Yay, drove home in style tonight!!!

[Gina]

my dream is a Ford Excursion

[TexasCop]

my dream is a Ford Excursion

It really pisses me off that they quit making those.  We have a 33' bumper pull travel trailer and really wanted an Excursion since we're a family of 5.  We had to settle for an F-250 instead.  I'd rather have that 3rd row seat than a pickup bed.

[Gina]

It really pisses me off that they quit making those.  We have a 33' bumper pull travel trailer and really wanted an Excursion since we're a family of 5.  We had to settle for an F-250 instead.  I'd rather have that 3rd row seat than a pickup bed.

I would like also I think it's called a GMC Savanna Express van

[Texacon]

Not all states allow lane splitting or driving on the shoulder. I had a motorcycle for my commute when I was stationed in San Diego. Splitting lanes across the Coronado Bay Bridge was awesome, but one STILL had to be careful of the cagers. They liked to open their doors or crowd the centerline when they saw a motorcycle coming up in their mirrors.

It's legal in Texas but like you mentioned dangerous as hell.  Folks in cages don't know it's legal and they'll do stupid stuff to keep you from passing them.  Most don't realize that some of the air cooled bikes need to keep moving in Texas heat.

Hell some cops don't know the laws on bikes and will pull you over for legal stuff.  A friend of mine was riding and was issued a ticket for not having the helmet sticker on his license plate while riding without a helmet.  He had to take the time to call the court and explain that you don't have to have the sticker to ride without a helmet.  It was a pain in the butt.

KC

[TexasCop]

It's legal in Texas but like you mentioned dangerous as hell.  Folks in cages don't know it's legal and they'll do stupid stuff to keep you from passing them.  Most don't realize that some of the air cooled bikes need to keep moving in Texas heat.

Hell some cops don't know the laws on bikes and will pull you over for legal stuff.  A friend of mine was riding and was issued a ticket for not having the helmet sticker on his license plate while riding without a helmet.  He had to take the time to call the court and explain that you don't have to have the sticker to ride without a helmet.  It was a pain in the butt.

KC

Helmet sticker???
 
And no, lane splitting is not legal here in Texas.

[Chris_]

Probably doen't have that new car smell of TC 's but then it doesn't usually outlast the payments anyway.

It smells like the field it was sitting in.  It's a little musty.

If I needed seating for seven (or five with storage), I would be looking at a Ford Flex.  I would love to have one even if it is for a little while.

[Texacon]

Helmet sticker???
 
And no, lane splitting is not legal here in Texas.

Ooops.  My bad .... I thought SB 506 had already passed.  You're correct.  It's not legal just yet ....

And it looks like, thankfully, the helmet sticker law has been repealed.  What is said was;

Helmet Exemption Sticker.

The Department of Public Safety issues Helmet Exemption stickers to persons who:

apply to the department on the form provided; and own the motorcycle listed on the application; provide adequate proof of successful completion of the Basic or Advanced Motorcycle Operator Training Course, or health insurance coverage, and, pay a $5.00 non-refundable fee for each sticker applied for.

Persons operating, or riding upon, a motorcycle with a helmet exemption sticker displayed on the license plate or license plate mounting bracket are presumed to meet the training or insurance requirements for riding without a helmet.

NOTE: Helmet Exemption stickers are serialized and may not be transferred from one motorcycle to another. The sticker expires on the third anniversary of their date of issuance.

And from a question and answer session;

2. Is the helmet exemption sticker required before a motorcyclist can ride without a helmet?

No. The sticker indicates that the motorcyclist meets the requirement for riding without a helmet, and law enforcement officers will presume that they do. Without the sticker motorcyclists may be requested to show police officers their proof of course completion or insurance coverage.

It was an extortion racket.  If you wanted to ride without your helmet all you had to have was proof of health insurance or a rider safety course.  If you didn't want a cop to pull you over to check those things you could pay the state $5.00 for a sticker to put on your license plate.

Now the new law says;

The law prohibits a peace officer from stopping or detaining a person who is the operator of or a passenger on a motorcycle for the sole purpose of determining whether the person has successfully completed a motorcycle operator training and safety course or is covered by a motorcycle health insurance plan and repeals provisions relating to a DPS-issued sticker required to be displayed on a motorcycle by a motorcycle owner.

A lot of cops didn't know you didn't have to have the sticker.  I used to carry a copy of the law in my billfold just in case I got stopped by someone who wanted to write me the ticket for not having a sticker.  A lot of us did.
  
KC

[Texacon]

By the way ... congrats on the Beemer!

KC

[TexasCop]

It smells like the field it was sitting in.  It's a little musty.

If I needed seating for seven (or five with storage), I would be looking at a Ford Flex.  I would love to have one even if it is for a little while.

