Star Mazda Atlantic

I think those who say are no, it is because they are comparing it to other sports cars. I have been pulled over out of a pack of cars all going the same speed. I have been grilled about if it was my car or where I was going or what I was doing. I had a cruiser tailgate me for 2-3 miles. I have never had any such experiences in my previous mundane GM cars. Keep in mind, my car is stock.

Marklar

Uh, speeding and weaving in traffic != hard driving. You can rag the **** out of an 8 without going over 45 MPH.

Hidef1080

I think most cops are “trained” to spot sports/sporty cars.


When I had my Mazda 6 there was an Eclipse about a car length behind me in the left lane.
I was doing about 70mph coming over a hill in a 55 zone and the Eclipse had to be doing the same or less but the cops sitting just beyond the hill got the Eclipse while they let me roll on my merry little way.
I was the lead car and going faster but... There you go.


I had always heard that cops will pick the sportiest car out of a group of speeders and that was my living proof.

lil amne

They are. A former officer told me not to purchase a red sports car (so much for listening to him...) because they were drilled in the academy to watch for red sports cars. The reasoning-- people who drive red colored cars tend to be wreckless drivers.

So, what it boils down to, if you dont want the cops to bother you but you still want an 8, dont get red or loud exhaust. If 8s are common in the location you are in, you shouldnt have that much of a problem.

adamwzl

iTrader: (3)

^I have a VR 8 with a loud exhaust in a red neck town... oh my

The Drunk IT Guy

BB with stock exhaust, never been pulled over despite about 3 years of spirited and aggressive driving.

adamwzl

iTrader: (3)

you just jinxed yourself there the drunk IT guy..

blackenedwings

One of the major issues too is the fact that most cops (especially where I live) grew up loving American muscle cars. When I was in my Corvette and my Z28 I never, ever got harassed. Now that I drive a modified import, they look at me like I'm a criminal even if I'm quietly driving the speed limit, with my windows down. It's car profiling in the worst way. I expect this will only get worse now.

MICHGoBlue

Stereotypes are stereotypes, well, for a reason.

Higher percentage of modified import cars drive like idiots on public roads than the percentage of American Muscle cars nowadays.

I don't blame the police officers, at all, not one bit.

You chose to modify the vehicle, so you deserve all the attention you get, whether if it's from haters, car enthusiasts, law enforcements... etc.

Also, keep in mind, a lot of modifications are not DOT-legal, so you should be happy the law enforcements aren't as strict as they could be.

It is their job, after all, to keep those youtube street racers off the public road from you and your family.

lil amne

i have a VR8 with a stock exhaust in a fairly red neck town. I'm either sharing the road with a beat up truck OR Mustang, Camero, Firebird, Probe, or Eclipse.

Hidef1080

Really?

Where are you getting your numbers from?
Please don't say You Tube.....

adamwzl

iTrader: (3)

Yeah same here. But my 8 shares the drive way with an eclipse and 2 dodge pick ups hehe

altspace

iTrader: (2)

Not sure what more needs to be said on the subject. I was skeptical on buying a red car, let alone a sporty one. I took the plunge anyway. Have owned it for over 2 years and have never been pulled over. I have many mods and the car is fairly quiet with only an RB intake/exhaust. I think the determining factors in being a "cop magnet" cover too many variables to list.

MICHGoBlue

Let's see, I'm 24, and when I was in high school, mind you, that wasn't all that long ago, and most people had an anti-american, JDM wanna be mentality.
And looking around discussion boards, that trend has only picked up momentum with the likes of 2 fast 2 furious and fast & furious movies.
So if you're saying that immature kids with their integras and civics are more civil on the road than the older folks with mustangs and corvettes, then your area must be different than mine.
Cops had to deal with the idiot drivers with muscle cars in the 70s, and now, they're left dealing with these little rice rockets.

adamwzl

iTrader: (3)

^altspace I'm suprised the cops didnt pull you over to have you detail their car

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

I think I would have to agree with the statement though. No numbers, but it does make sense from several perspectives.

However, that being said, I think the combined percentage of modified import drivers and muscle drivers driving like idiots is FAR FAR less than the percentage of dull econobox drivers driving recklessly/carelessly is.

I really wish someone with access to the data would do some reseach on the level/frequency of cost that fender benders from congestion vs 'aggressive' driver accidents.

I hate the 'aggressive driver' tag btw... most of what qualifies for it legally is actually reckless driving, the rest is careless driving. I prefer to use terms such as 'anti-congestion driving' and 'assertive driving' to describe driving with a purpose, a sense of direction, and without wasting time.

MICHGoBlue

If this trend had reversed, please inform me, because I'll be firing off firework this 4th of July as part of my celebration for the reversal of the rice trend.

Hidef1080

Make no mistake, I understand where you are coming from however based on what I've seen living and driving in Atlanta, far more BMW's, pickup trucks and SUV's are the “aggressive" one's on the road.


Mind you this is not based on anything other than my view and no hardcore double blind studies carried out by impartial data crunchers.


Just me being stereotypical.

Razz1

Wait a minute................


What about the BMW drivers?

lil amne

Mine shares with 2 Dodge trucks, 2 tractors, 1 Audi, 1 RV, 1 uber old truck thats name escapes me and cannot be parked in the garage because of the Ford Model A.

adamwzl

iTrader: (3)

^ I agree with Hidef. Around my area in MD more aggressive drivers come from normal ecnobox cars that riced out hondas. Matter of fact when I see cars with mismatch body kits high wings and aftermarket wheels with a fart muffler on the high most of the time their always driving slower than traffic. I have a 100 mile daily commute so I deal with a good amount of people on the road esp in the D.C. area.

The more aggressive drivers are yes the ones in BMW's, any minivan, SUV's and Trucks. I get cut off countless times by people in BMW's also get forced out of my lane by big pick up trucks swirving on the road. And people in SUV's attempt to take corners as fast as I do in the 8.

Red_Fox

not unless its loud (midpipe) or tinted dark (dark driver passenger windows) other than that i got looked at by cops when i sped by but they didn't really do anything

adamwzl

iTrader: (3)

Ok OK you tempted me. I have eclipse and 2 dodge pick ups 1 a 2500 ram other a v8 dakota as I mentioned. A 35' 5th Wheel camper, F350 Van, a Ford Edge. And... my garage is full of junk so nothing is parked in there

You beat me on the Ford Model A.. grrr

Kevo

yes, the 8 is a cop magnet...hot female cops.

rodjonathan

iTrader: (6)

YES! at least in SW houston it is. ever since i have an annual fee to pay juss coz i have too many tickets ive toned down my driving style. but i still get pulled over once a month at least. no tickets just weird reasons! last week this blonde cop (kinda cute) pulled me over coz my car was "too low" n looked like it could scrape the road WTF!!! no ticked juss a discussion n let go! LEAVE ME ALONE! lol