I'm still a victim, Lamborghini owner says

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-natio...1118-17ym8.html

In an ironic twist, a magistrate in Sydney, Australia, threw out a speeding ticket because he felt the patrol car that gave chase was far too slow to accurately determine how fast the ticketed sports car was going. Magistrate Michael Wheeler dismissed the charges against Leone Antonino Magistro, a mechanic, after he was pulled over and cited for driving more than 100 mph in a customer’s 2006 Lamborghini Gallardo by an officer driving a Ford Falcon.

 

"With no disrespect to the Ford Falcon, could it cut the mustard with the Lamborghini being driven by the accused?" said Judge Wheeler while awarding the mechanic $18,000 AUD in court costs. "Ultimately, the police vehicle was so far behind the Lamborghini at all times that when the police vehicle seemed to be doing 160 km/h, it was impossible to really estimate, or really guesstimate, how fast the (Lamborghini) was moving away from them," he added.

 

The story first made headlines after police impounded the car for a month even though the owner, a Dr. Patrick Nugawela, was considered a victim. The police cited Australia’s new anti-hoon laws, which are applied to any car caught going more than 37 mph over the speed limit, for the impounding. Dr. Nugawela is accusing the police of damaging the car’s electrical system while it was in its care, leaving him with a $50,000 repair bill. The police deny damaging the vehicle.

 

[via Sydney Morning Herald]

 

 

And our official "Thank God I live in America" thread of the day is:

And our official "Thank God I live in America" thread of the day is:

 

Ya for as screwy as WE can be sometimes, I am glad. This is stupid. Don't forget F1 pilot Lewis Hamilton did some "hooning" in a C63 earlier this year and got into some hot water. I don't see the big deal.

Yeah the hoon laws havn't been around long and it's cases like this that hopefully will have an impact on possible changes in the future. As you can imagine in a lot of cases an owner will lend a car to a friend knowing the friend will go for a spirited drive and even be a passenger at the time so the laws try to reduce that to an extent I guess, but when a mechaninc or anyone joyrides a car well... the laws show their stupid limitations.

 

Many years ago some F1 driver got busted speeding here in some high end car. He got away with it due to his uncontested driving ability combined with the braking and cornering capacity of the car he was driving.

Yeah the hoon laws havn't been around long and it's cases like this that hopefully will have an impact on possible changes in the future. As you can imagine in a lot of cases an owner will lend a car to a friend knowing the friend will go for a spirited drive and even be a passenger at the time so the laws try to reduce that to an extent I guess, but when a mechaninc or anyone joyrides a car well... the laws show their stupid limitations.

 

Many years ago some F1 driver got busted speeding here in some high end car. He got away with it due to his uncontested driving ability combined with the braking and cornering capacity of the car he was driving.

 

Can somebody please tell me what the hell a "Hoon Law" is? Ive been practicing law for nearly 15 years and Ive never heard of this before.

Intentionally breaking traction of the tyres.

I don't know all the ins and outs about the "hoon laws" but afaik any street racing or excessive speed = instant car confiscation, or something like that.

 

Also laws regarding modifiing cars changed and became much more strict, crack down on non-return blow off valves, open air filters, can't have a aftermarket ecu that the driver can change fuel maps, larger fines for not having a cat etc etc. Limited passenger number for provisional licence holders, and they can not own or drive V8's or turboed cars (unless permission is applied for and granted). There are a whole series of things that were changed or implemented covering the above subject material, and I may not have the facts 100% but you get the idea.

 

All this followed a string of incidents amped up by the media a while back caused by young drivers in riced/highly modded cars street racing or just driving fast and killing themselves and innocent parties on the street. The laws are aimed at that type of car culture.

I don't know all the ins and outs about the "hoon laws" but afaik any street racing or excessive speed = instant car confiscation, or something like that.

 

Also laws regarding modifiing cars changed and became much more strict, crack down on non-return blow off valves, open air filters, can't have a aftermarket ecu that the driver can change fuel maps, larger fines for not having a cat etc etc. Limited passenger number for provisional licence holders, and they can not own or drive V8's or turboed cars (unless permission is applied for and granted). There are a whole series of things that were changed or implemented covering the above subject material, and I may not have the facts 100% but you get the idea.