The wife wants a Flex later down the road.  They're way overpriced.

[TexasCop]

Texacon, that's the first I'd even heard of a helmet sticker!  That must have been back when Bush first signed the bill.

[Texacon]

The wife wants a Flex later down the road.  They're way overpriced.

My wife likes the interior of the Flex but OMGosh the exterior is ugly.  I think that's the only thing that keeps them from selling.

KC

[Texacon]

Texacon, that's the first I'd even heard of a helmet sticker!  That must have been back when Bush first signed the bill.

It was just repealed in 2009 from my search.  The repeal went into effect 1 Sep 2009.

I don't know how long it was in effect but it was nothing more than a state run extortion racket and a lot of cops didn't know that you didn't have to have the sticker.

Usually not a big deal but some of the small town cops would pull you over just because you didn't have the sticker and they would write you a ticket.  Again, it doesn't seem like a big deal but when you have to take time off work to prove you didn't break the law it's the same as getting fined.

KC

[TexasCop]

heh, I've been doing this job in the Dallas area for 17 years and never knew that.  Shows how much we actually enforced that!

[Texacon]

heh, I've been doing this job in the Dallas area for 17 years and never knew that.  Shows how much we actually enforced that!

 

I think Dallas cops have a little more to keep them occupied!  My friend was pulled over in Shenendoah.  Little bitty place right next to a pretty good sized place.  They will pull you over for some weird stuff.

I had a local constable show me a law that said an LEO could pull over a motorcyclist with no reason needed.  I can't remember the number to pull it up though.  He had it in his wallet because there had been a local M/C rally and they WERE pulling them over just to 'visit'.  When some of the M/C asked for the reason he told them straight up he didn't need a reason and would show them that law.  It blew me away.  I'll see if I can find it.

KC

[TexasCop]

There's some obscure little B.S. loophole in the law that allows us to stop people to ensure that they are properly licensed to operate the particular class of vehicle they are operating.  An example would be to stop a biker to ensure that he's under a class M endorsement.
 
I've seen other officers use it, but I refuse to because if I end up getting a good bust, that chicken crap P.C. is going to lose the case for me.  I'd rather wait and stop them for something legit.  Any decent cop can get a GOOD traffic violation on someone within 100 yards.

[Texacon]

There's some obscure little B.S. loophole in the law that allows us to stop people to ensure that they are properly licensed to operate the particular class of vehicle they are operating.  An example would be to stop a biker to ensure that he's under a class M endorsement.
 
I've seen other officers use it, but I refuse to because if I end up getting a good bust, that chicken crap P.C. is going to lose the case for me.  I'd rather wait and stop them for something legit.  Any decent cop can get a GOOD traffic violation on someone within 100 yards.

Hear, Hear!

Well, I can't find it.  It was an odd law.  It specifically said motorcycles.  He said the law was written so they could check VIN numbers and see if the parts on the bike matched.  I don't know.  I pulled it up online when he showed me the number.  It was really weird.

Keep up the good work TC.  Good cops are good guys to have around.

KC

[TexasCop]

Gracias, Amigo.

[debk]

I'm in the looking process.

I've been in leased SUV's for the last 13 years, and just don't drive enough to justify the cost. I truly HATE to drive, and don't do any more than I absolutely have to. Besides, M drives a Grand Cherokee, and T has a Yukon, we don't need another SUV in the garage!

I have little knowledge on cars, but what happens to me and the car, if someone smashes into me is a major issue and usually the first question I ask.

Prior to the SUV's, I had a Mazda 626, and prior to it, a 700 series BMW and a 528 stick shift before that. I was never pulled over in the BMW's, but was in the 626. I have a wee bit of a lead foot. 

I have always wanted a Mustang and/or a VW Bug. Have not driven a Bug, but when I tried out the Mustang, I had to "lift" the seat to see over the steering wheel. 

I really like green cars, and I'm thinking a dragonfly green Bug would be fun....and it won't "clash" with my hair.
  

I'm not on the interstate very often, not that I couldn't get smashed into on city streets or country roads, but I won't be dodging semis very often.

Is this a good idea, or a bad one? 

Or any other suggestions? Looking at a used car, as I drive less than 10,000 a year.

[TexasCop]

BMWs get pulled over less because their drivers are always sniveling little brats that give you a rash of  whenever you stop them.  It doesn't slow me down a bit, but it does some officers.  You get tired of dealing with them.
 
VWs are very nice.  An officer here has a bug and LOVES it.  He calls it his VMW, a spin off of BMW, because of how nice it is.  Don't worry about the size of it.  People don't buy SMART cars because they're afraid of getting crushed underneath a semi, but I've never even seen one involved in a fender bender!  Buy what you like.  You're more likely to die in a fall in the home than you are in your car on the highway.