This was posted on an Autocross list I subscribe to (I don't frequent Subaru forums!)
"This past Saturday I got a ticket in FFX County at Stringfellow Rd and Rt.50 for my hood scoop. I haven't been to any meets in a long time so no one would know my car, but its a near bone stock WRX with an STi scoop, in fact, there are no other appearance mods besides that. For the record, I just like the way it looks
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Anyways, an officer cut through traffic and turned on his sirens to pull me over right after turning onto Stringfellow. There was traffic, so the only thing I could think of was that I had a brake light out or something. So the officer walks up to me and says "how high is your hood scoop". I said I didn't know and that he should ask Subaru. The officer actually had a trainee badge on, and another officer pulled up almost immediately after I was pulled over.
In my time I've had my fair run-ins with police for traffic issues, mostly speeding and mostly when I was younger. But I make it a point to know vehicle laws as best I can. There is a law in VA (which I don't have the code number of, nor do I remember the exact wording) that basically states that if a OEM vehicle has been approved for use in the US, then it is approved in VA, even if it doesn't comply with the VA code. So i argued that to him, that it was a Subaru part meant for use on an Impreza and he said he had never seen an Impreza with a hood scoop, ANY hood scoop.
So he went to measure my hood scoop and was being sloppy with his metal ruler, so I sternly asked him to watch the paint, but thats beside the point. So he gave me a ticket because the legal limit is 1 & 1/8" high, and mine measured 3 & 1/2" high from my hood to the top of the scoop.
So last night I began my research to go to court and fight. When I looked up the code (which is all of three lines long) it says very clearly that it is to be measured from the point where the windshield meets the dashboard, to the top of the scoop, which isn't where he measured from. This morning at work, I took a level and a measuring tape outside and measured it at 5/8".
So end of story, I will be going to court and will not accept anything besides not guilty. I wanted to warn people though, because this is the ONLY reason that I was pulled over and the officer was being completely ignorant about the entire thing and couldn't even read the entire law, or was just being too stubborn. It wouldn't surprise me at all if he gives anyone else a ticket, or already has."
Result:
"There is good new and bad news. The good news is that apparently the judge had already discussed this case with the officer and I was immediately dismissed. The BAD news is the reason it was dismissed. Apparently, Officer Genius took it upon himself to notify the Commonwealth of VA that Subaru has been selling vehicles with illegal hood scoops and now are tax money gets to be wasted on an investigation. I tried to say something but the judge insisted that I was dismissed and I couldn't really get a word in."
"This past Saturday I got a ticket in FFX County at Stringfellow Rd and Rt.50 for my hood scoop. I haven't been to any meets in a long time so no one would know my car, but its a near bone stock WRX with an STi scoop, in fact, there are no other appearance mods besides that. For the record, I just like the way it looks
Anyways, an officer cut through traffic and turned on his sirens to pull me over right after turning onto Stringfellow. There was traffic, so the only thing I could think of was that I had a brake light out or something. So the officer walks up to me and says "how high is your hood scoop". I said I didn't know and that he should ask Subaru. The officer actually had a trainee badge on, and another officer pulled up almost immediately after I was pulled over.
In my time I've had my fair run-ins with police for traffic issues, mostly speeding and mostly when I was younger. But I make it a point to know vehicle laws as best I can. There is a law in VA (which I don't have the code number of, nor do I remember the exact wording) that basically states that if a OEM vehicle has been approved for use in the US, then it is approved in VA, even if it doesn't comply with the VA code. So i argued that to him, that it was a Subaru part meant for use on an Impreza and he said he had never seen an Impreza with a hood scoop, ANY hood scoop.
So he went to measure my hood scoop and was being sloppy with his metal ruler, so I sternly asked him to watch the paint, but thats beside the point. So he gave me a ticket because the legal limit is 1 & 1/8" high, and mine measured 3 & 1/2" high from my hood to the top of the scoop.
So last night I began my research to go to court and fight. When I looked up the code (which is all of three lines long) it says very clearly that it is to be measured from the point where the windshield meets the dashboard, to the top of the scoop, which isn't where he measured from. This morning at work, I took a level and a measuring tape outside and measured it at 5/8".
So end of story, I will be going to court and will not accept anything besides not guilty. I wanted to warn people though, because this is the ONLY reason that I was pulled over and the officer was being completely ignorant about the entire thing and couldn't even read the entire law, or was just being too stubborn. It wouldn't surprise me at all if he gives anyone else a ticket, or already has."
Result:
"There is good new and bad news. The good news is that apparently the judge had already discussed this case with the officer and I was immediately dismissed. The BAD news is the reason it was dismissed. Apparently, Officer Genius took it upon himself to notify the Commonwealth of VA that Subaru has been selling vehicles with illegal hood scoops and now are tax money gets to be wasted on an investigation. I tried to say something but the judge insisted that I was dismissed and I couldn't really get a word in."
