivers like that.
NefCanuck
(05-12-2010, 12:43 PM)NefCanuck Wrote: [ -> ]Read the story, still think the drivers who actually got caught were idiots (Esp. the tool with the radar detector, those have been illegal almost as long as I've been alive) but yeah the cops really were on a power trip there.
Makes me kinda leery on going on cruises in general if that's the attitude the cops have now
No reply and ambushing drivers like that.
NefCanuck
If you actually read their thread you'd understand that people who were caught were speeding were just picked out of the line of cars that was driving. It wasn't just the first 4 in the row.
Detectors are cool if you buy the right one........like Beltronics STI
I read the whole story, the point isn't that the cops just cherry picked the four, that happens all the time on the open roads (IE: Speeder A doesn't get caught, or gets off with only a warning even though they may have been going faster than Speeder B) but that the cops ambushed a group whose organizers were trying to do the right thing.
Look, in every cruise there are going to be those who are tempted to show off, speed, whatever, you can't stop human nature, personally I think the idiots should get nailed, but the cops certainly don't help their public image to "serve and protect" with these types of tactics either.
NefCanuck
(05-13-2010, 12:51 AM)NefCanuck Wrote: [ -> ]I read the whole story, the point isn't that the cops just cherry picked the four, that happens all the time on the open roads (IE: Speeder A doesn't get caught, or gets off with only a warning even though they may have been going faster than Speeder B) but that the cops ambushed a group whose organizers were trying to do the right thing.
Look, in every cruise there are going to be those who are tempted to show off, speed, whatever, you can't stop human nature, personally I think the idiots should get nailed, but the cops certainly don't help their public image to "serve and protect" with these types of tactics either.
NefCanuck
Yeah, people are bound to show off for sure and the cops will be waiting.. But I wouldn't of informed them about the meet, that's kind of asking for it really IMO.
(05-14-2010, 12:11 AM)tetra Wrote: [ -> ]Yeah, people are bound to show off for sure and the cops will be waiting.. But I wouldn't of informed them about the meet, that's kind of asking for it really IMO.
Yes and no, true if the cops decide to pull a stunt like this it looks bad on the group, but if the group behaves themselves then it looks worse for the cops if they set up a "sting" and catch nothing
(
Which IMO was what the organizers were hoping would happen by trying to work with the police and informing the event participants)
Imagine if the MINI club members would have been totally innocent?
Cue instant media backlash against the cops for these tactics, but all it takes is
one screw up for the cops to be able to point the finger and go "
See? See!"
NefCanuck
