Grand Am Off Topic Thread

[doctorhrdware]

I think that the fines should be doubled on accidents caused by stupidity.

[xeroinfinity]

Originally Posted by '97ventureowner

Seems to be a lot of that lately :. Maybe they need to go back to the campaign ads from the '70s when they first introduced the option of right on red. I remember the ads emphasized,"Right on Red AFTER stop." meaning you can turn right on red after stooping first.
Some areas, including where I live were talking a couple of years ago about doing away with the right on red option since it has caused so many accidents over the years. I say don't do away with it rather educate these drivers on the proper way to do it as it works when everybody follows the rules.

Yeah thier are several intersections around here that have signs "no turn on red", but this one didnt. Still doesnt stop idiot from turning though.

My damage wasnt as bad as I thought, but still both front fenders are damaged and the front bumper cover and pass headlamp housing.

I was just glad my youngest twins, 12yrs old, in the back seat were ok. My daughter said OMG and my son said WTF.

Yea it's the weekend!

['97ventureowner]

Even the intersections marked "No Turn on Red" still have drivers disobeying them and turning anyways. I guess they think the laws don't apply to them. :

[doctorhrdware]

They are putting up the cameras around me at most of the intersections around here. I do not know if that will help with any of the problems. It might help.

['97ventureowner]

That's hard to say as most of these cameras are supposed to catch drivers who run red lights. Turning right on red may be a different subject. From some of the info I've seen on these cameras it seems to target those going through an intersection rather than turning. Maybe there are ways to set up these cameras for different purposes such as targeting those who don't stop before turning on red or go right on red when they aren't supposed to. Our area is also expected to get some money to purchase and setup these cameras and I hope they do the trick. In the past few years, I've noticed a big increase in the number of people who sail through the red light as if it doesn't exist. When I'm first in line at the light and it turns green I've learned to add a couple of seconds on to my starting out to double check to make sure no one coming from either side has decided to run the light.
One issue with these red light cameras that I've read is there has been a noted increase in rear end collisions where the lights have been installed by those who decided to stop at the last minute at the red light to avoid a ticket from the camera.

[xeroinfinity]

Yeah we've got a few cameras around here. One is on a HC(hazzard containment) highway and one by the hospital.

I've seen stuff you either spray or use to cover your license plate to mask your plate numbers from road side cameras. Probley not very legal.

Back on the subject of right on red. There are a few towns around here that from time to time, move thier no turn on red signs to different intersections. NOW That'll realy screw you up if you lived there.
Almost as bad as cops hiding behind buildings and stuff clocking people.

On a side note, everyone ready for winter ?
Cause that shits been calling around here all last week.

['97ventureowner]

Winter? We just transitioned from Spring into Fall here. I think what we could classify as summer lasted about a week in mid August where we broke 90 for the first time for one day. The only other time we broke 90 this year was in late April.


But yeah, finally got around to ordering a set of snows from Tire Rack and have located 3 used rims, now trying to find the elusive 4th one in one of my local salvage yards. Hopefully I'll get them mounted , balanced, and put on the vehicle before we get dumped on.

[doctorhrdware]

Myth Busters tested that spray and it did not work and the same for the plate covers also.

['97ventureowner]

Originally Posted by doctorhrdware

Myth Busters tested that spray and it did not work and the same for the plate covers also.

In NY the Vehicle and Traffic Laws prohibit the use of any covering over the license plate. That includes the clear covers, or colored tinted ones for decoration purposes. been that way for years, but from the number of these covers I see installed on vehicles, that law is sparsely enforced. It's one of those things a cop would write you a ticket for if he caught you for something else, either as a way to add to the charges with additional tickets ( enhanced revenue generator) or to make something stick if the original infraction should be dismissed. Other things like that include stuff hanging off your rear view mirror, and anything stuck to the inside or outside of your rear window, ( including but not limited to stickers, stuffed animals, signs <non business> , graphics, etc.) You can even get a ticket if you happen to leave a handicapped placard on your rear view mirror while driving. It states right on the placard to be hung on the rear view mirror only when parked - remove while driving. Some cops use these laws while writing tickets while some choose not to, and just give a ticket for the original infraction.

[xeroinfinity]

Yeah Tom its snowing hardcore out in montana, 2-4 FEET by tomorrow.
I think everyone had a short summer except for the southwest. It wasnt bad here just humid a few days. Im trying not to think about the snow just yet.

On the plate covers/paint, its illegal everywhere in the US.
They already have a computer camera that can read a plate while moving or several plates and look them up and see if the cars stolen or the owner has warrants. They's gettin high tech on us boys.
I wonder could I paint my car with stelth cloaking paint to avoid radar detection ?

Oh and running right on red is like a gateway drug. It leads to running them period!

Have a great week guys!

[doctorhrdware]

But I want the blizzard here and not out west.

['97ventureowner]

Originally Posted by xeroinfinity

They already have a computer camera that can read a plate while moving or several plates and look them up and see if the cars stolen or the owner has warrants. They's gettin high tech on us boys.

The city cops got a couple of these devices a couple years ago by a grant to purchase them. They used them to hunt down expired registrations, stolen vehicles and such. Now practically every town in the area has at least one of these outfitted on a cop car. The news did a report on these awhile back and I was amazed at the speed these devices work. From what the report said, the cop downloads the latest updates from the DMV on plate numbers to watch for, then he goes on his rounds . As he drives down the road the camera picks up and reads all the plates in the vicinity of where he/she is. The rate at which the computer takes the scanned image of the plate and compares it to the databases from the DMV and other local/state/national police dept to determine if itis on any of them and then alert the cop is really something to marvel at. They showed the cop driving down the road and once in awhile you'd hear the thing beep alerting the cop to a vehicle in the database.
Some cops get bored and troll parking lots looking for vehicles to ticket, and our city recently started cracking down on those with large numbers of parking tickets and unpaid fines. In the city, the info on those vehicles that have a high number of parking tickets and fines is also in the system. As the cop is going down the road they are alerted to these vehicles that are in the system, and then call for this van which comes and puts a boot on the vehicle until the owner pays the outstanding fines.Within the first year they raised about 2 million dollars in parking violation fines being paid by this new system, calling it a great success.

[Gir-_-]

plate covers are legal here

they look especially nice... I like the clear and tinted covers... gives the car a 'clean' look, looks great with a super white LED 194 bulb, BMWrs have em everywhere here. Lots of the 'aftermarket' cars use them as well, mostly the ones worth covering. (supra, STI, evo's, Porsches)

[Vipey1337]

I'm totally excited for winter. Can't wait to see how my Subaru handles it

Damn that sucks about your SE XI You seriously need to swing that thing by Purdue when it isn't being run into so I can race and lose

BTW... there's a BMW M6 and a Nissan GTR on campus. Don't go playing with the GTR, the kid (yes like an 18 year old kid... daddy's got some money) is suicidal. Drives like 60 on 30 mph roads and almost hits pedestrians multiple times a day. The automotive club HATES him because he's reckless.

[Gir-_-]

the law thinks other wise of his actions , im sure he'll learn QUICK lol

all it takes is a notice to campus police too if you have em.