evohoe
12-05-2006, 10:31 AM
I found this information on the MX6 Forums regarding the police conducting sting operations and a lot of survelance to "catch" offenders. Please read http://www.mx6.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-21861.html
Is anyone from San Diego and can confirm if this is true?
rogue04
Be really careful! If the rest of the state's (CA) smog check and test only stations are following San Diego's trend, illegal modifications could get your car impounded and tickets issued for modiefied parts are no longer $10 or $15 fix-it tickets. CARB stickers are important. They could save you a lot of hassle with officials. Here's the story:
San Diego's police department has a special "Drag Force" or "Drag Net Force" that specializes in fighting illegal street drag racing or other street racing. This includes picking off vehicles that may have modified intakes, exhuast systems, etc. The police conduct sting operations and a lot of survelance to "catch" offenders. Several times in the past 6 months, large scale raids were held at the street races and even visits to racers' homes to arrest people. The big raids involve several flat bed trailers and vehicle transport trucks to impound vehicles and buses to haul racers and spectators alike to jail. Cops take pictures of vehicles they pull over and ticket for modified parts to file into an archive with the police department. As mentioned before, tickets issued for modified parts are no longer just "fix-it" tickets...they stay on your record just like a moving violation citation. They might even cite a moving violation WITH the use of modified parts. Now you've got a ticket(s), traffic school and a big headache. Listen to the next part...a second violation of having a modified part(s) could automatically get the vehicle impounded for 30 days, all at the owner/driver's expense. A third offense of the same violation could possibly mean: bye bye car forever! Now about smog check and test only stations. Many of the sites are independentlyowned and ran by private parties. San Diego's smog check/test places are slowly being transitioned into being ran with federal employees or supervision. This is because officials found some places passing vehicles illegally: using different cars, falsifying documents, being too easy on the visual inspection... Those sites busted were either shut down or the technicians were removed from their position. I could go on and on but I'm sure you all get my point...be careful.
I may not have all the exact details of the situation but I know what I'm talking about because my friends and I have done the research in the vehicle code books, gone to court to fight tickets, plead guilty to a couple to pay lesser fines, I've personally done a documentary on the street racing scene and I also spoke with a local police officer about procedures, codes, etc...I'm sure people still have their connections, even with police officers but for the general public like myself, be careful. I think San Diego has the most strict enforcement of illegal racing and use of illegal, modified parts. Oh yeah...CARB will let you off the hook so if you have parts that aren't CARB legal (like my Hayame mufflers and HS intake) you could be looking at high fines and losing your ride. I haven't been pulled over and I hope I don't but I've taken preventive measures and I know the details of the penal codes that I could be popped for and I can easily fight off a ticket. Lastly, if you don't already know, you do not have to pop your hood open just because an officer asks but be weary because he or she might be calling in for a search warrant and could bust you another time. .........
Is anyone from San Diego and can confirm if this is true?
rogue04
Be really careful! If the rest of the state's (CA) smog check and test only stations are following San Diego's trend, illegal modifications could get your car impounded and tickets issued for modiefied parts are no longer $10 or $15 fix-it tickets. CARB stickers are important. They could save you a lot of hassle with officials. Here's the story:
San Diego's police department has a special "Drag Force" or "Drag Net Force" that specializes in fighting illegal street drag racing or other street racing. This includes picking off vehicles that may have modified intakes, exhuast systems, etc. The police conduct sting operations and a lot of survelance to "catch" offenders. Several times in the past 6 months, large scale raids were held at the street races and even visits to racers' homes to arrest people. The big raids involve several flat bed trailers and vehicle transport trucks to impound vehicles and buses to haul racers and spectators alike to jail. Cops take pictures of vehicles they pull over and ticket for modified parts to file into an archive with the police department. As mentioned before, tickets issued for modified parts are no longer just "fix-it" tickets...they stay on your record just like a moving violation citation. They might even cite a moving violation WITH the use of modified parts. Now you've got a ticket(s), traffic school and a big headache. Listen to the next part...a second violation of having a modified part(s) could automatically get the vehicle impounded for 30 days, all at the owner/driver's expense. A third offense of the same violation could possibly mean: bye bye car forever! Now about smog check and test only stations. Many of the sites are independentlyowned and ran by private parties. San Diego's smog check/test places are slowly being transitioned into being ran with federal employees or supervision. This is because officials found some places passing vehicles illegally: using different cars, falsifying documents, being too easy on the visual inspection... Those sites busted were either shut down or the technicians were removed from their position. I could go on and on but I'm sure you all get my point...be careful.
I may not have all the exact details of the situation but I know what I'm talking about because my friends and I have done the research in the vehicle code books, gone to court to fight tickets, plead guilty to a couple to pay lesser fines, I've personally done a documentary on the street racing scene and I also spoke with a local police officer about procedures, codes, etc...I'm sure people still have their connections, even with police officers but for the general public like myself, be careful. I think San Diego has the most strict enforcement of illegal racing and use of illegal, modified parts. Oh yeah...CARB will let you off the hook so if you have parts that aren't CARB legal (like my Hayame mufflers and HS intake) you could be looking at high fines and losing your ride. I haven't been pulled over and I hope I don't but I've taken preventive measures and I know the details of the penal codes that I could be popped for and I can easily fight off a ticket. Lastly, if you don't already know, you do not have to pop your hood open just because an officer asks but be weary because he or she might be calling in for a search warrant and could bust you another time. .........