ALFAGTV6.COM

[zambon]

So about a month ago I was driving home on my twisty country road, minding my own business. I was driving at a brisk pace, not too fast, right? As I exited a moderate s turn at the bottom of a hill, I saw a big crown vic heading toward me at a range of about 100 meters.
I didnt think too much of it, other than to wonder, "What the hell is the sherriff deputy doing on MY road?" As I approached him I noticed him veering toward the ditch. I thought, "What the hell is he doing? I am giving him plenty of room." As I passed him I saw him going into the ditch. Making a U turn! Until then it hadnt occured to me that he might actually try to chase. This is MY road (huberis).
At first I was indecisive. Should I speed up or wait for him to pull me over. Those guys do not like it when people run.
I decided that since I had not seen lights or heard any siren I was going to give him a run. I had a decision to make.
I was one mile from home and two miles from the family business, which is set on a large property.
I decided to go home. I chirped the tires as I braked before the left turn into my driveway. I was relieved to see an open garage around the corner. I bolted into the garage and locked up the brakes as I hit the garage door control. That Verde has not moved since.

I later went to the spot where the crown victoria made the U turn. There are some impressive rubber marks that will be there for a while. He really got on it! Good thing his car weighs as much as two Alfas .

The rest of the night my road was filthy with fuzz. One of them even trespassed onto the property of my family business. I thought that there would be no way that Wisconsin cops would be able to ID my car since they most likely have never even heard of an Alfa Romeo, but since they were sniffing around the business property they most likely saw the beat up Platinum that is parked at my workshop. If the deputy recognized that as the same model, he could run that model and find out that I am the owner of the only three Alfa Milanos in the County

In a small area like the one I live in, the cops have a small list of vehicles that they harrass, my grey verde is quite possibly on that list for now. Snow has arrived and I wouldnt be driving the car now anyway, I immagine that the heat will die down by spring.

I have decided that the reason that I was pulled over had little to do with my speed. The cop could not have gotten a radar on me in the two seconds before I passed him. I think that he saw my stock verde exit the corner and based on the body roll he saw, he assumed that I was driving recklessly. I have seen other oncomming drivers freak out at the sight of my Alfa "rolling" toward them
They see that body roll and think that the car is about to lose control, even though I am only going 40mph around a corner that the Alfa can take at 65.
This has me bummed because I have always bragged to others that my grey verde is almost invisible to the cops.
Thems the breaks, I guess.

[Greg Gordon]

I don't think you have anything to worry about. They may pull you over and ask questions next time they see you but there is no way they can make anything stick unless you admit to some wrong doing. You really didn't do anything wrong and when they start asking questions like were you driving on this road on such and such date simply answer "I don't recall"

[zambon]

Greg,
You are correct, they cant make anything stick. The only problem is if they are watching for me they will get me. I am always speeding. I try to keep my speed under control, but I rarely go less than 30 in a 25. One of the drawbacks of living in a small town: the police have nothing substantial to do except pick on their usual suspects. I want to stay off of that list. Should be easy to do when I am out of town for 6 months enjoying southern sun. (it is currently below zero farenheit here).

Has anyone else noticed other drivers freaking out when they see the body roll our cars exibit in cornering?

[hutchensgd]

Is it too simple to just go the speed limit or less so that you feel better?

[zambon]

I am paranoid because I have friends who have gotten wreckless driving and my favorite, "too fast for conditions" fines even when they are driving deliberately below the speed limit. They are on the list of favorite vehicles because of their rice type modifications (Coffee cans, tint, ect...) and also past redneck behavior.

Once the law starts looking for your car in this area, they will hang somthing on you. They dont have much real crime to dwell on. I am sure that it would be fine right now to drive the car again, but the roads are covered in snow and my Verdes dont see snow action.

I should also point out that I wasn't going more than five miles per hour over the limit when this incident occured.

In other news, the police is now out to get my 86 volvo station wagon. An aquaintance of mine was out terrorizing snowbanks in his 87 volvo 240 wagon after a recent snowstorm and was spotted by a concerned citizen. The concerned citizen started following him while talking on his phone to the Police. My friend tried stopping to see if the driver would keep on going, but the driver stopped his Denali right behind him.
The volvo ended up doing some off road action to avoid being questioned. (The 4wd denali did not follow).
Later my brother saw the police checking out his volvo wagon while it was parked on the street. The police ended up interviewing the offending driver later in the evening. He lied and said that his Volvo had been parked the whole time. Now I have to be very careful in my 86 wagon also.

[matt]

Geez Zambon this sounds like DUKES OF HAZARD country! cars going off road to get away, being chased by the cops, i just hope you're alfa doesn't have an 05 on the welded shut doors and the windows down all the time Yeeee Haaaaww
Surely the cops can't make anything stick unless they catch you first hand or clock you're speed, the rest would be a chat/warning.
I got away once after fanging through some twisty roads at one night and came behind a commodore, after 500m i took an exit and few minutes up the road was pulled over by the same car, it was an unmarked police car. They demanded i was speeding etc but i said i thought i was doing the speed limit 60kmh etc and that was it or so i thought. 6 months later on a rural road near home (back then) i was going up a fairly big hill quick and a cop car came round the corner opposite way and in that second you know you're GONE (i also thought i've got the speed and momentum up hill here to give it a go) and did cause he had to stop and do a u turn then accel up hill, anyway i'm off otherside on the down hill and twisties and the turn i need is still some distance up the road and dam! stuck behind another car (oh its gunna be close) turn came up which sloped down hill quite a bit so thought they'd blast past on the main road and not see me, i made a few more turns and then slowed down because i thought i was away and then they came round the corner flat out sirens etc just like a movie in my rear view mirror and i was busted. I was fined because they actually got my speed around that corner on the up hill! The previous incident was on their rocords. The old cop was pretty happy too stating he had every one of the V8 cylinders pumping to catch me, he must of had a boring day till then

Surely you'll be safe Zambon i'd be very surprised if you would be fined now.
Nothern Wisconsin Sounds like an exiting place to live
Good luck
Matt

ps This was all done when i was alot younger and should have known better etc etc

[zambon]

Great story Matt

It is true that they cant make anything stick. I am in the clear...for now
Northern Wisconsin is an exciting place to live (in a bad way). I need to go back to Mexico where these sorts of traffic violations can be resolved by buying the officer a half dozen beers

I have resolved that I am going to drive extra slow on the road for a while. To pacify my tendencies toward fast driving, I have made a circuit on my lake. I just drove around my bay a few times and kept following the same line. It is like an autocross. I am going to see if I can find some cones. I can go out there for ten minutes per day and be pacified. It should keep me out of trouble.

[junglejustice]

Posting about these activities on the web is also (probably) not the best idea....