 

All this followed a string of incidents amped up by the media a while back caused by young drivers in riced/highly modded cars street racing or just driving fast and killing themselves and innocent parties on the street. The laws are aimed at that type of car culture.

 

 

OK... But what the hell is a "Hoon"? Does that mean something? Named after somebody?

G'day mate what do ya know,

 

It's just Aussie talk mate:

 

http://www.google.com.au/#hl=en&source...9cff7f5ec2a2f9e

 

cya later mate, I'm goin' down the pub for some four ex

Your link didn't work Joe, but...

Hoon is a derogatory term used in Australia and New Zealand, to refer to a young person who engages in loutish, anti-social behaviour.

It works for me but it's prob a google location thing eg I can't go to "www.google.com" as it defaults to "www.google.com.au"

 

So I guess you can't go to "www.google.com.au" over there.

G'day mate what do ya know,

 

It's just Aussie talk mate:

 

http://www.google.com.au/#hl=en&source...9cff7f5ec2a2f9e

 

cya later mate, I'm goin' down the pub for some four ex

 

I dated an Australian chick for years. (From Kilara outside Syndey)... The only thing I learned was "Pissed" is a good thing.

I dated an Australian chick for years. (From Kilara outside Syndey)... The only thing I learned was "Pissed" is a good thing.

 

Unless it is followed by the word off it is a good think ie drunk.

No, I don't understand "Hoon either" , I got pissed all over my uni life tho.

pissed = good

 

pissed off = not good for the target

 

pissed all over = not a good thing at all

 

Can somebody please tell me what the hell a "Hoon Law" is? Ive been practicing law for nearly 15 years and Ive never heard of this before.

 

 

Hooning / Hoon law : Street racing / drifting / anything that is related to exhibition of speed/reckless driving.

***************just remember each cop is to his own, how this is determined*************

 

Rapid acceleration from a standing start.

Breaking traction.

Sliding around / drifting

passing over yellows

Parking lot bald spot doughnuts

rapid lane changes

improper passing and unsafe lane changes

Excessive speed/ double the posted speed limit.

 

 

 

as RD mentioned "thankgod" we live, but example in Switzerland I have seen people in a ferrari being pulled over and cited for not the proper documents regarding a wing on the car, last I heard it was a 4,300usd ticket since it was not legal to have on the car .

 

 

Australia has had its fair share of really bad street racing crashes and HOONING law is a result of it.

 

 

 

Did my street hooning on the track today in the rain slush/icy was the mix of the day. however on my way back I really enjoyed people blasting past me going 80+mph in the rain slicked roads. from Agroura 101s, car crashes littered the roads.

 

06 cobra mustang - rollover - how the hell can you roll a mustang ?

10 Cadalac - Cadalaic srx - blew past me in the #1 lane - started hydro planing and went from the # 1 lane into # 5 lane and backwards into the coco's parking lot that is right next to the on ramp. - im sure the driver shat their pants.

09 101S (by the MBZ - calabasas dealer) Ford Focus cliped the onramp traffic meter light post.

 

 

 

 

 

The owner lives down the street from me, good for him that he finally got it back.

However, from what I know, it wasn't a mechanic, it was his friend/dealer who drove the car and got it impounded.

drove the car and got it impounded.

Good god this goes back to a story when Irv Ogner who use to own the Auto Gallery and R32 GTR back in Southern California in 1992.

 

 

 

 

 

pissed = good

 

pissed off = not good for the target

 

pissed all over = not a good thing at all

 

You taking a piss of me?

I'm also thankful to live in a state that doesn't have "criminal speeding" -- beyond the normal speeding violations, they can only get you for reckless op in Ohio. Harder to prove unless you were swerving, driving through a residential area, etc.

 

I am NOT thankful to live in a front plates required state as I was pulled over in a Porsche for that tonight. Stupid law!

You taking a piss of me?

 

Oh I forgot that one.

 

Taking the piss = good, funny even. Unless you're the one having the piss taken out of.

Oh I forgot that one.

 

Taking the piss = good, funny even. Unless you're the one having the piss taken out of.