Think of all the vehicles you typically see at a sideshow. Did you think of a front wheel drive Mitsubishi Eclipse? Stockton police sure did.
Stockton Police better get a refund on the training they got to identify vehicles that might be involved in sideshows because they got this one completely wrong and they’re getting roasted for it. According to the San Joaquin County Sherrif’s Office post on Facebook earlier last week (Feb. 2, 2018) they proudly boasted the fact that they caught their first big one in the fight against illegal sideshows, they successfully cited, towed, and, humiliated the owner of this second generation Mitsubishi Eclipse for illegal modifications, bald tires, and a half pound of weed. Yes, Stockton Police stopped and cited a front wheel drive sport compact for allegedly being involved in sideshow activity. Check out their Facebook post below.
Let’s get this clear, I am against participating in any kind of sideshow and fully support Stockton Police’s efforts in thwarting sideshow activity. According to Good Day Sacramento, a special task force was set up a few days ago specifically to deal with sideshow activity and presumably this is one of their first shows of force. But as for actual progress, they couldn’t have been more wrong.
Pretty much everything else they were cited on, while technically illegal, doesn’t point to sideshow activity. The Mitsubishi Eclipse is a front wheel drive car with possible AWD capabilities (but this isn’t a GSX since I see no GSX badge and that’s definitely not a 4G63 under the hood.)If you’re going to be sliding or “swanging it” at a sideshow, you’re probably going to be driving something cheap and rear wheel drive. We’re talking about your Mustangs, Camaros, Firebirds, and, Challengers etc. The pod filter on the stock intake and modified exhaust are just your typical first mods for any teenager and they were just unfortunate enough to get caught thanks to not having the proper CARB certification. Bald tires are indeed dangerous and no one should be driving with their wear indicators showing but citing these kids just puts a dent into what they (or their parents) could’ve used to buy some replacements.
The two individuals were caught with half a pound of weed which converts to eight ounces. Legally, in California, you can have up to half a pound on you but you have to be 21 and older and can’t smoke the stuff in public so we can give that point to Stockton PD.
As for the roasting, click their post above and read the comments, they’re hilarious. This one from Colton Mairs sums up what I’m thinking.
“So it’s cool to just profile a kid because his tires are bald? This car isn’t even capable of doing a donut, its front wheel drive. Your officers are embarrassing and undertrained. Extremely petty to attack your own local people from an assumption. I’m 100% sure this kid probably has nothing to do with sideshows. But u take his car he goes to school with because his tires were bald.#embarrassment probably a broke stoner oh well.”
Hopefully, Stockon PD will cut these kids a break and let them off with a couple of fix it tickets with no fines or fees attached. If they wanted to be good community police about the whole situation they’d make sure that this car is back on the road with all its original OEM intake and exhaust equipment where it needs to be and that they’ve at least got some tread on their tires.
Maybe next time they boast about their fight against sideshow activity, they’ll snag a car in the act or at least get one capable of pulling off a donut.
