Cops Clamping Down On Imports Or Is It All Hype?

[rb2534]

As the topic says I want to hear other people opinions/experiences with all this clamping down on hooning and modified import crap. I have a 4 door 34 which is 100% standard but I have been collecting some bits for past 6 or so months in order to give it a bit more mumbo (turbo, FMIC, Exhaust plus the usual bits) and use it for some track time. Now I have heard from a few close people I know who have connections and are themselves involved in the police force that cops are continuing the defects of imports or basically anything with A/M wheels or a cannon hanging out the back.

I have heard this a few times but when I am in Adelaide (6 months a year I am away for work) I can't help but notice the amount of modded skylines, S15's and GTR's to name a few that are still kicking around without defects. And these aren't simple mods, i'm talking full body kits, Coil overs, BOV's, bonnets jacked up at the back and even mix matched wheels and panel colours.

My question is has all the shit with the defects died down or does it honestly come down to wrong time wrong place or a case of someone smart assing the cops? And be honest lol.

I would really like to finish my car off but if this shit keeps up......if there is any for that sake i'm looking to sell the entire lot.

[Dohmar]

it comes and goes. same with the media

every once in a while it'll either a) get quiet and theres nothing else better to report on or b) some dickhead in a hotted up car ends up killing or injuring someone/themselves or crashes in a number of spectacular ways

police are always on the lookout, if for no other reason for the pure fact they get stolen/torched/crashed as many people have experienced - that and people whos cars or driving style actually provoke their attention (sux if you're like some of the members here who seem to get defected all the time but that happens too)

-D

[viet_pridez]

I've drivn my 34 around for a couple of months now it only has exhaust, front mount and full paint job but no trouble from police as of yet. Before I owned a 180sx and also no trouble from police but then again I never hoon and also when I do see a police care I slow down at least 5kms.

[dark.sky]

IMO, its mostly hype. Just don't drive like a dick.

Dohmar is correct on both points.

Think back, things only got REAL bad after the magill road accident.

Police sometimes sus them to see if its stolen. I cant think of 1 member here off the top of my head who got stopped, just to ensure it wasnt stolen, and thats all it was.

[Altia_R34]

depends on who pulls you over, if they are having a good day then they might let you off. if they had a crap one then they might pick on you.

[AndrewJZX100]

IMO, its mostly hype. Just don't drive like a dick.

Dohmar is correct on both points.

Think back, things only got REAL bad after the magill road accident.

Police sometimes sus them to see if its stolen. I cant think of 1 member here off the top of my head who got stopped, just to ensure it wasnt stolen, and thats all it was.

This.

I've driven many different types of imports as dailys, over a number of years now, and have NEVER been regency defected. I don't drive like a fkhead, and my cars are usually free of obvious visual mods, so that helps I guess.

If you're that worried than I'd suggest erring on the side of caution, and keeping it sleeper like. That or do as most do and just modify your car as you see fit, then when you get done just return it to stock, take it through regency then mod it back up again.

[Krishy]

its a bit of both mate.....just make sure its not ridiculously modified and you should be alright

[rb2534]

Nah i'm planning on running a turn flow cooler so no cutting the inner guard, HKS25/30 so low mount will still bolt to a standard manifold, Power FC but the controller removed and other bits like splitfires which will be impossible to see. I want to keep the sleeper look to it even plan on running twin tip rear muffler not a cannon. But i totally agree things have gotten worse since Magil road and I reckon what happened to me as I will explain below was directly related to that, but my 34 is stock compared to old rx7 which had bucket seats, N/A so it was loud as hell, slammed and stupidly cambered front end, jet black tint and that never got looked at.

Now I got pulled over in my 34 one night by some young punk copper which looked to me was his first night out by himself. This was 7.30PM on a cold shitty night just going for a drive with a mate. In short what happened I was driving down at the bay near Colley reserve, There was a car infront, then me and undercover cop car behind me which I didn't know at the time. The car infront just suddenly stopped then for probably 15 seconds kept trying to reverse and park into the taxi zone, meanwhile shes going back and forth not even indicating and did this a few times. Then she gave up, pulled out and kept driving, all 3 of us continued around the roundabout then she suddenly stopped again blocking the street across from the wendys and most of the single lane on jetty road. I sat there for another 10 or so seconds so I indicated and went around here and the unmarked car followed. Turn back onto Tapleys Hill road and the disco lights come on, the cop got out with his ticket book, asks me to get out to have a chat. Said the reason he pulled me over was because the car I drove just around prior around pulled out turned down the road adjacent. I had a blank look and said why is that any of my concern and he pulls out the line............She could have hit you when you went around her.

