Mountain Drive - Warning & lessons | FerrariChat

Mountain Drive - Warning & lessons

Discussion in 'South Central - USA (TN, MS, AL, GA)' started by spirot, Feb 19, 2014.

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  1. spirot

    spirot F1 World Champ

    Dec 12, 2005
    14,501
    Atlanta
    Full Name:
    Tom Spiro
    Ok so some of you may know that I got nicked by the state patrol up on blood mountain back in Nov, 2013. so here is the outcome:

    had my day in court and predictably all they wanted is money. I was stopped and charged with Reckless driving - there were two cops - cadett and Seargant. the newbie was nice - professional - the Seargent - complete un professional "un flic salopard"..

    the charge was bumped down to too fast for condition - and I was lightend by a considerable sum...

    so my warning is - the cops are out for those of us who are up driving there - and they are now really getting sneaky - hiding, laying back waiting for you to make even the slightest mistake... etc... the gist is dont use radar cause all the rich pricks from atlanta have dectors so you have to use video and stalk them... lay back and wait till they do something. in my case we really were not doing anything but your choice is then to go to trail or settle for the fine... they like the fine.

    What really caught my attention is seeing the replay of the Police video - and the aggressive language from the Seargent - you would have thougth we were part of the Manson family out on the run. Mother F- I'm gonna F ... him when I get him.... I'll leave it to your imagination... a real insight into the competitive and agressive behaviors of our police....

    Oh, and here is the real gall... the seargent stated at the end of my stop - God bless ya'll... the DA thougth it was me that said it ( cause you are on video he could not see lips moivng with everyones back to the cam ) and was going to add an extra $200 penalty on it for being flippant to law enforcement... no lie. so faced with going to trial or getting money today - they took today, at a lower fine.

    so while I'm mad at my self for getting into the situation in the first place - I was shocked at the sham of the entire proceedure. basically the da wanted the max fine ... its all about $$$.

    So my lessons - I'm gonna stop with the drives for a while - but just want to ensure everyone knows they are actively looking for exotics cause that =$$$$.
     
  2. minimn

    minimn Karting

    Jun 25, 2007
    120
    "getting sneaky - hiding, laying back waiting for you"
    One question; were you speeding?
     
  3. Juan-Manuel Fantango

    Juan-Manuel Fantango F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jan 18, 2004
    12,355
    Full Name:
    Juan
    Where did this happen and what where you doing? Theses are the types that should not be in power. It would have been interesting to see what a jury would have thought about the officers unprofessional behavior. I had a similar experience recently but had it rescheduled and low and behold the officer did not show and it was dropped.
     
  4. grngryoutmyway

    grngryoutmyway Karting

    Nov 4, 2011
    153
    Don't care to go into details but I was in a somewhat similar situation a few years back. Not really doing anything wrong and I was trying to be nice and cooperate assuming I would be let go but they were trying to show off, and I got verbally acosted ect. Video and audio somehow dissapeared? Hmm.. Don't get me wrong there are ome good cops out there and we need them, but I agree with your statement.
     
  5. Lanikai

    Lanikai Formula Junior

    Dec 18, 2003
    751
    Atlanta, GA
    Full Name:
    Will Campbell
    Maybe you and I should drive a suicide door Lincoln at Coppa Alpina this year? I sure don't need any of that trouble.
     
  6. gcmerak

    gcmerak Formula 3

    Mar 17, 2008
    1,657
    Engine Bay, Georgia
    Full Name:
    George C.
    Hi Tom,

    I didn't know you had that issue from last fall. Sorry you had to go through that mess. :(

    Do you remember that state trooper sitting by the outside curve of the road once we got past Wolf Pen Gap some 5 years ago or so when we did a mountain ride? He was just there as a warning only. Jim even snapped a picture of him that we posted here.

    A year ago, while I was driving past Lake Winfield Scott, there was a local sitting some 300 feet up hidden in a side trail just waiting. Fortunately, I was still in 2nd gear. ;)

    As a side note, here in Gwinnett Co., Loganville and Snellville [where everybody is somebody] these police departments are brutal for giving out traffic tickets for the slightest offense. It's all about the $$$$. Cameras every where and police cars around every corner, and no, I'm not paranoind, I'm pizzed! It's starting to feel like a police state!!! Oh, wait a minute, we r already there.

    Just Sayin! :)

    Ciao,
    George
     
  7. spirot

    spirot F1 World Champ

    Dec 12, 2005
    14,501
    Atlanta
    Full Name:
    Tom Spiro
    were we faster than traffic? - probabbly we were in a passing lane... but not excessively so.

    since the citation did not have a speed on it - it was hard to say we were speeding....

    we had our go pro cams on trying to do a recreation of the opening of the Italian Job... so the plan was to stay in close contact so we got good shots - not really for speed.
     
  8. spirot

    spirot F1 World Champ

    Dec 12, 2005
    14,501
    Atlanta
    Full Name:
    Tom Spiro
    As mentioned before - we were using our go pro cams to capture some footage on the drive up Blood Mountain - Suches to the trading post at the top of the mountain.

    we stopped by the rv parking to turn on the cams, and during that time several pick ups a trailers came by - slowly so when we joind the road we got around them in the next passing zone... so i guess we did it "too Fast" ... never saw a cop etc.. then we slowed down to do the filming... those of you with a Go pro know that if you get too far ahead you cant really make out a car - so you have to stay in formation.

    i gues that is why it looked like we were "racing" .... and was "reckless"

    in the end they waned $$$ - and got it... they will hit you with a higer charge - big fine - and bump it down... total bs - becuase frankly we were not doing anything wrong... but in the end its a question of cost - jury trial - double attorney fees, etc.. vs. the fine and be done with no points etc....
     
