Author Topic: Maybe I should have just stayed home (and kept the rifle) (Read 5868 times)

Monkeyleg · « **on:** October 05, 2011, 01:47:53 AM »

I've really been bitten by the switchblade bug, and have bought five in the last seven weeks, with another two coming. One is a limited edition, and two are custom I'm having made.

So, I decided I had to sell something to make up for at least some of the money I've been spending. I have a Century G3 I got a few years ago as payment for some work I did for a Milwaukee gun store. I bought some used HK91 furniture for it, sanded the scratches, and repainted the furniture. The gun looked really nice.

It shot nice, too, after I had Century replace the bolt. The last time I shot it, though, was about three or four years ago. So I let it go. Sold it on Gunbroker, and boxed it up today to take it to UPS.

While in heavy traffic, and in the far left lane, I saw that I needed to exit on the right to get on the highway to UPS. So I gunned it to get ahead of the other cars and over into the right lane.

I noticed the orange barrels, but surprisingly (for me) didn't notice the two squad cars sitting in plain view under the overpass.

The cop gave me a warning for not having my insurance card with me, a ticket for not wearing a seat belt, and a ticket for 25 over in a construction zone. That will eat up about half of what I got for the rifle.

Maybe I should have just kept the rifle, not gone to UPS, and not received a ticket.

At least he didn't get me doing 130 mph over the Tennessee River bridge on I-65 as I usually do.

Boomhauer · « **Reply #1 on:** October 05, 2011, 01:52:57 AM »

Quote

The cop gave me a warning for not having my insurance card with me, a ticket for not wearing a seat belt, and a ticket for 25 over in a construction zone. That will eat up about half of what I got for the rifle.

You are lucky you didn't get cited for not having proof of insurance, which is something that the cops in my area almost always ticket for. That would have eaten up the rest of your money from selling the rifle.

Monkeyleg · « **Reply #2 on:** October 05, 2011, 01:59:22 AM »

I had three insurance cards, the last one dated three months ago. The cop said he believed me when I said I had insurance.

I'll say this much: the cops down here are really nice and friendly compared to those in Wisconsin and elsewhere. He introduced himself, and was very cheerful. I thanked him for giving me the tickets.

mtnbkr · « **Reply #3 on:** October 05, 2011, 06:53:03 AM »

Quote from: Monkeyleg on October 05, 2011, 01:59:22 AM

I thanked him for giving me the tickets.

Polite, friendly cops have that effect on people. Welcome to the South.

Chris

roo_ster · « **Reply #4 on:** October 05, 2011, 07:25:27 AM »

Quote from: Monkeyleg on October 05, 2011, 01:59:22 AM

I had three insurance cards, the last one dated three months ago. The cop said he believed me when I said I had insurance.

I'll say this much: the cops down here are really nice and friendly compared to those in Wisconsin and elsewhere. He introduced himself, and was very cheerful. I thanked him for giving me the tickets.

Quote from: mtnbkr on October 05, 2011, 06:53:03 AM

Polite, friendly cops have that effect on people. Welcome to the South.

Chris

Yes, this. Being treated with a modicum of respect by a cop can be disconcerting if you have never had the experience.

The few times I have interacted with my town's cops and the next 'burb's cops have all been cordial on both sides.

MrsSmith · « **Reply #5 on:** October 05, 2011, 09:35:15 AM »

Maybe this is a testament to the fact that we all look and act like respectable citizens now rather than the hellions we were in our youth?

MechAg94 · « **Reply #6 on:** October 05, 2011, 10:24:26 AM »

Quote from: MrsSmith on October 05, 2011, 09:35:15 AM

Maybe this is a testament to the fact that we all look and act like respectable citizens now rather than the hellions we were in our youth?

Well, whatever I actually did, I never looked like a hellion on my youth. For some reason, adults usually liked me. I guess it was the "Yes Sir", "No Sir" stuff I was taught.

Monkeyleg · « **Reply #7 on:** October 05, 2011, 10:59:14 AM »

MechAg94, even when I was a hellion in my youth, and looked the part, I was unfailingly polite. I remember one business type who picked me up hitchhiking remarking about how articulate and polite I was. Maybe he was expecting me to swear like Tony Montana and foam at the mouth.

As for polite and friendly cops, it's just not something I've experienced. At best the ones I've encountered have been all business, no chat and no smiles. At worst they've been abusive, consumed with power, and often deserving of being sued. "Punishment with a smile" just seems so weird.