I went back at him and said "So she could have hit you as easilly as she could have hit me?" Then I told him that if he was sitting behind me earlier which he obviously was he would have seen the other car fail to indicate to stop, trying to park in a non parking zone then failing to indicate a minimum 5 seconds before pulling off from the curb. He had that rabbit in the headlights look on his face and then asks me see my licence, so I show him my Australian Heavy Vehicle Semi licence......he looks at the licence, looks at me, looks back at my licence, starts angling it to see the hologram because at the time I was only 25 must have thought it was a fake lol. Then he starts asking if I have any history with the cops. Told him I have nothing and turns around and says his computer in the vehicle is broken and he cant check it but I will be hearing from him if i'm lying. Then pulls out the breatho, blew 0 then the flash light goes to the back of my car. This guy was just looking for something to nail me for something as he still had his ticket book in hand. I said why don't you go find the other car and book her for god knows how many traffic offences. Basically when I said that he gave me a half assed warning and left as quickly as he rolled up.

I know this was only once this has happened to me but I have heard this from other people also, and pulling stunts like this people wonder why cops have no respect and are labelled as wankers. If I did do something wrong fair enough book me it's just crap like this that keeps making me wonder if its worth doing my car at all. Especially when you see clapped out cars on the road driving around especially with young children in the car. Fair enough some people may not be able to afford repairs to a car but they cracked down on smoking in the car with children, why not put a clamp down on people driving defectable cars with young children on board. Passive smoking might kill them or give them health issues in 5+ years but i'm sure in an accident with a frayed seatbelt or shotty brakes could seriously injure or kill them alot quicker.

That's my 2 cents and cheers for the feedback

[Brezza]

just keep the car looking stock or stockish so there are no obvious defects like bald tyres, BOV and being ridiculously lowered and you should be fine.

also dont drive like an idiot, if your car is loud and your giving it to it they're gonna suspect that your speeding.

[Ionos]

I've been driving Skylines for almost 4 years and have never once been pulled over 'randomly'.

As others have said, if you're getting pulled over and done over all the time then there is a reason for it and it's probably to do with your driving style and your attitude.

[RubyRS4]

I get the cops look at me all the time in traffic. They don't care for me much.

Drive sensible and don't be a dick and you'll be fine. I've been pulled over a handful of times, quick chat and I'm on my way without any grief.

Tho I admit, I must have gotten one cop on a bad night years ago on my bike. Did nothing wrong and was polite and all, but he reamed me good and proper. Fined me over $300 for various items, and defected me for "indicators" only even tho I was running a full race exhaust system, and had many other mods. He had no idea what to do me for. Even fined me for riding with race slicks ... which they were not. They were street legal Michelins. I'd had enough and in the end and told this guy "you've got no f**king idea what you're doing do you?". Lodged a complaint with SAPOL, got my fines sorted. Still had to go thru Regency, which was fair as I did have some 'race use only' mods at the time.

But like I said, that was one cop. Most of them are perfectly normal.

[Tangles]

no issues here, havent been pulled over in the stagea (5yrs) nor the v8 commy before that (5yrs)

not even a breatho

[typevu]

I havent been pulled over in the GTR yet... but then again the GTR spends more time getting worked on then actually driven!

[J - Rad]

Only been pulled over in the GTR once and that was 2 days after I bought it and it was registered to a retired man living in Ingle Farm and me being 20 driving around Peterhead the cop got suspicious.

Also the people saying "Its all about attitude" are wrong, I was defected in my old car and when the cop pulled me over he hadn't even said a word to me and he has a defect notice ready. Hadn't done anything wrong and was driving home from WestLakes with the girlfriend. He defected me for wheels (that were in track) and having stretched tires. Which are wheel defects and should only be a cop shop but he sent me to Regency anyways. Also told me he was giving me a break because I wasn't getting a fine.

