We ran the R8 to Vegas last week. Smooth sailing on the way out. But we were stopped at the agriculture checkpoint on I-15 crossing the border back into California.
Agriculture agents are typically all-business. If your pickup is held together by twine and your homemade plywood shed towers six feet above the cab, expect to be pulled to the side and questioned. Most drivers can expect to be waved through or given the usual:
"Do you have any fruit or vegetables in the car? No? Okay, have a good day."
Drive through in the R8 and the questions are different. We pulled up to the agent and our conversation went something like this:
"What kind of gas mileage does this thing get? With all the open road behind you I'd guess about 8 mpg. Really? 20 mpg? You should work on that. Have fun. But be careful, the Highway Patrol just came through here a few cars ahead of you."
Mike Schmidt, Vehicle Testing Manager @ 19,400 miles
wobbly_ears says:
06:31 PM, 09/ 9/08
Hmm, drove to Vegas in an R8? Did you guys wear faux gold chains like every other poseur there?
Why can't I have a job like that? When I travel on company 'bijnez', my company sticks me with an Impala or a Malibu....
firstwagon says:
07:17 PM, 09/ 9/08
Why are earth would they be looking for fruits and veggies between states?
bimmerjay says:
07:48 PM, 09/ 9/08
"When I travel on company 'bijnez', my company sticks me with an Impala or a Malibu...."
A fate worse than death!! :-)
"Why are earth would they be looking for fruits and veggies between states?"
To collect CA's fruit and vegetable tax.
banhugh says:
07:52 PM, 09/ 9/08
"20 mpg? You should work on that"
Lol, best commend EVER!!! Especially from a law enforcer officer!
firstwagon says:
08:10 PM, 09/ 9/08
"To collect CA's fruit and vegetable tax."
They tax healthy food?
Strange world you live in.
dragonflight says:
08:28 PM, 09/ 9/08
Sounds like a pretty cool dude at the checkpoint- told you about the cops and everything! Indeed...time to lower the MPG a bit :)
s197gt says:
09:13 PM, 09/ 9/08
"agriculture agents"?! i've heard it all...
mustang5507 says:
11:18 PM, 09/ 9/08
wow...not many of you seem to be from so cal =P.
And the CHP is mean between LA and vegas. I haven't been a victim, but...they're VERY visible. Nevada HP isn't much better. They had unmarked Hemi Chargers lined up at the border when I drove up a few weeks back. Now THAT is scary...
sgude says:
05:51 AM, 09/10/08
And those Hemi Chargers look absolutely menacing
dingo567 says:
07:21 AM, 09/10/08
yeah both local PD and Washington SP have unmarked hemi chargers--they are menacing but pretty easy to spot.
up here in WA we have quarantine areas where you're not supposed to bring fruit--this is for preventing foreign disease from contaminating the crop. is that another reason for CA-NV agriculture stop or is it purely for tax reasons?
felonious says:
08:04 AM, 09/10/08
The CA agri-stops are indeed for preventing harmful insects and diseases from entering CA from other states (and countries, to the South).
I love the drive from So Cal to Vegas. That's half the fun, for me! It also makes me LOVELOVELOVE my Valentine One. I generally try to keep my speeds near legal because I hate getting tickets, but I still don't like nasty surprises. It's also very entertaining.
Once, while coming down the huge grade westbound from LV, my V1 went off and quickly started getting more urgent. The arrow was pointing behind me. I was going close to the limit, but I slowed down just to be safe. At the same time, a car flew past me, weaving in and out of traffic (including the truck lane). Sure enough, he got pulled over by the CHP that passed me a short time afterwards. That was so sweet. :)
bimmerjay says:
08:56 AM, 09/10/08
"They tax healthy food?
Strange world you live in."
That was a joke... felonious has the right answer. :-) Central CA is a huge provider of fruits and veggies to the rest of the country.
firstwagon says:
12:19 PM, 09/10/08
Bet it has more to do with protecting the farmers from lower priced imported produce then it does from bugs and diseases.
banhugh says:
03:28 PM, 09/12/08
good think that you were not smuggling bananas in that R8.