Getting Away with Murder

[Brobrian]

I know this won't go far on our staid forum, but here goes. Let me know if you experience this.
I can get away with murder while driving my A's! Over the past 20+ years I've learned that cops, and the public are amazingly tolerant of breaches in etiquette, and even outright law-breaking while I'm driving my A's.
For years the brakes on my coupe were atrocious in the wet. It seemed like the car sped up when I applied the brakes after splashing through a creek or deep puddle. I referred to the car as a bobsled. Anyway, many stop signs were run in the process, and a few lights as well. All I had to do was ahoogah (if the horn worked) and shrug. People would just smile and make a hole.
The cops don't chase me like they do on my Harleys, they just let me slide on through. I've made direct eye contact with a number of cops after a blatant violation and never been ticketed. The number of things I get away with is truly staggering. One head light, no turn signal (hand or otherwise), no stop, slow in traffic, overload, not covering a load, no tail light, ... I love it.
I know, I see the responsibility for public safety I bare as well. I shouldn't run stop signs etc. But damn, it's like I'm a congressman or something.

[Napa Skip]

(Shhhh)

[1928Pickuppain]

Hahaha so so true ill get off the highway in the morning the traffic from the exit will be backed up 1/4 mile ill drive on the grass next to the curb on the side of the off ramp and then cut across, drive right over the island and cut the whole lot off modern car drivers off the same cop is always sitting down there just toots his horn must think its hysterical or something. i get away with everything the only times i ever get pulled over is for them to A) take a look (B) tell me my license plate and tail light is dragging behind me or in one case i was going 50 in a 30 blew though a red light had no brake lights no inspection sticker a my rear plate covered up in the back by the rear bumper and no plate in the front (oh and a kid with a dead pig in the back ) haha we were picking up a pig for a pig roast, my other buddy was in the cab with me. mind you were all eating dunkins and stoned off our asses. and the cops could tell. he said he wouldn't give us any tickets if we could fit the 3rd guy in the front with us cuz it was unsafe to have someone in the bed. we said sure stuck him in the front (really cramped in a RPU) we also propped the dead pig up on the real of the bed and stuck a cigar in the poor creators mouth and sped away cracking up... any time iv ever gotten stopped they have never even asked for a license or registration. Iv also had cops hit there lights quick at red lights so it could turn green so i could keep heading though.

[700rpm]

I hope your life insurance is current.

[Brobrian]

Oh yeah, that's right. A CHP told me when I was getting my new VIN that my grandson could not legally ride in the A's until he was old enough not to need a booster seat. Haven't been pulled over for that yet. But then again they usually only tack that on to whatever other violations they list. Happily, Noah is okay with being an outlaw with Papa.

[700rpm]

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Originally Posted by Brobrian

Oh yeah, that's right. A CHP told me when I was getting my new VIN that my grandson could not legally ride in the A's until he was old enough not to need a booster seat. Haven't been pulled over for that yet. But then again they usually only tack that on to whatever other violations they list. Happily, Noah is okay with being an outlaw with Papa.

You apparently think flaunting basic traffic safety laws is funny. I think you are being reckless and foolish. You are endangering your grandson and others, and your scofflaw attitude regarding your imagined special rights because you have a vintage car risks provoking punitive and restrictive legislative action against the hobby for perceived safety concerns. Time to grow up.

[Fordors]

The Forum has now reached a low I thought impossible. Staid? No, just respectful of laws and others, especially little children. Do the parents know of your attitude? Stoned behind the wheel? The cop that gave you a pass is nothing more than a jack off. There is a time and place for everything, but behind the wheel stoned sure isn't good for anybody. But hey, those laws don't pertain to you guys right?

[buzz]

I grown up around model A's i use ride standing up hanging to the belt rail or deep down into rumble seat with the lid almost shut to keep out of the rain
that was the early 70's now i be put in jail if i did this to my kids
i put in seat belts so my daughter can ride with me in her car seat
i been pulled over alot in my model T but never in my A mostly the coppers wanted to make sure i owned the car being a young lad but i have always done my best follow the rules of the road and laws one must follow so my daughter downt have to say look what i live though to telling her lifes story

[Greg Jones]

For God's sake get your car safe. Get good brakes, ESPECIALLY if you are carrying your kids or grandkids. Rolling through red lights, ugh...your luck WILL end at some point. I was in a Model A wreck with a roadster, got thrown from the car, and am lucky to be here talking about it. Damn lucky. Please, please excercise extreme caution out there-it is just a matter of time before you connect with someone who is driving a modern rig with the same attitude...

[mccsix]

Long live STAID!

[Napa Skip]

One thing’s for sure – you ride in modern automobiles but you have to drive a Model A. When I venture out in my 2000 Volvo S-40 or 2011 Ford Ranger, I’m surrounded by more air-bags, passive restraint systems, engineered collision-resistant steel bodies and highly capable traction and braking systems than I can count. But driving a Model A for roughly 37 year (including a few years as a daily driver in two metropolitan areas) brings new definition to “defensive driving.”

[MrTube]

In my opinion being stoned and the lack of a booster seat is moot. Drinking and driving I am against 100%. I also don't care about a model A not having seat belts, but having them is of course a benefit.

That said, I am not impressed about brakes not being up to par or a horn not working. If a vehicles brakes AND parking / emergency brake are not working properly ALL OF THE TIME or the horn doesn't work the vehicle is unfit for a public road.

Running stop signs as long as you have a clear view on back streets is fine in my opinion, but my opinion doesn't count in a court of law so I recommend you STOP. Running stop lights is never acceptable even in my opinion.

Once again, if your vehicle cannot perform a satisfactory panic stop then it doesn't belong on the road. Stopping for a traffic should never be a panic stop, so not even being able to do a predicted stop is pretty sad.

