I Must Have Really Pissed off a Black cat Somewhere

"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
05/21/2019 at 17:35 • Filed to: gambler 500, Two Wheels Bad

I shouldn’t do anything important on Mondays.

I started off Monday by having a box of salad explode in my backpack. My purse, phone, hairbrush, keys...EVERYTHING was covered in hardboiled egg, italian dressing, and other salad parts.

Thinking the worst of my bad luck was over, I decided to install the new wheel I got for the Elite. It’s beautiful. It has two new bearings, a new axle, brake, recent tyre...it’s all just in fantastic condition. But surprise, the PO decided not to bead the new tyre. *Sigh* So I’ll have to find a shop to get it beaded.

Feeling defeated, I decided to take the scooter on another top speed run. It all went well...right up until I got pulled over.

I mean, we were warned in the MSF class that not putting down your foot at a stop sign technically counts as running it, but I never thought the police would actually enforce such an absurd thing unless nabbing you for something else. Well, they did. I stopped at a stop sign, balanced for a few seconds, then set off. A minute later I see the blues and reds racing up behind me. Whoops. Got let off with a warning...but still. I’m genuinely surprised this is an actual thing people get stopped for.

The funny part was when he looked at my offroad wiring harness he was like “is..is this thing even legal?”

Heh, the vehicle code doesn’t say that I can’t have a scooter that looks straight out of Mad Max!

Defeating me further, I learned the radiator fan on the Elite doesn’t kick on. The scooter doesn’t overheat, but it definitely gets flirty with the red line at slow speeds after running it hard. It appears my thermo switch is shot, but there’s no way I can get another in time. Instead I’m getting myself a chunky ducted fan and wiring it into the offroad light harness. If I can get to the factory fan I’ll wire it up too.

To rub salt in my wound, I got stopped literally 30 minutes later while driving my smart. Officer in the same town took issue with my slightly too blue side marker bulbs on my car. Guess I’m going to cross my “t”s and dot my “i”s because it appears cops in my town must be a bit thirsty right now. I can’t even begin to describe how I felt seeing myself pulled over in literally less than an hour after the last time.

I finished the night by drowning myself in Little Caesar’s.

DISCUSSION (18)

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Mercedes Streeter
05/21/2019 at 17:42

My wife got a ticket for this at a 4-way stop intersection . “Sudden acceleration” they call it, I think. Potentially reckless, apparently. So don’t feel too alone.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Mercedes Streeter
05/21/2019 at 17:45

I got pulled over recently for running a stop (rolled it) in the middle of nowhere.

I was in the D100 and got a warning and “nice truck” instead of a ticket.

Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > Mercedes Streeter
05/21/2019 at 17:51

If the tire is on the rim and the bead just not seated, put a ratchet straps around the circumference to press the sidewalls outwards, give it a little air, then remove the strap, then give it the rest of the air. I've reseated many wheelbarrow and cart tires by that method.

Mercedes Streeter > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
05/21/2019 at 17:52

I do remember the officer describing it as a “reckless” something. Yes...reckless...on a 150cc scooter.

The guy did just seem to want to educate me instead of giving me a ticket, and I thanked him so much for being awesome about it all. But I’m still blown away by it being a real thing.

Mercedes Streeter > Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street.
05/21/2019 at 17:55

Huh, I tried that last night to no avail. In fact, the guys at the Gambler 500 last year tried that with the Ruckus clone and we just couldn’t get it to hold any air. They said it was probably because my portable compressor isn’t strong enough.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Mercedes Streeter
05/21/2019 at 18:30

I mean, it’s not a big deal. But when involuntarily interacting with the police , it’s just roulette to me. I’ve been let off right away, I’ve been cuffed, I’ve been “held,” and I ’ve gotten a ticket. It is what it is.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
05/21/2019 at 19:03

Cuffed? You must look dangerous!

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Mercedes Streeter
05/21/2019 at 19:11

Why not just get a separate cheap switch to wire the radiator fan into so you can turn it on and off with that and still have your separate switch for the off-road lights?

Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > Mercedes Streeter
05/21/2019 at 19:21

A tanked compressor would likely get air in fast enough. An inflator has a very low flow rate. But for something like that a tire shop may just do it free so they don't have to deal with paperwork.

Future Heap Owner > TheRealBicycleBuck
05/21/2019 at 19:41

Can confirm, he is the spitting image of a scoundrel

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Future Heap Owner
05/21/2019 at 20:31

Well I did look like a Jesus impersonator when I had hair down to my shoulders and long beard. Much like him, I was simply misunderstood -- and presumed guilty.

shop-teacher > Mercedes Streeter
05/21/2019 at 21:22

I didn’t know that about stopping on a bike.

Vehicle lighting is a crappy place to express yourself. Everyone I've ever met who did that, got hassled constantly by the cops. Minimize the reasons for them to pull you over, and put some normal ass bulbs all around.

Mercedes Streeter > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
05/22/2019 at 00:28

I could do that! My initial logic was that I'd really only need the fan while going through the trails... the same place I'd also need the lights!

Mercedes Streeter > Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street.
05/22/2019 at 00:31

There's a powersports place right down the street. I bet they'll do it for cheap or free. All it needs is a bead and it's ready to roll. I can only assume the seller did this so it could be transported without risk of blowout.

Longtime Lurker > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
05/22/2019 at 02:56

Kinja'd!!!

pip bip - choose Corrour > Mercedes Streeter
05/22/2019 at 05:09

on the bright side it could have been worse

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Mercedes Streeter
05/22/2019 at 06:31

That makes sense, though I would feel safer knowing it was on a separate switch so you could turn it on whenever you wanted without blinding people with the LED lights, or risking a ticket for having them on. :)

Should be able to find a cheap waterproof switch pretty easily?

Mercedes Streeter > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
05/22/2019 at 10:31

Yep! Hopefully I can find one on Amazon or something. Getting another harness would be funny, but overkill. lol