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Date:         Fri, 7 Jan 2011 11:47:25 -0600
Reply-To:     Michael Sullivan <sandwichhead@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Michael Sullivan <sandwichhead@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: VW Van Profiling
Comments: To: Jonathan Poole <jfpoolio@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <AANLkTikg2Z0t=UF3F7EK4-XAgByrnevRSKqx_BWhmQWO@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

I understand the frustration, believe me....but don't change yourself to conform(unless you are doing it for other reasons). You can be driven around in a Bentley and be Bernie Madoff(collar and short hair) or Montel(busted in airport with paraphernalia-no hair) or yourself and demand equal treatment(with whatever costume you happen to like). Just be safe and smart and have insurnace and tell them to kiss your rear. Stand Up! Rasta! BTW-Keeping the van in good shape is just good bidness. :-) Glad you got through w/o a ticket. I got a ticket for $12.00 for my front plate falling off and had to go to court 3 times(still had to pay). Even the Sherriff was on my side. Go figure. Michael in San Antonio 91GL Weekender AT 2.1L 'Gringo'

On Fri, Jan 7, 2011 at 11:16 AM, Jonathan Poole <jfpoolio@gmail.com> wrote:

> Warning: Long email/rant following.... > > It's happened again, the experience that starts as no surprise and then > becomes frustrating as I wait to get my drivers license back. By the time > the cop is back to my van to apologize for the inconvenience I'm a mixture > of understanding, pissed, and frustrated. Today the cop confessed the the > vehicle that I drive is a big part of why he tail-gated me for a few miles > and then pulled me over. "It had a lot to do with it" was his answer when > I > asked if my vehicle was why I got special attention from him today. > > A few ways that I've modified my behavior at least partially because of > this > re-currance: > - Wearing a collared shirt, which I have done exclusively for years now. > - Keeping my hair short, which I started doing after picking up 3 seat belt > violations in a short period, I know I should always wear my seatbelt but > the second and third were in situations where I still would likely neglect > to do so (parking lot hopping essentially)) > -Keeping my van in great condition (recently waxed, was washed yesterday, > shiny/clean/straight etc.) > -Keeping all registration/insurance current, my record clean, getting no > tickets (except for the seatbelt violations) etc. > > None of these appear to have made the difference. I did notice an > improvement in how things go after getting rid of long hair and moving to > collared shirts only. They may still pull me over but I haven't gotten a > ticket of any type since making these changes. > > I've been driving VW vans almost exclusively since the early/mid 90's and > none of this started until 5 or 6 years ago with my Vanagon Westies. In my > younger years, while driving smoking/rattling/leaking bays and splits there > may have been a few laws broken, or at least bent, and I didn't worry about > the appearance of my van or myself yet I don't recall being pulled over and > know that I didn't get any tickets. There were a few road-block close > calls > but they all worked out fine (miraculously). One funny one included my van > overheating and dying in a cloud of smoke while I was in a late-night, > party > targeting, road-block. My van wouldn't restart and we had been cleared to > go so everyone stumbled out of the van to push us off the road. I wasn't > intoxicated but when my friends stumbled out of the back of the Westy to > push one of them fell over and had to be helped back into the van. It was > an odd scene, pushing my smoking van off the highway amid the flashing > lights and then sobering up as the van cooled and we watched lots of our > friends go through the road-block with some being ticketed etc. > > Does anyone else get extra attention from the police? I'm doubting that > I'm > the only one but it could be the part of the country that I spend most of > my > time in? Most or all of these incidents where I've been pulled over for > little/nothing have occurred in North Carolina or Tennessee as I recall. I > rarely see VW vans on the road in this area so maybe it is a factor of my > standing out more coupled with a vigilant police force? I'm actually glad > to know (with confidence) that they are out there keeping an eye on things > (VW vans at least, ha ha). My biggest complaint is how long it takes for > them to run my background check (or whatever they do back there while I > wait). Maybe technology will improve and this will become a faster process > in the future. For the record North Carolina and Tennessee are good states > and good places to spend time. The cops are usually friendly as they > interrupt my travels and I don't ever worry about needing to pay bribes or > other things that may happen in other parts of the world. > > O.K.,, thanks for the list therapy. I started typing this a few minutes > after being pulled over and am no longer pissed or frustrated. I'm glad it > was a Friday and I could share this with the list and move on (until it > happens again). > > Jonathan Poole > '83 AC Westy >


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