Targeted!

[snake]

I think people may have to keep in mind that individual coppers will have individual ideas and theorys, every job has arseholes in it, when you get pulled over you may be lucky to get a reasonable copper or maybe not. I know a few cops and most of them work general patrols, and all of them have said that traffic coppers are arseholes, they get sent to traffic section for a reason and thats usually because they cant cut it locking the real crooks up, so they just dish out fines and defects. Its easier.

[nato_wp]

I believe there is some truth in that, because as the final stage of police officer training, you are required to make a forceful arrest (ie where the 'criminal' resists arrest and you have to get them), so I can see how officers who weren't so wonderful at taking out real criminals could be passed on to the 'soft' jobs like traffic duty.

That, and the label of 'soft job' could quite easily give an officer the kind of attitude that they have to 'prove' that they can keep people in check and deal 'justice'. It's just a pity that we have to bear the brunt of it.

Oh well, rise of the sleeper!

[GRIM_R32]

After reading through the topic i cant help but agree with alot of whats said.

Police have gone out of there way to specifically target imports for a few years now, but in recent times it has gotten far worse and is getting to the point where it is ridiculous.

As any car enthusiast will agree, it is a labour of love that goes into modifying our cars to be something special in our own ways. The problem is just because our cars look nicer than most cars on the road why should we be jumped on for it? My 32 is now 15 years old, but i bet any money that its in better condition that alot of cars that are only a few years old. Alot of after market parts improve the performance and handling of a car that in no way make it dangerous yet are illegal. I can understand that a car that is so low that its dragging along the ground could be seen as illegal, but fitting a set of coiovers and sitting it down an inch lower than standard shouldnt be made such an issue like police do, especailly with the state of alot of other cars on the road. Im a firm believer that if your driving like a hoon and you get caught then you have to be prepared to be bent over, but when i drive around behaving speed limits and all other road rules being tagged as a hoon infuriates me.

Particularly with any visual modifications, ie bodykits, i have rang and checked with regency about what is allowed and what is not, the only answer they could give me is that you have to have atleast 100mm ground clearance and items need to be securely mounted, and particularly in reference to bonnets, your not allowed to have and forward facing scoops or vents, yet i have been warned while parked that i could be defected for a bonnet that has rear facing vents and a body kit that is too close to the ground!! What i would like to see is our police being better trained to know what the rules are, ive heard to many stories of cops saying "i think thats illegal, so we'll just send you to regency to be sure". That in my opinion is crap. If you cant be sure that its illegal then rack off.

Im lucky enough to have a daily driver thank god, and i have great sympathy for those guys that have to use there imports for work, cos the more driving you do the more chance you seem to have of getting picked up for something trival and end up being reamed for it.

The time and money i have spent on modifying my car should be an indication to police that its obviously looked after and im sick of being picked on for it. I have a car that i adore locked in my shed that i may take the chance in driving a handful of times a year these days as im too scared to take it out anymore, wheres the justice in that??

With these new anti hoon laws and cars being impounded i fear there will be a sudden rise in high speed chases that will end in bad circumstances due to owners that love there cars not wanting to hand over there cars in a hurry....only time will tell i guess.

Sorry for the long winded post, but its something i have a strong opinion on.

[Cubes]

With these new anti hoon laws and cars being impounded i fear there will be a sudden rise in high speed chases that will end in bad circumstances due to owners that love there cars not wanting to hand over there cars in a hurry....only time will tell i guess.

This too is my fear. Its so obvious, I can't believe that Ran hasn't completely thought this through.

I think back to when I was in my teens, its sad to say but I believe I would have been one of the idiots that do try and get away for the fear of my car being impounded.

I was silly when I was in my teens and did loose my license for 6months and copped a $548 fine

Loosing my licence for that 6 months really did slow me down, even now creeping up to 10km/h or doing something silly I look and think, its simply not worth the lack of transport.

Since the incident I've only ever been done speeding twice (~10km/h) and never been picked up for doing anything silly, thats in 10years worth of driving. Loosing my license did slow me down and I can say it worked on me.

If I were to also have my car impounded... It really wouldn't have made any difference, I would have still learnt.

I believe as the imports become cheaper (sub 10k) the younger teens will buy them and owning an import will be a nightmare.

I do believe this is happeneing now, so often I see a cop slow down, slip in behind do the usual number plate check, realizing I have nothing on my record in the last 5 years, 26 and then zip off again.

This is the first car that I haven't lowered and to be honest, I get less attention in it than I do my old VS 5ltr Commodore that was lowered with big wheels. Once in the Commodore I was pulled over, they did the usual tyre checks and then asked where my stash was.. I was like wtf... no stash buddy and continued to laugh shaking my head, he opened the glove box shoved his hand in to the glovy and pushed everything on to the floor. I had done zilch to deserve it, just cruising along home from work at 11pm at night feeling completely stuffed.