Balog · « **Reply #8 on:** October 05, 2011, 11:09:19 AM »

You routinely do 130, but weren't wearing a seatbelt?

Bit more risk than I'd be comfortable with myself...

Monkeyleg · « **Reply #9 on:** October 05, 2011, 02:02:47 PM »

Quote

You routinely do 130, but weren't wearing a seatbelt?

Not routinely. There's a bridge over the TN river on the interstate. When there's no traffic in front of me for at least a mile, I'll punch it until I'm up to 120 to 140 (which takes just a few seconds), then immediately back down to 70 to 80. There's no place for a squad to sit, the construction of the bridge makes it unlikely that a trooper in the lanes on the other side of the bridge could get a reading on me, I always check out the cars behind me before hitting the gas, so I just have to look for airplanes.

It's a straight line, so I don't see losing control as a possibility. As for seat belts, at that speed I don't think they'd help.

MechAg94 · « **Reply #10 on:** October 05, 2011, 02:14:20 PM »

Quote from: Monkeyleg on October 05, 2011, 01:59:22 AM

I had three insurance cards, the last one dated three months ago. The cop said he believed me when I said I had insurance.

I'll say this much: the cops down here are really nice and friendly compared to those in Wisconsin and elsewhere. He introduced himself, and was very cheerful. I thanked him for giving me the tickets.

Down here, they have your insurance status on the computer. You are still supposed to have the information, but can normally get it cut to an administrative fee if you have it.

I've had positive experiences with just about every officer I have come into contact with. However, I don't think I have ever been ticketed 25 MPH over. That might get me some dirty looks.

Hutch · « **Reply #11 on:** October 05, 2011, 03:16:00 PM »

'Leg, as a fellow 'Baman, and all 'round great guy, please PLEASE don't take this the wrong way. (I'll throw in a "Bless your heart") as well.

Not wearing a seatbelt while traveling in a car is astonishingly stupid. There is no excuse. I strenuously disagree with mandatory seatbelt LAWS. OTOH I can't imagine why someone with your gifts doesn't do this voluntarily. Each. And. Every. Time. At 30, or 130, seatbelt usage IMPROVES your chances. Rationalizing it away is just wrong. It's one of the supremely, "all upside" "no brainer" "don't even think about not doing it" things.

I was rear-ended at speed and rolled my Suburban, crossing the oncoming lanes of I-90 with my door handle dragging sparks. Rolled a few more times after that for good measure. And I'm still here.

<preach OFF>

Monkeyleg · « **Reply #12 on:** October 05, 2011, 05:51:28 PM »

Hutch, I know it makes sense, just like helmet laws. If the law wasn't mandatory, I'd probably wear a belt (in fact, I did so years ago before they made it mandatory).

Wisconsin wasn't a mandatory helmet state, but I wore a helmet about half the time I rode.

I still can't get over the friendliness of the cops down here, though. Last year, when I was having to go several times to the courthouse for driver's license, plates and other things you need when moving to a new place, I had to go through the metal detectors probably at least two dozen times. It got to where the deputies manning the detector started getting chatty, and we spent an hour once talking motorcycles, guns, concealed carry and everything else.

That just doesn't happen in Milwaukee, or anywhere else I've been, except for a trooper in New Mexico when I started asking about food and where to eat.

Scout26 · « **Reply #13 on:** October 05, 2011, 06:15:33 PM »

Hutch,

As I explained to the Dupage County Sheriff's Deputy when he pulled me over for not wearing my seatbelt, "I have terminal cancer, if I die from that my kids get $600,000. However, the policies have double indemnity clauses, so if I'm killed in a car accident, they get $1.2 million. You do the math."

It took him a second, but then he just walked back to the cruiser without giving me a ticket.

seeker_two · « **Reply #14 on:** October 05, 2011, 07:36:14 PM »

Quote from: MrsSmith on October 05, 2011, 09:35:15 AM

Maybe this is a testament to the fact that we all look and act like respectable citizens now rather than the hellions we were in our youth?

I was never a hellion.....I just chose my crimes wisely and never got caught.....

grampster · « **Reply #15 on:** October 05, 2011, 09:44:09 PM »

Dick,
I never routinely wore a seat belt. In 1976 my neighbor and I got rear ended on the freeway in Detroit coming home from a Pistons game. The trunk was in the back seat, the front end was pushed back nearly to the firewall, and our front seat's inch thick bolts holding the front seat back upright were sheared off.

