Don't Be A Hoon, It's Not Worth It.

[KezR33]

Before I actually post this, I want to ask some advice. The court case is over, everything is done, punishment has been dealt, is it still okay to post this? I remember in the past some people have posted stories like this only to have them removed because of potential legal involvement.

[DAS KAMU]

Before I actually post this, I want to ask some advice. The court case is over, everything is done, punishment has been dealt, is it still okay to post this? I remember in the past some people have posted stories like this only to have them removed because of potential legal involvement.

its a public record that can be accessed by anyone

so feel free to post it up

[West]

Its ok, feel free to share, i've done it, many many times too. Group hug? (j/k)

[Smoky]

Well that was an anti-climax!!

[(B1) MR_fanny]

.............

wheres those hay bails when you need em

[madbung]

[KezR33]

My apologies for the size of this post, for reference, I drive an R33 series 1 non-turbo.

Alright, so all the way back in April (a couple of months after I bought my car) I was out showing off my new car to some friends. As I leave I decide to show off a bit, nothing too major, just revved the car up, dropped the clutch and spun the wheels for a moment before accelerating away. I'd never visited my mates at their new house, so I didn't know the neighborhood. I drove around the corner and right into a dead end. I turn around and head back the way I came.

As I'm coming back some (my mates had already gone inside) guy runs out in front of my car with his arm raised. He was big, and he was pissed. Now I'm not a violent person, I've never been a fight, been a victim of an armed robbery and I'm build like a rake. I slow right down to a crawl, and he steps to one side to approach my passenger window. I think "f**k this", I'm not sticking around to receive a verbal bashing, or worse a physical bashing, whatever his intent may be. So I floor it and try to get away. I had my clutch in, and forgot I was in second. So basically, I go nowhere fast. He grabs aggressively at my windscreen wipers (would've torn them off if they were on the other side of the car, instead they slid out of his hands), side mirror and anything else he can in attempt to single-handedly wrestle my car to the ground.

So I piss off. Few hours later I get a call from the cops, I'm told to come to the station immediately. It turns out the guy who ran out in front of my car was a Senior Constable (although they didn't tell me this until after I admitted why I knew I had been called in). I do exactly as I'm told and am arrested, interviewed and charged with four charges; failure to have proper control of the vehicle, excessive noise and smoke, driving in a dangerous manner and reckless conduct endanger serious injury. I co-operate fully, am completely honest about the how ordeal (overly so) and even apologize in person to the Senior Constable.

Six months later I receive a summons to court, I call a lawyer and go in to talk. Now I'd been worried about this for a while, but I never thought it was that serious. I thought I was going to get in trouble for a burnout (we probably wouldn't call it that, but in the eyes of the law, that's what it was) and nothing more. Turns out reckless conduct is a criminal offense, not a traffic offense, that means a criminal record.

We get the police brief and it only gets worse. The Senior Constable's statement is filled with lies and exaggerations, he claims I accelerated at him, not past him when he stepped (he claims he had to jump) to one side. To make it worse, there's a second statement (which was filed two months after the incident) from another neighbor (I assume) claiming they saw the burnout. The description they use is... it's like something you'd see from a 1000hp muscle car at a drag show. Lines like "cloud of white smoke filled my house" "I was certain he wasn't going to stop till his tires blew" "car was going sideways".

My lawyer was adamant though that the criminal charge would be dropped if we pled guilty to driving in a dangerous manner. Come court day though, she goes to negotiate with the prosecutor who agrees, but decides to make some calls (as there was an officer involved) before confirming. The police Sergeant response saying there is absolutely no way they're dropping the charge.

We debate all day whether to fight it or plead guilty and hope for a non-conviction charge (no record), but the end result is always the same. My word vs. a Senior Constable, plus the fact that I plead guilty to doing a burnout minutes before the incident (and thus making me a hoon in the eyes of the court) was against me too. So I plead guilty, which means I plead guilty to everything written in the summary including that I'd accelerated (at a fast rate of speed) at an off duty police officer.

I was very lucky. The Magistrate on the day (according to my lawyer) was a very reasonable man. I have no priors, one speeding ticket, I work part time, I study full time, my parents attended court, I am a well presented individual, my statement of being mugged (which proved that I felt threatened during the incident) and I had numerous character references from past and present employers. All this added up to give me a non-conviction charge, barely. He said he gave me the benefit of the doubt just this once.

Plus a 6 months loss of license, and $750 fine. Not to mention the stress I've had since April (which was enhanced dramatically as I learnt more about what was really happening), the increase in insurance, the lawyer fees (another $1500) and that I'll be the victim of every cop to decides to check my plates if I ever drive a "hoon car" again.