There's no real need to lower a car anyway, one can get it handling nice and tight with good bushes, shocks and swaybars.

Well the r32's at least, the 33's stock suspension feels considerably softer.

[yoshiE]

Totally agree guys! Well im off to the pub because if i take my car out i will be getting taken for a ride tonight, not the other way round! haha. Also my car is lowered, feel free to come for a ride with me and then tell me that if it was higher it would perform the same... Not having a dig but my car handles awesome and i love it to bits the way it is. Also agree about how there will be more car chases. Why will people stop when they know what is going to happen and nine times out of ten they will get away. If the police started looking at the real crimes like all the stabbings and child abuse that has been riddling the news our country might end up a safer place, instead of picking on car enthusiests.

[GTSTD1]

I've said most of my piece on 'Traffic Watch', so I'll make this brief regarding some comments.

SAPOL has a lot of different departments looking after different aspects of the law, so please, no more comments as to why we're not out there catching kiddy fiddlers. I'm a general patrol officer and trust me, I'm more interested in catching car thieves than defects. Speaking of thieves, these are the ones who mainly do a runner from us, because they know they'll do jail time. If it's just a defect, infringment notice or court fine it's not worth risking the lives of yourselves, us and the public for something so minor. Besides if it's your car and yes, we can read, we see the rego and catch up with you later. So do us all a favour and pull over.

Losing your licence can be a good reminder to take it easy, but better that then losing your life.

Traffic carry a ton of books with them on all the ins and outs of road law, but there not mechanics. Like I mentioned in the above post, all they need is a suspicion to defect a car. Then they pass it on to the mechanics (Regency) to ensure that it complies with regulations. If it's a minor defect, it can be cleared at a police station.

[Deluxe]

Traffic carry a ton of books with them on all the ins and outs of road law, but there not mechanics. Like I mentioned in the above post, all they need is a suspicion to defect a car. Then they pass it on to the mechanics (Regency) to ensure that it complies with regulations. If it's a minor defect, it can be cleared at a police station.

Yeh thats the problem MOST of the officers have NO idea, therefore THEY get the right under a suspicion to defect a car, we will never win because they can suspect something and bang defect bang regency bang car back to the stockest form ever and bang more money into the government to pay off Mike Ranns F#@$ UPS in the budget!

sorry buddy although YOU may be a good officer which is all good because there are some of you out there, but you like us are getting a BAD name from the majority of them out there being dicks!

[ish]

its a hard one this one ... that first movie just wrecked an underground scene as far as defecting goes. Most cops had no idea of what these cars could do and what tweaks were needed until a few crazy accidents happend and they related it... Now with all the Artisic bling added in there its like over here man come see my MODS!

Its sad that they are doing it in Adelaide now though(the concerntrated defect) as i remeber a trip to Regency was about as enjoyable as a swift kic in the nut's!

curious??? what are you allowed in SA now... a pod and an intercooler with no ECU upgrade ?

I miss that place still all the same .

[yoshiE]

Well, yes there are some good officers out there that dont just like harrasing import owners but they are far and few between of late. Just a defect involves some people spending over $2000 to get there car back to standard. I guess the government is making a buck.

[DC_GTST]

Well, yes there are some good officers out there that dont just like harrasing import owners but they are far and few between of late. Just a defect involves some people spending over $2000 to get there car back to standard. I guess the government is making a buck.

Definetely agree. There may be some decent police officers out there, but usually behind a desk. Few of my relatives work in the SA police, but like they say, if they think its defectable they'll go after. Last weekend i was following my friend to have a coffee, just around the corner from my house. Copper sitting onthe side of the road drives straight up my rear, sits there tailgating for a good minute or two, then flashes his lights. After all that its a 'random breath test'. Then when i get in the car, he said he assumes i have a turbo timer. I got out, told him to get in and turn it off and on. He didn't want to, yet stood there and said i had one?!? To me that is close to harassment. This was further backed when the following day i got into my bro's skyline, i was pulled over 3 times on the following day -> and its a stocker. So i think that is just a little targetting.

In respect to the kiddy peddlers, I don't think mass defect stations all within the one night within 1km radius is efficienty using the police force. Some police, yeh fine, but when ive been told by a cop how many skylines his pulled over in the one night with a smile I kinda feel discriminated inst all because i drive an import.

Sorry about the dig, but its just one weekend of many of this happening.

Edited July 4, 2006 by DC_GTST

[Cubes]

This was further backed when the following day i got into my bro's skyline, i was pulled over 3 times on the following day -> and its a stocker. So i think that is just a little targetting.

