Vintage Car Thread - Discussion and Parts Requests

[Stearmen]

Some times I do dress the part, now that I think about it!

 

[Big Man]

Anyone else ever had this problem?


I was pulled over this evening while driving my '65 Ford Custom 500. My five year-old granddaughter was riding in the back seat and and my five month-old grandson in the front in a car seat. The officer (city police) was very nice, and said someone had been following me and called in a complaint that I had an unrestrained child in the car. I explained that, according to NC law, child restraint only applied to vehicles manufactured after the date that seat belts became mandatory under federal law. For passenger cars that is all cars after 1967 and all trucks and vans after 1972. He didn't want to believe me, even though I quoted the law (I have been prepared for this for a long time).

My '65 has belts in the front seat only (I believe they were an option that year), so that's why I had the baby in the front and his seat restrained. After thinking about it for a while, the officer said he wasn't going to give me a ticket, because there were no seat belts in the back. He did ask me if I had another car to drive. I told him yes, but didn't tell him my other cars were a '61 Chevy and a '48 Plymouth.

When I got home I printed off a copy of the seat belt/child restraint law and will have it handy in case something like this happens again.

 

[Fading Fast]

Anyone else ever had this problem?


I was pulled over this evening while driving my '65 Ford Custom 500. My five year-old granddaughter was riding in the back seat and and my five month-old grandson in the front in a car seat. The officer (city police) was very nice, and said someone had been following me and called in a complaint that I had an unrestrained child in the car. I explained that, according to NC law, child restraint only applied to vehicles manufactured after the date that seat belts became mandatory under federal law. For passenger cars that is all cars after 1967 and all trucks and vans after 1972. He didn't want to believe me, even though I quoted the law (I have been prepared for this for a long time).

My '65 has belts in the front seat only (I believe they were an option that year), so that's why I had the baby in the front and his seat restrained. After thinking about it for a while, the officer said he wasn't going to give me a ticket, because there were no seat belts in the back. He did ask me if I had another car to drive. I told him yes, but didn't tell him my other cars were a '61 Chevy and a '48 Plymouth.

When I got home I printed off a copy of the seat belt/child restraint law and will have it handy in case something like this happens again.

Good for you knowing the law and smart to have printed it for the next time.

 

[Big Man]

Good for you knowing the law and smart to have printed it for the next time.

I was born at night, but not last night.

 

[Stanley Doble]

I got stopped by the OPP (Ontario Provincial Police) for riding my motorcycle with the headlight off. It happened to be a 1968 BSA and headlights on only applied to 1970 and newer. First he wouldn't believe my bike was that old. Next he had to get out his hiway code and look it up.

I knew about the law because I was a member of the Ontario Vintage Motorcycle Group and we were the ones who lobbied for the exemption.

Wish the cops you met today were as intelligent, civil and sensible. When I was a long haired ***** on a motorcycle the cops treated me fairly. Now I am an old white haired codger in a minivan they act like stupid goons. You would think it would be the other way around.

Later ..................

Was amused to see, when I posted this, that a certain word was beeped out. I can't tell you what it is, but it rhymes with bippy.

 

[jamespowers]

Anyone else ever had this problem?


I was pulled over this evening while driving my '65 Ford Custom 500. My five year-old granddaughter was riding in the back seat and and my five month-old grandson in the front in a car seat. The officer (city police) was very nice, and said someone had been following me and called in a complaint that I had an unrestrained child in the car. I explained that, according to NC law, child restraint only applied to vehicles manufactured after the date that seat belts became mandatory under federal law. For passenger cars that is all cars after 1967 and all trucks and vans after 1972. He didn't want to believe me, even though I quoted the law (I have been prepared for this for a long time).

My '65 has belts in the front seat only (I believe they were an option that year), so that's why I had the baby in the front and his seat restrained. After thinking about it for a while, the officer said he wasn't going to give me a ticket, because there were no seat belts in the back. He did ask me if I had another car to drive. I told him yes, but didn't tell him my other cars were a '61 Chevy and a '48 Plymouth.

When I got home I printed off a copy of the seat belt/child restraint law and will have it handy in case something like this happens again.

I was and am prepared when it comes up but I have never been stopped once.[huh]I guess a 57 and 55 Chevy are so iconic that they just don't bother.
I was pulled over by some flatfoot years ago for not wearing a seatbelt in my 1959 Oldsmobile though. Young and agressive officer. I kept my cool and just asked----what year vehicle do you think this is?! lol lol lol The fool concluded that I could put them in. I said: "What for? So you could try to give me a ticket because it was there and I am not wearing it?" lol lol lol

 

[jamespowers]

Was amused to see, when I posted this, that a certain word was beeped out. I can't tell you what it is, but it rhymes with bippy.

Just say bum. It is the same.

 

[fashion frank]

Well as far as dressing the part hows this.
Straw boater hat blue seersucker suit white bucks.






Sorry to hear about yout hassle with the law Big Man think they would have something better to do or at least know the law and know what your talking about.

All the Best ,Fashion Frank

 

[tonyb]

I recall educating a cop on the left-turn-on-red-onto-a-oneway-street law. He, to his credit, seemed appreciative of my tone. What gets under my skin are cops who project an air of omniscience. Fortunately, I rarely encounter that much these days, although I can think of one wet-behind-his-ears Seattle cop ...

Hey Frank, are "period" plates kosher in Rhode Island?

 

[Big Man]

... Sorry to hear about yout hassle with the law Big Man think they would have something better to do or at least know the law and know what your talking about.

All the Best ,Fashion Frank

The officer was very nice about it all. He was just doing his job. He told me that someone had been behind me and called in to complain, and that's why he had stopped me. I don't know if it was some concerned citizen or just some small town busybody who just can't stand to see anyone "get away with something." My guess, knowing some in that town, it's the latter.

