Date: Thu, 16 May 2002 14:45:42 -0700
Reply-To: warmerwagen@HOTMAIL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Robert Keezer <warmerwagen@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Unjust Cause NVC
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In 1982 the year I drove across the US in a '62 Beetle with a folding sunroof my car was searched by four undercover policeman in Tennessee.
I was a few hours east of Memphis, and after a mosquito- bitten night on the Mississippi
I needed a rest break which I found on a rural road far from homes, etc.
Just a place to pull over near a creek. I rested, then straightened up the inside, and as I was getting ready to leave, a white four-door Chevy sedan pulled up and all four doors opened, four plains clothes police got out and one said " don't do anything stupid and no one will get hurt" as he showed me his badge in his wallet.
The four police all wore shoulder arms , were unshaven and not very well dressed. As they proceeded to entirely remove the contents of my bug, and open even the smallest containers, I noticed that the car did'nt even have police plates on their car. Not one of them spoke to me during the 15 minute search, and all my questions were ignored. I once said "gee, it must be awful small whatever your'e looking for. They would not tell me what they were searching me for.
When it was all done, the one who showed me the badge said "Well, you have a nice visit at the World's Fair".
I drove right thru Knoxville and into North Carolina and camped somewhere near the Cherokee Nation. I just felt safer near the Indians I have to say. They could keep their old fair!
Whoever these men were I'll never know. I have always wondered if they were just professional crooks. Had I had anything of value in the bug , things may have been different.
If it happened today they would have taken the bug- ragtops are valuable now!
My most recent experience with the Police was out on a country road late at night as I was walking back to my Westfalia six miles from where I ended my kayak trip down the river. It was late, I was tired, so he gave me a ride back to where I was parked. You gotta love those guys!
Anyone else with a similiar VW or Vanagon experience?
Robert
1982 Westfalia
1987 Wolfsburg
----- Original Message -----
Wrom: VWRKJVZCMHVIB
Sent: Thursday, May 16, 2002 12:34 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Unjust Cause NVC
Hi fellow free citizens,
You should all move to Oregon.
Here they are much more worried about your criminal and driving records
and whether or not you have been drinking.
I've witnessed and heard of numerous police releases of people caught with that funny smell.
If they run your ID and there is no other funny business on your record they will probably let you go!
Don't drink and drive in OR though.
I have to add I've avoided the South my entire life because of this lawless cop attitude.
Have a free day!
Never been searched, (knock on wood)
Steve Johnson
' 91 Carat
P.S. I've driven a VW bus my entire life! (In the Midwest and the West)Get more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer download : http://explorer.msn.com