I probably wouldn't believe this if it hadn't happened to me. But then I never would have thought I'd ever be "sidelined" by "The Mouse that roared" last spring either.
I was driving North today on I-77 about 1/2 way between the Canton Airport and Rt 224, in the middle of a pack of about a dozen cars all doing 70 in a 65 mph zone.
Up ahead everybody started hitting their brakes when they realized there was a Sheriffs car parked in the median running radar. While everybody slowed down to about 55 mph, I just signaled and moved over into the passing lane and kept on going at 70 without ever kicking my cruise control off. As I went by the Cop sitting in his little Ford 500, he swiveled his head as though I gave him a single digit salute.
Well, about 10 seconds later I see him pull out, and sure enough he lights em up as soon as he catches up to me.
Now I travel this stretch of road about 3 or 4 time daily, and go thru OHP speed traps all the time at 70 and they never even blink, so I figured this "Barney Fife" had a vendetta, or a quota.
So when the Deputy walks up to my window (he's about 1/2 my age) he says, "you're probably wondering why I stopped you?" I said as a matter of fact I was curious.
He said I noticed that you were travelling 70 mph with no wing deployed, so it must be malfunctioning. My jaw must have dropped into my lap for a few seconds, then I looked up at him and defiantly responded with the only thing I could think of at the time and said "SO WHAT?"
That's when he said I shouldn't be driving so fast if my wing isn't operating properly, it's needed to help stablize the car at any speed above 62 mph.
Now I'm thinking this wise a$$ must have just finished an old magazine road test of the Crossfire, and just wanted to impress me with his vast knowledge on the subject. Or he owns a Crossfire. So I told him my car had a switch to turn the spoiler off if I didn't want to drive with it up. He said, No, your car has a switch to raise your spoiler, not to keep it down.
Now this guy is starting to scare me, but I stay cool, and show him the switch that I installed, and he says it's against the law to disable a "safety device". That's when I come back and said, A Federally mandated safety device, but not something the manufactures installs just to cover their butts. He then tells me that it must be important or they wouldn't install an alarm to notify you when it's not working, and I reply the alarm only sounds if you're going over 90 mph.
That's when he snaps back with, "Oh, and should I assume that you drive your car at those speeds often?" And I said every chance I get when I'm on the track.
Only then does he ask for my license and registration, and when I hand it to him he reads my name and asks if I'm related to his boss, (my cousin is 2nd. in command of the Summit County Sheriffs Department) and I said yes, he's my favorite cousin.
He hands me my license back and tells me he isn't going to cite me, (as if he's doing me a favor) but I really shouldn't be driving that fast with my wing down according to Chrysler. That's when I ask him how in the hell does he know so much about the Crossfire?
He says his girlfriend has a roadster, and he had the chance to read the owners manual all the way thru yesterday, sitting in the car while she was in a shoe store. I said that explained allot.
It's a good thing he didn't know I disconnected the anti locks and the ESP too, he'd probably tow the car. Oh, and he never said a thing about me not having a front plate.

 

Now that's a story

 

Wonder what would of happened if you were in an SRT and your wing was permanently deployed??????

 

I suppose the whole incident never would have happened.

 

OMG....I Love it!!!!!!!

That's just too funny. I can almost picture you looking at this guy and going ....."So what?????"


There must be something in the air.....I was at a favorite intersection today ( you all know the type....the left lane goes through, while the right lane ends in 200 feet!) when lo and behold, a boy-in-blue pulls up in the right (cut-off) lane right next to me. Long story short.....light turns green, the Crown Vic' has nothing for the first 2 gears of the Crossfire! I'd have let him go if it weren't for the fact that he pulled out from 2 cars back just to get ahead and cut off traffic.

He thought he was going to intimidate me into speeding......LOL, I let him ride my **** for 4 miles to the town limit. I've been around long enough to know better.

 

good story.

 

great story all that and he didn't realize you have the best crossfire hood in america.

 

Thanks Cruzinquick, but he never noticed that I didn't have a front plate either. Besides, he was being too much of a di*k to be passing out compliments.
I could kick myself for not getting his name, because I think the whole thing boarders on harasment.
I'm not one to go running to my cousin over anything, but I think he might like to know that some of his deputies are wasting their time on frivolous traffic stops.
I think he just got pissed off at me for not slowing down in "fear" like everybody else did when I passed him. That, and the fact I was driving a sports car, so naturally I deserved to be pulled over and taken down a peg.

 

Good thing he didn't see your hood! You would still be listening to him.

 

I think he was just bored and thought he could stick it to you cause he had read the owners manual. And what's the point of a sports car that can't function without a wing at 70 some mph ?

 

I wonder how many cars went by at 80 mph full of drugs in the trunk while Barney had you pulled over. I will rest better knowing that he has everything under control and has time to chat about your wing.

I would be tempted to write a letter to his supervisor, he might be interested in how Barney spends his time on the job.

 

Nothing like a smarta$$ed Sheriff's Deputy half your frinkin age !!!

Just my Dos Centavos

 

Sounds like he was bored and wanted to check out your Xfire. Any time you get pulled over and don't get a ticket I say add one to the W column

 

Pretty funny story there.

 

+1, agreed.


Although my records stands at:
Cops: 4 (all before I was 18, none in the last 5 years *knock on wood*)
Matt: 0

 

I don't think I would write the letter, could save you another ticket if you don't.

 

Scary story.

Sometimes I wonder if the cops could just have a conversation instead of trying to "outsmart" us. As if we care??

 

Good one Mike!
Pat

 

I think that Barney was upset with his grilfriend for not letting him drive the Crossfire and was taking it out on you.

 

What, you've got to get better at talking to these guys. The first 11 times I was pulled over (not alwasy for speeding) I received no citations. I've still never received a speeding ticket but I do have 2 improper lane travel tickets from many years ago.

If you can't hear it from where you are, I am knocking on some wood.