Supreme Court To Decide If States Can Seize Vehicles For Minor Offenses
Tyson Timbs made an impulse buy. Then he made a series of mistakes. 42,000 of his father鈥檚 life insurance proceeds to buy a 2012 Land Rover. To support his heroin addiction, Timbs drove the Land Rover across Indiana to buy, transport, and sell drugs. 1,200 in fines and court fees. But that was not the end of the case. Under Indiana law, the state may seize any vehicle used in drug trafficking. So Indiana initiated a forfeiture action against Timbs鈥?Land Rover. The vehicle is itself a party to the case, leading to one of the more entertaining case titles in recent memory: Tyson Timbs and a 2012 Land Rover LR2 v. Indiana. 250 million through forfeiture actions in 2012 alone. This dispute is set make it all the way to our nation鈥檚 highest court later this month with important implications for law enforcement agencies and criminal justice reform. The case could rest on the say of one Supreme Court Justice in particular: Neil Gorsuch.
This mostly affects me when I'm crossing deep sand or crossing rivers. There are no set rules because conditions vary (even at the same location over different times of the year). Experience is the best instructor. When I'm not sure about a given situation, I start with decent speed and momentum, paying close attention to the vehicle performance (deceleration, traction, bow waves, etc.) so I can quickly either speed up or slow down. This is an excellent tip and is often not covered in the trail books on the market. I turn around a lot. I go off-roading often, but post blog entries for a fraction of those trips. I don't like posting about my "failures." But I don't mind turning around. Seriously. I enjoy the trip even if I turn around. I enjoy knowing about the area I'm driving through; it's history, geologic features, etc. It's easy to learn about a trail in advance. If it's used by others, then there's bound to be something on the internet. I also look up the names of features in the area shown on my maps. That's a good way to learn of nearby sites to visit. A little preparation can make the difference between a miserable trip and an adventure. I'm a fan of bringing all the gear (or at least a lot of it) that you never want to use. Here's a list of the things I can think of now. I bring all these items on my adventures. Even on simple day trips. Here's a trick: put many of those things into a single 14-20 gallon plastic bin. Then you only need to load that bin and a few other things into the back of your car before you head out. I've been doing this for years and it's super easy.
Our HSE also came with a standard leather interior. A few gray trim pieces try to break up the monotonous darkness, but the LR3's interior is a rented-out hall next to the more expensive Range Rover's country-club atmosphere. 25,000 less than the Range Rover. Getting into the LR3's back seats is far easier than in the Discovery, thanks to the 13.6-inch-longer wheelbase that allows for a longer rear door and the ability to lower the vehicle using the air suspension. Even in its "access," or lowest, setting, you'll still have to step up to the LR3, but squeezing into the back seat no longer requires Camel Trophy training. Since the rear seats are mounted a few inches higher than the fronts, passengers get a piece of the vast view. There are 55 cubic feet of space back there, enough room for three passengers to sit comfortably for more than a few minutes at a time. 1250 for the rear-seat package that adds a fold-flat third row and extends the curtain airbag for two more passengers. The LR3, despite its lack of a sybaritic cabin, is a convincing luxury sport-ute.
The 2010 Infiniti EX35 is Infiniti's luxury midsize crossover. The EX35 competes with the Acura RDX, Land Rover LR2 and BMW X3. The EX35 comes with either rear- or all-wheel drive. There are no significant changes. The EX35 should fit right alongside the other Infiniti cars: L-shaped headlights, a twin-compartment lower air dam and a curvy, windswept profile are all part of the mix. The horizontal taillights don't seem as chiseled as the ones on Infiniti's larger FX crossover. Five people can fit inside the EX. It features a standard tilt/telescoping steering wheel and a standard 60/40-split rear seat. Rear-wheel drive comes standard, and all-wheel drive is optional. The EX35's car-based chassis has a four-wheel independent suspension with extensive aluminum components. Infiniti gave its G lineup a modest face-lift for 2010. The G37 comes as a sedan, a coupe and a folding hardtop convertible. All but the convertible can come with all-wheel drive. The G37 sedan comes in G37 base, G37 Journey, G37x AWD and G37 Sport 6MT variants.
