According to the state of California, exhibition of speed (CA VC 23109(c)) is a misdemeanor, therefore a public offense, and anyone witnessing it can arrest you (CA PC 837). The vast majority of citizens would simply shrug and mumble at the sight of you doing donuts.

The finger printing is due to the fact this was not an infraction. Keep in mind that booking does not neccessarily mean jail time, but it does not preclude it.

As to being cited for just revving your engine, I'm going to have to call you all out on it. I've been at a light revving my motor to listen for a sound. A cop pulled up next to me at the light and just smiled. If your sitting at a light with a Honda next to you and you're revving, the cop will be smart and wait for you to race and then just pop you both for racing.

@Snot Rob - Do you speed on the freeway? If so, you're breaking the law (CA VC 22349(a) and/or 22349(b)). Do you *always* signal when you change lanes? If not, you're breaking the law (CA VC 22107). Get my drift? We all break the law every day. Get over yourself.

 

popping a wheelie = wreckless driving....

 

Not from what I've heard from my uncle (Union City PD). Yes, it is wreckless to do a wheelie, but unless you hit someone or something, they're going to hit you with exhibition of speed.

 

Can you elaborate?

 

An infraction is like a slap on the wrist. A misdemeanor is an arrestable offense. When you're "booked" they always take finger prints, just part of the procedure.

 

Right on, just making sure.

Normally I wouldn't post something like this, but it seemed pretty extreme. The cops were pointing guns, and they cuffed me and chucked me in the back of a squad car for thirty minutes. At least they had AC/DC playing on the radio. I couldn't figure out if it was scare tactics or precaution. I was wearing jeans and a black sweatshirt, but I was trying to act as unthreatening as possible. Go figure.

 

what kind of dorm parking lot was this? big college (normally pretty busy) or somewhere out in the cuts? and what time of day?

 

I graduated from UCR in 2005… that being said, at that time the some of the UCPD guys were pretty cool, if you were lucky enough to get one of the good ones, ask him for your license back; he will probably give it to you.

Advice when you see the judge:
1. Do not pull the “I’m a broke college student” routine… he is going to laugh at you, tell you to get financial aid, hit you with the normal penalty, and make you feel dumb all at the same time. (this I know from experience)

2. Do not be a smart a$$ and plead “No Contest”, you were doing donuts in a parking lot, you are guilty. You will more than likely get a reduced fine if you man up and tell the judge that you were “being stupid” ( use those words; no disrespect to you), he is going to agree with you “being stupid”, tell you how you could have injured yourself and others….. and make you feel dumb in front of a courtroom full of people; just grab your ankles, take it, and say “Yes Sir”. ( Also from experience, except I plead no contest; ticket for 100+ mph, I paid $360, my friend plead Guilty and paid $90)

3. This may be out of left field, I-clubbers what do you think:
You could say that winter is coming up, and you are planning on driving up to Big Bear a lot, and do not have any experience driving in slick conditions, so you were practicing in an empty parking lot to see how you should respond to a spin… he may or may not appreciate that one…

 

In regards to revving your engine… I think it depends on what town you are in and the circumstances:

My girlfriend’s father was cited for exhibition of speed in Carmel for revving his Camaro, but I know that they are very strict over there.

 

Uhm, just because you got away with it does not mean the next person that does will. Just like if I was going 5, 10, or 15 MPH over on any given road past a cop and he does not pull me over does not mean you will be as lucky. It really just depends on if the cop is having a good day.

 

Choices and Consequences. . .

 

take it to court and make a deal for an "unsafe start." Pay the fine and take the point. This won't hurt your insurance nearly as bad. Been there, done that............

 

No the advice was helpful because I have never pissed, moaned, and complained about getting caught being a jackass, over the Internet! :rotfl:

I've done it, and I've been caught before, but I never broadcast my stupidity so blatantly to the whole congregation.

 

I can tell you right now, that's a misdemeanor. I know, I got busted for public intoxication once ( ), and I went through the same procedures. BTW, shower, shave, and throw on something nice to wear to the police station, because they'll want to get some mugshots of you as well.

FYI, booking+fingerprinting=suspicion of at least a misdemeanor

 

Read my second post.

Go pound sand, and STFU.