a007apl
07-22-2005, 03:11 AM
Video (http://www.gumball144.com/Video/Tape1.mov)
___________
5/5/04 - Just past midnight a light rain began to fall, and the road to Bordeaux, already slow due to construction, became even more treacherous. 3 hours of agonizingly slow driving brought us to the Bordeaux vicinity and an open but foggy autoroute south toward the Spanish border. We yearned to make up lost time, so once again I pushed the car to its safe limit given the weather conditions, this being a cruising speed around 100mph/160kph.
At approximately 0400hr we stopped for gas just south of Bordeaux. Veteran Gumballer Alison "MTrouble" Cornea (#76 Red Porsche 996 Turbo) pulled in right behind us and announced that first-timer Rory Maton (#150 Black Lamborghini Gallardo) would be passing by any minute. Apparently Rory had been stopped several times by the French police - they'd warned him that if he was stopped one more time speeding in France, he would lose the car, maybe permanently.
Rory had only picked up the Gallardo at the factory in Italy a week earlier, so he was clearly desperate to keep the car and remain in the rally. According to Alison, Rory was cruising toward the Spanish border at approximately 75mph/120kph in an effort to avoid escape a grim fate. I was truly sympathetic to the poor man's plight, and yet my Gumball responsibility compelled me to do my duty - Rory seemed like a nice guy at the Gumball start, but he was also driving a brand new Gallardo.
It was time to take Rory down.
0402hr - We immediately pulled out of the gas station and accelerated to 125mph/200kph. Five minutes later we spotted Rory doing 75mph/120kph. We matched speeds, co-pilot Amanda activated the video camera and Vanity Fair writer George Gurley awakened photographer Julian Broad. George had not yet experienced first-hand the power and terror the Polizei M5 instills in other Gumballers - George's reaction to this opportunity: "Fuckin' get this guy!"
0407hr - We activated the visor-mounted blue/yellow police lights and Rory immediately hit the breakes and pulled over to the right. We were laughing so hard I could barely see - I can only imagine the "terror und fear" within the cockpit of Gumball Lamborghini #150. After calming down and wiping the tears from my eyes, I activated the Public Address system concealed within the Polizei M5's front bumper.
Following is a partial transcript of the verbal exchange:
Voice Dialogue Translation
Officer
Roy "Arretez la voiture a la droite!" "Stop the car on the right!"
Rory "I don't speak French!" "Please have mercy!"
Officer
Roy "Mettez vos mains sur le volant!" "Place your hands on the wheel!"
Rory "I don't speak French!" "Please don't take my car!"
Officer
Roy "Arretez le moteur!" "Stop the engine!"
Rory "I don't speak French!" "Do you take bribes?"
Officer
Roy "Sprechen zie deutsch?" "Do you speak German?"
Rory "No!" "But I'll pay!"
Officer
Roy "Turn off ze engeen of ze car! Pleez place your handbrake! Exit ze vehicule on ze left and breeng your documents to our car!"
___________
5/5/04 - Just past midnight a light rain began to fall, and the road to Bordeaux, already slow due to construction, became even more treacherous. 3 hours of agonizingly slow driving brought us to the Bordeaux vicinity and an open but foggy autoroute south toward the Spanish border. We yearned to make up lost time, so once again I pushed the car to its safe limit given the weather conditions, this being a cruising speed around 100mph/160kph.
At approximately 0400hr we stopped for gas just south of Bordeaux. Veteran Gumballer Alison "MTrouble" Cornea (#76 Red Porsche 996 Turbo) pulled in right behind us and announced that first-timer Rory Maton (#150 Black Lamborghini Gallardo) would be passing by any minute. Apparently Rory had been stopped several times by the French police - they'd warned him that if he was stopped one more time speeding in France, he would lose the car, maybe permanently.
Rory had only picked up the Gallardo at the factory in Italy a week earlier, so he was clearly desperate to keep the car and remain in the rally. According to Alison, Rory was cruising toward the Spanish border at approximately 75mph/120kph in an effort to avoid escape a grim fate. I was truly sympathetic to the poor man's plight, and yet my Gumball responsibility compelled me to do my duty - Rory seemed like a nice guy at the Gumball start, but he was also driving a brand new Gallardo.
It was time to take Rory down.
0402hr - We immediately pulled out of the gas station and accelerated to 125mph/200kph. Five minutes later we spotted Rory doing 75mph/120kph. We matched speeds, co-pilot Amanda activated the video camera and Vanity Fair writer George Gurley awakened photographer Julian Broad. George had not yet experienced first-hand the power and terror the Polizei M5 instills in other Gumballers - George's reaction to this opportunity: "Fuckin' get this guy!"
0407hr - We activated the visor-mounted blue/yellow police lights and Rory immediately hit the breakes and pulled over to the right. We were laughing so hard I could barely see - I can only imagine the "terror und fear" within the cockpit of Gumball Lamborghini #150. After calming down and wiping the tears from my eyes, I activated the Public Address system concealed within the Polizei M5's front bumper.
Following is a partial transcript of the verbal exchange:
Voice Dialogue Translation
Officer
Roy "Arretez la voiture a la droite!" "Stop the car on the right!"
Rory "I don't speak French!" "Please have mercy!"
Officer
Roy "Mettez vos mains sur le volant!" "Place your hands on the wheel!"
Rory "I don't speak French!" "Please don't take my car!"
Officer
Roy "Arretez le moteur!" "Stop the engine!"
Rory "I don't speak French!" "Do you take bribes?"
Officer
Roy "Sprechen zie deutsch?" "Do you speak German?"
Rory "No!" "But I'll pay!"
Officer
Roy "Turn off ze engeen of ze car! Pleez place your handbrake! Exit ze vehicule on ze left and breeng your documents to our car!"