Police in New York have uncovered a massive auto-theft operation involving hundreds of vehicles. The Wall Street Journal reported that the ring had a businesslike approach and took orders for particular vehicles before carrying out their operation.

Workers at Toyota dealerships in the area allegedly helped the thieves by providing car keys to the stolen vehicles.

This massive operation was carried out by New York City Police Dept and New York State Police.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

House and Senate negotiators signed off Friday on a 2,000-page bill that reforms the nation's financial regulatory system. It should be on President Barack Obama's desk by July 4.

While the lawmakers beat back appeals by special interests seeking exemptions from the new rules, the auto dealers came up winners.

Their months of intense lobbying prevailed over pressure from the White House, U.S. Treasury officials and even the Pentagon: They secured a hard-fought exemption from regulation from a new consumer financial watchdog agency.

Consumer advocates and others wanted dealers included under the new agency's supervision because dealers write $250 billion in car loans annually -- nearly 80 percent of all loans -- and some may take advantage of car buyers through hidden fees or other improper practices.

But dealers successfully argued -- with at least three mass visits to Capitol Hill during the last seven months -- that they weren't to blame for the Wall Street crisis. Giving a new agency power to regulate auto lending could raise costs and prevent consumers from getting loans, they said, adding that laws against deceptive practices already are on state and federal books.

Ed Tonkin, chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association and a dealer in Portland, Ore., called the decision "a win for consumers."

"Dealer-assisted financing will continue to provide more convenience, more competition and more choices for car buyers," Tonkin said. "The goal all along was to keep a new, untested government agency from creating burdensome and unnecessary rules."

But the Consumer Federation of America said it was disappointed in the decision.

"Current enforcement on auto loans is spread among a number of federal and state agencies and is inconsistent," said Travis Plunkett, legislative director for the federation. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau "will be the cop on the beat for lending, and this beat should include auto lending."

But in a concession, the Federal Trade Commission, which already oversees dealer-assisted financing, was granted expedited rule-writing authority over unfair or deceptive practices -- especially for military personnel.

Bailey Wood, a NADA spokesman, said the dealers reluctantly agreed to the concession because "it was the only way to get the exemption."

Peters: Unnecessary burden

One of those who backed the auto dealers was Rep. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, who was among the House negotiators. He said the FTC already regulates auto lending and to "put another layer would have been an additional burden on small businesses."

"You have to stand up for what you believe is right," said Peters, a first-term House member. "So if I've got to stand up against Treasury, or the Pentagon or the White House, I'm willing to do it."

Obama said the bill contained 90 percent of what he wanted -- and that he would sign it, despite the loss on the auto dealer issue.

Exempting auto dealers, Obama argued, "would allow them to inflate rates, insert hidden fees into the fine print of paperwork, and include expensive add-ons that catch purchasers by surprise."

But dealers carry enormous clout. The Center for Responsive Politics reports that auto dealers have contributed at least $25 million to federal candidates over the past two decades, and often begin financial support of congressional members at the start of their political careers.

There often are dozens of dealers in a congressional district.

More than just giving donations, however, many auto dealers are visible and active in their communities -- sponsoring sports teams, lending cars for local parades and participating in community organizations and clubs.

Dealers "are small businesses in all of our communities," Peters said Friday. They are active "in the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and everything else. They are good corporate citizens."

Another battle won

It isn't the dealers' first victory over the Obama administration.

In December, over the objections of the White House and General Motors Co. and Chrysler Group LLC, Congress overwhelmingly approved a bill to give GM and Chrysler auto dealers the right to binding arbitration to challenge their closings in bankruptcy court.

The law has helped prod GM and Chrysler into restoring more than 700 dealer franchises.

We all know how SAFE our intersections have been since the placement of the red-light cameras but apparently some still think otherwise.

A lawyer from Athens, GA is trying to "defend" her clients by asking that witnesses aka cameras should show up in the court.

We have one question for her, did she ask her clients WHY they ran the redlight to begin with? We have been at so many intersections where folks run red lights left and right because they don't have any fear. Now bring in a camera and everything is good.

We think for the combined good of the people of this country, redlight cameras are a blessing! Let's hope they put these cameras at every single intersection in this country.

For folks who don't like them, we have one tip for you - Don't run the red light!

