ANNOUNCEMENT: Based on news of this incident, the unofficial, unsanctioned, and completely illegal (but hey, who cares - the cops evidently don't) event known as: "The Jalopnik Can-Am Group 3 MadMax GT Endurance of Detroit" will now be held on November 1st.
In their quest to rebuild their local economy in the wake of the manufacturing exodus, Detroit's civic leaders grew ever more desperate, until finally, necessity yielded to opportunity. Traffic enforcement was pulled from the streets. The story was fed to the world's motoring press: the road's open. Speed merchants from across the globe soon flooded local hotels and restaurants. Gas stations and tire outlets basked in the warm glow of a 2000% spike in sales. Tow service was in record demand.
I've heard rumors that Omni Consumer Products Corporation has floated an innovative offer to the City Council -- something about privatizing Detroit's city government.
OCP has an interesting track record of innovating public-sector services through privatization. As CEO Dick Jones put it, "Take a close look at the track record of this company, and you'll see that we've gambled in markets traditionally regarded as non-profit: hospitals, prisons, space exploration. I say good business is where you find it."
I wish San Diego would figure this out. They only worry about the money from often spurious tickets. They never appear to give a thought to solving the murders and violent crimes that make the news one day to be forgotten the next, let alone worry about our insanely high car theft rates.
@CJinSD: You live in San Diego, and you think they're actually gonna investigate the theft of a vehicle that, by the time you discover it's been stolen, is already across the border in T.J.?
There's a lot you can get away with downtown. The police are so understaffed and demoralized by the politics and corruption in the city that they only really respond to gun shots or super egregious behavior. It really is sad.
On the bright side, getting to my favorite parking area in Greektown is easier when you can ignore the one way signs.
And I got my only police escort in my life in downtown Detroit. To a freaking bar! Am not even joking. We were trying to find this new hidden away place near Jefferson and were going around in circles till we ended up getting pulled over. The cop comes over and asks me what the problem was as (we apparently) blew a few yield signs. After telling him we were lost, and our quest to find this place, he says"follow me."
And he puts his lights on and drive us down to this place half mile away and stops right in front of the bar door.
Imagine a car full of barely 21 college kids being given an escort to a bar! Even now my jaw drops every time I think about it. Needless to say we became very popular with bar patrons (and some gals) that night. This was in 2006.
I hate to see people getting away with breaking the law. With the lousy economy in Detroit (& most cities), cut backs are taking place in all branches of government.
There is an exception. Bloomfield Hills, which is north of Detroit, has (or had) a Cadillac XLR-V police car. This was in 2007...don't know if they still have it.
Spartanburg, SC has it's fair share of interesting and horrifyingly subtle cop cars. At one point in time, we had several Fox Body Mustangs, 90's Camaros, a Datsun 240z, a few BMW X5s, and... 2 BMW M5's.
Like I said yesterday, i think the time is right for the world's first real death race at Detroit!Who would have thought that 1987's Robocop was an accurate view of today's Detroit. Too bad the cool robot stuff never came true.
09/30/09
09/30/09
Contact: Flavio Briatore - Race Coordinator
09/30/09
It was the dawn of Hoon Tourism.
09/30/09
And the cycle repeats.
09/30/09
09/30/09
I've heard rumors that Omni Consumer Products Corporation has floated an innovative offer to the City Council -- something about privatizing Detroit's city government.
OCP has an interesting track record of innovating public-sector services through privatization. As CEO Dick Jones put it, "Take a close look at the track record of this company, and you'll see that we've gambled in markets traditionally regarded as non-profit: hospitals, prisons, space exploration. I say good business is where you find it."
09/30/09
09/30/09
09/30/09
09/30/09
09/30/09
See, they need to contract police services in Detroit to Omni Consumer Products. Then they can build Delta City in peace while wiping out Old Detroit.
09/30/09
09/30/09
On the bright side, getting to my favorite parking area in Greektown is easier when you can ignore the one way signs.
09/30/09
And I got my only police escort in my life in downtown Detroit. To a freaking bar! Am not even joking. We were trying to find this new hidden away place near Jefferson and were going around in circles till we ended up getting pulled over. The cop comes over and asks me what the problem was as (we apparently) blew a few yield signs. After telling him we were lost, and our quest to find this place, he says"follow me."
And he puts his lights on and drive us down to this place half mile away and stops right in front of the bar door.
Imagine a car full of barely 21 college kids being given an escort to a bar! Even now my jaw drops every time I think about it. Needless to say we became very popular with bar patrons (and some gals) that night. This was in 2006.
09/30/09
A guy I know got lost over by the American Axle plant and got a police escort out of the area...for his protection.
09/30/09
09/30/09
09/30/09
(Many late night street races come to a close just this way around here.)
09/30/09
09/30/09
Next trip to Gotham I am gonna drive the chute without a care.
(drive the lodge out of downtown Detroit, I call it the chute)
09/30/09
There is an exception. Bloomfield Hills, which is north of Detroit, has (or had) a Cadillac XLR-V police car. This was in 2007...don't know if they still have it.
09/30/09
09/30/09
Spartanburg, SC has it's fair share of interesting and horrifyingly subtle cop cars. At one point in time, we had several Fox Body Mustangs, 90's Camaros, a Datsun 240z, a few BMW X5s, and... 2 BMW M5's.
09/30/09
09/30/09
Like I said yesterday, i think the time is right for the world's first real death race at Detroit!Who would have thought that 1987's Robocop was an accurate view of today's Detroit. Too bad the cool robot stuff never came true.
09/30/09