"TractorPillow" (tractorpillow)
07/17/2015 at 13:53 • Filed to: Viper, oppo, police, oppositelock
22
22|
"TractorPillow" (tractorpillow)
07/17/2015 at 13:53 • Filed to: Viper, oppo, police, oppositelock | 22
| 22 |
I sold my Lotus Elise a few months ago and then bought a car for my 10 year old self - 2002 Dodge Viper GTS. I took my friend to the Ford dealership yesterday because he is interested in the new F-150’s but doesn’t know too much about cars so he wanted me to come with him.
On the way home I thought it would be a good idea to show him what fast felt like (we were on a country road). We started to crest a hill and I started decelerating and drove by a dark silver Tahoe with “POLICE” plastered on the side of it that was sitting at a stop sign on a cross road. The Tahoe turned right and I told my friend to get the insurance and registration card from under his seat. The cop sped up behind me, lights came on, and my heart sank to my stomach.
I turned into one of those fancy country-neighborhoods since the previous road didn’t have much of a shoulder and pulled over.
The officer approached my window and immediately reached in to shake my hand. I figured it was a lead-in to a lecture or something. Instead he just said how excited he was when he saw my car and how he always liked them. We talked about the car for a minute or so in which he apologized for pulling me over, but always dreamed of pulling over a super fast car just to compliment it.
I offered to open the hood and his face lit up. He said as long as he wasn’t wasting too much of our time he would love to see it. We had nothing to do and I was so relieved I wasn’t getting a ticket that of course I had time!
He was super excited, friendly, and professional. I have not always been the biggest fan of police, but this interaction made me remember that a lot of times the guys in the Chargers, Crown Vics, or Tahoes are guys just like me. Definitely a new perspective and something to remember.
The best line was right before he left he jokingly said “that truck of mine is so slow, if you wouldn’t have pulled over I wouldn’t have even chased you.”
*Yes I was going somewhat fast and some of you may get onto me for that, but it was nothing ridiculous and it was on a quiet back road I have driven countless times. Also, this is my first OPPO post - been meaning to write some stuff for a while!
CalzoneGolem
> TractorPillow
07/17/2015 at 13:58 |
|
Came here to make an SR20 reference but SR20 has been fufilled. I got nothing.
whoarder is tellurium
> TractorPillow
07/17/2015 at 13:59 |
|
Great first post!
How has the Viper been treating ya?
CB
> TractorPillow
07/17/2015 at 14:02 |
|
Still think it’s unprofessional of the cop to do that. But neat story. Welcome to Oppo, and stay out of the basement .
Jeff-God-of-Biscuits
> TractorPillow
07/17/2015 at 14:04 |
|
Wait, how the hell could afford a Viper at 10 years old? And better question, how long have you had a license if you sold the Lotus to buy the Viper? Geez, kids these days...
Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
> TractorPillow
07/17/2015 at 14:04 |
|
Blur that head out and any identifying marks on the Tahoe or you’ll have him fired.
|
TractorPillow
> whoarder is tellurium
07/17/2015 at 14:06 |
|
Thanks! It has been a great car so far and I really enjoy it, but it is taking me a long time to get comfortable with it - and that’s after driving home from Houston to Eastern Alabama in a day. I never understood when they said it was a car that wants to kill you, but it does.
|
TractorPillow
> CalzoneGolem
07/17/2015 at 14:07 |
|
Yeah, my wife was really pissed when I told her. I think my emotions were just all messed up because I went from “oh crap, gonna get a ticket” to someone being cool and complimentary about the car. I can see it both ways, but its also a pretty small town so I think its less of a big deal.
|
TractorPillow
> Jeff-God-of-Biscuits
07/17/2015 at 14:10 |
|
When I said 10 year old self I meant me 17 years ago who dreamed of owning a Viper. I had an Elise for the last two years. I like cars and each of those are very affordable cars in all honesty. So I’ve had a license for 12 years.
Jcarr
> TractorPillow
07/17/2015 at 14:13 |
|
Reminds me of an anecdote I read not too long ago in a Motor Trend article on the Challenger Hellcat.