Its quite possible your bro has been seen hooning around a little or if he's younger chances are a young male with testosterone is going to 'use' a performance car.

Police do remember cars and no doubt they place notes against ones number plate / registered owner of the vehicle as to how they drive or any incidents reported.

It comes down to drive any performance or performance 'looking' car and you will be harassed ESPECIALLY if you are young.

I was with all my previous cars, I haven't with the Skyline but maybe its because I have a clean record, a little older, it looks stock and I don't fly around.

[GTSTD1]

The problem of 'Modifier v Police' is nothing new. We just have the unfortunate situation of being able to bolt on a truck load of stuff in our cars instead of just dropping in more cubic inches, and said 'stuff' confuses the crap out of those who don't know much about cars. I try to educate my collegues but how much of it sinks in is anybody's guess. Since the 40's and 50's, guys have been modifying their cars and being hassled by the police. It's not just us import drivers either, there are a ton of other cars that pop up on the radar. Obviously mainly Holden Sphincters.

If you don't want to spend $2000 taking your car back to stock every time you go to regency, keep it stock. My 33 susp is stock and it handles just fine. I have a friend with a 180. He had his front so low and stiff with aftermarket shockers that everytime he hit a bump mid corner it near threw him off the road. Now imagine that he was going left around a blind corner, a bump throws him into an oncoming car. It would be a bit more expensive than putting stock shockers back on. And don't say it will never happen. There'd also be the question of whether the insurance company would pay out if the car didn't meet safety requirements.

[Deluxe]

I realise the modifier v police thing has been going well before you or i was born, but in this day and age with ALOT more cars on the road there are more targets for yourselfs, and once again i'm not saying you specifically but no doubt some of your partners, if were having a bad week, they can use their authority the wrong way, and if say my mate joe bloggs for example has a compleatly stock car except for exhaust and a cop "suspects" its too loud....... Bang regency but then it passes because it's NOT too lound, WHO's out of pocket then? and why? Answer WE ARE because this officer suspects it's too loud, Do you people have DB meters is the cop cars?

oh no offence mate but it sounds like you mate doesnt know how to drive, Oh and by the way those bumps on the road shouldn't even be there, once again thanks Mr Rann.

I suppose your 33 is compleatly stock??? ie could you defect your own car?

Edited July 5, 2006 by Deluxe

[Tangles]

Ive got Bilstein shocks......... lowered the car by bugger all (sits 360mm centre of wheel to guard at all 4 corners). BUT they are SO much 'better' than stock.... there is no way that stock suspn could be regarded as being 'competent' when you compare them to the current Bilsteins Im using. IMO Ive now got a 'safer' ride than before.

Anyway, my bikes suspn was once stock, and I used to get thrown all over the place thru the Adelaide Hills, a high-side waiting to happen. Seriously. But once I modified the suspn to suit my riding style and riding weight then it was all good (mainly... depends where, road temp, and speed LOL).

Plus as far as Im aware, its pretty easy to be sent to Regency even with a stock car! (ie blow off valve "sounds loud", as previously mentioned).

Meh - anyway, thats why I bought a Stagea in lieu of a Skyline, far less attention when comparing a Volvo-looking wagon to a sports coupe. Altough when finished she'll have as much guts as a HSV Monaro *LOL*

[GRIM_R32]

i agree with Tangles on this one, modifying suspension by replacing it with a high performance brand is obviously going to improve the handling of a car if its set up properly, its why these companies spend millions of dollars putting the brain work in to make sure that there products perform like they say they will. I dont see why this should be defectable as long as a reasonable ride height is maintained.

GTSTD1,

Are you able to tell me why a BOV is illegal when all they do is vent air?

[Cubes]

Grim, the problem is the majority of lowered skylines and especially silvia/180sx's are not running an australian designed high performance suspension.

They run rock hard jap coil overs, lower the car stupidly that reduces its suspension travel dangerously and then wonder why they get picked on.

These cars stand out like dogs balls, driving on what appears to be a smooth road you can see their car bouncing over every tinny little bump. Sure it may feel like it handles good.... until you hit a bump mid corner or required to jam the brake on hard and hitting a small bump causing the tyre to lift from the road and bang.

Whiteline suspension is much nicer than many would think, I've driven an R32 with whiteline springs shocks and to be honest, just cruising it feels as if its stock suspension, decide to push it a little and it feels awesome as it soaks up mid corner bumps with no body roll.

If only there was a registration that allowed us to modify our cars to suit track work yet still have some limitations so we could use it on the street without too many drama's.

