Funny thought. I do not think "bagging and hooding" a camera is actually illegal. Technically no damage has occcured and it is not disabled but simply hobbled by line of site. Heck the wind could have blown a trash bag over it? Just make sure you come up behind the cam not in front of it (doh)

Don't get mad - get even !!!!!

I read the article about the park area cams yesterday. I loved the part about citizens getting back and showing how government employee's werent obeying the law either.

Another thing. Red light and Intersection cams ARE revenue generators. They are also the easiest to fight. The law states you have a right to face your accuser. Obviously they are not going to haul the device into court. But IF they send someone it is usually whom ever reviews the video feed. This could be an officer say a Ranger, CHP, Sheriff, Police, county or city employee etc. Since they actually did not witness the actual act at the moment it occured they are considered "OPINION" only. I have never heard of any camera monitoring firm sending their own witness to date. Most courts and judges do not care for "unwitnessed" opinion especially if the reviewer is an employee of the equipment company because it looks like a conflict of interest. On the other hand they might have a traffic officer "act" as a witness on behalf of the city where the alledged act occured and these should still be fought. Most of the time no one shows up on these or if any of the photo evidence is questionable it will be dismissed. Unless you are caught on film robbing a bank Traffic Cams tickets should always be fought. Always request an appearance with the issuing officer present.

Fight back! Resistance is not futile!

Don't get mad- get even!!!!!:D

That is correct. They have no way to prove that you were driving without a head shot.


I beg to differ. You can ask for a TBD (Trial by Declaration) and just mail in your statement. The officer then has to respond in a written statement, which doesn't always happen. Even if he responds and the court judges against you, you can get another trial and try it again.

Nope, it's not futile. I just got a ticket dismissed for a "Red Robin" incident (Following an emergency vehicle too close during a traffic break situation on the 2 FWY). The cop read me the riot act and wrote me for following him within 300 feet. I mentioned in my declaration that the officer was 3 lanes over from me when I stopped and that he was away from his parked scooter, so how could I be following a parked vehicle? They probably never read my statement and the officer likely never responded. Either way, if the statistics end up showing how futile certain money generating strategies backfire, then maybe some of these tactics will be abandoned. Never give up.

Now a note on the retired hot rodders that you mentioned. Sure why not? They have the time to treat citations as a hobby and can tie up the court's resources indefinitely ad infinitum. These are the guys who meet at Starbucks in Montrose every Saturday morning. God bless them. We will take their place once they are gone.

Great reply Pat,
I respect your "differ" and you are correct in adding that option.

I received my first ticket on Van Nuys Blvd the day I got my drivers license at 16 years old. That experienced hardened me. My skin became thicker. After all dragging Mom into Court with me because it was mandatory that a parent or guardian be present was more humiliating than to face the Honorable Judge Lyle D. Tice known as the hanging Judge of Van Nuys Juvenile Traffic Court. Never again if I could help it.

I received my first radar ticket on Mulholland back when they still used tuning forks to calibrate radar guns. I was uptight over it and yes I was guilty. An in-law who is an attorney advised me he can fight it for $150 an hour, I pay the fine or I can go out and get the book "FIGHT YOUR TICKET" written by attorney David Brown which was highly recommended. This old paperback is 27 years old now and I still have it today. A bit dated but still great solid guideline's to follow. Its principles and strategies are still sound today. I have seen a more recent edition but knock on wood it has not been needed in a long, long time.

The law is designed to work in our favor IF you know what to do. Chapter 1 is titled "The Ticket Business" and yes it is for any municipality. Remember the first basic premise innocent until proven guilty. Even with such nuisance things as speeding blah, blah blah the system can be challenged and beaten. Our time is valuable and that is one part of the system that is made to work against us. The other is the intimidation factor. It’s easy to stuff a courtesy notice envelope with a check and say oh well I am going to take it in the behind and forget it. When you get your next insurance bill you will be reminded of the caving in and most likely pay even more for some time.

If you are bored, find a cause and pick a fight I say. It take's some courage to walk into court and say not me, not today while staring down the peace officer across from you. It is also our right. It feels good too. By the way now they are now referred as Law Enforcement Officers. (What changed by the way)? If you research the law and facts against you you will see the holes in your favor. Burden of proof!


