Well I got stopped yesterday by the California Highway Patrol while on my
way to take our trash to the county dump.  He stopped me for two reasons --
first, he had never seen a doublecab Vanagon, and second, I had no current
registration sticker...

Well, he looked the truck over _real_ good, but not as a search.  He was
real interested in it as a vehicle.  He called in my license, and found out
that I was registered all properly, and was a bit amused at the dispatcher
having troubles deciding what model VW it was with commercial registration.

Meanwhile we chatted.  I noticed that he had very aggressive *studded* tires
on his patrol car, and we discussed them.  Studded tires are pretty rare in
California -- I'm not even sure they are legal for civilian use.  His car
(a big Ford) had them on all four wheels.  He loved them.  I mentioned that
I didn't think they'd be too safe in a high-speed pursuit, and he said they
were real scary, but that they don't have much occasion to chase folks around
where I live, but they often must go out on emergency calls on ice and heavy
snow.  I don't know the brand or anything -- I didn't bother looking.  The
CHP tends to use tires that are too expensive for the rest of us.

It was interesting to see real meaty studded snow tires for a change.  The
rest of us in California have to carry chains everywhere.

Now I have to go and get a registration sticker and slip -- I guess they
musta been "lost in the mail".  The sticker on the truck expired in June.
They don't check too often -- now they notice because we're nearing the
end of the year.

So while lots of folks are debating various police agencies, I would like to
say that _all_ of my dealings with the CHP have been pleasant.  I know that
some are not, but I think that the CHP is the largest police force in the
US, and might be one of the best in the world.  I _have_ been roughly
treated by the RCMP, so the mounties don't get my vote.

Malcolm H.