Source: Online Athens

Looks like the video of two stunt-wanna-bes finally made it to the authorities in Dubai. Police were able to track the vehicles by identifying their number plates, an official told Arabian Business. Bader Dakash, a media coordinator with Dubai Police, said that a full statement would be released shortly.

So now we know that law still is applicable in the Oil Rich Middle East

Source: Arabian Business

Rocky Mountain Tracking located a stolen golf cart equipped with a Smart Tracker GPS tracking device, while also leading police to a Michigan grow-op.

On the morning of May 12, 2010, a 2008 Club Car golf cart was stolen from Dale Brunt's business in Monroe, Michigan. The cart in-question was equipped with a Smart Tracker GPS tracking device that had been previously purchased from Rocky Mountain Tracking, Inc. Upon noticing that the cart was missing, Brunt immediately contacted Rocky Mountain Tracking.

Using the Smart Tracker's location software, Rocky Mountain Tracking technical support expert, Travis Torgerson, was able to locate the stolen cart. After locating the cart, Brunt immediately alerted law enforcement authorities. Police tracked the stolen golf cart to a Michigan residence where the cart was discovered -- along with a marijuana grow-op, and other stolen items, said Brunt.

Rocky Mountain Tracking President, Brad Borst, told press that, "Mr. Brunt's proactive decision to install the Smart Tracker on his golf carts is not only rewarding; his action has apparently solved a serious crime spree." Brunt's decision to purchase 30 Smart Trackers for his golf cart fleet was spawned by three previous thefts.

After researching GPS tracker devices online, Brunt discovered that the Smart Tracker had an on-demand option, which would allow him to equip his entire golf cart fleet with GPS tracking devices without paying a hefty monthly fee. He also liked the idea that the Smart Tracker has a "geo-fence" option.

Even though Brunt did not activate the geo-fence option at the time that his cart was stolen, all of Brunt's carts have now been geo-fenced. With this technology in place, Brunt will be alerted via text if any of his carts are stolen in the future.

Brunt believes that the Smart Tracker was the "perfect way to solve (his) problem." The Smart Tracker "worked way beyond (his) expectations." As for the grow-op that the Smart Tracker led police to, authorities are still working on the investigation.

Anthony Graber just spent 26 hours in jail because he had a camera on his helmet while riding a motorcycle.

The video posted below shows how a cop in plainclothing pulls a gun on him and then tries to hide the gun when a trooper shows up.

Cops raid Graber's parent's home at the dawn to seize the computers. Why? because he posted the abuse video on Youtube!

Check out the video and see for your self. Amazing!

Legislation to fine poky lane hogs is speeding along with a firm push from the House on Monday after a quick debate.
The House voted 129-29 in just seven minutes to pass and send to the Senate a bill that would set a minimum fine of $75 for any motorist driving less than the speed limit in the left lane who refuses to pull to the right when a faster vehicle approaches.

Rep. Mark Butler, R-Carrollton, said when he introduced House Bill 1047 it was to address a common complaint of drivers.

"I don't think I'm alone in saying this, but there are so many times when you're alone on a four-land road, and people will get over in the left-hand lane, which by law is supposed to be used for passing, and will just sit there and use it as their own personal drive-out lane, and they may be going 50 miles per hour. It's slowing down traffic," he said. "It's frustrating."

Hogging the left lane at slower speeds is already against the law, but state officials say they don't track tickets in a way that allows them to report how many are written for it each year.

Neither the existing law nor Butler's bill would affect drivers who are maintaining the speed limit. Butler said he wouldn't encourage anyone to exceed the speed limit.

Bob Dallas, the director of the Governor's Office of Highway Safety, describes the bill as helpful to officers in enforcing lane discipline.

"Driving in the correct lanes, at the correct speeds, has the possible effect of reducing crashes and increasing the vehicle-carrying capacity of our highways," he said.

The AAA Auto Club South sees a benefit, spokeswoman Jessica Brady said.

"Granted, it may seem odd to fine people for driving too slow, but it could help avoid some dangers," she said.

"As long as they're not allowing speeders to speed and get away with it, in the same respect they are not allowing someone to go well below the speed limit."

The measure needs a vote by the Senate and the governor's signature to take effect July 1.

Car crash fatalities fell in 40 states in '08, driven partly by people driving less because of the recession and seat belt use reaching a record high of 83%.

