GT40 = copbait

[JCoop]

All I wanted to do was go for a nice drive out to the Hamptons. Got stopped twice. The first was by a Nassau County cop in an Expedition cruiser whom I passed (with about 5 other cars) doing 65 on the Long Island Expressway. I moved to the right lane, a few cars passed me doing 70 or more, then when the cruiser pulled closer, he ducked right behind me and turned the lights on. First question as he ogled the car: Where's the front license plate? " ...keeps breaking off..." was my answer. "...clocked you at 80...", he says; "NO SIR, not me... 65 tops..." He retorts:"..you know this is a 55 mph zone, right?" "Sorry" License, registration, and insurance card...I hand him all and 2 PBA cards, he puts Xs on one of them, he gives me a warning, and a polite send off.
I get to the Sunrise highway entry ramp and miss a Southampton cruiser hiding behind the barriers as I take the turn at 50. Lights flash, pulls me over, and tells me that's a 20 mph ramp. I shrug, with both palms up and said I thought that was a suggested speed but the zone was 55mph, looked at my car and motioned with my chin and muttered "...what can I say...Sorry..." as I handed him my license, registration and my last PBA card. Another stern lecture about safety and a hurried sendoff as he jumped back in the cruiser to pursue a Ferrari.
Might as well unregister the car and just track it. It's definitely cop bait.

 

[Ron McCall]

What is a PBA card?

 

[Tim Kay]

What is a PBA card?

Ditto

 

[Jac Mac]

Police Budget Addition's>>> Sorry J. Coop, I could not help it. Perhaps we should have left the timing alone.

Jac Mac.

 

[roaldin]

Sounds like a Police Bribery Association account card. No more hassles with finding cash. Pay for 10 in advance and get one free misdemeanor.

Tim.

 

[Malcolm]

I only managed 4 hours from registering my car to drving it to being pulled And guess what, suddenly I seemed to know everyone driving past which caused them great amusement! Hey ho.

 

[Chris Kouba]

Policeman's Benevolent Association is what the acronym stands for (if I remember correctly). Your interpretations may be a little closer to home though...

CK

 

[JCoop]

PBA card=Police Benevolent Association

Although Police Budget Additions is more like it.
One of my flying buddies is a NYC detective and I have moonlighting Police Aviation A&P Aircraft mechanics do my annuals so I get these cards. 99% of the time they work; not that I abuse the priviledge, just a very handy tool for those rare (well not lately) occasions.
Also, when you make a nice ($100 or so) contribution to the local PBA, you get a couple of cards and a sticker. I do it in Southampton, only because I'm not there during the week and they cruise by my house on a regular basis in exchange for the small "budget addition".

 

[Russ Noble]

I must be naive. Sounds horribly like graft and corruption to me. The mighty dollar buys all it would appear? Can't beat the free enterprise system eh!

 

[Ron Earp]

I must be naive. Sounds horribly like graft and corruption to me. The mighty dollar buys all it would appear? Can't beat the free enterprise system eh!

Amen Ross. Agreed. I didn't know these things existed. Looks like I need to get informed!

Ron

 

[JCoop]

At first glance, it does look like graft but I know for a fact that a large portion of the money from the PBA goes to families of cops hurt or killed in the line of duty. They also subsidize a program called PAL (Police Athletic League) that holds tournaments for Kids Karate, buy uniforms for Little League, and pay for referees at Kid's Soccer. So I guess, it's not too dissimilar to a GT40s.com gold supporter that gets the priviledge to post pictures in the gallery...hehe

 

[Ron Earp]

So I guess, it's not too dissimilar to a GT40s.com gold supporter that gets the priviledge to post pictures in the gallery...hehe

True, but all support levels can do that. And, we've got to have cash to pay for the site. But the biggest difference is we're not getting you out of something illegal to begin with......

R

 

[Mark Charlton]

It's definitely cop bait.

Oh, great. Now you tell me... And mine is (I think they call it) arrest me red...

 

[roaldin]

Unbelieveable!
I had no idea I was so close to the truth.
Truth, Justice and the American way I guess...

Here in Australia we have a much fairer system, sort of like a dairy, everybody gets milked (except the politicians and the police, someone has to farm the animals, right?).

Tim.

 

[Russ Noble]

At first glance, it does look like graft but I know for a fact that a large portion of the money from the PBA goes to families of cops hurt or killed in the line of duty. They also subsidize a program called PAL (Police Athletic League) that holds tournaments for Kids Karate, buy uniforms for Little League, and pay for referees at Kid's Soccer. So I guess, it's not too dissimilar to a GT40s.com gold supporter that gets the priviledge to post pictures in the gallery...hehe

Of course it's graft. If people want to support these worthwhile causes they should do it for altruistic reasons or tax breaks. Kick backs in the form of lenient application of the law is simply corruption. There is no other name for it. And where does it stop, it's the thin end of the wedge. Civilised society is on a slippery slope allowing such practices. IMHO

Thank god such systems haven't permeated our society here.

 

[JCoop]

True, but all support levels can do that. And, we've got to have cash to pay for the site. But the biggest difference is we're not getting you out of something illegal to begin with......

R

Corect..hope you realize I'm just messing with you...

Of course, this can go to the over-debated topic of "speed limits: safety must, or revenue source?"

Russ, it would be extremely difficult for someone to do 55 if he was to survive the pace of New York society. You'd get run over. I realize it is a thin line and so it is with the PBA card. I still wouldn't get away with weaving in traffic doing 80; or if I pulled a gun out and shot someone who just cut me off. ...and what exactly is a tax break? kickback spelled differently?
So you guys always grin and pay everytime you get ticketed for doing 10 over the speed limit?

 

[Russ Noble]

"So you guys always grin and pay everytime you get ticketed for doing 10 over the speed limit?"

Yep. I just regard the revenue gathering as the purchase of a defacto licence to speed!! But don't waste it with only 10 over!!