[Logan]

I dont think BroBrian made this thread because he thought it was the cool thing to do to be breaking the law or "putting kids in danger". If you read his post you can see he said "for years his brakes in the coupe WERE atrocious in the wet"... This leads me to believe they are no longer as bad as they were, and besides that anyone who has ever driven their A in the rain or threw water should know that the model a brakes SUCK when they get water inside the drums. It's just the nature of the beast i guess when driving model a's and not always keeping them in the garage for fair weather days.

As far as i go, i grew up around A's and anybody that has will admit to doing some reckless shit. Its part of growing up, and realizing how stupid the thing you use to do were. I drove a year one time with no brake lights, i even attended the 2008 world meet without any brake lights. Everytime i would stop i would either turn on my hazards threw my turn signal, or flip on my cowl lights so my running light would come on in the tail light housing. It wasnt that i didnt try to fix my lights, we just couldnt get a switch that worked with our brake set up. (hydraulic brakes) Ive been pulled over before by a state trooper, and he gave me a B.S. warning ticket for doing a U-turn in an intersection in the middle of nowhere. I think he was just looking for a reason to pull me over and look at the car. I've done a lot more stupid things that i will not admit on the forum as i do not want to get tore up from complete strangers, but i can honestly say that i dont know if anyone else has had more fun in their A's as my brother and I have over the past 19 years of our lives and part of the fun is breaking the rules. You only live once, so make the most of it and break the rules every now and then... it makes life interesting

[MrTube]

Originally Posted by Logan

I dont think BroBrian made this thread because he thought it was the cool thing to do to be breaking the law or "putting kids in danger". If you read his post you can see he said "for years his brakes in the coupe WERE atrocious in the wet"... This leads me to believe they are no longer as bad as they were, and besides that anyone who has ever driven their A in the rain or threw water should know that the model a brakes SUCK when they get water inside the drums. It's just the nature of the beast i guess when driving model a's and not always keeping them in the garage for fair weather days.

As far as i go, i grew up around A's and anybody that has will admit to doing some reckless shit. Its part of growing up, and realizing how stupid the thing you use to do were. I drove a year one time with no brake lights, i even attended the 2008 world meet without any brake lights. Everytime i would stop i would either turn on my hazards threw my turn signal, or flip on my cowl lights so my running light would come on in the tail light housing. It wasnt that i didnt try to fix my lights, we just couldnt get a switch that worked with our brake set up. (hydraulic brakes) Ive been pulled over before by a state trooper, and he gave me a B.S. warning ticket for doing a U-turn in an intersection in the middle of nowhere. I think he was just looking for a reason to pull me over and look at the car. I've done a lot more stupid things that i will not admit on the forum as i do not want to get tore up from complete strangers, but i can honestly say that i dont know if anyone else has had more fun in their A's as my brother and I have over the past 19 years of our lives and part of the fun is breaking the rules. You only live once, so make the most of it and break the rules every now and then... it makes life interesting

The nature of drum brakes is to work terrible when wet. This is why after going through a puddle or even during a bad storm you occasionally ride the brakes to squeeze the water out. Even on my previous 1992 pickup I would do brake checks when driving in a bad storm as I would loose my rear brakes for the most part if I went through a deep puddle.

Drum brakes, test your brakes when driving in the rain and test them often. There is just no reason not to! If you test them and they feel like they arn't working good ride them until they grab good! I used to use the parking brake in my truck, apply pressure while driving and it would go from almost on effect to almost locking the wheels up pretty quick.

[RcT]

Usually I try to be a gentleman on this forum, but this thread is really testing my ability to be calm, cool and non-confrontational...

There are no exceptions to safe driving and obeying the rules of the road. This is common courtesy and civility. Learn how to drive in the rain. Drum brakes work if you know what to do after driving through water. (read MrTube above).

To boast about the infractions you can get commit without reprecussions is moronic. Think of others, if not yourself.

Lastly, your driving does absolutely nothing for the welfare of the hobby. It is acts such as you describe that will legislate old vehicles off the roads and into museums.

To state you feel "privallaged" to be able to get away with thoughtless driving is nuts.

there... I feel better.

Richard

[Barney]

Hi guys,
It may be that we have a little more credit with a Model A on the road. But we should not use it. I want to drive in 30 years still a Model A.
In that sense, stays clean.
Greetings Barney

[Purdy Swoft]

I agree with Logan, been there done that. I usually can't get by with much, no matter what!!! I've never been pulled over in the model A. I use to cut across parking lots to avoid red lights, Run a short straight exhaust on my speedster, operate with no insurance and sometimes drive five or ten miles per hour over the limit.

[1931 flamingo]

Golly, I sure hope I don't come across any of you WITHOUT insurance or a proper registration. If you're without insurance you're leaving yourself wide open for loss of everything you own, not to say anything about who you may kill or maim or make into a vegetable. JMO
Paul in CT

[sturgis 39]

I try to be as safe as possible. I will not drive an old car if it has some safety issues. Had too many close calls in high school because of poor or no funding. Funding is still a problem but safety is more important.

During the Sturgis Motor Cycle you see bikers going a lot faster than is safe. They are on vacation. What is the hurry? Eight or nine bikers were killed this year because of drinking and excess speed. The ones killed were not always the ones breaking the law.

I agree with the ones that say grow up. do not take chances and drive a safe vehicle.

[Mitch//pa]

Originally Posted by 1931 flamingo

Golly, I sure hope I don't come across any of you WITHOUT insurance or a proper registration. If you're without insurance you're leaving yourself wide open for loss of everything you own, not to say anything about who you may kill or maim or make into a vegetable. JMO
Paul in CT

paul he is up in your neck of the woods ill stay clear north of new york...hopefully he doesnt kill or injure anyone other than himself