So why tell you all this? Basically the big lesson I learned from all this is just how much the government hates hoons. Almost everyone from the media, to the courts down to your average Joe cop hates you and will do you in at every possible opportunity. If you're arrested; get a lawyer before you talk. No matter how minor the incident or how nice and understanding they are, being completely honest just gives them more ammo to fire at you in court.

Most importantly though; don't do anything wrong in the first place, no matter how minor. It's not worth it.

[inark]

lol well that was a decent read...

and yes i think the main lesson is DONT DO IT... Glad you at least got that point out of it all in the end. What a farkin drama lol

[RBPOWA-(TJ)]

bloody senior cops.

get off the power trip, it'll come crashing down

[inark]

it's like something you'd see from a 1000hp muscle car at a drag show. Lines like "cloud of white smoke filled my house" "I was certain he wasn't going to stop till his tires blew" "car was going sideways".

hahaha that is awesome... you managed to make a 180HP car look like a 1000HP muscle car!! not an easy thing to do!

[THR34T]

wow.. that is quiet a story. Well good to see you learnt something from it.. hooning isnt worth it but its good you tell some people this. might make you think again before you drop the clutch.

[madbung]

Bad ju-ju...wrong place, time ect.

Just plain shit luck, I feel sorry you've been reemed for such a crap thing.

Lots of young fellas with cars dropping in your mates place? you were probably the unlucky one.

Anyway it must be a good feeling having that tyre popping n/a beast waiting for you..now that was a conspiracy

[gdogzgtr]

I think the off duty member is a complete idiot for doing what he did jumping in front of your car. Fair enough to grab your rego and chase it up at another time. Sounds like you did quite well considering the statements they provided.

Did they try to impound your car for the offences?

With speaking to a solicitor and giving "No Comment" interview can hinder your defence also. Shows you have no remorse for your actions so if found guilty will get steeper punishment. Also means if you win case police can't have costs awarded agaist them.

[KezR33]

I think the off duty member is a complete idiot for doing what he did jumping in front of your car.

Honestly, everyone I have spoken to think it was a pretty dumb act running in front of a car, especially one that had previously been doing "hoon acts" (he would've only heard my exhaust). The cow boy cop should be reprimanded for leading with his body, not his badge (which was in his back pocket btw), instead he'll get a bonus for convicting me.

[Astro Bear]

I think it's great that you posted that. You realise that what you did was wrong and have learnt from it. I think I have learnt a valuable lesson from this as well, so well done.

[inark]

yeah i learnt a valuable lesson too... if someone comes out from their house and tries to grab you, run them over... then back over them just to make sure... then power up those wheels with another 1000HP muscle car burnout on his head and fill everyones houses with smoke...

[PAV34]

mate, im the biggest hoon, yo just need to know where to do it, and when to do it.

only problem with hooning is you get carried away and have a high risk of crashing like i did into the gutter

Hooners FTW

Mate, people on this forum dont take too kindly to comments like that.

Be prepared for a massive backlash.

[some_cs_student]

To the original poster, bad luck with that, that's way too extreme for what was done, BUT, it's way too late now but be very careful with admitting fault to anything in front of police, it can get you into trouble

[br3ndan]

in regards to the cop going off, i would of done the same thing.

slowed down and waiting for him to move away and foot down and get out of there.

Ive had a similar situation a few years back where that happened. A off duty cop comes running out of his house swearing his head off// i had a chick in the car at the time, so there was no way i was going to stop when he tried to flag me down.. lucky he didtn stand infront of my car... he stood of to the side shouting till he went red... He didnt show any i.d or make any suggestion that he was a police officer. For all i knew he could of been a dickhead wanting to steal my car.

I was quite pissed off at the time, and after i dropped my friend home i went back to see if he was still there. HE was and this time he shouted out he was a police officer. So i stopped and he tried to do me for hooning, which i denied. WHich was true, as i drop a gear going around a corner, and my v8 ute ( my first car b4 r33) made a bit of noise around the corner but at no time was i going fast or lost traction, and i think thats what made him get out of his house.

AFter a bit of arguing (I held my ground that i didnt do anything wrong...) , he let me off with a "warning" and that was the end of that.

but the way he acted was in no way the proper way for a police officer to act. I should of gotten his ID and reported him. As he really scared my friend in the car.

From that experience, i never have any faith in the police system.

So, really, it all comes downto timing and luck. even when you dont do anything wrong, you can get into the sh*ts.

[Fungus Mungus]

man that's harsh. it's always the few dickheads that can let down an entire organization's reputation. if only there was a way to weed out the idiots BEFORE giving them a badge