Well, I just about got my first ticket in the L Last fri. night...

Went to see Fantasia 2k at the new IMAX on I-10 and Silber in Houston. Great place by the way... some kind of Entertainment Mall?

Anyway, on the way out, I decided to try a powerbrake in the parking lot. What the hell? It was 11:30, and why would a cop be around anyway?.... Yeah, I know... I was a powerbrake virgin. Had to show off for my "LightningChick". Smoke was everywhere!!! I fishtailed after letting off the brake, and the truck slid sideways for about 10 feet!

I was way out in the lot by myself, so it was actually pretty safe... I then started looking for the exit...

OH GREAT! A cop pulls around the corner of the lot... I can't find my way out... the lot is still under construction, and I hit a dead end...

HOW EMBARRASSING! I'm showing off, and now I think I might get a ticket... Can he give me a ticket in a private lot? LC looks thru the glovebox for my insurance, while I show the cop my license. LC finds the insurance, and the cop says HEY! What's that? OH BOY! I had put my pipe tobacco in a plastic baggy in the glovebox earlier.... Thank god he didn't get too horsey!

He went back to his car after getting my license. When I finally found the insurance card, I carry it back to him. (I had gotten out of the L b4 he asked for my license.) While running a priors check, he asked what kind of engine was "in that thing". I told him "5.4 supercharged from the factory". He said "REALLY NICE TRUCK".... I asked if he preferred me to wait at the truck, or there beside his car... He said "As long as you don't shoot me, you can stay here... looks like you are clear". He told me not to be racing, or there would be hell to pay. I told him that usually I'm very safe, and don't race.

He said.. soooo, you just had to burn them up this ONE time in THIS parking lot...

Well, I told him that I had just joined a sports car club, and that they use parking lots for autocrosses, rallys, etc. I figured that being in a parking lot, the foul would be negligible... He said, "yeah, but you don't OWN this lot..."

He said to have a good night, and to take good care of that Lightning. All in all he was pretty cool about it...

Could he have given me a ticket in a parking lot?

 

I think if the owners of the lot had asked the police to patrol the lot then they can do it, since it was requested for them to do it.

 

Things are probably different there, but when I was a motorcycle cop in California, I was not authorized to write citations on private property. For example (at least in those days), if I witnessed someone running a stop sign in a mall parking lot, I was not authorized to write a ticket.

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Sandy (Spider) Scott
Skydive69@msn.com
Apopka, Florida
99 White Lightning #2091 DOB 6-8-99
Airaid air box & Superchip
Honda Valkyrie - 2 Bros exhaust - K&N filter -Corbin Seat (after 30 yrs. of Harley riding)



[This message has been edited by skydive69 (edited 02-23-2000).]

 

Could have wrote you up for disturbing the peace, or hauled you in for public newsence. Good idea, keeping your cool.
They don't have movies in Bryan? You drive a long way to impress a date! Hope the movie was worth it.

 

Texas traffic law does not allow for the issuance of citations of private property. However, many cities have ordinances which can be enforced on private property, so depending on Houston's ordinances, you may have been citeable. Sounds like he was reasonable, and liked your L.

 

Sounds to me you got real lucky! The cop was either really passive or kind of a hp junky himself.

 

In most states, as in California, there is a difference between "private property" and "private property - open to the public" and what is referred to as an "off-street parking facility."

If the property is not usually open to public passage, or passage is only allowed by expressed permission, then it is classified as private property. However, if you are in a parking lot, such as a K-Mart, WalMart, etc. you can be cited for most moving violations, although I've never seen anyone cited for simple infractional violations. But, if you drive recklessly, or without a license, etc. and an officer observes such actions, he can cite - and in California he can arrest and tow the vehicle........yipes, now that's no fun............

 

Mark is correct about one of the benefits of being a cop. We had 5 motorcycle officers on our force, and I had the fastest. I know - we used to regularly drag race!