That's according to a survey by the Governors Highway Safety Association. Other reasons for the decline include high gas prices in the first part of the year that caused people to drive less or even more slowly to boost fuel efficiency. The survey follows a gov't report that found auto fatalities dropped 10% in Jan.-Oct. If that trend held up in Nov.-Dec., car crash deaths could reach their lowest level in 42 years.

Entrepreneur Malcolm Bricklin's Visionary Vehicles has filed a lawsuit accusing China's Chery Automobile Co. of defrauding the company after the two formed a joint venture to import Chinese cars to the United States.

In the lawsuit filed Sunday in U.S. District Court in Detroit, Visionary Vehicles said it lost more than $26 million in investments and billions of dollars in potential future profits due to deceptive and corrupt practices by Chery during the joint venture.

"We brought them people, we brought them money, we brought them ideas, we brought them everything we were supposed to, and they took everything, and it's a real shame," Bricklin said Monday at a news conference in New York.

Attempts to reach Chery representatives by phone in the United States and China were unsuccessful, and an e-mail seeking comment from Chery was not immediately returned.

Bricklin formed the venture with Chery in 2004 to import its cars to America as early as 2007, but the deal fell through.

When the endeavor was called off in November 2006, a Visionary Vehicles spokeswoman said the two sides disagreed over the extent to which Chery's automobiles would be modified.

The lawsuit, however, alleges that Chery used the publicity from the joint venture to cut New York-based Visionary Vehicles out of any plans to import cars into the United States. It instead sought partnerships with other U.S. automakers, including Chrysler LLC and Longmont, Colo.-based Quantum LLC, the lawsuit says.

A spokesman for Chrysler, which is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit, declined to comment. A phone message left at a telephone number listed for Quantum, which is a defendant, was not immediately returned.

Visionary Vehicles is suing Chery under an anti-corruption and racketeering law that would allow a jury to triple the damages normally awarded in a civil case, said Fred Schwartz, an attorney representing Bricklin's company.

The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified monetary damages, accuses Chery of using Visionary Vehicles to obtain plans and information about the U.S. auto market. It also says Chery repeatedly stole plans for vehicles from U.S. automakers, saying its "operating modus has been to serially plunder Western technology."

"Throughout its short history, Chery and its top management and others working in concert with it have systematically broken contractual obligations, stolen plans for vehicles, made cars designed by Western companies without paying for their rights and made deals without the slightest intention of carrying them out," the lawsuit says.

By the time the partnership fell through, Visionary Vehicles had already sunk $26 million in the joint venture and was to lose more than $14 billion in potential profits, according to the complaint.

"At the end of the day, Chery is dancing with a new partner and we have a lot of bills and no profits," said Andrew Kochanowski, another attorney for Bricklin's company.

Bricklin, perhaps best known for introducing both the Subaru and the Yugo to U.S. consumers, said in he has abandoned his quest to import Chinese cars and has instead turned his efforts to developing plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

Bricklin said he is hoping to develop a marketable plug-in hybrid by 2010 and is working to develop a network of dealers and the battery technology, which he acknowledged is still years away.

The eventual product will be designed and produced in the U.S., Bricklin said, noting that the botched deal with Chery has turned him off to imports.

"We want to export, not import anymore," he said.

London mayor Boris Johnson has withdrawn plans for a £25 per day congestion charge on the most polluting vehicles coming into the city, ending a legal battle against the levy by luxury carmaker Porsche.

The proposal to raise the congestion charge for vehicles with the highest carbon dioxide emission from £8 to £25 from October 2008 was put forward by former mayor Ken Livingstone. Under the same proposal, smaller cars would have been exempt from the congestion charge.

In February, Porsche launched a legal challenge against Livingstone's plans, arguing that the charge was unfair.

After dropping plans for the £25 levy late Monday, Johnson was ordered to pay Porsche's legal costs which are expected to amount to a six-figure sum. Porsche said it will give the money to charity.

Johnson, who had pledged to drop the £25 charge during his hotly contested mayoral race against Labours Livingstone, told the BBC the increased congestion charge "would have hit families and small businesses hardest."

"I believe the proposal would actually have made congestion worse by allowing thousands of small cars in for free," the Tory mayor added.

Livingstone said it was a "further blow" to London's attempts to help tackle climate change.