The writer was driving down a California highway and had a CHP officer pull up alongside him. Instead of flashing the lights or giving a stern look, the officer made a motion telling him to go ahead and gun it.
Not all cops are hard-asses.
Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2
> TractorPillow
07/17/2015 at 14:14 |
|
Awesome car, I grew up with a model of a 1996 GTS, it’s been on my list ever since.
Looks like you have some nice rubber on the wheels, how’s it feel in turns? Still scary? Planted?
|
TractorPillow
> Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2
07/17/2015 at 14:17 |
|
The first thing I did after the drive home was put new Toyo R888’s on it. It is pretty good in the corners and not too scary, but I ruined my perspective on handling after having the Elise. I am sure I could push it more through the curvy roads, but it’s fun enough and fast enough for me.
I have a cool wife and a good record of getting cars and selling them for break-even or even making some money so she has been cool about letting me get all the dream cars before we have kids.
|
TractorPillow
> Jcarr
07/17/2015 at 14:19 |
|
Yeah, and I have found around here (Eastern Alabama area) that most cops are more worried about safe driving than speed. Hardly ever seen anyone pulled over, but have seen lots of cops helping change tires and doing regular community policing.
cazzyodo
> TractorPillow
07/17/2015 at 14:24 |
|
This is terrific.
I got pulled over for running a light (wicked short yellow) and the guy was wicked cool. He said that the light is quick but neighbors complain because people run it so he wanted to give me a warning. Then he asked how I liked my car (FoST), how fun it was, if I looked at other cars in my search cuz he liked Ford but his partner like VW.
It was great.
Justin Hughes
> TractorPillow
07/17/2015 at 14:29 |
|
Years ago a female friend of mine got busted for going pretty quick on the highway. When asked if there was a reason she was going so fast, she said it was because she was trying to catch up to the Jetta ahead of her to see if it was a 1995 or 1994. The cop took her info, came back with a warning, and said “It was a ‘94.”
|
TractorPillow
> cazzyodo
07/17/2015 at 14:31 |
|
Nice! Better for you that you got a real cop then those soulless red light cameras. They don’t give breaks (at least they didn’t to my wife a while ago haha). How do you like the FoST. My dad has one and I really like it. Very good looking car IMO too.
|
CalzoneGolem
> TractorPillow
07/17/2015 at 14:34 |
|
Why would your wife be pissed?
|
TractorPillow
> Justin Hughes
07/17/2015 at 14:34 |
|
Haha, proof honesty can work well. The officer yesterday said his buddy pulled over a Vette before, asked the Vette driver if he knew why he pulled him over, the Vette driver responded with “because I let you!”
|
cazzyodo
> TractorPillow
07/17/2015 at 14:36 |
|
The FoST is good...fun little thing. It was (honestly) a compromise of things because I didn’t think a V8 mustang made sense, WRX was too much and I didn’t need the utility of a truck.
I always think about moving on from it but it really is a great car. Has some good power, is a hatchback with good lines, the red glows in every color, unreal value (sunroof, touch screen, recaros) and the torque with snow tires is just unfair during the winter. When I move on from it, my brother will end up buying it off me. Not leaving the family.
Btw, love the Viper. My buddy and I have always had a strong admiration for it. On my short list of fast cars to own.
sm70- why not Duesenberg?
> TractorPillow
07/17/2015 at 14:38 |
|
This is an awesome story, and that is a very sweet car you have. Welcome!
With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username
> TractorPillow
07/17/2015 at 15:01 |
|
Out of every word you used in your story, “professional” is the least appropriate one to describe the officer’s behavior.
|
TractorPillow
> CalzoneGolem
07/17/2015 at 15:21 |
|
haha meant to reply that to someone else; my bad. my wife was mad because she didnt like that he pulled me over at all.
Apex Assassin
> TractorPillow
07/19/2015 at 01:52 |
|
Talk about white people problems! Also, if I fucked around that much while I was supposed to be working...