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Sandy (Spider) Scott
Skydive69@msn.com
Apopka, Florida
99 White Lightning #2091 DOB 6-8-99
Airaid air box & Superchip
Honda Valkyrie - 2 Bros exhaust - K&N filter -Corbin Seat (after 30 yrs. of Harley riding)

 

Well,
at least you didn't have the cop Jared and I had here hehe 12 points for standing on the road where he suspected there was racing with our trucks parked on private land lol
Loves
CA

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Christy Ann
99WhiteLightningSVTGirl
RookzRook@aol.com
WhiteLightninSVT@aol.com
Have you ever seen an Angel riding a Lightning bolt~
1999.5 White SVT Lightning
3568 out of 4000, August 13, 1999
763 out of 866 white
NLOC #398
GirlSpeedRacing Denver Chapter
Denver Rec Truck Tags *I8URCHV*

 

I'm not real sure of the location, although I know it happened somewhere here in California (perhaps some of the other California members can help out) There was a police action involving an organized street race where well over 100 people were arrested, their cars cited for illegal modifications, and many of the cars were towed and impounded. The police waited until the usual participants gathered and began racing. They then moved in, surrounded the crowd and began hooking and booking. For some reason I can't rememeber where this happended, but I know it was in mid-1999. I'll have to do some research and report back. Anyway, it goes to show you that at least here in sunny California the police are beginning to take the fun out of it.........By the way, the majority of the cars involved in the racing were rice burners. Not too many actual "muscle cars/trucks".

 

I've been let go for speeding twice here in So.Cal, both times the cops commented on how they liked my truck.

I have however gotten 2 tickets within 1 month in my Mustang daily driver, both times were BS.

Mike

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99.5 Black Lightning
PowerSurge Cone Filter
JBA Jet-Hot coated headers
Flowmaster muffler
So-Cal Lowering Kit; Cal-Tracs traction bars
Watter Wetter
Lo-Jack

 

Hey Brimstone, do remember reading the news stories concerning the street racing incident I mentioned earlier? I thought it was down in your area, but I could be mistaken. I know street racing riceburners is really hot in San Jose, maybe it was up that direction.

 

As an ex-cop, I think this question has a lot to do with "Officer descretion".
As others have stated, generally private property is not an area where a police officer can issue a citation unless there is a complaint.
In my shopping center, I have perhaps 3 times called 911 when some drunk is crossing the line (whe have 3 bars in the center) and really getting dangerous. But.....I have to sign a complaint as a citizen before the officers will issue a cite. In fact, in all cases, the driver made the grade as a DUI and my necessity to make a complaint was waived.
So, I guess, if you want to do burnouts in a shopping center, be real, real sober and you will probably get away with a warning.

 

Hey Bill, now that's good advice. I always liked the flexibility which came with "officer discretion", but I can honestly say I never gave a break to a drunk driver. Never. You drink - and drive and you sorely deserve whatever law enforcement can throw at you. I remember one case where we pursued a drunk driver to his home where he actually pulled into his garage and then tried to close the garage door. My graveyard partner managed to get the front of his unit under the door before it could close. Needless to say, the driver went to jail, and his car was towed right from his own garage. Sorry, I have no sympathy for drunk drivers....Now burn-out freaks, okay, hell I do that myself sometimes...In fact, my current wallpaper screen picture is a copy of a black Lightning doing the burn-out deed ! (Wyldman, I think)

 

Thanks Mark, The Wyld Burn, as it has been dubbed, was a blast! And I didn't even have to speak to the gendarmes about it (even I get lucky once in a while).

------------------
Chuck 'Wyldman' Shelton
wyldman@houston.rr.com
Black 99.5 Lightning Build # 1273, DOB 5-14-99, NLOC #315
Best run to date 12.857 @103.48
CD Changer; Tow Pkg.; Lojack; Sal's custom nitrous chip; G-Tech/Pro; SnugLid; BedRug; Invinca-Shield, full kit; NOS KIT 100 hp shot (currently); Clear and smoke Lexan fog light covers; 3M Ti Window Tint; Bel radar detector (shouldn't be an accessory); PowerStack cone filter (a.k.a. supercharger waker upper); American Auto Designs ram air hood; Cal-Tracs traction bars; Bassani headers;Goodrich T/A Drag Radials; Muth Signal Mirrors, Recieved today (2-22) Thanks Roger!