California Crackdown on Modified Cars

**Promise517** · 06-21-2007, 11:40 AM

California Crackdown on Modified Cars
$5 million in federal money will fund a Sacramento, California effort to stop drivers in modified cars.

Police in Sacramento, California announced Wednesday that they would use $5 million in federal money to begin cracking down on auto enthusiasts who modify their vehicles. The money will be used to form an undercover "Drag-Net" unit to stop motorists who appear to be driving modified cars.

The concept, which originated in San Diego in 2001, has been spreading throughout the state and generated significant revenue for the California Highway Patrol and local departments. In Santa Fe Springs, for example, twelve officers on Drag-Net duty issued 300 citations and impounded 50 vehicles in just one weekend. Several cities have drag-racing ordinances that allow police to auction off seized cars and keep the profits.

Under Drag-Net, San Diego officers come to train other departments how to look out for what they believe to be tell-tale signs of illegal modification such as window tinting, large spoilers, extra gauges or racing stickers. Police say this gives them probable cause to stop and inspect a vehicle and its engine compartment.

In practice, "excessive exaust noise" tickets are the most common violation. California law does not require police to measure sound levels objectively. Instead, according to the Calfiornia Highway Patrol, the "citation is based on officer's judgment."

Drivers of stock vehicles that come from the factory with some of the characteristics of modified cars have experienced harassment under this provision. One such motorist complained on an enthusiast website that the Calfiornia Highway Patrol was using these programs to make "driving while Asian" a crime, pointing out that the department's own website has several pages dedicated to Asian involvement in street racing and "vehicle modification."

Anyone receiving a vehicle modification "fix-it" ticket must visit a California Bureau of Automobile Repair office and pay a $35 fee to have their car inspected. If the car fails, a judge can impose another fine of up to $2000 for failing to meet California emissions requirements.

Article Excerpt:
"We're looking to make a heavy impact on speeding and street racing in this area," Sacramento Police Deputy Chief Steve Segura said during a press conference with local and state officials on Del Paso Road in North Natomas.
Source: Area law enforcers to receive training to combat street racing (Sacramento Bee, 8/4/2005)

Though this is old news check out the new method http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070620...shed_hot_rods_1

**SexOnWheels** · 06-21-2007, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by DanWS6

The Peoples Republic of California strikes again.

2 'Cali' threads in one day, man Arnie is really cracking down...

**Spaz** · 06-21-2007, 11:51 AM

what assholes... here is an idea... spend the money to lower fucking fuel prices... dousch bags...

**Promise517** · 06-21-2007, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by Spaz

what assholes... here is an idea... spend the money to lower fucking fuel prices... dousch bags...

**ztrouble** · 06-21-2007, 11:53 AM

this will be stopped soon im sure it wont take long for the cops to harass the wrong person and since when are extra guages and spoilers illegal?

**Promise517** · 06-21-2007, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by ztrouble

this will be stopped soon im sure it wont take long for the cops to harass the wrong person and since when are extra guages and spoilers illegal?

True, but I think they are just using that as probable cause to ticket you and look under the hood

**Promise517** · 06-21-2007, 12:01 PM

Hey but the money can never be spent to run an ad campaign for the local drag strip to get people racing in a controlled environment. Or use the money to build more raceways to be able to take our cars to, that would be too hard I guess cause they are really focused on making $$$$ freaking butt holes

**third_shift|studios** · 06-21-2007, 12:01 PM

wow...and i thought cali was supposed to be super liberal, and here they're making it unenjoyable for car enthusiasts to mod their cars.

**Spaz** · 06-21-2007, 12:05 PM

i'm glad i don't live in that nazi state... i wonder what they are going to do to people on thier way to car shows...

**ramrod** · 06-21-2007, 12:17 PM

Cali, I wish it would break off into the ocean!

**andrew rs** · 06-21-2007, 12:27 PM

California is so fucked up. They have some of the most rediculous laws ever. So If you exhaust is a little louder than normal its up to the officer to judge, no there should be a decibal meter in use. Fuck a cops ear.

**440 rwhp trans am** · 06-21-2007, 12:45 PM

i love good ol' texas!

**DanWS6** · 06-21-2007, 02:02 PM

Originally Posted by third_shift|studios

wow...and i thought cali was supposed to be super liberal, and here they're making it unenjoyable for car enthusiasts to mod their cars.

Liberal usually means green which means they want to see more hybrids and less of those horrible vehicles that kill the environment and rape small dogs.

**NE98LS1** · 06-21-2007, 02:23 PM

i'm glad i live in good old conservative nebraska where we like our cars killing the enviroment. but for those of you out in cali, get ready to trade those 5.7s in for 1.7s here soon! Good for you!!

**310stanger** · 06-21-2007, 02:38 PM

Whats funny is, didn't a lot of hotrodding originate in Cali? Like half my performance parts had a cali address on their box. Everything I bought has a carb number on it too. How can you allow opinion determine law on this? Cali must really want some revenue. If they wanna stop speeding, write speeding tickets. But its unconstitutional to crack down on people for how they LEGALLY modify their car. As far as I know you need good tires, brakes, suspension and hazards, blinkers head lights etc. How does a loud exhaust have anything to do with speed? Thats like saying, you look like a muderer, I assume you are probably gonna kill someone so your ass is going with me to the station. Fuck that. Someone has to take a stand. If cali allows the industry to make a killing off car owners buying car parts then how the fuck do they basically put a ban on the installation of said parts? What are you supposed to do wack off to them?

**Zapper2003** · 06-21-2007, 02:42 PM

I just hope to hell these fuckin nimrods who make these laws don't come my way. I have a hard enough time as it is.

**kain13** · 06-21-2007, 02:46 PM

ther was another story on a different web sit about wisconsin doing the same thing could this be just rumer and internet hype?

**310stanger** · 06-21-2007, 02:48 PM

Originally Posted by kain13

ther was another story on a different web sit about wisconsin doing the same thing could this be just rumer and internet hype?

I was thinking it was extreme enough to not be true myself. But my tyrade still stands if its true lol

**slowagon** · 06-21-2007, 02:57 PM

I've lived in cali now for three years and hate it. The smog laws suck and "cruising" is against the law. I know many people who have been given "fix-it" tickets as they were leaving the race track. It's rediculous. OH! and if you get caught "street racing"(up to the cop to determine) your car is not only impounded but crushed. A while back on the Sacramento news they showed a riced out Honda getting crushed, and just recently I think six or seven cars were impounded and crushed in San Bernadino. Any ways I can't wait to leave here, my car is registered in North Dakota and I still have to get it smogged. Total B.S.