Formerly in the auto repair industry for 16 long years and now 9 years long on the insurance side I have a broad knowledge on how insurance companies rate risk. Underwriters look at your age, married or single and what you drive plus: (make, model, cylinders, doors, performance rating and yes traffic conviction points) to develop a risk profile. A $250 ticket if convicted (paid fine) will cost you on average depending on your carrier $1250 over 3 years on top of the ticket if you already have a 1 or 2 point conviction on your MVR. If you have consistent multiple points over 3-5-7 years you are considered very high risk and the underwriting risk triples and more. Then you have to deal with the DMV if you hit 4 points. This does not include at fault accidents and comprehensive risk which add's to the equation (Exotic and Performance cars are rated high risk of vandalism, theft and collision loss cost) unless you are under 6000 miles a year.


Yes I have been not so innocent and paid for it but at the same time I have paid for traffic stuff issues I was not guilty of. Some clearly were based on what I was driving not what I was doing. It’s about odds and the gamble. Learn the system and fight it. Everyday the system seems to be taking away more and more of our cheese.

This is not legal advice and I do not condone breaking the law but sometimes you have to take your cheese back. Knowledge is power.


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Jeff, hearing about your first tickets brought back the memories.
I got my first ticket across from the Bel Air Pres. Church on Mulholland east of the 405. It was 1966. I was cited for driving my unlicenced minibike on Mulholland in an unsafe manner. Jeez, I was only 11 years old, give a kid a break will ya?

My second ticket was for speeding in reverse on the wrong side of the street, at night. This was in front of University High School in WLA. I had just finished replacing my ring and Pinion in my 850 Fiat Abarth in auto shop and wanted to test it in reverse. I was attending the adult auto shop school at night helping my shop teacher. I had auto shop during the day but hung out at night to learn more. The Cop was pissed off that I was roaring down the street in the dark in reverse, go figure. Soon thereafter I got a grunt job at the Porsche Clinic in Santa Monica cleaning engine parts, floors and more fun stuff. I was 16 years old at the time.

After that point, I was introduced to some real crazy maniacs at the Porsche Clinic. Some names you might recognize, like Peter Haack, Thoren Donnely, Otis Chandler, Rudy Gast, Rudy Klien, and a host of others. Their influence acted on me to encourage me to drive like they did. I was on my way to Maniac-dom. It's been a fun ride ever since.

Along the way I got tickets for doing various crazy stuff like driving my car off a cliff on purpose, going 95 in a 35 zone(no arrest-I was after all stopping for the stop signs), and one particular cite I remember for evasion of Police siren and pursuit with exhibition of speed combined with reckless. The cop lost me but finally found me at my house. Neighbors directed him to my residence, I guess they were tired of me going 60mph up our little street. And the cop didn't arrest me? That wouldn't happen today. I hired Steve Lerman(before he was Rodney King's Lawyer) to defend me. I had to pay a $150 fine but no jail time. Those were the days.....God I miss 'em.

That book looks cool Jeff.

Radu is busy tonight, so I'm posting the first "out and about on the streets of Los Angeles" pics. There's also a new thread here:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/357248-radus-gt2-streets-los-angeles.html


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All right Radu!
See I was right two weeks? Bummer about the throttle disconnect. First time out on the streets in a barely legal car we all know how it is. You will get it sorted out.

Just a thought. Your heater is the oil tank so why not run a 2 inch tube from the top of oil tank to the bottom inside of the dash air duct and presto a defroster!

By the way I have the answer to the roof mounted running lamp we couldn't figure out. It actually has many uses.

In European racing it was used for safety and identification. For nightime racing it was used to illuminate the roof number on the car. It is also used as a signal device if radios are not permitted between the pit crew and driver. Clear, amber, and red are known to be used.

In North American racing it is also used to illuminate the roof number placard for endurance races. I thought this was odd until it was explained try reading the door number when the car is on a high bank track at night? It has other significance but no one is really clear so maybe its just the cool factor. Makes sense.

Glad to see your car on the road finally. I know you are excited.
What are you doing at about 830pm one night this week? Bring it and show us the goods.

Derek you need to come too!

Radu, your car looks great. Congratulations on getting a fine Porsche race car ready for the street. I am looking forward to hearing and seeing your car run to redline on Mulholland.

I have already run with Radu on Mulholland (with him driving his other Porsche) and he is a very talented driver. Not only is he committed to hanging it out, he has the necessary "BIG BALLS" to do the crazy stuff. He proved that to me one Sunday afternoon on Mulholland while following some death-wish maniac. I was and still am most impressed by his driving expertise.

