People who knew Serena Sutton-Smith said she had a history of erratic behavior. The 54 year-old bartender emerged from a side road without stopping, nearly causing an accident with Paula Small. Small then pulled over to speak with Sutton-Smith and while Small was getting out of her car, Sutton-Smith rammed her Vauxhall Nova into Small’s Fiat Punto and then kept her foot on the accelerator.
Kinda hard to know who to believe on this one. The Sun, hardly the model of objectivity, said the group of middle-aged motorists were on a sedate European tour. The organizers, Circuit Days, out of the UK, issued a press release to say they believed the polizei acted improperly and that their Euro Enduro event is not an illegal race, it’s just a social driving event. Circuit Days also points out that the polizei have "no evidence of any speeding, careless, inconsiderate or dangerous driving by the participants." However, if you look at their website, they call themselves the organizers of the Euro Enduro "road rally events." The polizei, according to The Sun, said, "It was an illegal race."
Apparently, no, some people don’t have anything better to do. And, yes, as a species, humans are devolving.
Some mis-guided cro-mags are taking their anger out on the environmentally conscious by attacking Priuses, which is a complete 180 from what eco terrorists like the Earth Liberation Front did to some Hummers in California. While one may find it hard to agree with the means by which the ELF made their statements against Hummers, it’s even more difficult to understand the rationale (or lack thereof) of the Prius attackers. Would this mean they’re against efforts to reduce global warming and oil dependence and are hoping for the post-Peak Oil collapse to come sooner?
Source: Edmund’s Inside Line
Photo: Edmunds
Even though photo ticketing is illegal in Florida, Sarasota County’s board of commissioners unanimously voted in favor of an ordinance that would allow the county to seize the home of anyone who has failed to pay a red-light camera ticket, and this is before any red-light cameras have been installed. The lien would be placed on the vehicle’s registered owner, regardless if the owner was driving the during the accussed infraction. And if they don’t own a home, then other personal property would be seized. Not draconian at all.
Photo: Dawnhousemovers.com
The Newspaper reports that, at least according to Arizona’s Department of Public Safety, Redflex’s radar units have been certified for use in the U.S. and are now back on the road after being removed a few days ago. The company’s executive director, Karen Finley, said in a letter to Arizona’s DPS, that the company is willing to "vacate" any citations generated through the use of the previously unapproved radar and refund the fines. No word yet on whether the DPS wants to give any of that revenue back.
Image: Redflex
Redflex, the largest red-light/speed camera contractor in the U.S., is being investigated by the FCC after their competitor, ATS, filed a complaint with the FCC accusing Redflex of using radar equipment that has yet to win FCC approval. Because of this complaint, Arizona’s Department of Public Safety ordered Redflex’s mobile photo radar vans to be taken off state highways. This of course begs the question: If an un-approved camera issues a citation, is that ticket valid? If not, then does this mean that those ticketed by the un-approved camera/radar be eligible for a refund? Any lawyers or law school students want to chime in?
Source: theNewspaper
Image: Redflex
"We’re very well aware of it and we’ll be monitoring what’s going on."
That’s what one California Highway Patrol spokesperson told the LA Times…and yet Day 1 of the 2008 Gumball 3000 - which ran from San Francisco to Buttonwillow Raceway Park to Hollywood, CA - ended last night with what appears to be one of the slowest, lowest-ticketed grids in Gumball 3000 (if not modern "rally") history…at least according to our friends and allies actually on it.
And the hits just keep coming! On his way to a private airfield, Schumacher was attempting a pass another car and hit Martin Kingham while the man was closing a security gate that extended onto the street. After the impact catapulted him face-down onto the hood of a nearby van, Kingham said Schumacher was furious with him, yelling, "What the f*****g hell were you doing in the road?"
Source: uk.eurosport.yahoo
Do you feel for the car or feel for the guy who wrecked it? Self-proclaimed Prince Marcus Eberhard Edward of Anhalt (some dispute whether or not he can claim that title) and pornographer to "the simple people," wrecked his rare Gemballa Mirage GT at Circuit Paul Ricard recently. It’s not known whether or not the "thumbs down" sign rates his driving skills or his Q rating amongst people who know of him.
Source: WorldCarFans
Eighteen year-old Shaun Malone got pinched for 62 mph in a 45 mph zone last summer but decided to fight the case because data from the GPS tracking device his parents installed in his car showed that he was actually going 45 mph at the time. He lost the case, a trial-by-affidavit, when a GPS expert claimed the data could not have been accurate. His parents then decided to appeal. During the appeal, the GPS expert was called to testify and essentially backtracked on his earlier testimony by saying the Malone’s GPS data was in fact accurate to within a couple of meters and 1 mph.
The final ruling is expected in October and if Malone wins it could set a precedent for GPS as reliable evidence in speeding cases.
Source: arstechnica
Photo: RMTracking
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