[ax53b70p25]

The problem of 'Modifier v Police' is nothing new. We just have the unfortunate situation of being able to bolt on a truck load of stuff in our cars instead of just dropping in more cubic inches, and said 'stuff' confuses the crap out of those who don't know much about cars. I try to educate my collegues but how much of it sinks in is anybody's guess. Since the 40's and 50's, guys have been modifying their cars and being hassled by the police. It's not just us import drivers either, there are a ton of other cars that pop up on the radar. Obviously mainly Holden Sphincters.

If you don't want to spend $2000 taking your car back to stock every time you go to regency, keep it stock. My 33 susp is stock and it handles just fine. I have a friend with a 180. He had his front so low and stiff with aftermarket shockers that everytime he hit a bump mid corner it near threw him off the road. Now imagine that he was going left around a blind corner, a bump throws him into an oncoming car. It would be a bit more expensive than putting stock shockers back on. And don't say it will never happen. There'd also be the question of whether the insurance company would pay out if the car didn't meet safety requirements.

sorry GTSTD1 the above is BS, coliover suspension is HIGHLy tuned for circuit racing and is a lot better for handling as far as safety goes i think the circuit cars are built with safety in mind as well, maybe the sa government should stop wasting police time and resources and start making the roads safer and less bumpy with a lot less pot holes. cassic example GRAND JUNCTION ROAD.....

[Cubes]

sorry GTSTD1 the above is BS, coliover suspension is HIGHLy tuned for circuit racing and is a lot better for handling as far as safety goes i think the circuit cars are built with safety in mind as well, maybe the sa government should stop wasting police time and resources and start making the roads safer and less bumpy with a lot less pot holes. cassic example GRAND JUNCTION ROAD.....

BS.... Suspension tuned for circuit racing is in no way safer on australian public roads. Its simply too hard/not forgiving enough.

[L3nny]

Are you able to tell me why a BOV is illegal when all they do is vent air?

As the venting point is generally after the AFM with a atmosphere venting BOV the air will leave the system and cause the AF ratio to run rich.

Or from the SA RTA sight

Alteration to the manufacturers boost pressure and or the induction system, including blow off valves,

to passenger cars and passenger car derivatives manufactured on or after 1 July 1976 will not

granted approval by Transport SA as compliance with emission control ADRs cannot be ensured.

http://www.transport.sa.gov.au/personal_tr...ht_vehicles.asp Info Bulliten3.pdf

This does not mean an immediate fail, it just means you need to get an emissions test done and an engineers report.

[GRIM_R32]

Grim, the problem is the majority of lowered skylines and especially silvia/180sx's are not running an australian designed high performance suspension.

They run rock hard jap coil overs, lower the car stupidly that reduces its suspension travel dangerously and then wonder why they get picked on.

These cars stand out like dogs balls, driving on what appears to be a smooth road you can see their car bouncing over every tinny little bump. Sure it may feel like it handles good.... until you hit a bump mid corner or required to jam the brake on hard and hitting a small bump causing the tyre to lift from the road and bang.

Whiteline suspension is much nicer than many would think, I've driven an R32 with whiteline springs shocks and to be honest, just cruising it feels as if its stock suspension, decide to push it a little and it feels awesome as it soaks up mid corner bumps with no body roll.

If only there was a registration that allowed us to modify our cars to suit track work yet still have some limitations so we could use it on the street without too many drama's.

As the venting point is generally after the AFM with a atmosphere venting BOV the air will leave the system and cause the AF ratio to run rich.

Or from the SA RTA sight

http://www.transport.sa.gov.au/personal_tr...ht_vehicles.asp Info Bulliten3.pdf

This does not mean an immediate fail, it just means you need to get an emissions test done and an engineers report.

Cubes, as i said in my post, as long as a vehicle remains a reasonable ride height then i dont see why aftermarket should be a problem if its set up properly. Even australian products like peddars or whiteline suspension components are illegal because they alter the height of the vehicle. And i agree with the fact that if your car is scraping on the ground your asking for it. But, in my case, my car isnt lowered and entirely runs the standard suspension, instead i have after market arches fitted to make the car look lower, and ive still had to argue my way out of trouble without the car being properly looked at, instead of the officer just slipping his fingers inside the fibreglass arches to feel where the metal arch started i had to listen to a lecture on ride height before he finally got distracted by another vehicle doing something illegal and left in a hurry while telling me to get the car fixed before he saw it again as i wouldnt be so lucky next time. My point being that too many cops dont know what there looking at, and shooting off at the mouth giving me a lecture because im a "hoon" in an "import" is unacceptable. I also agree that there should be legislation which gives us some room to move on what can be done to make some modifications legal if they meet certain requirements.

And L3enny, thanks for clearing that up for me, could never get that sort of explaination even from the guys at regency, might have to look into getting the car engineered for future reference!