Date: Tue, 14 May 2002 21:23:21 -0700
Reply-To: David Marshall <vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David Marshall <vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG>
Subject: Re: Driving In Canada
In-Reply-To: <005c01c1fbb5$2d7b1d20$0a01a8c0@uwithinkpad>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Were these town/city police or the Royal Canadian Mounted Police? My
experience with the RCMP is 9 times out of 10 they are very decent and good
people. The woman RCMP usually feel they have to make up for something I
find but on the whole I don't mind the RCMP at all. You speed, they catch
you - fair is fair. The town police on the other hand have been complete
butt-heads to me in the past - when you grow up in a town of 20,000 people
and there is town police for that town, you'll find they get board very fast
as it is usually the same people doing the same stupid things at the same
time each week and they have a routine developed. When they not on their
routine stuff they get board they look for things to do and then start
pestering people to make their job more interesting.
Quesnel BC, where I live only has the RCMP and I have had only one encounter
with them (in my TD Golf) for doing 'speed unknown' in a 60km/h zone. Yes I
am going to court over this one, but that is another story. BC *has* to be
the pot capital of Canada and most likely North America. When they say it
is Columbian weed - they mean it is British Columbian weed! Although if
someone is buzzing on some THC could also mean Tim Horton's Coffee too... I
could, if I wanted to, get pot any time I like from some very well known
people in town - the RCMP know these people and don't care - out of sight -
out of mind and they leave the weekend smokers alone and life goes on. Just
for the record, I have never used the stuff - each to their own. Heck I
have even been offered pot from an RCMP officer when I was at their house on
a service call once to fix their computer!
David Marshall
Fast Forward Automotive Inc.
4356 Quesnel Hixon Road
Quesnel BC Canada V2J 6Z3
http://www.fastforward.ca mailto:sales@fastforward.ca
Phone: (250) 992 7775 FAX: (250) 992 1160
- Vanagon Accessories and Engine Conversions
- Vanagon, Transporter and Iltis Sales and Importation
- European Lighting for most Volkswagen models
-----Original Message-----
From: Russell, William [mailto:william.russell@uw-inc.com]
Sent: May 14, 2002 7:07 PM
To: vanagon@volkswagen.org; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: RE: Driving In Canada
True enough. My anger comes from a couple of points. I am pissed off
that I am being picked on because of my recreation vehicle and
threatened by hostile, insecure cops with guns and clubs AND, I am
pissed off that my tax dollars are being wasted looking for people
smoking pot. I mean come on. Every time I hear of a real crime being
committed, I will think about those cops sitting around eating doughnuts
and looking for 65hp VW vans cruising across Canada at 95km/hr in fear
that they might be carrying some harmless weed.
-----Original Message-----
From: David Marshall [mailto:vanagon@volkswagen.org]
Sent: May 14, 2002 20:41
To: Russell, William; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: RE: Driving In Canada
Hey!
The cops here arn't that bad! What you are saying is common sense that
is
applicable in any civilized country.
- be nice
- don't transport drugs
- don't drink and drive
I have been driving T3s for years now - and not just common everyday
ones if
they exist but 'weird' ones - never a problem.
David Marshall
Fast Forward Automotive Inc.
4356 Quesnel Hixon Road
Quesnel BC Canada V2J 6Z3
http://www.fastforward.ca mailto:sales@fastforward.ca
Phone: (250) 992 7775 FAX: (250) 992 1160
- Vanagon Accessories and Engine Conversions
- Vanagon, Transporter and Iltis Sales and Importation
- European Lighting for most Volkswagen models
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
Of Russell, William
Sent: May 14, 2002 2:25 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Driving In Canada
I cannot recall who it was but recently someone asked for any tips about
driving in Canada this summer and after having just completed my 4500km
trip from Vancouver to Hamilton, I have some advice:
Ensure that all your papers are in order. This means license,
registration, insurance, ownership, passport, etc. I mean completely in
order and readily available! The police up here seem to have decided
that VW vans are the likely transport vehicles for the drug trade and
are pulling them over without any reason whatsoever.
Keep the van tidy inside. They need justification to search a vehicle.
If there is none, they cannot search it (this is based on their
behaviour, not my legal understanding). If you have liquor on board,
keep in the furthest cabinet. Make absolutely sure it is not in sight
and certainly not within reach of the driver.
Don't transport illegal narcotics around (certainly not the types that
Western Canada is famous for and the dogs love smelling. If you happen
to be the type of person that carries a personal amount with you,
avoiding a search should be your top priority.
I was pulled over three times on the way from Vancouver to Hamilton. I
wasn't speeding or driving recklessly or not using signals or anything
else. I was carrying no illegal substances but I really don't like
dealing with the police and certainly didn't appreciate the veiled
threats that they presented. I was never searched and I am convinced it
is because everything was in order. They scoured the vehicle through
the windows using those giant "mag" lights, and I do mean SCOURED. I am
convinced that if they had seen anything that they could justify a
search with, they would have torn the van apart. Instead they remained
outside the vehicle, searched through the windows with flashlights, ran
my credentials through the computer, checked the credentials of the
person travelling with me, and made threats about dogs and
incarceration.
I saw several other VW vans pulled over as well. This was not something
isolated to my and my van. This is disgusting. I was embarrassed for
all Canadians. What a waste of time and what a hassle. In case you
didn't notice the tone, I am #*&*$ pissed about this.
Happy travelling,
\/\/i!!y
1980 Westy "Jazzy"
