Does getting a citation count as a smoke tail? - page 1 - Smoke Tales - VWDiesel.net The IDI, TDI, and mTDI source.

• Does getting a citation count as a smoke tail? by zukgod1 on 18 Jul, 2008 21:28
• So I pick my boys up at the SLC air port and jump on the freeway heading home. We get about 5 miles South and I see the UHP flying up behind me in the rear view, he follows me for a couple miles this hits the lights. Being the nice guy I am I proceed to the shoulder as directed and just ahead is a over pass so I roll under there to put us int he shade. He gets out and comes to the passenger window, instantly I can tell he is not a nice guy. "is the reason your car was smoking so much because it's a diesel?" Yes I said. "does it pass emissions?" Diesels don't have emissions test here I reply. I get this blank stare like huh? "Why was it smoking like that?" I once again tell him it a diesel, It's tuned for mileage as it is, I'm getting 40mpg. So he asks "do you have insurance on this vehicle?" Of course I reply, he asks to see the proof so I dug it out  and gave it to him and he took my license to his car and was back there for a good 15 min before he came back. "Ok" he says, "Your car isn't suppose to smoke like that" I reply, I realize that but I was attempting to merge onto the freeway when you saw the smoke and as I said this thing has a little 1.6ltr diesel in it so it's a struggle to get it going, theres that blank stare again. So hes just standing there looking at me so I ask, ok what are we doing here? He asks "what?" I repeat, what are we doing here? He raises his Oakley's and says "Dont get a attitude with me!" I told him I wasn't try to, we have been sitting here for 15 min, I have just picked my boys up from the airport and we are just trying to get home. He says as he pulls his glasses down "ok, I'll be right back" goes to his car for a couple min and comes back with a citation. and proceeds to tell me I'm being cited for "excessive visible emissions, sign here" I sign the ticket give him his pen back and as he hands me my copy I say "See ya in court!"
  
  I then proceed to smoke out the ENTIRE freeway as I pull out... He thought I was smoking before..
  
  This kid was young, cocky and inexperienced.
  I fully intend to see this all the way to court and drag his ass in there with me.
  
  I have an advantage, I cant turn it down, go to the county health dept get it tested and take the results with me. Hell I don't even need to turn it down it would pass as it is. But either way I'm GOING to take up his time for this.
  
  Look guys, I'm damn near 40. I have a spotless driving record. I have a CDL with double and tipple endorsement and a motor cycle endorsements.
  
  I haven't been pulled over for anything other than tinted windows for over 10 years and this punk was treating me like I was 18 and was being a dick to him. I had my 14 year old son and my 9 year old son in the car with me the LAST thing I would do is be disrespectful to a officer let alone in their presence.
  
  If ya cant tell I'm PISSED!!! I have never been treated like this and over something so stupid as my car was smoking!
  
  You have got to be kidding me!!!!!!!
  
  
• #1 by flapjack on 18 Jul, 2008 22:04
• this made me laugh:
  
  

  Quote from: "zukgod1"

  theres that blank stare again. So hes just standing there looking at me so I ask, ok what are we doing here? He asks "what?" I repeat, what are we doing here? He raises his Oakley's and says "Dont get a attitude with me!"

  
  
  Good luck in court! If he brings the same verbal skills to court, you should be fine.
• #2 by VW_Commuter on 18 Jul, 2008 23:16
• You get him Dan.  That idiot has no business carrying a badge let alone a weapon if he has no understanding of the laws of your state.  Win one for the little guy
• #3 by zukgod1 on 18 Jul, 2008 23:51
• taken from utah admin code R307-305-3
  (1) Visible emissions from existing installations except diesel engines shall be of a shade or density no darker than 20% opacity. Visible emissions shall be measured using EPA Method 9.
  
  (2) No owner or operator of a gasoline engine or vehicle shall allow, cause or permit the emissions of visible contaminants.
  
  (3) Emissions from diesel engines, except locomotives, shall be of a shade or density no darker than 20% opacity, except for starting motion no farther than 100 yards or for stationary operation not exceeding three minutes in any hour.
  
  (4) Visible emissions exceeding the opacity standards for short time periods as the result of initial warm-up, soot blowing, cleaning of grates, building of boiler fires, cooling, etc., caused by start-up or shutdown of a facility, installation or operation, or unavoidable combustion irregularities which do not exceed three minutes in length (unavoidable combustion irregularities which exceed three minutes in length must be handled in accordance with R307-107), shall not be deemed in violation provided that the executive secretary finds that adequate control technology has been applied. The owner or operator shall minimize visible and non-visible emissions during start-up or shutdown of a facility, installation, or operation through the use of adequate control technology and proper procedures.
  
  
  and here is a link to the rest http://www.rules.utah.gov/publicat/c...307-305.htm#T3
• #4 by Dakotakid on 18 Jul, 2008 23:53
• Hmmm. The outcome of this is truly going to be interesting. Please do your homework before going into court. Know your laws and rights.
  
