The city council in Los Angeles, California is anxious to seize more automobiles from residents. A plan currently under consideration would give police the power to take cars from people who watch other vehicles speed.
“The city should look into ways of discouraging participation in illegal races and exhibitions of speed, such as impounding the cars of spectators,” Public Safety Committee Chairman Mitchell Englander wrote.
As the scheme faces significant legal hurdles, the city council last month formally tasked the city attorney to research the topic thoroughly and come up with the text of an ordinance that would achieve the council’s goals. The effort has been complicated by a 2007 California Supreme Court decision that overturned Stockton’s plan to take cars from motorists not convicted of any crime (view ruling).
“The state allows us to seize and impound vehicles in certain situations,” Englander insisted in a September meeting.
The council’s proposal would go much further than state law allows by seeking civil forfeiture of vehicles accused of participating in street racing. The vehicles taken would be auctioned or destroyed.
Although discussions of the plan focus on “street racing,” the ordinance’s draconian penalties would also apply to anyone involved in an “exhibition of speed,” which can mean mere speeding on a nearly empty highway, or popping a wheelie on a motorcycle. Spectators would be guilty of aiding and abetting on the theory that they served as an audience for the exhibition or race. Since street races are often widely attended, many more vehicles could be taken in a street racing bust if spectators are part of the round up.
“These activities have become more widespread in recent years, as modern technology and social networking makes it easy for groups to quickly organize illegal races and exhibitions of speed on short notice,” Englander wrote.
Confiscation is big business for the city. Towing and storage can run $1100 per vehicle. In 2006, the city generated $14,157,344 in revenue from 175,285 seized vehicles.
The commies showing their true colors, and don’t care who knows.
Time to start taking these POS’s out…
“As the scheme faces significant legal hurdles, the city council last month formally tasked the city attorney to research the topic thoroughly…..”
Yeah, I’d say that there are some significant legal hurdles to thievery too, but I”m confident that the city attorney will find a way.
How the hell do you justify taking someone’s car for watching something else? Apparently all you have to do is write it, sign it, and it’s the new law of the land.
This week it’s spectator’s cars, next week it’s jay-walker’s children, and while they’re at it, they may as well take the house if that lawn isn’t mowed. It doesn’t stop until they’re all dead. That’s how tyranny operates. What can we get away next? How far can we push without them pushing back?
…..and while they continue the pushing, the push-back is growing more energized, and more people are preparing for it.
“Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly ALL EXPERIENCE HATH SHEWN, THAT MANKIND ARE MORE DISPOSED TO SUFFER, WHILE EVILS ARE SUFFERABLE, THAN TO RIGHT THEMSELVES BY ABOLISHING THE FORMS TO WHICH THEY ARE ACCUSTOMED. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”
I believe we as a nation of free men are continuing to endure those present evils until the point they are deemed insufferable, either by degree or duration; waiting for the last straw and the spark to ignite the restoration of The Republic.
May the LORD bless us in this endeavor, and curse those who oppose the Freedom He has given to all men.
Death to the New World Odor.
the push back could come in the form of a car they want the authorities to take
thats all im gonna say .. fill in the blanks
had a lady pull up in a gold lexus yesterday. she rolls down her window and starts snapping pictures of my car. i contacted a friend who told me shes county abatement and their looking to take your car. he told me what they look for and yes my car did meet some of the criteria for removal. however, its fully insured, i’m paying three years worth of dmv registration fees today or tomorrow, it had one flat tire, some cobwebs, it runs, if you jump start the battery and will need smogged. i’ve had the money but i just didn’t get around to it. this should help motivate me. i cleaned the car up, aired up the tire, moved it to another spot, anticipating the notice i’ll have to remove it or get the tags up to date and prove that it runs. i’d like to believe this was random but i dont think it was. they have many ways of screwing with you. so if you think your just having a bad day or a bad month that turns into a bad year……….