[skwiz]

Even if you drive normal, you get pulled over.

I am still on p plates, and in my white 31 i used to have, i got pulled over about once a month for nothing.

In the new car, i've been pulled over a couple times, and have been let off because its a 'clean example'.

I refuse to accept the "if you don't drive like a dickhead, you wont get looked at" theory ever.

Basically, there is no point in modifying a street car. They still go you for 'suspicion of illegal modifications', even if there is nothing modified.

A mate of mine told me during the week that a cop pulled him over within 4 hours of buying his new 2010 XR8, and the cop just defected him under suspicion for modifications.

[Dohmar]

Only been pulled over twice personally, this is in spite of having lower than legal suspension and straight pipes....

Once was near holden hill - was pulled over just past the hillcrest hotel on north east road (lights, no sirens) - rego and licence check, bretho. the guy doing it didnt even look at the car, however it being something like the 4th of Jan and my licence having expired on the 1st of Jan, he gave me 10 days to get it renewed - no fine. What a champ! He then sent me on my way

Second time was just in front of Port Alfred College around 1pm middle of last year, after getting some supplies at a company in Kent town. Turned the corner and sure enough, lights flashing (no sirens), pulled over and again was rego, licence and breath tested. Guy even said 'you get pulled over much?' and I said 'nah, 2nd time ever' and he then went on to tell me about how they've been pulling a lot of them over in the cbd due to the high rate of theft... guy didnt even look at the car... sent me on my way again...

and hopefully on sunday the whole exhaust noise issue I have will be ..... different... ish

-D

[SLED]

Only ever got pulled over once in the 34R but every 2nd time I go out on the bike........regardless, they've always let me go

You must be respectfull to a cop regardless of who's in the right.

Bottom line is; if you are or look young, or if you drive a Skyline and drive like a dick, you will get pulled over.........not a matter of if, just a matter of when........what happens next is sometimes up to you.

[aahh32]

i went through two stages where i couldn't leave the house without getting pulled over

1. on my p's it didn't matter how or what i was driving got pulled over on average of once a week for rego and breath checks. it stopped the day i got my full license.

2. after being pulled into an rbt (on my full license) on my way home from work and blowing 0.000 the cop must of been having a bad night, because he made me do 8 more follow up tests just to make sure the reading was correct! then he had to let me go. the same officer then harassed me for approx 2 years, he even tried setting me up by using other cops in marked cars to try and get me to race at lights while he sat a few cars back on his bike and every time i refused to race he pulled me over and defected me for anything he could find (he even defected a hire car i was driving brand new at the time 2007 corolla for being to low?? it was stock)

it took for me to go into a police station and file harassment charge against him for it to stop.

since filling a harassment charge i haven't been pulled over once in 3 years. cops pull up behind me do a rego check and take off.

Edited September 3, 2010 by aahh32

[DC_GTST]

Agree with SLED, drive normal and don't be stupid should be alright. In saying that got pulled over by two cop cars (not just one) for a 'spot' check. Did a random breatho, looked through inside the car etc then disappeared. Been pulled over a few times and car is stock height with minimal mods.

As per above, don't act like a dick to cops and don't be stupid in traffic (or elsewhere in public).

[ovrtym33]

IMO, its mostly hype. Just don't drive like a dick.

Dohmar is correct on both points.

Think back, things only got REAL bad after the magill road accident.

Police sometimes sus them to see if its stolen. I cant think of 1 member here off the top of my head who got stopped, just to ensure it wasnt stolen, and thats all it was.

i was stopped the other day on my way to work at 4am, turned down a side street to cut out traffic lights, cop car saw me and did a u turn n folllowed me after i cut through a few sides street until south road then eventually pulled me over, by the time he got to my car another cop pulled in front of me and another along side of me, so had 3 in total with their lights flashing blocking me in, so obiously thought it was stolen and i was gonna do a runner so he called in for back up, checked my license and asked why i took side streets and not main road n told him why and where i was going then let me go