  Currently, I am involved in some legal "tangles" which I did not create...and attempting to deal with law enforcement has been anything but straightforward or logical. The experience has, so far, been a real frightening eye-opener.
  
  I wish for you to triumph.
  Edit: you posted your info before I finished my blurb.
• #5 by subsonic on 19 Jul, 2008 00:05
• He gets court pay regardless if he wins or loses.  Chnces are he will not even be there.  There wll be a Lt. assigned to the court to represent the PD.  You plead NG and get a date to reappear.  Best bet is to find the Lt. who is from his PD and talk to him off to the side before court gets going.  Call ahead and find out who he is.  Explain the situation, dont attack his man, he will defend him even if you are right.  Bring a printout of the emissions test, tell him about the kids in the car and the antagonistic way in which you were spoken too.  He will be older and hopefully wiser.  Lt's don't like getting bad tickets, perhaps he will toss the ticket and educate the trooper.
• #6 by zukgod1 on 19 Jul, 2008 00:09
• My intentions are to just take a complete copy of the law regarding this matter in with me and see if they will just dismiss it. I suspect the court referee will see it's a old VW diesel and after the explanation of the merging from one low speed highway to another high speed highway it will get tossed.
  If not I'll do what I have to do come out on top.
  
  I'm going to volunteer (may just do it before I go in)  to take my car to a testing station of their choice and at their expense if they still think I'm smoking "to much" to be tested.
  I'll end up paying for it of course but I'll be able to prove my car is fine and this guy was on drugs.
• #7 by jtanguay on 19 Jul, 2008 07:56
• i think officers sometimes try to instigate... i wouldn't take it too personally.  then again there are some that are 'power tripping'.  either way if they can get a rise out of you they will go with it.  so its a good thing you kept your cool.
  
  one of my co-workers argued with me about diesels and how my car was smoking too much.  i did spew out more than i should have, but she was adamant.  she said she's been around older diesels and they didn't smoke as bad.  i said they must have been pretty lame diesels then  :shock:  :lol:  
  
  
  pwnt indeed  :twisted:
  
  should ask him if he sides with al gore  :lol: for those of you who watch south park: man bear pig!!!!!  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:
• #8 by Dakotakid on 19 Jul, 2008 12:05
• ......***in' video, JT!!!!
  
  (Sorry, couldn't resist.....)
• #9 by jtanguay on 19 Jul, 2008 16:26
• lol yea... i sometimes get caught up watching it over and over... gotta snap myself out of it!  almost like some sort of euthanasia  :lol: such an authoritative kick!
• #10 by RabbitJockey on 09 Aug, 2008 13:23
• law enforcement is definitely changing, i'm not saying cops are bad or anything, but they're definitely not as friendly and as personable as they were, my friends dad is the head of one townships police, and he wants out because he says its a kids game now or trying to get ahead.  a few of my friends are in some trouble for drug possession(oh my pot will destroy the world) anyways, the cops that caught him have done nothing but lied and been deceitful with the entire thing right from the beginning while my friend has only told the truth.  and i'm talking about small town america here, its not like they're going to find some drug lord or something.
• #11 by zukgod1 on 20 Aug, 2008 12:50
• Well I took in in the butt today on this.
  
  I wish I would have gotten it tested before it blew up, the fine for this is $290.00 in Utah, I talked to the judge explained the situation and he was understanding but told me unless I wanted to actually go to trial on it I was going to pay. He knocked it down to $140.00 which is still painful put realistically the time I would have spent to go once again into the court and spend the better part of a day there would have cost me more than the $140.00 so I weighed my options and payed it.
  
  Now that we are weeks from the actual occurrence  I can look back on it and see that I was a bit on edge that day. I had been pulled over 3 times in the previous 4 weeks for tinted windows (again my fault) so I was already ticked thinking that's what it was about, then he said your car is smoking I though DUH, dumbshi*t its a diesel.
  If I had approached it differently I would probably have gotten away with a " Get it fixed" ticket instead. So my attitude cost me not only the $140. but 2 trips there @ 60 miles one way so 240 miles plus hours of my time.
  
  Let us all learn from this one..
• #12 by blkboostedtruck on 20 Aug, 2008 13:22
• i balieve it would be wise to carry a copy of the rules in the glove box!
  for any diesel owner! so when a rookie cop asks! a copy can be given when a drivers licence and ins. and reg. is handed to him!
  
  but if you run on biofuel i hear the smoke emited from a diesel is not toxic and not harmfull!
  Duane
  
  P.S.
  Dan i remember that you said you had a neat stereo! but does it take pic.behind your car?
• #13 by zukgod1 on 20 Aug, 2008 13:28
• No pic Duane just live feed.
• #14 by DieselSteed on 26 Aug, 2008 09:44
• 98.3% of all cops give the rest a bad name.