I just crawled in from a trip up the coast to Santa Barbara ( major rainstorm.) I was just south of the city on the freeway, when a eucalyptus( gum tree for our Aussie members) decided to drop a major branch across the fast lane ( fast = 20mph). I stopped along with a California Highway Patrol unit. We couldn't budge the limb. He was going to call for more help. I dug out my Saw In A Can from my kit. We had to notch cut it twice, but finally severed the 8" and drag the beast to the side. I got a courtesy card (get out of jail free LOL) and a warning about the ducktape holding my license plate on LOL.

Ducktape holding your license plate on? That's a definite no-no. Hey, I actually do know something.

If they took all the duct tape off my car, I'd be walking.

There must be a reasonably priced garage somewhere near you. Try the family-owned establishments. They tend to do excellent work and not steal you blind.

Where do you think I got all that duct tape???

Chris,<br><br>I realize that everyplace has their odd laws, though California has more than most, but I'm having trouble understanding a law that says you cannot hold your license plate on with tape, or anything else that is secure. Or was it not really secure?

I'm not sure, but I'm guessing the plate was taped to his horse, which was the real problem. But you really don't want to use a screw in that case.

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't think he would have noticed,were it not for the chicano rawhide ( baling wire) holding the catolitic converter on. I have presbyterian friend with bad hearing. He thought a nun was in my car.That, and the family of pack rats running across the dash.They moved in during my last trip to the desert. There must be 10lbs of spilled trailmix,M&Ms ,dried fruit,several unused catsup,sugar,salt and pepper packets from fast food drivethroughs scattered about. That, and at least 1" of accumulated soil( dry cleaners deal with dirt, archaeologosts soil) have created a new econiche. In all honesty, the duktape was getting old and the rain nearly finished the job. I have upgraded! I used paracord and practised my knots at the same time.

As a 30 yr vet of the CHP, let me say THANK YOU for your help. We need all we can get. Now, a word of advice...don't try to use that "courtesy card" to get out of anything, all they usually do is make the officer NOT give you any break he/she was planning on giving you. If the officer just "happens" to see it in your wallet, that is something else, just don't tape it to your license, or wave it in his/her face, asking for a break. It won't work.

I wasn't planning on it! In my 32years of driving, I have never been cited by the CHP. I Think my assorted cars evoke the image of Steve McQueen coaxing his crippled B17 over the English Channel. My cars are all very much roadworthy, they just have that "distressed furniture" look. Actually, I did get stopped once, but he wanted to check out my Austin MiniCooper S ( he owned two). I think the vision of a 6'2 man wiggling out of the right hand driver side made his dayLOL

OldBaldGuy,<br><br>Speaking of getting out of things, what's up with those stickers I'm seeing on the back of a lot of vehicles that looks to me like "trying to get out of something." I live in North Carolina, and around here people sometimes display various small stickers on their cars that often look like a law enforcemant badge and have the name of some kind of law enforcement charitable organization on it, maybe something like "Police Benevolent Association" or whatever. <br><br>Whenever I see one of those, it always seems to me like these folks are hoping that's the last thing a police officer will see after pulling them over for a moving violation and approaching the driver's window. And somehow their $10 donation is going to make 75MPH-in-a-school-zone go away.<br><br>Are you familiar with this situation in your area?<br><br>Just curious what's going on. And do I need to get one of these?

Out here in California, people sport KMA 357 license frames. Thats some police code and supposedly warns brother officers there is a badge in the car. Now everybody has one.Then there is "back the badge" " I support our local Police"etc. The fire department personel tick me off the worst. It seems de rigeur for them to buy flame red trucks, get Cal personal license plates ( a fireman walking terminator style out of flames), a bracket that says" my othercar is a firetruck" and huge gold FD badge decals. This one local drives like he truly is going to a fire off duty. I finally videotaped him and sent it to the district commander.My neighbor's reired LAPD. He gave the best strategy all around-be anonymous,very anonymous.

>>be anonymous<<<br>That's been my strategy. I've got my white domestic sedan, no distinctive markings, and I've been just fine.

Yup, everyone has those stickers or license plate frames. They don't mean a thing to me. I am even one of the few who will write a ticket to another officer... 'course I am in the process of retiring, so who cares.

Skipping over the license plate/duct tape issue, I have a question about the Saw in a Can. I have never used one, but have always wondered...how do they work on DRY wood?? I would guess that they'd work OK on green stuff, but how 'bout the old dry stuff???

I've only used mine to cut green wood. I did experiment on a very dry pine 2x4 and redoak scrap wood. It managed to cut these, but with a great deal of sweat equity. I would probably use it to place control notches in large wood and then crack it with a boot or mallet. It is far superior to an SAS type wire saw. I have added a few replacement bowsaw blades to my larger kit. I can rig a sapling into a bow easily enough. The better ones have both rakers and teeth.For the novice, the teeth cut the fibers and the rakers actually chisel out the wood. if you have a clean shavings it is in good order. A small supply ofkerosene or oil is usefull to keep sap from clogging the blade.

That's kinda what I figured, having a little experience with a chain saw. I know that these are a little bulky, but my favorite carry saw, when I am using a backpack, is the sven folding saw. Weighs 14 oz (most pocket chain saws seem to go to 16), packs to about 22", and cuts just like a bow saw.