Cruise No More

new 6/3/04, updated 6/04/2004

OK here it is, from the July 2004 issue of Car and Driver:

Roman Steichen
President CapitalSHO club

I was in charge of the first Ford Taurus SHO National Convention, held in that average of cities, Peoria, Illinois, in 1992. We went downtown for dinner and fun. On the way back, we drove down Main Street, the street most targeted for cruising by the police. I had forgotten what it would look like to have 100 nearly identical cars, available in only five colors at the time, parade by! Since we were just driving through, I didn't anticipate any trouble, but one policeman stopped a couple of our friends from Georgia. As the event organizer, I tried to explain that we were just a convention group going to the hotel after an evening at the gambling riverboat. Our friends were released after it was confirmed they weren't drunk or wanted.

Don Mallinson
Washington, Illinois

Thanks for letting me know about the letter in the magazine. I don't have my copy yet.

They appear to have edited out the best line in the letter (IMO). After mentioning to the cops that we were coming from the gambling boat I said: "DOH, I just told the cops we were just coming from a place that served FREE BOOZE!".

Don Mallinson

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6/04/2004

Larry,

I haven't seen the actual magazine yet, but I know that what
I sent them had a few extra words that I really feel add to
the letter, so here is the version I sent in:

I was in charge of the first Ford Taurus SHO National Convention, held in that most average of cities, Peoria, Illinois (If it Plays in Peoria....), in 1992.

We went downtown for dinner and fun. On the way back, we drove down Main Street, the street most targeted for cruising by the police. I had forgotten what it would look like to have 100 nearly identical cars, available in only five colors at the time, parade by!

Since we were just driving through, I didn't anticipate any trouble, but one policeman stopped a couple of our friends from Georgia. As the event organizer, I tried to explain that we were just a convention group going to the hotel after an evening at the gambling
riverboat.

DOH! I just told the cop that we had been where they have FREE BOOZE! Our friends were released after it was confirmed they weren't drunk or wanted.

Don

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