Radu dosn't need this advice but for most others, anybody with a new very powerfull car please be careful in the beginning. Until you get used to having tons of horsepower, use it with decretion, a car can get away from you very easily if you are not used to throttle steer, extreme oversteer, and the like. Watch out for unexpected wheelspin.

Again best regards on getting a beautiful car Radu.

After looking at that beautiful 911 that Radu is now driving on the street, I again reminded myself how lovely are the creations of Dr. Porsche. He was a true mechanical genius. He designed the first VW Beetle in the 30's. Soon thereafter he designed Transporters, Vans, Tanks, and much more. Later came cars to bear his name like the RSK Spyder, 356 series, 912 series, and the 911 series. Of course we all admire the racing cars like the 904's, 906's, 908's, 911's, and 917's just to name a few.

Most of us here probably feel the same love of all the Porsche cars and the man who created them.

For those of you who feel the same way about VWs and Porsches; you may have seen this video before but just in case it's too funny not to post the link. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8dl4faCpJE

LOL!!!!!!!!

"Just get me another Beetle.'

Hahahahaha!

Going way OT here, but HOLY CRAP!!!

<embed src="http://www.metacafe.com/fplayer/327617/gt_race_in_the_rain_becomes_a_disaster_zone.swf" width="400" height="345" wmode="transparent" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed><br><font size = 1><a href="http://www.metacafe.com/watch/327617/gt_race_in_the_rain_becomes_a_disaster_zone/">GT Race In The Rain Becomes A Disaster Zone</a> - <a href='http://www.metacafe.com/'>Click here for more blooper videos</a></font>

How did I miss this! I didn't realize Derek posted the pics here.
Thanks guys! I love it, and in the same time it scares me. Gotta get used to the new driving position. Chris, thanks again for your help on Sunday!

Jeff, Let me know when you want to see it. Tonight will be good for me. I might take it in for some minor adjustments tomorow.

I live on Mul - can see Chris B's octagon house from mine. Didn't run here back in the day, but you can still go fast here if you want to, late. Is it still hairy? I actually totalled an almost brand new 360 Ferrari at 2 am about seven months ago about 200 yards west of deadman's. Had the traction control off and ran out of talent as they say. Luckily I had enough cash to bribe the neighbors and get the car towed home before the cops got there.

I've had over 100 club races, and about 15 pro races as a "gentleman driver" - got lucky and won first place overall at the Grand Am Cup race at Laguna last year. Never even hurt a car in a Grand Am race (Fontana, Laguna, Mid Ohio, Lime Rock, Barber, Daytona 24, Phoenix, Trois Riv, Miller, etc.) but I couldn't handle Mul, I guess. . . Mul can be hairy.

Have a lot of friends from the club scene - including Dave B. I have the unique distinction of being, I think, the only Porsche owner to actually be expelled from the Porsche Owners Club - not just from the racing part, but from the actual club!!! Something about cursing out the Board of Directors. . .

Hope to see you all on Thursday night at Truckstop - put some faces to names. Don't throw me out till you get to know me! (Then throw me out. . .!)

Is that Steve with the Polka Dot racing?

Yup, it's Polka Dot Steve here!

Isn't Barber just one of the neatest facilities ever built? If it weren't for the asphalt, you'd swear that you were at a country club.

Barber is terrific - the owner (a large dairy owner) originally thought he would build a personal test track for his world class collection of motorcycles and cars. Instead, he built a world class $100 million facility with an incredible museum, landscaping, art, etc.

He even has cloned trees so that they will be identical and grow to the same height.

The entry road is better paved and graded than the racing surface of some US race tracks I have been on.

He used NEW tires for his tire walls on the track, so they would be symetrical.

It is also a terrific road course to race on - with a great rhythm. It is tight, but not too tight, very technical and favors great handling cars like Porsches. The environment is so beautiful that even in the race car, it makes you feel good.

A great place to race, or visit.

- Steve

Anyone who manages to gets thrown out of the Porsche club probably belongs on Mulholland.

This week we will be meeting tonight, Wednesday at 8:00 pm. at Truckstop on Mulholland. All Pelicans are welcome. Radu might get his Racecar back from TRE in time to have it tonight. Jeff Hail is always there on meeting nights. SteveB on Mul, lfot, name is bauer, Slodave, porcupine, Kevin, Pat, Mark, Dave, and the rest, hope to see you this evening. It should be warm and pleasant. :cool:

I might actuall make it tonight.

yeah me too.

Bummer - I could have probably made it tomorrow night for once, but not tonight.

Have fun guys.

David