  9. spirot

    spirot F1 World Champ

    Dec 12, 2005
    14,501
    Atlanta
    Full Name:
    Tom Spiro
    maybe a 1 L fiat or some thing that seems like its fast but is slow... or a pair of karts ...
     
  10. henryr

    henryr Two Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 10, 2003
    21,653
    Atlanta
    Full Name:
    Juan Sánchez Villa-L
    LOL, the whole regulatory environment is now like this.

    now you know why co's settle..... the little guy has zero shot. pay up and move along.
     
  11. WaltP

    WaltP Formula 3

    Nov 1, 2003
    1,505
    Cape Canaveral/Atlanta
    Full Name:
    Walt P
    I got pulled over one day on the way home from work after I flashed my lights at oncoming traffic to warn of an officer ahead shooting radar. The officer that pulled me over gave me a written warning and said they didn’t need people warning others of the radar ahead. My thought is if it was really about the public safety and slowing people down they would want more people flashing their lights to keep everyone going slow.
    It’s all about the $$!
     
  12. piratepress

    piratepress Formula Junior

    May 18, 2009
    714
    Mississippi
    Full Name:
    Chip A.
  13. Dr Tommy Cosgrove

    Dr Tommy Cosgrove Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 4, 2001
    35,287
    Birmingham, AL
    Full Name:
    Tommy
    Do you remember exactly what the written warning stated? What box was checked? That is interesting because I think he knew he had no way to write you up for that and was just trying to scare you and keep the cash flowing
     
  14. WaltP

    WaltP Formula 3

    Nov 1, 2003
    1,505
    Cape Canaveral/Atlanta
    Full Name:
    Walt P
    I don't Tommy, this was probably 6 or 7 years ago. As soon as I got home I called a relative in law enforcement and he said he even flashes his lights when he's in his family car.
    Chip, I'll look at the link a bit later, it looks interesting
     
  15. montegoblue

    montegoblue Formula Junior
    Rossa Subscribed

    Aug 7, 2009
    531
    East TN
    I would recommend that you friends in GA come up to TN for drives :) We should organize an F car outing out this way this summer!
     
  16. gcmerak

    gcmerak Formula 3

    Mar 17, 2008
    1,657
    Engine Bay, Georgia
    Full Name:
    George C.
  17. gcmerak

    gcmerak Formula 3

    Mar 17, 2008
    1,657
    Engine Bay, Georgia
    Full Name:
    George C.
    That could happen. Sounds like potentially big fun!!

    Ciao,
    George
     
  18. kaamacat

    kaamacat Formula 3

    Jun 13, 2004
    1,623
    Cumming GA
    Full Name:
    BobR
    Walt. Interesting question and asked my son about that. There is not ticket that can be written for flashing your lights. (There is a "but" to that if the officer is smart enough. If you did use your HiBeam's for the flash, they may attempt a ticket on "failure to dim lights"). But only if you were using the highs.
     
  19. WaltP

    WaltP Formula 3

    Nov 1, 2003
    1,505
    Cape Canaveral/Atlanta
    Full Name:
    Walt P
    #19 WaltP, Feb 21, 2014
    Last edited: Feb 21, 2014
    Interesting, they were hi-beams but as soon as they came on they went off (dimmed) so I suppose technically I didn’t dim them but they went off immediately….. I would think it would take a really pissed off officer to write that ticket.
    Anyway it was all good and a bit funny, after he gave me the "warning" ticket I gave him a bottle of ice cold water - it was a hot day and he was wearing almost black (Motorcycle cop) he couldn't believe it, I even offered him one for is buddy down the road with the radar. My overall point is that it's more about the money than public safety IMOH.
     
  20. kaamacat

    kaamacat Formula 3

    Jun 13, 2004
    1,623
    Cumming GA
    Full Name:
    BobR
    He was probably pi$$ed off you did not offer him one of those mysterious hotdogs from down your way.......The Myth.....The Legendary......
     
  21. WaltP

    WaltP Formula 3

    Nov 1, 2003
    1,505
    Cape Canaveral/Atlanta
    Full Name:
    Walt P
    They're not a myth - ask Vince........ that gives me an idea, my wife is in Macon right now I'll have to ask her to bring some home.
     
  22. Big Lebowski

    Big Lebowski Formula Junior

    Jan 24, 2013
    337
    Peach state
    Full Name:
    Brownie
    Pray tell, what are these mystery hotdogs of which you speak? Inquiring carnivores want to know....
     
  23. Gatorrari

    Gatorrari F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 27, 2004
    15,924
    Georgia
    Full Name:
    Jim Pernikoff
    I believe these are the ones. I tried one on one of my trips south - there is a location just off of I-475 - and while it was fine, I didn't find it particularly unique, except for its bright red color!

    Nu-Way Weiners - Quality Fast Food Since 1916
     
  24. WaltP

    WaltP Formula 3

    Nov 1, 2003
    1,505
    Cape Canaveral/Atlanta
    Full Name:
    Walt P
    Correct Jim, Nu-way, it's a Macon thing. The one downtown on Cotton St. (I thnk) is the best one. Where are you Vince?
     
  25. F355Bvc

    F355Bvc Formula 3

    Dec 4, 2003
    1,657
    Lawrenceville. GA
    Full Name:
    Vince Canipelli
    NO NU - WAYS for you Bob !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
     

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