The traffic was weird, people weaving and speeding. It was late at night. I said to Randy that we should buckle up as I was freaking at how the traffic was. It was only moments after we did that brake lights were going on all over the place. We got stopped ok, but 2 cars behind us were tagged by a milk truck traveling at 70 mph, those cars hit us and drove us into the the car in front.

I recall being thrown backward and then pitched forward and feeling the lap and chest belt restraining me. I blacked out for a moment or two. When I came to, I looked at Randy and he at me. All we could hear was steam and we couldn't see much because of the condition of the car and the fact we were almost prone because the seat back collapsed. We started laughing hysterically. Both of us wound up with sore necks, but luckily we both mostly healed up. I have a little trouble now and then, but stretching anti inflamatory drugs usually clear it up.

I am convinced I would have been pitched either out of the back of the car or through the windshield for sure. The other thing a seat belt does is allow you to remain mostly behind the wheel if you are the driver, not thrown out or away from the wheel. Secondary collisions kill and injure many folks. Staying behind the wheel because of the belt may allow some control after the initial strike...or the belt may allow you to take violent evasive moves by staying behind the wheel during the move.

I have always buckled up since. I could care less about the law. I do it for me and my family.

Northwoods · « **Reply #16 on:** October 05, 2011, 11:47:03 PM »

Not very many bodies have to be unbuckled.

Only times I don't buckle up is when I'm going from the mailbox to my house. Maybe a 1/4 mile and 20mph max.

Monkeyleg · « **Reply #17 on:** October 06, 2011, 12:06:32 AM »

I know, I know.

Funny thing was the cop said to me, "I'm a firm believer in seat belts."

I wanted to ask him, "Then why are cops exempt from having to wear them?"

Regolith · « **Reply #18 on:** October 06, 2011, 01:04:39 AM »

Quote from: scout26 on October 05, 2011, 06:15:33 PM

Hutch,

As I explained to the Dupage County Sheriff's Deputy when he pulled me over for not wearing my seatbelt, "I have terminal cancer, if I die from that my kids get $600,000. However, the policies have double indemnity clauses, so if I'm killed in a car accident, they get $1.2 million. You do the math."

It took him a second, but then he just walked back to the cruiser without giving me a ticket.

I looked up double indemnity on wiki because, not having messed around with insurance much, I didn't know what it meant. Wiki states they usually don't pay out double indemnity for accidental deaths that were ruled to be gross negligence. You may want to check and see if that's the case for yours and whether or not they'd consider not wearing a seat belt to be gross negligence.

geronimotwo · « **Reply #19 on:** October 06, 2011, 08:59:58 AM »

we are fortunate to have freindly officers as well. the last trooper who stopped me was a musician, and we were talking for some length before he gave me the ticket. in parting as i waived the ticket i said something like, "i'd like to say it was nice meeting ya, but.....". to which he gave a chuckle.

sorry to hear about your financial loss. hope you have good tires, 'cause a blowout causes problems at high speeds.

bedlamite · « **Reply #20 on:** October 06, 2011, 09:06:33 AM »

Now we know why you only get 12 mpg

Monkeyleg · « **Reply #21 on:** October 06, 2011, 09:59:19 AM »

Around town with the A/C on, it's 10 mpg.

On the interstate in 5th gear, driving sedately, it's 28.

As for the tires, they're still good. The thing that's unnerving is the hood flexing rapidly. If I were doing that sort of speed with any regularity, I'd get hood pins.

cordex · « **Reply #22 on:** October 06, 2011, 02:53:28 PM »

Quote from: Monkeyleg on October 06, 2011, 12:06:32 AM

Funny thing was the cop said to me, "I'm a firm believer in seat belts."

I wanted to ask him, "Then why are cops exempt from having to wear them?"

That's a good question. More importantly, why bother exempting cops? Very few will write up other cops anyway.

An anecdote: I ride along with a Deputy friend of mine a bit, and he always wears his belt.

MechAg94 · « **Reply #23 on:** October 06, 2011, 05:05:01 PM »

I didn't wear my belt when I first started driving so much, but once I got used to wearing it I feel weird not wearing it.

Monkeyleg · « **Reply #24 on:** October 06, 2011, 06:46:28 PM »

I can't remember the last time I saw a LEO wearing a seat belt. Maybe it was my neighbor across the street when he was off-duty.

News:

Author Topic: Maybe I should have just stayed home (and kept the rifle) (Read 5868 times)