 

[Big Man]

... Wish the cops you met today were as intelligent, civil and sensible. When I was a long haired ***** on a motorcycle the cops treated me fairly. Now I am an old white haired codger in a minivan they act like stupid goons. You would think it would be the other way around. ...

First, the officer that stopped me was very professional and was very nice. I have no complaints, especially since he decided not to give me a ticket (even though it would never have stood up in court).

Now, having said that, I would generally agree with your statement about "then vs now." Having spent 35 years in Emergency Services (Fire/Rescue), I have seen a drastic change in Law Enforcement over time. Most all officers are professionals and do an excellent job. But, I would be less than honest if I didn't say I have seen an overall difference in the attitude and demeanor of an awful lot of officers, especially younger officers, today. People (especially in Law Enforcement) will say that there are way more "dangers" today and they have to be ready to meet those challenges. I guess there is some degree of truth in that line of thinking, but I'm old enough to remember when there was a shooting or cutting almost every Friday and Saturday night at one of the dozen or more honkeytonks and bootleg joints that used to be all over the county here. I don't know about other places, but violent crime around here is nothing like it used to be "back in the day."

Oh well, just my two cents worth ...

 

[Bamaboots]

I know this is not the thread for this but since it veered this way..... Spent 25 years in Law enforcement doing everything, well, check the 'what do you do for a living' thread. Don't really think the dangers are any different or being ready for the challenges is different than it was in 82 when I started. What I do know is that there is much greater scrutiny on officers today and there should be. There is also a great deal less politeness and respect for authority. These things should not be so.

One of the problems with younger officers is "real life experience". Today's young officers are better educated, more computer literate but oftentimes ill equipped to deal with the realities of the "general public". They often go from moms house to college to working on the streets. Not always a good thing, as they've had very little interaction with people whose views differ from their own. As a field training officer one of the toughest things to do was convincing a young officer that there are more good people than bad. And if one doesn't believe that, one will grow to be a miserable old b&$£€¥d.

Interesting to find a thread where the term "flatfoot" is used. Must've been pretty quick on those flatfeet to run down that Olds.

 

[Big Man]

... There is also a great deal less politeness and respect for authority. These things should not be so. ...

I agree with you on all points, and especially the above quote. I was always taught to respect authority - even if they were "wrong" and I was "right." There's a time and place to argue the difference, and that's in court - not on the street. As a young parent I tried hard to stress to my children to always show respect to those in authority. And now, as a grandparent, I continue to stress that same philosophy to my grandchildren.

Even when the officer is being a butt (and there are some of those), being polite and showing respect goes a long way in defusing an otherwise bad situation.

 

[Stanley Doble]

Just say bum. It is the same.

Not the same at all. I had long hair and rode a motorcycle but never missed a day's work. I may never be a big shot but I will never quite be a bum.

 

[Bamaboots]

I agree with you on all points, and especially the above quote. I was always taught to respect authority - even if they were "wrong" and I was "right." There's a time and place to argue the difference, and that's in court - not on the street. As a young parent I tried hard to stress to my children to always show respect to those in authority. And now, as a grandparent, I continue to stress that same philosophy to my grandchildren.

Even when the officer is being a butt (and there are some of those), being polite and showing respect goes a long way in defusing an otherwise bad situation.

:eusa_clap

 

[Bamaboots]

Not the same at all. I had long hair and rode a motorcycle but never missed a day's work. I may never be a big shot but I will never quite be a bum.

:eusa_clap

 

[Big Man]

I posted my story about the "child restraint stop" on Facebook. I got several interesting comments, then all of a sudden got taken to task about "putting my grandchild's life in risk" by allowing her to ride in a car without seat belts. :eeek: I got several "suggestions" on how I should retrofit my old car with appropriate restraint devices. I even got called to task by one guy who routinely posts about taking his kids hunting and shooting.

Now, I'm a hunter and shooter, too, and am not in any way trying to start a discussion about guns. My point is that, while the other fellow is familiar and comfortable around shooting, he has never had any experience with classic cars. I thought his comments were a perfect example of how people who are comfortable with one sport/hobby/activity that could be potentially dangerous can be so afraid of something else that, in all honesty, could also be potentially dangerous (driving a car - any car - is dangerous).

My question to this group: How do you, as an old car driver, "relate" to others who are scared to death that old cars are "dangerous" because they lack certain modern safety features?

 

[Bamaboots]

Big Man, no doubt newer cars have more safety features but what does one have to do with the other? To me, it's always been more about the driver driving than it is about the vehicle and its safety features just as it's more about the man holding the gun than it is the gun itself..

 

[tonyb]

I try to remain mindful of the limitations of any piece of machinery. The odds of it, and me, lasting a long time are much improved by such a mindset on the part of the user.

The best way to come away from a collision unscathed is not to get in the collision in the first place. I always assume that people will run red lights and otherwise fail to yield the right of way. I also assume there are always drivers on the road who bestow upon me my one great super power -- invisibility.

Any driver who doesn't understand the necessity of adjusting his or her driving habits to suit the vehicle he or she happens to be driving really shouldn't be driving anything other than low-mileage late-model cars. And I question if that person should even be driving one of those. If the car is slower to accelerate, and takes greater distances to bring to a stop, you had better allow yourself a little more time to get where you're going.

 

[Big Man]

I understand about the "limitations" of an older car and the need to drive accordingly. My question, though, is how to get across to others who "tremble in fear" because my "old car" doesn't have seat belts, air bags, crumple zones, On-Star, GPS systems, back-up cameras, yada, yada, yada, and therefore to them is unreasonably dangerous, that my driving an old car is no more unreasonably dangerous than their hunting, shooting, skate boarding, motorcycle riding, jogging along the side of the road, etc.